Jenji Kohan

Intimacy is a difficult thing to film. Rather, it’s difficult to film well. You can capture two people clutched closely together, in a vulnerable moment, so that it feels as if the camera is encroaching on their privacy, an intruder. You can film in close-up, for a more practical intimacy, catching every hair and freckle. But to really feel like you’re getting a close understanding of the characters onscreen, there’s no list of actions one should take. Jill Soloway has figured it out.

Jack Shephard was originally supposed to be played by Michael Keaton, and he was going to die in Lost’s pilot episode. After his death, the first to be killed by the smoke monster (that honor ended up going to the plane’s pilot, played by Greg Grunberg), Kate would take over as the leader and primary …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 13: “We Have Manners. We Are Polite.” Written by Jenji Kohan Directed by Contantine Makris Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant “Bad seed,” “insane,” “psycho,” “the real evil”—these are just some of the ways in which Vee is referred to this episode. Strangely, it is a …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 12: “It Was the Change” Written by Sara Hess Directed by Phil Abraham Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant Super Storm Wanda came and went, and with it seemingly any chance for this season to climax satisfactorily or live up to its promise. A blackout in …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 7: “Take a Break from Your Values” Written by Nick Jones Directed by Constantine Makris Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant A storm is coming, literally and figuratively… and now we have riot gear. The great thing about this episode is that it finally solidifies the …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 10: “Little Mustachioed Shit” Written by Sian Heder Directed by Jennifer Getzinger Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant How do you get what you want when the game is rigged? When the power is all out of your hands? “System work you, you got to find …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 8: “Appropriately Sized Pots” Written by Alex Regnery & Hartley Voss Directed by Daisy Von Scherler Mayer Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant And so the work of the ants continues to pay off. We haven’t hit any kind of critical mass yet as far as …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 7: “Comic Sans” Written by Sara Hess Directed by Andrew McCarthy Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant This is a show with a future. Season 3 has already been ordered, and one has to imagine there will be even more after that. As such, a lot …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 2: “You Also Have a Pizza” Written by Stephen Falk Directed by Allison Anders Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant “Would the moon do this?” Larry asks Polly as he kisses her, trying to prove to Piper and the world that he carries his own light …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 5: “Low Self Esteem City” Written by Nick Jones Directed by Andrew McCarthy Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant This felt mostly like a “the more you know” episode of Orange Is the New Black, which I think is my least favorite type. “The more you …

Orange Is the New Black, Season 2, Episode 4: “A Whole Other Hole” Written by Sian Heder Directed by Phil Abraham Released Friday, June 6 on Netflix Instant In prison stories, or more accurately, any stories about trapped people, there is often that one character who is completely deluded about their situation. They’re going to …

In my last review I called Taystee a “girl,” and although much of the episode focused on her in the present as an adult, I didn’t even think to pause on that small, yet important age distinction. Calling her “woman,” truly, never even entered my mind. So, the question is… why not? I mean, isn’t she well over 18? Isn’t she doing hard time, baring her soul at AA meetings, and winning mock job fairs? What else does a lady need to do to get some respect? But apparently, I was not totally wrong with my oversight after all—that is, at least, if we listen to new, yet experienced inmate, Vee.

A little whiplash never hurt anyone when it comes to entertainment, but it’s hard not to knock this episode down a few pegs after the delicious intensity that was “Thirsty Bird.” Though, if we needed some downtime, Taystee is a perfect character to spend it with, especially as a first-time flashbacker, and the exciting prospect of getting to spend even more time with her down the road. In contrast to Piper, who courts controversy, Taystee is just simply likeable to everyone, even before we heard her story about waking up at a construction site with barbecue sauce on her breasts. Both her prison story and flashback story, by being totally sincere, play to that likeability strength, and give us a buoy for an episode that spends its entire time setting up little plotlines for the season, and basically reminding us who the characters are and where we left them.

Orange is the New Black’s title is probably the least compelling thing about the accomplished series. It springs to mind a kind of petulant rebelliousness, a hip “girl power” type of show that, however easily it could fall into being with its premise, consistently rises above being with its powerful, careful storytelling, laugh-out-loud humor, and three-dimensional characters. Still, the title is by no means empty, and actually rings out as strangely meaningful in this, its second season premiere. After all, what does happen when orange is the new black? Or, in other words, what happens when what we think is basic is absolutely no longer the case?