Orange Is the New Black: Season Six

July 27, 2018 8:08 AM - Season 6 (Full Season)

Picking up one week after the emergency response team stormed Litchfield Penitentiary, the ladies of Litch have been torn apart, literally and figuratively, as they enter a new facility in the sixth season of Orange Is The New Black.

Now ​newbies ​they ​must navigate new rules and power dynamics, starting at the bottom, and getting hazed by inmates and tortured by guards. Friendships will be tested and new allegiances formed -- some by choice and others by circumstance -- as the women face a slew of charges from the riot. Will they take plea deals and turn on each other or band together and keep their bonds intact?

Metacritic link.

posted by elsietheeel (36 comments total)

Only halfway into the first episode and.. nope. I cannot stomach this level of cruelty. Especially in this political climate. I'm done.
posted by antinomia at 2:05 AM on July 29, 2018 [4 favorites]

I'm probably not done, but, yeah, I bounced pretty hard off of the first episode too. (I'd appreciate it if someone who could continue would report back and let me know whether the violence stays at that level for the whole season.)

It's not like the show's just now discovering cruelty to its characters, obviously. But this was . . . new.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 7:25 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

I don't think the violence stayed at that initial level through the entire season. And far far worse things have happened before, IMO.

That said, I really enjoyed it. OitNB hasn't been this good in years.
posted by elsietheeel at 11:00 AM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

When did all prestige television become torture porn? I’m sick of watching women get abused over and over. I think i’m done with this show.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 8:54 PM on July 29, 2018 [5 favorites]

I'm disappointed in this season. I missed the characters who weren't around and didn't care much about the new ones (except the sisters). Blanca's ending broke my heart.
posted by Burn.Don't.Freeze at 1:07 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

When did all prestige television become torture porn?

OitNB, Westworld, Altered Carbon, The Handmaid's Tale, Penny Dreadful... "Modern TV lets me put onto the screen anything one can dream about. Especially if the dream involves abusing women."
posted by happyroach at 2:09 PM on July 30, 2018 [4 favorites]

Just finished the last episode of season six about an hour ago. I need to sleep on it, but I don't really feel like I need another season at this point. Blanca's ending, while points for tapping current events I guess, felt needlessly cruel. Same with Taystee being wrongfully convicted.

If it means s7 basically writes off Piper and focuses more on Taystee's conviction being overturned, I'd be interested. I liked the focus on Taystee this season, but not the outcome.

Also liked Mackenzie Phillips, pity it doesn't look like she'll be back for season seven. (I felt like that particular storyline was rushed to conclusion.)

It's also possible that, given current events, I'm just not in the right mindset for any show that doesn't deliver a happy ending. Grim TV is OK when the world isn't.
posted by jzb at 8:21 PM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Can someone please explain to me why Cindy won’t come clean about what happened in the bunker? I’ve watched the whole season now, and I don’t think it’s ever adequately explained.
posted by panama joe at 10:24 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

Just the first episode right not, but I love Caputo's transformation. But does an updated look come with an updated outlook?

The increased brutality/ violence ... if you're watching OitNB you have to accept that and that it's not innaccurate about federal penitentiary in the US.

Goinna do anything bout it?
posted by porpoise at 9:30 PM on July 31, 2018

Can someone please explain to me why Cindy won’t come clean about what happened in the bunker?
I've only seen the first episode - but my take was that she considered the idea of testifying against those particular individuals as being more than her life was worth.
posted by rongorongo at 10:42 PM on July 31, 2018

Can someone please explain to me why Cindy won’t come clean about what happened in the bunker?

More cynically, it's also set up for "will she or won't she" in Season 7, in order to exonerate Taystee and everyone else.

