The women of Litchfield Penitentiary are back behind bars.
“Orange Is the New Black” returns to Netflix for its third season on Friday, but for those needing a quick refresher on the Emmy-winning series before they binge-watch, TheWrap has you covered.
Scroll down to catch up all your favorite federal inmates.
1. Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) and Alex Vause (Laura Prepon)
Piper let her emotions get the better of her in Season 2 when she refused to testify against Alex’s drug lord boss at Alex’s insistence. Unfortunately, Alex had a change of heart and testified herself, which led to her immediate release from prison. Piper hardens herself after this, coldly trying to trade a new prisoner to Boo (Lea DeLaria) for a blanket. Alex, now in fear for her life, visits Piper one last time to tell her that she’s breaking her parole and skipping town. Piper then sets Alex up to be caught by her P.O., leading to her being sent back to Litchfield.
2. Galina “Red” Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew)
After losing control of the kitchen, Red rebounded in Season 2 after the arrival of her old enemy Vee (Lorraine Toussaint). Red fought to reestablish herself as a leader inside, gaining control of a group of older inmates known as the “Golden Girls,” and starting up her smuggling business again through an old sewage pipe under the prison green house. She found herself in the prison hospital, however, after Vee attacked her from behind. Initially reluctant to testify against Vee for the attack, Red was convinced to do so by Sister Jane (Beth Fowler).
3. Nicky Nichols (Natasha Lyonne)
Nicky, Litchfield’s resident smart mouth, mostly stayed in the background in Season 2. She did, however, engage in a pretty funny contest with Boo to see which of them could bed the most women. Her biggest moment came at the end of the season when she stole Vee’s stash of heroin in order to help Red. The only problem? Nicky is a recovering addict. Whether or not she is able to beat the temptation to use again remains a mystery.
4. Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren (Uzo Aduba)
Crazy Eyes went through a very dark period in Season 2. We learned through flashbacks that even before she came to prison, she was seen as an outsider. When she was young other kids, and even parents, treated her poorly. So when Vee arrives at Litchfield and makes Crazy the muscle in her new drug ring, she rises to the task as it is the first time she has ever felt accepted in her life. Things go from bad to worse when Vee convinces Crazy to take the rap for beating Red. She confesses, but Healy provides her with an alibi. The last time we saw her, she was weeping after Vee escaped from Litchfield.
5. Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson (Danielle Brooks)
Back in Litchfield after a brief parole in Season 1, Taystee’s backstory became a central part of Season 2 due to her longstanding relationship with Vee. A mother figure to Taystee on the outside, Vee mostly manipulated her as part of her drug business. Once Vee is locked up, Taystee falls under her spell again, despite pleas from Poussey (Samira Wiley). Taystee eventually led the other black inmates against Vee after she tries to get Crazy Eyes to take the fall for Red’s beating.
6. Dayanara (Dascha Polanco) and Bennett (Matt McGorry)
Dayanara spent most of Season 2 worrying about the future of her unborn child and telling her baby daddy, prison guard John Bennett, to step up and take responsibility for getting her pregnant. Bennett is conflicted, as he deeply cares for Daya but knows he will lose his job and possibly face criminal charges for sleeping with an inmate. When he finally does work up the nerve to confess to prison adminstrator Caputo (Nick Sandow), Caputo tells him to keep the situation under wraps.
7. Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett (Taryn Manning)
Pennsatucky underwent some profound changes in Season 2. She recovered from her beating at the hands of Piper at the end of Season 1, but upon her return to Litchfield, she found that none of her old gang was willing to put up with her bullying anymore. Now friendless and alone, she found a kindred spirit in counselor Healy (Michael Harney). But after Healy tells her about a lesbian plan to take over the world, she aligns herself with Boo, much to Healy’s chagrin. She ended the season by telling Healy what a good person he is and how good he had been to her when everyone else turned their backs.