Orange Is the New Black Review: Going, Going, Gone (Season 7 Episodes 10-13)
The final episodes before a series ends are probably the most difficult to create. Emotions aside, the show must escalate conflict while at the same time wrapping up individual stories.
Orange Is the New Black Episodes 10-13 complete this task well, even if predictably most of the time.
Viewers learn on Orange Is the New Black Season 7 Episode 10, “The Thirteenth,” that Lorna is alive. To be clear, this is wonderful news.
It’s sad to watch Lorna and Vinny’s relationship deteriorate, but he tries his best for her.
I’m not sure where Lorna’s story could end if not Florida. But Red deserves better. It’s not my job to rewrite the bitter endings. But the Red we met on the pilot is completely and totally gone on the series finale.
“Old lady gets dementia” is such a predictable ending. Unexpected? “Red interferes in the Diaz drug wars,” but I digress.
We need to tie up the abusive relationship discussion I began in my review of Orange Is the New Black Season 7 Episodes 5-9.
The show addresses the power dynamic and then some between Alex and Artesian. Artesian is ill, perhaps with something in addition to PTSD. It’s chilling to think that she’s left at Litchfield to look after prisoners with no one wise to the fact that she needs help.
It’s a shame Alex’s motivation for that relationship throughout most of the season is to make Piper jealous. She does have at least interest in Artesian at first.
Perhaps it lacks drama, but there is a story somewhere if Alex is just hooking up with a variety of inmates to fulfill her sexual needs while Piper and Zelda are establishing a true emotional connection.
Artesian ends her journey as a villain — but viewers know she’s mentally ill. This is a dangerous and unfortunate representation.
Orange Is the New Black should be proud of Suzanne’s journey. But, they need to be held accountable for how they go wrong with Artesian and PTSD.
Joe Caputo, on the other hand, is a reformed sexual harasser and he should be proud that he can admit that now.
The middle of his journey is hard to watch perhaps because he represents so many men. They aren’t evil. They’ve never faced consequences for disturbing behavior before.
There is an ego to work through before they understand the impact their actions have had on another person’s life. He’s there now — with gusto, as is his way.
I still believe he should’ve listened to Fig and at least waited until he was in a good emotional space to talk to Susan or say much of anything to anyone at all.
He has so much potential to help inmates, and it’s just deflating to watch that go to waste. Caputo and Taystee are a damn good team.
Hopefully, he and Natalie bring their daughter to visit Taystee because watching her so desperate to entertain them is like watching a mini Taystee try and perform her way into a forever home.
This is a successful callback, and it’s absolutely mindblowing that at the end of the series I can say with confidence that Fig and Caputo’s daughter is lucky to have found a home with them.
The episode that proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt is Orange Is the New Black Season 7 Episode 11, “God Bless America.”
It’s my favorite episode of Season 7 and one of my favorites of the whole series. One of the reasons is the scene where Fig places the abortion pill in Chaj’s hand.
As reported by Bustle, while it’s a detainee’s right to seek an abortion, it’s not uncommon that one officer stands in the way of her receiving the medical care she needs to access the procedure safely.
Detainee’s medical rights and abortion are important issues to feature. There’s a little bit of extra decoration on the story because this is TV. Of course, Fig has to go into her doctor and dramatically explain that she doesn’t want to bring children into a world like this.
But if one person can block someone’s access to abortion, it’s not illogical to assume that another person can grant that same access.
I’m just surprised that the person is Natalie Figueroa.
Her journey throughout the entire series is one of the most unexpected — and that’s what makes it one of the best.
But “God Bless America” is beautiful for more reasons than Fig.
Some of the best moments on TV are the heartbreaking ones. Done well, heartbreak feels so real it transcends the screen. Karla talking to her sons for the last time before returning to El Salvador is one of the best examples of this.
I don’t even have to explain why. We can just have a moment of silence for Karla (who probably died after being abandoned with a broken leg on her way back to the U.S.) as quiet as the ICE detention center kitchen is listening to her say goodbye.