(That being said, the speech Taystee gave about "no justice for people like me" that was borne out with the verdict--and of course IRL all. the. time--makes Cindy's immediate reflex to flee the site and create a cover story with Suzanne the very day of the killing...horrifically plausible, and reasonable.)
posted by blue suede stockings at 5:07 AM on August 1, 2018

I guess my question is -- how would coming clean about the events in the bunker be worse than what ultimately wound up happening? The real facts of the story would exonerate Taystee, and wouldn't incriminate Cindy any more than she was already was being incriminated.

Is the idea that, if Cindy were to tell the truth, the dirty cops who framed Taystee would then get come after Cindy and possibly get her killed? I guess there's no prison equivalent to the Witness Protection Program?

Also, when Cindy is ready to come clean, why does her lawyer tell her that it wouldn't do Taystee any good? Is it because it's too late to introduce new evidence?
posted by panama joe at 5:18 AM on August 1, 2018

I liked the season. The stories felt more down to earth and organic. But yeah, the heaviness of it all was hard to take sometimes. Blanca's ending especially broke my heart.

The killer sisters were kind of fun, but I could have done without Badison. I also missed a lot of the old crew, but surprisingly, not as much as I would have thought. I also really liked (newcomer) Adeola a lot. My favorite bit from her was when she acted all unfriendly to Nikki coming into her cell and then burst out laughing and said "and that's my impression of my first husband!" Daddy was also pretty interesting, albeit not charming like some of the other newbies.

I also liked Fig and Caputo's romance (never thought I'd say that!).

Is the idea that, if Cindy were to tell the truth, the dirty cops who framed Taystee would then get come after Cindy and possibly get her killed? I guess there's no prison equivalent to the Witness Protection Program?

Yeah, Cindy is afraid of the dirty cops. Which is a pretty rational fear, considering they killed one of their own and then set up an innocent woman to take the fall, apparently without remorse. She's afraid that if she exonerates Taystee, she'll also be painting a lethal target on her own back.

Also, when Cindy is ready to come clean, why does her lawyer tell her that it wouldn't do Taystee any good? Is it because it's too late to introduce new evidence?

The lawyer says it's because Cindy's testimony doesn't have enough credibility anyway. She's on thin ice as an inmate, but at least she's not yet a proven liar. If she confesses to the jury that she's been lying this whole time, they'll think they can't trust anything she says.
posted by rue72 at 7:06 AM on August 1, 2018 [3 favorites]

I think that she decided to lie before she had enough information. At that point, not saying anything about being in the pool probably seemed like a good idea. It was only gradually that they began to find out about who was being framed for it.
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:40 PM on August 1, 2018 [2 favorites]

This season was shit, I mean utter trash. I still watched it all but it's wearing thin. One more season, that's all. Tie some shit up. Then let it rest. At this point, it's mainly the theme song that's keeping me interested.
posted by h00py at 5:50 AM on August 4, 2018 [2 favorites]

Finally got to the end.

Didn't care about Chapman/ Vos storyline, but it's great that Chapman's going to be gone, but there's potential there to show the continuing unfair consequences of having once been a felon, maybe compare Piper's relatively easier go of it than say Blanca.

Felt like too much was going on, but a lot of it went on too long.

The cruelty and meanness was raw, people like Madison really anger me, but sure, it's cruelty born from cruelty. It was kind of fitting that Red fell into the cruel crowd so easily.

I was expecting another boring riot/ cliffhanger, but I did like the alternate.

Was completely not expecting Lorna's condition being real.

Will be neat to see what they do with the final season. Hopefully Taystee gets an appeal.
posted by porpoise at 10:28 AM on August 5, 2018

Also, yeah, Caputo and Fig's relationship was weirdly satisfying. Caputo ... can actually make her a better person when she lets him. Linda going full evil was kind of funny.

Aleida and Hopper's relationship was gross. Understandable, but gross.

Agreed that Adeola was a great new addition, her (saying/revealing) that she's actually an anthropologist, and that she's willing to shank a bitch (in the name of SCIENCE!), killed me.
posted by porpoise at 10:36 AM on August 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

I thought the season was pretty solidly consistent with its predecessors.

But.

