Image via Complex Original
Ever since viewers first stepped foot into the world of Litchfield women’s prison, the nation has been hooked on Orange Is the New Black, the television adaptation of Piper Kerman’s compelling memoir. Season one ended with a bang, but Purple Revolver reports that season two, which premieres Friday June 6, will seek to focus on the backstories of the show’s other characters, as well as some newcomers. Actress Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, also informed the Boston Globe about season two:
“The season gets even deeper into the belly of the beast,” [Aduba] says. “We go further, not just with Suzanne but with every character and with the story itself. We really get into the trenches of what this prison world is, now that everyone, viewers included, has become acquainted with it. This season feels next-level to me.”
Orange Is the New Black swept the public with its uniqueness. Unlike most TV shows, it has a diverse, mostly female cast and sympathetically features characters that are often portrayed as villains, or simply not shown at all. What OITNB does differently is to humanize and empathize with the inmates, in turn making viewers recognize things in these women that they can also see in themselves. That being said, the show is no stranger to shocking actions and bad behavior.
In honor of the impending release of season two (and our inevitable binge-watching session), we’ve compiled a list of the best, most outrageous, and most touching moments of season one.
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1. Shower Time ("I Wasn't Ready," Ep. 1)
The shower montage at the start of the pilot episode is brilliant in that it perfectly introduces the character of Piper Chapman. We first see her former perfect life: growing up in a wealthy, WASP-y family, spending time with her loving boyfriend, etc. Which makes the sharp cut to her current situation in prison, where she's miserably shivering in a shower cubicle surrounded by strangers, all the more jarring. Right off the bat, viewers are thrust into the thick of things, just as Piper is.
2. The Nastiest Sandwich Ever ("I Wasn't Ready," Ep. 1)
This is one of the most horrifying moments in OITNB history, coming at you smack dab in the middle of the first episode. When Piper unwittingly insults head chef Galina "Red" Reznikov's cooking on her very first day in prison, Red retaliates by putting a bloody tampon in Piper's breakfast sandwich. It's the perfect welcome-to-prison gift.
3. Crazy Eyes Acts, Well... Crazy ("Lesbian Request Denied," Ep. 3)
Crazy Eyes has a crush on an engaged and uninterested Piper, so what's a girl to do? Pee on Piper's floor to mark her territory, of course. Crazy Eyes is hands-down one of the most outrageous characters on OITNB, yet she displays a childlike innocence and sensitivity that makes her human and very sympathetic. America's heart collectively broke for sweet ol' Crazy Eyes when she asks Piper, "How come everyone calls me Crazy Eyes?"
Watch the video below, but be prepared with some tissues.
4. Burset Being Badass ("Lesbian Request Denied," Ep. 3)
The entirety of episode three, which features transgender inmate Sophia Burset's backstory, is simply outstanding. Viewers get a glimpse of her daily struggle to become the person she wants to be—from her life as a male firefighter and her transition to becoming a woman to dealing with her son's anger and wife's confusion. The episode truly hits a high point when Burset's wife willingly helps her dress as a woman for the first time, reminding viewers that their love, like all love should be, is beyond the physical.
5. The Chicken ("The Chickening," Ep. 5)
Who can forget "The Chickening"? It's so absurd that it's burned into every viewer's memory. When Piper spots a notorious rogue chicken in the prison yard, the entire prison goes on a crazed manhunt to find said fowl and eat it. However, no one is more dedicated to the cause than Red, who in her most brilliant quote declared, "All I wanted was to eat the chicken that is smarter than other chickens and absorb its power."
6. Mendez Relieves Himself ("Fucksgiving," Ep. 9)
Officer Mendez is easily the most hated character om OITNB. His list of despicable moments is endless, and it includes molesting inmates and smuggling drugs into the prison. In one memorable scene, during a heated conversation with Red over their competing interests in the smuggling business, he threatens the cook by dropping trou' and peeing into her prized Thanksgiving gravy. Classic OITNB absurdity. (Side note: What is it with OITNB and pee?!)
7. A Caged Doggett ("Tall Men With Feelings," Ep. 11)
Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett's foray into faith-healing ends on a sour note when she attempts to heal a visiting juvenile delinquent who's confined to a wheelchair, pushing the terrified girl to the ground. Tiffany is then sent to the psych ward, where she's locked in a small metal cage to be psychoanalyzed.
Now, we're not huge fans of Pennsatucky (after all, she did lock Vause in a dryer in episode eight, "Moscow Mule"), but her scene in the cage is an excellent reminder of just how dehumanizing prison can be.
8. The Return of Taystee ("Fool Me Once," Ep. 12)
Viewers were all rooting for Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson when she was released from prison in episode nine, though her hilarious quips and shenanigans with best friend Poussey would be sorely missed. However, despite her freedom, Taystee ends up back in jail.
In a heart-wrenching scene, Taystee explains to Poussey what life after prison was like: While in jail she felt like she mattered, she meant nothing on the outside. She recounts her experience sleeping on the floor of her cousin's apartment and feeling lost, saying, "Everyone I know is poor, in jail, or gone." It goes down as one of the more profound and telling moments on OITNB.
9. A Merry Prison Christmas ("Can't Fix Crazy," Ep. 13)
At the beginning of episode 13, the inmates audition for the prison's annual Christmas pageant. All of our favorite inmates, including Crazy Eyes, Black Cindy, and Yoga Jones, display their so-called "talents" with panache and Christmas flair. During the pageant, Poussey sings a heart-wrenching edition of "Amazing Grace," and Norma, who has been mute the entire season, spontaneously breaks out into song. Touching moments like these are what give OITNB the emotional depth that captures viewers and keeps them invested in the show's characters.
10. The Final Showdown ("Can't Fix Crazy," Ep. 13)
Tensions have been building between Piper and Pennsatucky all season, escalating from innocent taunting to Pennsatucky threatening Piper with a razor blade in the showers. The season culminates in a final showdown during the Christmas pageant. Pennsatucky believes Piper disrespected her, while Piper is slowly losing everything that matters to her: her fiancé, her girlfriend, even her sanity.
The last few moments of the season show Piper unleashing some serious rage—i.e. beating Pennsatucky to a bloody pulp—making the wait for season two all the more difficult to bear.