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Orange is the New Black - Season 1 on Netflix - Every sentence is a story
- Thread starter Cornballer
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It's so weird when people hold opinions that aren't just so wrong, but they're so unreservedly adamant (almost smugly so) in those opinions.
But he watched two whole episodes!
Trent Strong
Banned
I watched 6 and I agree with everything he said.
And again, I'd love to hear your reasoning.
Trent Strong
Banned
*shrug* My reasons are all probably subjective. Like the other guy said, the tone feels awkward. I don't think the mix of drama and comedy works. The characters all seem like caricatures instead of realistic people (but maybe that's what the creators wanted). I don't like a lot of the actors. I don't believe the romance between the guard and the prisoner because the guard looks like a normal guy and the prisoner he likes is...very physically unattractive. I just don't find the characters compelling and I find the humor off-putting and too goofy. But, again, that's pretty subjective stuff. Maybe a big part of the reason I hate it is because it's aimed at women and, as a dude, I can't relate to it. (Although I love True Blood, at that show is supposedly aimed at women too.)
Eye of the beholder and all, plus he's missing half a leg.
Daya is very pretty. ;____;
Besides, it's not like Bennett's a freaking supermodel (although he is very handsome).
I don't look at either of them and think wow, he/she is so physically out of the other's league. They look like the average couple if you stand them together (and remove the prison garb).
Also, just want to make you aware that you're part of the exclusive club of "every guy" who has voiced dislike of this show and used "it's aimed at women" as an excuse, which I think is just sad.
I disagree with everything(including True Blood, I can't watch it anymore, only reason to watch is the hot chicks on there for me), but I don't like the guard/prisoner romance plot either.
I'd say everyone who has had any significant screen time has been fleshed out, and nearly all of them make for great compelling characters imo.
dead souls
Member
I really liked this, but I don't blame someone for bailing on it if they watched two episodes and totally hated it. There's so much interesting media out there to read, watch, or play that that's the sensible thing to do.
Fantastical
Death Prophet
You're right. He's not a supermodel. He's a fitness model.
I guess he's not technically a fitness model, but he helped write a fitness book.
In my opinion, there is a large gap in attractiveness between the two.
You're right. He's not a supermodel. He's a fitness model.
I guess he's not technically a fitness model, but he helped write a fitness book.
In my opinion, there is a large gap in attractiveness between the two.
...because she's thick?
Beyond subjective likes and dislikes, I don't really understand the caricatures criticism -- the show goes out of its way, almost painstakingly so, to flesh out and paint perspective for almost every single character on the show. That's pretty much the episodic engine of the show. If you don't find them compelling, I don't know what to tell you, but they've resonated well with others.
And, a pet peeve of mine: Who cares if something is "aimed" at women? I don't even know if that's what the team behind Orange is "going" for, where people walk into a room and declare THIS IS WOMEN'S TELEVISION! I think it happens to star a lot of women, and there are themes that some women might gravitate towards, but those are more universal themes that people should be able to empathize with.
(True Blood? Really? Orange is soooooo much better than whatever True Blood's become)
BertramCooper
Banned
You're right. He's not a supermodel. He's a fitness model.
I guess he's not technically a fitness model, but he helped write a fitness book.
In my opinion, there is a large gap in attractiveness between the two.
Has television so skewed our perception of reality that the idea of a chubby-but-still-cute girl and a fit guy falling in love is totally inconceivable?
Seriously. He has a pretty average face (not to be shady, I still think he's cute.), so are people really THAT thrown off because he's built and she's curvy?
If I had a dollar for every muscular guy I knew who was dating and/or prefered curvier women, I could afford a GAF Gold subscription.
dead souls
Member
It seems like it. I blame all the awful fat dude/hot wife sitcoms.
sometimes i game
Member
Had no idea there was a thread for this. This show was so great. When it was funny it was funny. When it was deep or dramatic, it brought that too. It did so much so well.
I love Kitties
Member
Man, I really loved this show. My husband and I blew threw it this weekend and now we have to wait for more. I wonder what the fall out will be with the ending. Piper can be so selfish and annoying. Will she redeem herself?
I finished watching it last week and enjoyed the series. There are many great characters and I like how each was given their due. Even after one season I think that Piper's descent into prison life is more convincing than Nancy descent into being a drug dealer on Weeds.
I did not love it as much as I did House of Cards (Spacey is king) but this is a great show that is worth watching through.
I did not love it as much as I did House of Cards (Spacey is king) but this is a great show that is worth watching through.
Mr. B Natural
Member
Tried to watch this show but it reminds me of Weeds, but the horrible later seasons, not when it was unique and clever and well put together. Instead we get a show with forced unfunny annoyingly shallow characters saying forced unfunny one liners amongst a premise that is not remotely interesting especially coming from someone that clearly has absolutely no understanding of the subject, no more than a piece of exploitation but without the fun and innocence of the times.
