Piper Chapman is going to prison.
In a first episode reminiscent of Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, we meet Piper on her last night of freedom before beginning a 15 month sentence in a correctional facility in Litchfield, NY. There is no time spent trying to figure out whether or not she is guilty of the crime. She has already been convicted and sentenced. And it’s very clear from the beginning that she is actually guilty of the crime. So there is also no time spent with her trying to prove her innocence. What’s done is done. Now is time to face the consequences.
So what did Pipes, as her friends affectionately call her, actually do? You’ll have to watch the show to find out. The story is told not only as the events unfold once she is actually in prison, but also through flashbacks we get to see how she got herself into such a situation and how she is coping with it.
Along the way, we meet some extremely colorful characters. There is the Russian lady with fiery red hair who is in charge of the food. There is the bible thumping meth-head, with bad teeth, who immediately dislikes Piper. There is the woman who passes her time planning the wedding she is going have once she is finally released. There is the post-op transgender who is not only coping with awkward visits from her wife, but also being picked on by the other inmates, and a sudden shortage of the hormones that she needs.
Among these characters, Piper, the blonde yuppy hipster foodie, stands out like a sore thumb. We get to watch as she tries to fit into a world where she has no business being.
So, is the show any good? YES! Yes, it is! Each episode is a like a one hour high that, when it ends, leaves you craving more. And thanks to Netflix, your own personal drug entertainment dealer, you get to watch as much as you can. Instead of doling out the season, one episode at a time, Netflix has put up the entire season.
So, binge watchers rejoice!
For those of you who are not binge watchers, I dare you to just watch one episode.
