By Helen Li
Staff Writer
Although “Orange is the New Black” came out in July, I’ve only recently joined the bandwagon of raving fans. Currently available on Netflix, the first season is downright addicting. Vivid, raw, and original, the story starts out with Piper Chapman, a seemingly mundane woman in her early 30s who is about to go to prison due to her involvement in a drug cartel after college with her drug-dealer lover.
On the surface, a brief synopsis may sound like any other television show out there, but “Orange is the New Black” is fresh and utterly unbridled in its deliverance of the determination of the human spirit to survive in unfavorable environments.
As a viewer, you at first sympathize with her struggle as a “normal” person who is being sent to an institution full of people who may be perceived as “crazy”. Her journey through prison is terrifying; you experience the sense of anxiety and fear as Piper maneuvers through prison life and learns the ropes. The show is then shaken up when Piper discovers that the former lover responsible for her involvement in the drug cartel is in the same prison.
The most interesting part of the show is uncovering the details behind each inmate’s incarceration. All of the inmates come from various backgrounds, ranging from fiery Latinas to a scary Russian to a transgendered woman and more. At first, Piper views them all under the same scathing, hostile light. As the season progresses, character development becomes one of the shows most defining features.
Done through flashbacks, we are given a glimpse of each character’s past, which show how despite their flaws, their mistakes do not make them any less human. The use of colorful backstories gives the show another dimension, giving the characters much more depth and the story a more powerful impact.
While “Orange is the New Black” is only on its first season, the next season is anticipated to be released sometime in 2014. With season one cleverly ended on a killer cliffhanger, I have no doubts that the second season will be just as brilliant and engrossing its predecessor.
