What I’m Watching: Orange is the New Black

Orange is the New Black: Season 3, Episode 3 “Empathy is a Boner Killer” (B+)

If there’s anyone on this show who is easy to root for, it’s Nicky. The former drug addict is certainly funny, and she also has a good heart and firm commitment to those around her, even the ones she doesn’t particularly like. She’s also an enterprising business woman, choosing the one guard she knew would sooner join her in distributing drugs than turn her in. Luschek immediately pointing the finger and blaming her when it was his operation was cowardly and cruel, and she’ll now have to suffer the fate of being in maximum security, something she really doesn’t deserve. Let’s hope he gets caught redhanded soon and that she gets bounced to a prison that, surprisingly enough, may stay operational. Caputo got plenty of pressure from his subordinates to let them know what was happening, and a brave call to Fig may have done the trick. It was fun to see Fig again, and to see her odd love-hate relationship with Caputo. I didn’t expect the drama class to go well, and I definitely wasn’t prepared for Alex and Piper acting out their issues via imagined bruised fruit scenarios. I’m enjoying that romance, and it’s good to see these two characters still doing something interesting in the background now that Piper is no longer the show’s lead player. Red translating for Healy and his wife was entertaining, particularly when she stopped speaking English and started yelling at his bride for being ungrateful and not appreciating the man who wants to take care of her.