Orange is the New Black Review: Doctor Psycho (Season 4 Episode 4)

Let’s take a moment and try to wrap our brains around the main storyline of this episode of Orange is the New Black. Frieda wants to kill Lolly because she thinks Lolly is a security risk.

The entire episode is Alex and Red trying to talk Frieda down.

Yes, Alex and Red spend the whole episode trying to talk a criminal out of committing a criminal act while behind bars.

We’ve been here before with the Golden Girls when Vee was giving Red trouble regarding the tunnel and they tried to shank her. We know how well that turned out.

Sure, 0leander tea might be a little more precise and harder to prove, as long as they dispose of the tea, but why is Frieda’s first reaction to the problem to kill Lolly?

Lolly isn’t mentally stable. She needs help and the only person who can give that to her is Mr. Healy. Ironically, when Lolly tells Healy the whole truth he doesn’t believe her and thinks she’s suffering from delusions.

It’s fitting that Lolly’s psychotic break comes during an episode where we get to see a little of Healy’s backstory. What drives Mr. Healy to get his master’s degree in social work is his mother, who is a lot like Lolly.

Unlike his mother, Mr. Healy is actually able to help Lolly and it’s refreshing to see him be good at his job for once.

Or, at least, Healy and Lolly think he’s good at his job for once.

Until this moment, Healy seemed to be completely inept at helping anyone through an emotional or psychological trauma. Remember, this is the same guy who told Brook that her depression was all in her head last season and sent her to medical for medication.

The irony of it all is that Healy has fixed a problem that actually benefits the inmates and the prison instead of his own homophobic agenda.

Meanwhile, in SHU, Sophia is staging a mini-riot with the limited resources she has available to her.

You have to applaud her resourcefulness. She’s not a dangerous inmate, she doesn’t belong in SHU, and she’s using whatever she can to try and get out.

Caputo’s visit really got under my skin. Caputo is slowly crossing the line from sleazy-but-good-guy to villain. Lying to Sophia was toeing the line. Anyone else hoping Natalie comes back and stages a coup?

Stray Thoughts:

• Nikki! She’s alive! Does this mean Natasha Lyonne is coming back? Last serious seriously lacked Nikki’s snarky attitude. I missed Nikki’s snark.
• Aleida’s getting out! This should be happy news, but now that Cesar is gone she’s scared to be on her own. It will be interesting to see her make the transition back to civilian life; to a place where she can get her kids back.

What did you think of this episode of Orange is the New Black? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Orange is the New Black Season 4 is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

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