We gonna just ignore Red’s sudden magic hair resurrection, or what?
posted by Sys Rq at 11:03 AM on August 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

I think they recut and restyled it as a kind of comb over (comb back).
posted by porpoise at 11:36 AM on August 5, 2018

FWIW, I hadn't watched any of OITNB until this month, then binge watched each season in a couple of days.

As a narrative, Piper-centric, I could see everyone walking away right now, and rightly being proud of Telling A Great Story. I don't need a S07. Leaving on the note of Blanca going from early release to ICE intercut with MCC/Protec/OCP release party for their new immigration detention initiative was wonderful. The sisters working out their own issues without getting everyone who wanted to play kickball was perfect.

Anyone know where I can get the full track of Frieda's Theme?

( and I subscribe to the theory that this is the "Weirdest episode of ST:Voyager ever" )
posted by mikelieman at 7:55 AM on August 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

"Weirdest episode of ST:Voyager ever"

So Janeway's 'Inner Light' equivalent of Picard's flute?
posted by porpoise at 2:59 PM on August 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

By the end of the second episode I didn't really want to watch any more, but I'm stubborn and an optimist so I stuck with it. It's just... lost its magic. Maybe because they have to keep coming up with new, more contorted plotlines. The inmates allegiances to C block vs D block stretched credibility.

Maybe some of the original writers left; that seems to happen a lot around seasons 4-5 of any critically acclaimed series as they get poached by other shows.

It feels like the actors are getting tired too. So much of it seemed overacted and inconsistent with their character. I got tired of watching Suzanne spin out of control. The actor who played Badison wasn't believable at all. I thought Daddy was played well; I wish they'd wrapped up her backstory by telling us what she was in for. The actor who portrays Blanca was excellent but her ending was way too much of a gut punch. Far worse for me than Taystee's wrongful conviction, although maybe it's because I'm just that much closer to the ICE stuff IRL.

I'm not going to waste my time on season 7, assuming there is one.
posted by AFABulous at 1:38 PM on August 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

I agree, this could have ended now as an acclaimed show and wrapped it up.

But I kinda like that it's going to spend one more season to wrap up the non-white prisoners' stories, and/ or show the injustice that many of them are.

Gonna be pissed if the last season is about Piper rather than the remaining inmates though.
posted by porpoise at 7:58 PM on August 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

I wonder if they will somehow drag Piper back in. Oops! Paperwork SNAFU, you actually have to serve out your last 6 months. And it will be on the same day that Vos gets early release and is all excited to surprise Piper. They will pass each other in the bus loading zone on their way in/out.
posted by ian1977 at 7:41 AM on August 16, 2018

The impression I got from the end of this season is that Alex is going to go harder in prison and get into more trouble and rack up more time. Piper will write her book and get media attention and try to use it to get Alex out while Alex is sabotaging herself. There will be a lot of tears from Piper about how Alex isn't committing herself to the relationship.

Meanwhile, I think Cindy and Suzanne will break and Tasty will get out of prison.
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:54 AM on August 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

Random - I worked at the polls this past Tuesday and one of the other poll workers looked EXACTLY like Freida (minus neck tattoo). So much so that I caught myself staring at her many times (fortunately, she didn't catch me).
posted by AFABulous at 5:09 PM on August 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

My wishes for season 7:
Way more Taystee, maybe Barry Scheck could make a cameo.
No Badison, Chapman only when she comes to visit Vause—very little on her readjustment to outside life, and can Daya do more than walk around high?

I will be interested to see how Max changes with Barb and Carol dead. Also how any of the abuse suits against MCC go forward.

Blanca’s end was heart-breaking.
posted by emkelley at 2:08 PM on August 17, 2018

Poor Blanca. And her poor boyfriend, waiting so happily and expectantly with a bouquet of flowers only to have his hopes crushed.

I thought Piper was going to do something stupid, like refuse to leave because she wanted to be with Alex.

