‘Orange Is the New Black’ Review: Netflix Prison Dramedy Courts Danger, Reaches New Heights
Season 4 debuts on Friday
Mark Peikert | June 16, 2016 @ 10:55 AM
Last Updated: June 16, 2016 @ 10:09 PM
Netflix
A year has come and gone for viewers of “Orange Is the New Black,” but no time has passed for the residents of everyone’s favorite upstate New York prison when Season 4 begins. The inmates are still frolicking happily at the lake; Alex (Laura Prepon) is still being menaced by a contract killer in the greenhouse; and buses of new inmates are still unloading at the front gate. But in the course of seconds, Litchfield transforms into a scary place, one that was only hinted at in the previous three seasons.
This newest season (arguably the series’ best since the first) is as much about danger as Season 3 was about faith. And those dangers, for the first time, come from all directions. There’s the danger of prisoner-on-prisoner violence, of course, but while in previous seasons there were authority figures in some capacity, that safety net has been swiftly and irrevocably removed by a new regime of guards whose true colors are slowly revealed throughout the season. And there remains the danger of self-destruction, one that most of the characters will grapple with over the course of this year’s 13 episodes.
One of the smartest and ingenious aspects of the series has always been how willing creator Jenji Kohan and company have been to let Piper (Taylor Schilling), our ostensible audience surrogate, become increasingly unlikable and extraneous. But while the series has moved away from the notion that its sole slim, white, conventionally pretty character is its lead, Piper herself has not. She still walks around the hallways waylaying people to discuss her problems and brag about her new “gangsta” attitude. But everyone is looking through her; she barely registers unless one of her blunders has an immediate impact on their day-to-day lives. And Schilling, always too nervy and deadpan to be a typical leading lady, rises to the occasion by making Piper even more obtuse, until a moment of violence thrusts her out of her fantasy prison world and into harsh reality.
But that’s just a small piece of Season 4, which is so rich and dense with characters, backstories and subplots that some of its more interesting new additions remain mere teases. As always, the flashbacks remain the strongest aspects of the series, making the creation of a truly diverse — in terms of class, income, age and race — show appear so effortless that the lack of follow-up from other networks is even more astounding. The success of “Lost” propelled networks to throw millions of dollars at vaguely sci-fi, Big Idea series that ended up one and done; where are the “Orange Is the New Black” clones?
Not that we need a pale pretender to the throne. “Orange Is the New Black” remains one of the benchmarks when it comes to ensemble storytelling; even characters we thought we already know well turn out to have additional layers and stories to be told. And as always, members of the large cast complement one another beautifully. You’d be hard pressed to find a bad performance in any season, let alone any episode, and once again the actors rise to the occasion when given the material. This season, Taryn Manning, Diane Guerrero and Matt Peters all do finely tuned, memorable work as characters often treated as comic relief or a Greek chorus — but the powerhouse performances come courtesy of Lori Petty as Lolly and, in a more subtle way, Blair Brown as celebrity chef Judy King.
To explain why they are the season’s standouts would be a disservice to the beauties of binge-watching, but note that both underrated actors are so committed to the roles that they seem to have lived whole lives as Lolly and Judy. Both new additions perfectly capture what “Orange Is the New Black” has always excelled at: revealing the extraordinary that lies just beneath the surface.
11 Summer TV Shows We Cannot Wait to See (Photos)
Saturday, June 11 "OJ: Made in America" (ABC/ESPN) at 9 p.m./8c
The ESPN documentary does the damn-near impossible - it reminds you of the long-lost days when Simpson was a hero. By highlighting not only his athletic achievements but also how he broke through color lines, the five-part documentary series underscores how stunning it was to see Simpson, in 1994, in the new role of accused killer. For those who only remember Simpson as a defendant, this documentary might be absolutely mind-blowing.
People have long suspected that members of Congress have no brains, and this new series looks to prove that suspicion. "The Good Wife" creators Robert and Michelle King are back at CBS with this quirky political comedy in which politicians' brains are being eaten by a parasitic organism. Add to that intriguing premise proven operators like Mary-Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Tveit, and Tony Shalhoub and you have the potential hit on your hands
CBS
Friday, June 17 "Orange Is the New Black" (Netflix) at 12:01 a.m.
