What I’m Watching: Orange is the New Black

Orange is the New Black: Season 6, Episode 11 “Well This Took a Dark Turn” (B)

There are pieces of this episode that I liked and others that I didn’t find to be nearly as compelling. Crazy Eyes and Pennsatucky playing detective was one of the former, and I think this show is spending a bit too much time in Florida for its own good. Frieda managed to identify her very obviously newly-rich assassin and find a way to get herself out of harm’s way, which is fine but far from the most engaging plot of this season. Badison continues to be one of the show’s least appealing elements, putting gum in Piper’s hair and stuffing drugs in her shoe because she was trying to take over kickball, and I’m wondering if Piper’s newfound confidence is actually going to work in her favor or get her into serious trouble instead. Nicky getting involved in the salon hit and trying to warn Red felt far too unsubtle, and it’s no wonder she got found out, with only Barb believing her story that she didn’t act to stop it. Linda stepped in to quash Caputo’s efforts, but I would have thought that part of Sophia agreeing to take the $300,000 she was offered would have at least precluded her from sharing the amount with Caputo and his hired lawyer. Cindy’s back pain isn’t going to go anywhere after she failed to change her testimony, and hopefully there will be enough working in Taystee’s favor to save her. Carol and Barb getting moved into the same cell after years apart seems like a strange and very dangerous move, and it’s not clear who’s behind it. Hopper came in furious at Aleida, but she got into his head in exactly the right way, and now the operation is going to pick up in an incredible way that isn’t likely to go under the radar for long.