I was actually hoping for more deaths. I wanted Madison to die. I can't STAND her character. But at least we're done with Barbara and Carol.

I hope Lorna's going to be okay.
posted by orange swan at 10:40 PM on August 19, 2018 [1 favorite]

I found the Barbara and Carol resolution to be much too pat. Well, first of all, I thought their scheme to sneak into Florida was dumb. And THEN I found the end of their story to be an awfully easy way out. I did enjoy how well the actresses playing the younger versions of Barbara, Carol, and Frieda tracked with the older actresses-- that was some really nice work by everyone.

I get the SUPER OBVIOUS parallel they were making with Fantasy Inmate and the new scoring matrix, but I found the logic of the early release directive to be random and again, too pat. If the idea is to move out the less violent criminals, how did Piper and Blanca go from being suspected of riot leadership (and with imperfect discipline records at Max) to "top 15 convenient release candidates," even with a little scoring interference from the CO?

Would the federal prison system really keep together so many inmates who had participated in a riot together PLUS have the same guards oversee them? Don't they just transfer people all over to break it up?

As heartbreaking as it was, I thought Cindy not changing her testimony was one of the few plausible moves this season. Ditto with Daya just giving in. Taystee's trial had a ton of buildup then was skimmed through -- whatever happened to the other medical examiner report that presumably would have shown that the gunshot was post mortem?
posted by desuetude at 11:09 AM on August 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

(Overall, I found the season unsatisfying. In case that's not obvious.)
posted by desuetude at 11:10 AM on August 20, 2018

I never would have thought that Caputo and Fig would be a couple I'd root for, but OITNB has indeed brought me around to that point. Repulsively corrupt as they have both been, they've always had moments of self-awareness and decency, and they're clear-sighted when it comes to each other. Because they listen to each other and have come to care about each other, they bring out the best in each other. And there was no resisting the Bruce Springsteen karaoke incident.

Taystee's trial was such an outrage. There's no way that can stand. Too many people know the truth.
posted by orange swan at 4:18 PM on August 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

I liked Flaca's trajectory this season. Although she misses her friend Maritza, it's actually been good for her to be separated from her, because the two of them were too much alike (i.e., vain, shallow, and uninformed) and their friendship was too exclusive to be really healthy. They basically just encouraged each other to keep being the same frivolous, self-absorbed person. It was better for Flaca to make more disparate friends and interact more freely among the larger prison population as we see her doing in this season.
posted by orange swan at 1:31 PM on August 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

> Taystee's trial was such an outrage. There's no way that can stand. Too many people know the truth.

Very few people know the truth, though. A few of the officers who put down the riot know that Piscatella was killed by friendly fire. Only Cindy and Suzanne witnessed the coverup/frame job, and they'd have a hard time being believed even under the best of circumstances--let alone hiding from the aftermath of a prison riot in which they participated while Suzanne struggles to remain lucid.

I thought one of the few realistic things about this season was that no-one cares about the actual truth, the authorities just need a plausible conclusion. And the difference between an incarcerated person holding a gun and firing it is considered basically inconsequential anyway.
posted by desuetude at 7:06 AM on August 24, 2018

If they make the entirety of the final season a musical, à la the Cha Cha Slide scene, I won't be mad about it.
posted by slipthought at 12:46 PM on August 24, 2018

Flaca's line about her highly cultivated stupidity to appear attractive to insecure men!
posted by k8t at 1:14 AM on August 25, 2018 [3 favorites]

We finally got through the season. I hope this was the last one.

I thought that one scene with Suzanne was brilliant acting. Probably the high point of the season. Like most people here, I found it really hard to get through. We had to watch some of those episodes over two nights because kids, but also because we just weren't into it. My wife thought they were telegraphing Nikki getting killed, thanks goodness not.

Having Piper get out early felt like a copout somehow. I really don't need another season, and I'd advise anyone watching the show to skip this one.
posted by Catblack at 10:31 AM on September 14, 2018