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The Prison Is Divided, The Mood Is Dark: Thoughts On The Last Seven Episodes Of Orange Is The New Black

My binge has come to an end as I finish the last episode of Orange is the New Black Season 4 with a heavy heart. As I mentioned in my "Thoughts On The First Six Episodes Of Orange Is The New Black," the Netflix show has been renewed for three more seasons. When I first heard the news, I wasn't shocked, but I also was apprehensive. Now, after finishing this season, I want more. A lot more.

[WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK SEASON 4!!!]

Even though the prison is divided more than ever mid-season, the bonds that exist within groups are stronger than ever. The first half of the season had a different tone. One that was enjoyable to watch, but there wasn't enough to truly grab me. That all changed as I continued to watch.

Piper kind of gets what's coming to her. Her cocky attitude bothered me at the beginning of the season, and I worried for her character. The show was centered around her for so long, and I felt like it was moving further and further away from that, which is ultimately fine. However, without her, would we still have a reason to be at Litchfield? None the less, she got a wake up call. Maria is a tough leader, one that likes to make statements. Can you blame her? Having years added to her sentence is a horrible thing. So, she brands Piper with a swastika. What a terrifying scene to watch. Thankfully, this snaps Piper back to reality and her friends help her turn the brand into a "window." This also propels Piper and Alex into a new chapter in their relationship.

Two of the most powerful moments for me this season were backstories. One was Susan "Crazy Eyes" story, and the other was Lolly's.

Susan is by far one of my favorite characters, and I was so excited to see another episode come around that showed us her past. However, this one revealed what got her into prison, and that it was a heartbreaking innocent situation. It was hard to hold back the tears knowing that she only wanted a friend, and knowing the danger she was putting herself and that young boy in.

As far as Lolly goes, well, her character was my favorite to watch this season. When I watched the episode that featured her backstory, it was on my mind for a few days. Honestly, it still is. It shines a powerful light on mental illness.

Actress Lori Petty who plays Lolly weighed in on the episode by saying:

"They kept telling me, "Episode seven is coming!" I was like, "Okay, I'll read it when I read it." But it was fantastic. It shows the truth. Crazy people get locked up now, there's no mental health government subsidized places that take care of people. I live in Venice Beach and I see these poor homeless people obviously in need of medical attention and they're just homeless, that happens. Usually the cops turn a blind eye because they don't want to deal with all the paperwork and figure out where to take you and "How crazy are you?" They usually just look away. Or you get locked up. As it stands, [Lolly] didn't really do anything wrong, until she got to prison. She was in need of help and nobody helped her."

(Read the full interview here.)

I had a huge problem with the guards this season, but I'd be surprised if anyone else didn't agree. Perhaps this paints a real picture of the corruption that takes place in prison, but man, it was painful to watch. This of course leads to me to the end of the season. It is completely justified for the entire prison to be up in arms with the death of one of their inmates being handled so badly. I've attempted to be vague, but will say this…to have the last episode include the mourning of an inmate dead on the cafeteria floor, and to have the season end with a different inmate holding a gun to a guards head…well, you've done it again Orange is the New Black. I'm hooked. I'm emotional. I can't wait until next summer.

All four seasons of Orange is the New Black are now streaming on Netflix.

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