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Orange is the New Black

PeguPegu
edited August 2013 in Everything Else
It's been mentioned several times in the TV shows you are watching thread so I figured it could be broken out into it's own.

I watched the whole thing in two days. Pretty good, not spectacular.
Post edited by Pegu on

Comments

  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Pretty good, not spectacular.
    I don't know if "spectacular" is the right word, but I think it's better than "pretty good." Compelling drama, seems like a reasonable depiction of the lifestyle, important social commentary, and also topless Laura Prepon.

    I will say that I was on the fence after the first episode. Too slow. The second episode was better, but the humor was ham-fisted. After that, they seemed to figure it out.

    Mendez made my skin crawl.
  • sK0pesK0pe
    I've been recommended this show by friends who say it's just like Oz. However I hold that show in fairly high regard with few shows being on par with it.

    Is it indeed a must watch?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    edited August 2013
    Is it indeed a must watch?
    topless Laura Prepon.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • jtvhjtvh
    I've been recommended this show by friends who say it's just like Oz. However I hold that show in fairly high regard with few shows being on par with it.

    Is it indeed a must watch?
    I enjoyed it tremendously. That being said, I wouldn't say it's much like Oz. Oz is more brutal (physically and emotionally), and IMHO practically operatic in its narrative arc. Orange is more comic (though not a comedy), and seems to have more of an agenda.

    Also Oz was an emotionally riskier show because it was almost exclusively about men's relationships with each other, which aren't usually examined in the sort of depth that Oz goes to.

    Is Orange a must watch? Probably not. Is it addictive and enjoyable? Definitely.

  • PeguPegu
    In terms of an enjoyability scale, I'd put it between Futurama and The Newsroom.
  • GregGreg
    At this moment, it is a must watch because everyone else is watching it. When this moment of it being a must watch passes, it will fade away like so many other good shows.
  • sK0pesK0pe
    Ok I'll get what I can and see what's up with it. Thanks for the insights.
  • PeguPegu
    The theme song: It's awesome but there's one line I don't understand, "Everything is easier the second time around." How does that relate to the show?
  • Not nineNot nine
    Since when do theme songs ever relate to the show they're used in?
  • PeguPegu
    edited August 2013
    Well, I assumed it was custom made. "You've got time" is pretty prison-centric in a double meaning kind of way.

    Edit: Ahem
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • GregGreg
    Also, "taking steps is easy/standing still is hard" can relate to pretty much every character who's trying to improve themselves.
  • PeguPegu
    I thought that line had more to do with being stuck in prison and cut off from society, thus "standing still" while the rest of the world is "taking steps" Your idea makes sense too though.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    All I know about this show is from a Facebook friend who is an extra/minor actor in the show and she posts screen shots of her on TV. It's pretty cute.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    Watching it now. It's actually really good. Also reminds me that I probably should watch Oz which I've been meaning to do.
  • GreatTeacherMacRossGreatTeacherMacRoss
    It's all about crazy-eyes.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    It's all about crazy-eyes.
    I like Pennsatucky a lot. High-test crazy. Crazy-Eyes was good at being creepy and sympathetic. Good balance.

  • NuriNuri
    It's all about crazy-eyes.
    Best character.

  • chaosof99chaosof99
    It's weird, but we are kind of seeing the revival of Jason Biggs career. The guy has been working, but I've seen him in fuck-all except the American Pie movies. Now he is in this and also as the voice of Leonardo in the new TMNT animated series. That is also weird, and I keep imagining his lines being spoken by a large animated turtle, but that might just be me.
  • sK0pesK0pe
    So I watched the entire first season.

    The characters were interesting and their arcs are interesting.

    I didn't have any empathy for the "protagonist" (for lack of a better word). I also think she is outclassed by the actors around her.

    The humour is very hit and miss, I found myself sighing at most of the jokes but others got me smiling or chuckling.

    There were many instances where I was asking myself if this was a parody and / or homage to Oz.

    It's good enough for me to keep watching but as everyone above has indicated it will end up being sinking into mediocrity once it's done.

    I do really like Suzanne (Crazy Eyes) and Red. The latter bias is because I'm use to seeing her as Captain Janeway in Star Trek Voyager.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    Finished the 2nd season of Orange is the new Black yesterday. It was a very satisfying final episode after all the shit that went down during the season, and at least it wasn't as much of a cliffhanger as the finale of the previous season. Overall the series stood true to form, and it continued doing everything well it did before. However, it seems to me like the pace has slowed down a bit in terms of how much time passed in the 13 episodes compared to the previous season. It seemed somewhat unbelievable that this much could be crammed in the approximately 3 months that passed in the season.

    It is also quite obvious that the series shifted its focus away from Piper towards the other inmates, with Piper being more of a B-Plot compared to the A-Plot about Red and Vee, which is also what the finale ultimately revolved around. I think that is a step in the right direction overall.

