Thursday 12 June 2014

Next On Netflix: Orange is the New Black

Oh yes, ladies and gents, I'm going there. I finished the second series last night and I am all ready to review the hell out of this programme, in a completely spoiler free way of course.



Okay, so a quick breakdown of the series and what it's about. It's based, as far as I can tell, on a true story of a woman called Piper who was sent to a low secure woman's prison for smuggling drugs across a country years before. She gets carted off to prison for (I think) 18 months (I've just finished series 2 but it's been a long while since I saw series 1).

The whole thing is therefore set in a woman's prison. It deals with everything; crime, drugs, racism, sexism, sexuality, back stabbing, oppression, depression, attacks, love, sex, mental health, friendship, segregation... and the list goes on. In fact, I don't reckon there's anything that they don't cover... Although it is technically based around the life of Piper, each episodes deviates to another inmate and her reason for being in prison. In fact, in series 2, Piper very much takes a back seat to the other characters in the prison.

It's not one to watch with the kiddies, let me get that out there immediately. Pretty much all the characters are completely screwed up in their own way, and yet almost all of them you find yourself loving. It's a very good series for making the undesirable look desirable and confusing the hell out of you at times when you feel like you should be disapproving of a particular person, but instead find yourself almost egging them on.

I remember being quite surprised that I enjoyed Series 1 when it came out. It's a Netflix original series, so only available on Netflix, as far as I'm aware. But, in true Netflix style, when they release a new series, they release all the episodes at once so there's absolutely no waiting time... except for wait between series 2 and 3... but I guess that can't be helped.

As I mentioned before, each episode tends to focus in on one particular character. When this happens, they then throw in flashbacks to their time prior to being in prison and what has happened to make them who they are or cause them to do what they have done to get thrown into prison in the first place. Sort of like how Lost did it. These back stories are what makes the series I think. Each series has one consistent person that you full out hate all the way through. Although, it's different for each series. I'm not kidding, both people they put in there to cause problems made me fall into a right rage. I can't even tell you how much I've screamed at the screen this week during these episodes.

It's a good series to get your teeth stuck into. There are plenty enough characters to have you picking favourites, although these will ultimately change as the series goes on. There are a few recognisable faces; American Pie's Jason Biggs and Natasha Lyonne, as well as That 70's Show's Laura Prepon (those are the main one's I recognised but a lot of them have been in quite a few things).

I would say that Series 2 is better than Series 1, although don't think that this means Series 1 is not good, because it is. In series 2 however, the characters are more established and you get to see some awesome depth into some of their past that had only been touched upon in the first series. Lorna Morello's story in particular was my fav, (she's also one of my fav characters).

It's dirty and violent and all sorts, but it's also touching and funny and sweet. It's a very easy watch as well. I do recommend getting into this one, I think it's my top Netflix Original Series they've done so far... I know people normally say House of Cards, which I do like, but American Politics isn't really my bag and I tend to get bored quite easily. The same thing happened with The West Wing... The Green Wing however, is a whole other different ballgame of awesome, but I'll save that for another time.

In short, if you want something fairly hard hitting but fun, then this is the series for you. If you're easily offended, maybe not. Lots of nudity, sex, swearing, violence and all the other stuff that makes adult viewing required... Enjoy!!

Peace out my lovelies.

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