Orange is the New Black Season 3

Laura Prepon in Orange is the New Black

I just finished all the episodes of season 3 of Orange is the New Black. I’ll be writing about it in more depth, but I wanted to share some quick thoughts.

Themes

Season 3 could be subtitled “I need to be loved.” The sentiment was a theme in many of the episodes and back stories that played out this season. In one episode, Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” (Uzo Aduba) even says those exact words. Loneliness and a need for connection drove so many story lines.

Another theme of season 3 was parenting. Daya (Dascha Polanco) had her baby in season 3, of course, but so many episodes dealt with the difficulties of parenting while incarcerated. Over half of the women in prison have children under the age of 18. The emphasis on how parents and children are torn apart when mothers are in prison gave a very sad feeling to season 3.

The prison is bought by a for-profit corporation in season 3. The private ownership of prisons as sources of profit is an obscene practice and a great shame in the American “justice” system.

Mental health care – or more correctly the lack of mental health care – in the prison system is another theme this season.

Finally, there’s a thread about faith, spirituality and religion running through season 3. Santaria, anyone? Mazel tov!

Characters

Laura Prepon was back as Alex, while other favorites disappeared into SHU or plain disappeared. I missed those people.

There were interesting guest stars. Mary Steenbergen was in several episodes as the mother of Pornstache. Blair Brown was in a few episodes as a celebrity in trouble who surrenders herself to Litchfield in the last episode.

New prisoners included Ruby Rose, Lori Petty and Emily Althaus. All of them had a effect on the prison and the inmates in fascinating ways. Speaking of fascinating, some of the new back stories this season were surprising.

Okay.

More later about all these topics. If you have overall comments about season 3, please share.

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