    In any case, the series stayed on course and kept its high level, which is a good thing. One could say there wasn't any noticeable improvements to the series, but I don't think there is actually that much space upward to improve into, and I couldn't actually name a thing off the top of my head where the series needs to improve.
  • muppetmuppet
    I thought the final episode of season 2 was kind of a cop out. Look at all these resolved threads, just how you'd have liked!

    Maybe the nihilism in modern media has gotten to me, but it felt way too easy.

    Piper can be an interesting storyline but I don't think it can support more than a single season, so they didn't really have a choice but to focus on the others. Ultimately I think this show will peter out at 4 seasons (5 max) because they'll be unable to flog the Piper storyline any further. I guess that wouldn't be a bad run.

    I haven't really gotten into any of the other streaming-service-exclusive shows. I guess House of Cards is supposed to be good? I haven't seen any of it yet.
  • CremlianCremlian
    *cough* House of Cards is good.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    chaosof99 said:

    Finished the 2nd season of Orange is the new Black yesterday. It was a very satisfying final episode after all the shit that went down during the season, and at least it wasn't as much of a cliffhanger as the finale of the previous season. Overall the series stood true to form, and it continued doing everything well it did before. However, it seems to me like the pace has slowed down a bit in terms of how much time passed in the 13 episodes compared to the previous season. It seemed somewhat unbelievable that this much could be crammed in the approximately 3 months that passed in the season.

    It is also quite obvious that the series shifted its focus away from Piper towards the other inmates, with Piper being more of a B-Plot compared to the A-Plot about Red and Vee, which is also what the finale ultimately revolved around. I think that is a step in the right direction overall.

    In any case, the series stayed on course and kept its high level, which is a good thing. One could say there wasn't any noticeable improvements to the series, but I don't think there is actually that much space upward to improve into, and I couldn't actually name a thing off the top of my head where the series needs to improve.

    I'd say shifting the focus away from Piper is an improvement. Overall, I'd say I preferred season 2 more than season 1 - but both were really good.

    I think I'm with Muppet, though - I don't think the show has great longevity. Still, I think I'm going to enjoy the hell out of the trip.

  • chaosof99chaosof99
    edited July 2014
    The series is set to cover Piper's 15 months sentence. At the end of season 2 they say that Piper has 8 months left, so 4 seasons sounds about right, some executive meddling and re-sentencing not withstanding. I don't really think longevity is a requirement for a good show, and I would point at Breaking Bad as a prime example. In fact I think it is better if you know how long it is going to last pretty much exactly because it lets the showrunners plan out things into more detail and allow them to pace the show much better.

    And yes, the last episode tied together a number of loose ends. That is why it is the finale. However, it also threw up some ends that can be tied onto in the 3rd season. Namely Alex going back to jail because of breaking her parole conditions (she is back in a "starring" role according to Wikipedia), Caputo having to figure out how he is going to run the prison and deal with Rosa's escape and the ensuing fallout, Morello being punished for her role in Rosa's escape, and Nicky falling back into drugs after having stolen Vee's stash.
    Post edited by chaosof99 on
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    edited July 2014
    I really really want to see Caputo in that role.

    Let's not forget the fallout with Daya and Bennett. That'll be a clusterfuck to end all clusterfucks, and could easily be a focus.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • NuriNuri
    Hey, Babylon 5 had 4 seasons, and it was a damn good show. Avatar had 3. I'm game.
  • RochelleRochelle
    So with my pneumonia, I had some free time on just sitting on the couch and staring at things. I went on a two day bender of watching all the episodes.

    This show is very entertaining. I am way more intrigued with pretty much every other character, but Piper and Larry. I think it's good that a show's main character is a person I don't really care to cheer for, but just see how she ends up and all the stupid choices she continues to make.

    As for my favorite characters: Crazy Eyes, Caputo, and Sophia. My favorite entertaining characters: Pennsatucky and Mendez (Pornstache). I hope to see more of Mendez, but I don't see how they can do that. I give a nod to Morello, only because of her giving Rosa a way to go out, but that obsession is so creepy.

    I love how season 2 ended. Caputo is definitely going to have to figure shit out.

    I was rooting for Daya and Bennett, but not so much now. Their relationship is destined to explode into a huge mess.

    I hope they don't bring back So-So. She annoyed me beyond belief.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    So-So was supposed to be annoying as shit, I think. Kind of how Piper was when she first arrived. A good foil for her.

    I'll be happy if they do something else with her character or strike her, though.

    I also kinda want to see Pornstache come back, if only because he's both ridiculous and an excellent personification of villainy in the system. The guy makes me uncomfortable.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Yeah, I know she was made to be annoying. They did too good of a job.

    Also Big Boo and the scene with the dog and peanut butter. *shudders* I can't believe they went there.
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