What I’m Watching: Orange is the New Black

Orange is the New Black: Season 6, Episode 6 “State of the Uterus” (B)

This episode was mainly focused on characters that we’ve much more recently met, showing how, despite the power they appear to wield, they’re not actually in charge. I so much prefer Daddy to Badison, and, similarly, Carol seems to be more stable than Barbara. Flashing back to Daddy’s story didn’t show her in an altogether different place, running the show and keeping those who worked for her happy. Now that she’s not conducting a business but instead trying to stay alive and on top, she’s less generous to all in an explicit way, even though she works hard to get the best for them without directly letting them know. I always wish there would be a scene that clearly explains the crime that was committed and how the future inmate was caught, but I suppose it’s more creative to leave it to the imagination while providing a good deal of context clues. The latest pranks and retaliation are of little interest, and I much prefer the new pairing of Cindy and Flaca for the radio show that a bored Luschek couldn’t stand to cast. Fig and Linda make an entertaining duo of hateful allies, and, as each of the inmates contemplate their new realities, I’m excited to see what becomes of Taystee as the new face of the Black Lives Matter movement in prison. I’m also pleased to see Aleida come back into focus as a mother determined to do everything she can to get her children and her life back.