Much has been written about this ambitious Netflix series: its powerful female characters, award-winning performances, excellent writing and compelling storylines. Season 4 need only do more of the same to keep up the tradition of fandomonium that has surrounded this show since it began
Wednesday, June 22 "American Gothic" (CBS) at 10 p.m./9c
Rich people behaving badly goes to extremes with CBS' miniseries about a family full of secrets - not the least of which is that one of them may be a mysterious serial killer responsible for at least six murders that have plagued Boston for years. The fact that it's a miniseries means "American Gothic" will be solving its myriad of mysteries. We hope.
Getty Images
Sunday, June 26 "Roadies" (Showtime) at 10 p.m./9c
Cameron Crowe is back to doing what he knows best: storytelling and rock'n'roll. Fans of "Almost Famous" should be able to get behind this series, which follows the road crew of a touring rock band. Look for Crowe's signature blend of heart, humor, and music to make this one stand out
Tuesday, June 28 "Dead of Summer" (Freeform) at 9 p.m./8c
What better way to spend the summer than with a slasher-horror series set at a 1980s summer camp led by "Lost" alum Elizabeth Mitchell? From "Once Upon a Time" duo Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, "Dead of Summer" follows a (doomed) group of teenagers attempting to reopen Camp Stillwater five years after its closing due to a series of suspicious deaths. "Pretty Little Liars" may be heading into its endgame this summer, but Freeform's new murder mystery series looks like it could be a worthy replacement.
Freeform
Sunday, July 10 "The Night Of" (HBO) at 9 p.m./8c
James Gandolfini's passion project is finally coming to fruition on HBO. The actor died after filming the pilot for "The Night Of," though discussions began soon afterwards to replace him in the central role of attorney Jack Stone. Riz Ahmed plays a Pakistani man accused of killing a girl in New York City, with John Turturro in the Gandolfini role, and Gandolfini is getting a posthumus executive producer credit, alongside writer Richard Rice and director Steve Zaillian.
HBO
Sunday, July 17 "Vice Principals" (HBO) at 10:30 p.m./9:30c
HBO has already gotten some of the best out of Danny McBride, and the pay-TV network is going back to its "Eastbound & Down" well to recapture the comedy magic. This time, McBride and co-star Walter Goggins compete to replace their school principal, played by Bill Murray. The summer series has comedy street cred and a promising power struggle plot line -- we'll find out next month if it proves to be more "The Foot Fist Way" or "Your Highness."
Friday, July 22 "BoJack Horseman" (Netflix) at 12:01 a.m.
"BoJack Horseman" isn't just one of the funniest animated comedies going, it's straight-up one of the funniest sitcoms around, live, drawn or otherwise. But "BoJack" is also pretty deep -- about as deep as a half-human/half-animal cartoon can be. The voice cast is as terrific as the low-rent-but-unique animation is, boasting the work of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Aaron Paul, Alison Brie and Paul F. Tompkins. "BoJack" is the somewhat-hidden gem of Netflix, and be sure to watch the Christmas special annually at Yuletide!
Netflix
Friday, August 12 "The Get Down" (Netflix) at 12:01 a.m.
"Moulin Rouge" director Baz Luhrmann said he's been developing the idea for his first TV series, "The Get Down" for over a decade, and all signs point to it being time well-spent. Set in 1970s New York City, Luhrmann's hotly anticipated musical drama follows a rag-tag group of friends living in the South Bronx as turmoil in the city leads to the birth to hip-hop, punk and disco.
Wednesday, August 31 "You're the Worst" (FX) at 10 p.m./9c
Stephen Falk's "You're the Worst" debuts its third season on FXX this summer, and continues to be one of the most underrated comedies on the air. Starring Chris Geere and Aya Cash as a pair of curmudgeons learning to be in a relationship, "You're the Worst" deepened its storytelling last season with a deftly handled depression arc that proved the show has a promising future even beyond its initial premise
FX
1 of 11
Returning shows like “Orange Is the New Black” and new ones like “The Get Down” look to make this a watchable season
Saturday, June 11 "OJ: Made in America" (ABC/ESPN) at 9 p.m./8c
The ESPN documentary does the damn-near impossible - it reminds you of the long-lost days when Simpson was a hero. By highlighting not only his athletic achievements but also how he broke through color lines, the five-part documentary series underscores how stunning it was to see Simpson, in 1994, in the new role of accused killer. For those who only remember Simpson as a defendant, this documentary might be absolutely mind-blowing.
ESPN
CBS
