Orange Is The New Black

I own a Netflix account because of the show, Orange is the New Black. And yes, it is just that good. This critically acclaimed show is so addicting because it tackles subjects that were once taboo in society but are now embraced, and I think this show played a role in society’s acceptance. From things like sexuality, race, and gender this show covers it all. Orange is the New Black was progressive from the very first episode and its combination of a captivating plot and incredible actors make it a must watch.

Just by looking at the cast picture of this series, you can conclude that it is about female prisoners. This is the first reason you should watch the show: it actually talks about female prisoners instead of males. If you think about all of the classic movies and television series about prison (Shawshank, Green Mile, Prison Break, etc.), they are about men and don’t even address female prisoners. The women on this show are just as crude and violent as the men featured in male prison movies, but there is more emotional manipulation and social warfare. You learn about the prisoners’ back stories and about their families. You get extremely invested in characters because there is so much loyalty and love but also betrayal and heartbreak.

And this brings me to the first topic society once considered taboo: lesbians. This show develops the relationships between women in the prison as they face tough times and turn to each other for strength and love. This show romanticizes lesbian relationships rather than oversexualizing them. It shows society that all love is the same, and I think this is a progressive as well as valuable message for Netflix to spread.

Now let me introduce the woman, the myth, the legend… Lavern Cox. This woman is changing the face of the transgender community, and she found her platform on OITNB. She plays the character Sophia in one of the breakout roles in the series. Sophia gives the world insight on the real life struggles of a transgender woman facing her family and society as well as her incarceration.  Sophia is by far one of my favorite characters on the show, and she is amazing for all that she is doing in the transgender community off-screen.

It is also important to mention the role that race plays on this show. The creators of OITNB fearlessly approached stereotypes and racial biases. There is a divide in the series between the Latinos, the Whites, and the African Americans. While this divide is thrown in the face of the viewer, there is also friendship and collaboration among the races. Humor is used to mask serious subjects and I think it’s awesome that OITNB is making people talk about the things that make them uncomfortable. They start the conversation about race that needs to take place with every episode.

I could talk about how much I love Orange is the New Black for ten weeks, but there are other amazing Netflix original series out there. But no other series on Netflix, and television in general, features such controversial topics with such grace and effectiveness. From race to sexuality to gender identity this show is not afraid to push boundaries. I believe it is the most successful and entertaining Netflix series of all time.

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