Orange Is the New Black (Season 1)

[Dukefrukem]

What's gross? That's a complaint I have not heard from anyone.

McTampon, peeing on the floor, office BJs, jerking off with a screwdriver... I'm finding the series gets it's kicks by shocking it's audience more than developing some interesting drama.

Like the whole screwdriver subplot was such a disappointment.

[slqrick]

McTampon, peeing on the floor, office BJs, jerking off with a screwdriver... I'm finding the series gets it's kicks by shocking it's audience more than developing some interesting drama.

Like the whole screwdriver subplot was such a disappointment.

None of that stuff is any worse than stuff you see on Game of Thrones and the other "edgy" stuff you see on TV shows. The tampon was gag worthy and served a big purpose for Chapman's character...she fucked up by insulting the food and paid for it. It also establishes Red as the head of all inmates. Crazy eyes took a leak on the floor after Lindsay rejected her because she didn't realize by accepting the peppers, Crazy would assume Chapman was her "wife" now. Office BJs are there to highlight the corrupt guard. There was no jerking off with a screwdriver, the inmate put it in her vagina to hide it from the extensive search that was going on. And as to why you found the screwdriver plot disappointing, I could no disagree more, as I found myself on edge the whole episode:

[

Show Spoiler

You're trained as a viewer to assume that someone is going to get stabbed with it, especially after the butch lesbian makes threats to the girl that is on her way out. This is something that for sure would have happened on a show like Oz, and so the whole time I was expecting the girl to take the screwdriver to the back. When it came time for the girl to leave, and the butch apologized, I thought that it was a great twist, and felt like a really humane moment.

]

The big reason why I enjoyed this season is because it subverts a lot of expectations of a "prison show."

[Dukefrukem]

You don't need to explain to me why things were shown on screen. I understand the reasoning behind it.

I think I'm way more tolerant of just straight up violence rather than the things I described. Really, for me watching an episode of OISNB puts me on a different edge than you. The edge I am on would be like I was watching A Serbian Film. It makes me uncomfortable and I don't like it. None of the characters are very interesting. I was more interested in the Prison Break characters. At least in that show there were tense moments with criminals that DESERVE to be there.

I think you missed a scene with the screwdriver. There was indeed jerking off.

And your spoiler tag reasoning just make me more frustrated with the show. We are meant to believe that Piper is thrown into a situation where she would be so uncomfortable around all these cons, who are hardened experienced prison inmates, and when we start learning the back stories of some of these characters and most of them wound up behind bars very innocently.

What kind of prison is this? Am I really meant to believe that Red turned into this hardened bitch because she popped some broads implant? How long has she been in there to turn into this monster that runs the cafe? She didn't seem to pleased with herself during the backstory. At the end of this season Piper better be sporting some prison ink and a better attitude.

[Spinal]

If anything, the show is about compassion and tolerance. It makes an effort to tell the stories of those who are dismissed or easily categorized by society. It acknowledges that people make mistakes, but also asks us to consider their motivations and given circumstances: love, poverty, conflicted gender identity, oppression, etc. It operates from the idea that each individual deserves the chance to be heard and understood. I mean, welcome to the liberal point of view regarding the American prison system. The idea that you would be more comfortable with violence and 'criminals that DESERVE to be there' says a lot, don't you think?

[Dukefrukem]

Wicked good point Spinal. I'm not yet through with the series, but I'm "enjoying" it much less than I was expecting to.

[Spinal]

For me, the prison visit of Piper's mom was the point where the show basically expresses its thesis.

[Russ]

Also, keep a close eye on Healy's arc.

[slqrick]

Wicked good point Spinal. I'm not yet through with the series, but I'm "enjoying" it much less than I was expecting to.

It's also a minimum security prison, so I'm not sure why you were expecting it to be all about tats and violence. Most of the characters in there either fell through the cracks, or got caught stealing, commiting fraud, etc.

Also, women are much less prone to straight up violent/aggressive acts (just due to genetics -- less testosterone and all that), and it's even mentioned in the pilot that the women in the facility are much more likely to cut each other with their words than knives.

[EyesWideOpen]

Judging by your posts Duke it's almost like you're watching a different show. Characters that are less interesting then the one's in Prison Break? Please stop watching now.