“It’s all in your head,” Healy (Michael Harney) says to a depressed and desperate Soso (Kimiko Glenn) in episode eight. It seems to be the common line in Netflix’s third season of the mega successful hit Orange is the New Black. Whether characters are battling depression, selling prison underwear to perverted outsiders, or being paranoid over suspicious new inmates, there are plenty of challenges and new stories to go around for the anxious viewers who have been prepping to watch for months.
Dedicated binge-watchers have been anticipating the latest season ever since the release of its first trailer, and fans of the show rejoiced at the surprise of an early release on the Netflix site. Get ready for 13 hours of nonstop Litchfield drama, love triangles, flashbacks, and boil-in-a-bag prison food.
Season three opens with a Mother’s Day episode that offers some emotional insight to the harder days at Litchfield. The inmates might have some crazed backstories and entertaining lines, but OITNB manages to show the sides of these characters that some might have forgotten about.
Of course the season three finale leaves us on the edge of our seats, as it is both shocking and heartfelt.
A new season means new characters, some characters leaving, and some making their return. Alex (Laura Prepon) finds herself back in prison, much to the delight of Piper (Taylor Schilling,) who is officially finished with ex-fiance Larry (Jason Biggs) [we don’t see him or his new girlfriend/Piper’s friend and former business partner, Polly (Maria Dizzia) at all this season.]. Ruby Rose, who has recently taken the spotlight as the hot new inmate, Stella, starts to stir things up mid-season and causes confusion and sexual tension for Piper and viewers alike.
While we know that Piper is a beloved main character (who really shows her twisted side this season,) it’s a refreshing change to get a peek at the pasts of Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning), Big Boo, (Lea DeLaria) and Leanne (Emma Myles,) to name a few. The plot of the series began with Piper’s story, her relationships inside and outside of prison, her present life and her past, in addition to her plans for the future. But one of the great things about OITNB is its ability to lend screen time to other characters. We see attempted escapes and a secret prison business, the rise and fall of religious groups, a Litchfield union, and even a baby. Orange is the New Black offers new material every season that leaves its audience both satisfied and wanting more. Of course the season three finale leaves us on the edge of our seats, as it is both shocking and heartfelt. One thing is for sure, though: season three of Orange is the New Black continues its streak of success and entertainment, it’s not all in your head.
