Orange is the New Black Review: Black Comedy/Tragedy (Season 5 Episodes 4-6)

The season-long bottle episode (as in “lightning in a”) continues as the sun sets on the first day of the riot, but the inmates are just getting started.

Orange is the New Black Season 5 so far manages to masterfully mix toilet humor and serious topics in some of the best dark comedy currently streaming on television. Watching a guard nearly go into septic shock because of a shy bladder should not be funny, but there are a couple of Sound of Music songs that say otherwise.

An elderly woman tied to a cross having a vertigo-induced seizure while white supremacists joyously dance for a paparazzi helicopter? That comedy/serious line is so blurry, it’s giving me vertigo.

On Orange is the New Black Season 5 Episode 4, no one bothers explaining where the women found enough candles to feasibly keep the entire building alight, but who cares? It’s The Voice: Litchfield Edition Litchfield Idol “Litchfield’s Got Talent.”

Thanks to their dedication to pantsing other inmates, the Meth Girls get their hands on The Gun and decide to use their power to host a talent show with the guards, as one does.

Forcing captives to entertain their captors against their will is something I’m pretty sure ISIS does, but it’s made cringingly funny by the fact that these two are so stupid, there’s not an ounce of malice to be found in the whole ordeal.

While CO Magic Mike should have won, the PR guy gets the award by virtue of being attractive (is he? Or is he just tall?) and the sends the loser off to The Poo, a wildly creative play on “The Shu.”

Meanwhile, Suzanne holds a séance in the cafeteria hoping to contact the spirit of the dearest departed Poussey while Soso and Taystee have a grief-off. I’ve seen one of those in real life. They aren’t pretty.

On that note, a thought occurred to me while this episode as well as the previous three: each group of inmates has their own mother figure or matriarch. Red has her own little family, and Gloria shows all the Latina women some tough love.

The black inmates, however, have no one. While the role had initially been awarded to Vee back in season two, her manipulative nature and her untimely demise via the fender of a stolen Ford van left a vacancy that has largely gone unfilled for the better part of the series.

As it turns out, none of the women in the current grouping have what it takes to fill that Mom role. Black Cindy, ostensibly the oldest of the group, is also the least mature; Alison has the brains, but is a relative newbie and lacks the leadership skills; Janae is—justifiably!— just so damn angry.

That just leaves Taystee, the reluctant leader of the rebellion and the personification of “screw it, I’ll do it.”

Taystee, like many women, black women in particular, has had to grow up way too fast after the senseless murder of a family member. Because of this, she has slowly not only become the group’s de facto “Mom,” she’s become, as Variety puts it, the heart and soul of Orange is the New Black.

In a world full of colorful characters, Taystee has become the most grounded and realistic individual on the show, with her development surpassing that of even the show’s erstwhile focus, Piper.

She’s right where she belongs.

On Orange is the New Black Season 5 Episode 5, “Sing It, White Effie,” Taystee takes her new role to the next level. She barters for the captive Judy King—ignoring the strong Nazi vendetta—and enlists the help of a PR professional all for the greater good of Litchfield and procuring justice for Poussey.

She takes all views into account when making her decisions and, in her final and most triumphant moment, she retakes the spotlight from the undeserving inmate King, and uses her own words to speak on the message of her and her people.

“What did I just do?” she says, rushing back inside. You became a leader, Tasha. You became a leader.

Orange is the New Black Season 5 Episode 6, “Flaming Hot Cheetos Literally,” takes its newfound Taystee thread and continues pulling, giving us a bit more of her Tragic Backstory™️ and why she so easily finds herself in a position of den mother—she never had a real one herself.

We also get a glimpse of that most beautiful first meeting where she and Poussey realized they were kindred spirits.

Elsewhere in the episode, some other stuff happens, but none of it really matters because Samira Wiley came back just for this scene and my, doesn’t marriage look good on her??

The episodes keep chugging along and the momentum is currently the TV show version of the calm after the first earthquake, just before the aftershock hits. Or so I’m hoping/fearing.

“Litchfield’s Got Talent” (Character of Focus: Alison) – 4 stars

• Piper (re: Linda): “What’s her real name again?” And in that moment, we were all Piper.
• This episode gave me very little of Alison’s character motivation. I remember the backstory being more substantial in previous seasons.
• Yoga Jones’ fixation and participation in the crucifixion of Judy King is very telling. She killed a kid, didn’t she?
• Red and Blanca have discovered some sort of weird lengua franca while high on energy supplements and it is beautiful.
• It is already very hot in Los Angeles and CO Otter’s stripper dance made it that much hotter.
• I genuinely feel badly for Caputo. He’s the only administrator who’s been trying this whole time. Then again, his press conference screw-up is what started this whole mess.

“Sing It, White Effie” (Character of Focus: Janae) – 4 stars

• This is the first time jump we’ve had all season.
• I love that the Meth Girls irritate themselves with their stupidity. What must that be like?
• Maritza giving a prison makeup tutorial would earn her so many Insta followers.
• The existence of a brown note is apparently only theoretical at this point and has never been proven.
• There are so many characters on this show that I just want to be happy. Gloria is the top of that list. Have I mentioned she’s my favorite?
• “Art is always a good investment.”
• Now class, what’s our motto when it comes to men like Piscatella? “Put that beard back where it came from, so help me.”
• I half expected The Meth Girls to turn on the dryer with Donuts in it, but it’s not that kind of show.
• I literally yelled “NOOOOO!” when I heard the first notes of Dreamgirls. I knew… I knew what was coming and was still unprepared.
• This whole time, Maria’s anger was unwarranted and she goes right back to churchmouse in the following episode. Information is powerful.
• This episode shows that Janae has always been angry.
• I’m not sure if I’m supposed to feel bad for Judy King. Sure, she’s a consummate and willing recipient of white privilege, never having faced adversity a day in her life, but… cooking eggs for Nazis? Cindy’s toenails? Where does it end??

“Flaming Hot Cheetos Literally” (Character of Focus: Taystee) – 4.5 stars

• I never got into Hot Cheetos. Everyone I know loves them but I think my sister ruined the whole concept for me.
• Ugh! I hate when they spoil the surprises in the credits. Samira Wiley showing up unannounced would have put me prostrate and in disrepair for an hour, but I spent the whole episode waiting for her to show up.
• Looks like there are some Flaritza troubles.
• Taystee put on her “Interview Voice.” If you’re a person of color, you know exactly what that is.
• According to the calendar, Taystee’s birthday is either August 8th, 9th, or 10th, which makes her a Leo. Leos make great leaders. Viola Davis is a Leo. Barack Obama is a Leo. I’m just listing facts.
• Frieda: “Sometimes you gotta let it be somebody else’s problem.”
• I was wondering how young Taystee’s mom was when she had her. They look damn near the same age.
• Look up the definition of “kangaroo court” and you’d find a GIF of Pennsatucky’s trial.
• The second-hand embarrassment of Aleida’s interview was too much for me to bear.
• Oh, so we’re giving Piper something to do this season after all. Shame.
• Lorna is… I keep forgetting she’s not quite balanced, because she is just the sweetest.
• Frieda!! Ma’am!! Where did you find the time??
• Pennsatucky either has incredible emotional intelligence or a higher IQ than we’ve been led to believe. She’s learning and adjusting at a far faster rate than anyone else on the show.

What did you think of these episodes of Orange is the New Black? Do you really think Lorna is pregnant? Were you surprised by Poussey’s appearance? Did you think it was just the most amazing shot? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Orange is the New Black is currently streaming on Netflix.

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