The judge who orders that she be deported is correct to say that she hasn’t made a logical argument that she cannot return to her country. She’s only proven that her sons can’t.
But it’s abhorrent that the reality today is that children are separated from their parents without a second thought. This is just one of the reasons there is a crisis so big right now that Orange Is the New Black dedicates a good portion of the season to addressing it.
There is also so much educational privilege that never even crosses people’s minds to acknowledge. So let’s talk about it in honor of Pennsatucky.
As one guard can be the gatekeeper of medical access, Luschek becomes the gatekeeper of Tiffany’s access to proper educational services.
Since he doesn’t put in for her extra time, he’s partly responsible for her death on Orange Is the New Black Season 7 Episode 12, “The Big House.”
It doesn’t matter that she ultimately passed the test — she’s dead.
Inmates have the right to education and the right to reach their full potential in that respect. She suffers while taking the GED, which causes her to think she failed and turn to drugs. We’re talking about TV, so again everything is heightened, but the educational privilege is real and lack thereof affects lives.
Tiffany’s death is not surprising. She’s likable now but not as beloved as Poussey.
Plus, Poussey’s death had a bigger purpose. Even though within the story finding Tiffany and then her GED certificate is a big reason why Taystee ultimately lives, the show just kills Tiffany off for shock.
But they fail to shock. So, was it worth it? I dare say it’s not. We have to acknowledge that Tiffany dies so Taystee can live, but she’s not the only reason.
It’s only fitting that memory of Poussey would be a catalyst for keeping Taystee alive at least once.
It’s unclear whether Taystee will forever be resigned to life in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. That’s not the Tasha Jefferson fans know and love so I hope not.
But the system is flawed and Orange Is the New Black doesn’t deny that for the sake of completely happy endings on its final season. Taystee’s a black woman. Odds are against her.
Where we leave her in the series she’s accepted that and decided to move forward with purpose. Being marginalized is hard. Taystee deserves to be tired but happy. If it’s where she wants to focus her attention forever, the Poussey Washington Fund is enough.
It’s quite a relief that Taystee doesn’t misdirect anger at Suzanne in the end.
I’m so proud of Suzanne. Uzo Aduba has been a joy to watch for seven seasons, and Suzanne deserves to live her best life with her friends and breakfast for dinner to honor P-Tuck and pineapple juice if she has to be in prison.
If we’re being honest, Orange Is the New Black fans are lucky we don’t have to stay at Litchfield.
Warden Figueroa is a warden worth watching, but Wardan Hellman is not someone who needs more eyes on him.
There’s enough oppression all around us in the real world. I shutter to think of what his new policies will be.
Why do those drugs have to fall out of that chicken’s butt? Tamika Ward really could’ve become a great warden.
Orange Is the New Black Season 7 Episode 13, “Here’s Where We Get Off” is aptly named. I’m going to miss most Litchfield inmates. But a lot of my faves are going to be alright. They’ll survive Hellmen until he screws up.
So, right here? It’s the perfect place to get off.
Shades Of Orange
- Flaca’s ending is one of my favorites. She’s continuing Gloria’s work to honor Maritza and it’s perfect
- I also adore Maria’s last scene, it’s so sweet
- Nicky as leader of the kitchen and new prison mom is fate. She deserves love. She deserves Shani and it breaks my heart that she’s probably dead.
- Piper’s final decision is so rushed. She should do what makes her happy. They just tied that particular story in a very messy bow at the end. It could be nicer.
- Hopefully, Blanca’s ending reflects a little piece of reality for at least some immigrants and isn’t just TV magic.
- Daya’s last scene is like a metaphor for her entire journey on the show. She slowly moved to the dark side and then it put her in a chokehold. She was a good artist. *sigh*
- The soundtrack on the last few episodes is flawless in every scene.
- Larry and Polly closure is harmless but unnecessary.
- We catch up with everyone at the end and it’s great to see the. But the only person whose story I need more of is Janae.
What did you think of these final episodes of Orange Is the New Black? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Orange Is the New Black Season 7 is streaming on Netflix.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.