The drama is forced and the stakes, if there are any, are shallow and the opposite of effectively directed, acted and edited. The "starve-out" conflict and resolution was fucking hilariously poorly executed.
It's like a lot of television shows are just trying to find some soap opera subject matter that hasn't been used yet. Woman's prison? Has that been done yet? No. Okay, someone quickly concoct something and air it. Should we do research on the subject or come up with an interesting premise? No, just put it on the air dammit. Get a writer that's clearly never stepped foot in upstate New York or a prison and have him/her/them write a drama in that setting in the style of modern soap operas. This shit writes itself...just add a healthy and constant layer of drama, sex and the audience will soak it up.
After Weeds, which has already overstayed its welcome, this show is not only weak, but completely unnecessary. I almost feel like this crap was written initially for Mary Louise Parker and her character to star in, but it didn't work out, so they have to start over with the female fish-out-of-water turned powerhouse thing all over again. It's that redundant.
The drama is forced and the stakes, if there are any, are shallow and the opposite of effectively directed, acted and edited. The "starve-out" conflict and resolution was fucking hilariously poorly executed.
It's like a lot of television shows are just trying to find some soap opera subject matter that hasn't been used yet. Woman's prison? Has that been done yet? No. Okay, someone quickly concoct something and air it. Should we do research on the subject or come up with an interesting premise? No, just put it on the air dammit. Get a writer that's clearly never stepped foot in upstate New York or a prison and have him/her/them write a drama in that setting in the style of modern soap operas. This shit writes itself...just add a healthy and constant layer of drama, sex and the audience will soak it up.
After Weeds, which has already overstayed its welcome, this show is not only weak, but completely unnecessary. I almost feel like this crap was written initially for Mary Louise Parker and her character to star in, but it didn't work out, so they have to start over with the female fish-out-of-water turned powerhouse thing all over again. It's that redundant.
What I found most interesting is how they portray Piper as a victim for the most part, however by the end of the season you come to realize that she is actually quite selfish and manipulative. I do find some of the characters to be exaggerated but overall thought the show was excellent. Could've done without the goofy humour, which at times seemed oddly misplaced.
Byakuya769
Member
Are you Republican? Serious question.
...uh, you do realize the show is based on a real woman's stay in prison, right?
Also, have you stepped foot in a women's prison?
Not only is this show based on a memoir of someone who did stay in a women's prison and consults on the show, Jenji and her team spent a considerable amount of time researching in a women's prison... This paragraph is factually incorrect. I'm glad to know there's an expert on women's minimum security federal prisons on the forum, though.
You also did a wonderful job in these two paragraph:
Of saying a lot without saying anything at all. What, exactly, are your issues with the editing and post production of the show? Which characters are shallow? And again, Jenji and Piper did a considerable amount of research on the subject. And Piper was a prisoner in Danbury's women's for a considerable amount of time.
So.... ?????????????
Ludicrous Speed
Banned
Wow, some people are REALLY defensive about other posters not liking the show. And then asking for reasons as to why they don't like the show and then saying your opinion is wrong.
Jesus Christ!
While I did enjoy the show, I do agree with some of those posters are saying. I agree about the stakes not feeling very high. The starve out episode, I was never worried that she would be starved. It felt like hazing, but the only thing that was going to come from it was she wasn't going to be able to eat for a few days.
I'm not sure if I'll stick around for another season, even though I did enjoy the first. Initially, Piper was an annoying shit but she was tolerable. By the end of the season, I hated her character and cannot sympathize with her at all. If I do go for another season it would only be because some of the supporting characters are okay. Tasty and her friend are alright. The lesbian from American Pie is cool. Might be a few others, but most of these people are awful human beings.
Jesus Christ!
While I did enjoy the show, I do agree with some of those posters are saying. I agree about the stakes not feeling very high. The starve out episode, I was never worried that she would be starved. It felt like hazing, but the only thing that was going to come from it was she wasn't going to be able to eat for a few days.
I'm not sure if I'll stick around for another season, even though I did enjoy the first. Initially, Piper was an annoying shit but she was tolerable. By the end of the season, I hated her character and cannot sympathize with her at all. If I do go for another season it would only be because some of the supporting characters are okay. Tasty and her friend are alright. The lesbian from American Pie is cool. Might be a few others, but most of these people are awful human beings.
You can't say that the people who produce the show have never been inside a women's prison when it's based off of a memoir by a woman who consults on a show who was in a women's prison and the team spent time inside women's prisons to study them. That's not being defensive as it is pointing out statements that are said like declarations of fact are incorrect.
I also don't think it's a good idea to come into a thread and provide hyperbolic statements on unwatchability, because that doesn't help anyone. We're having a discussion on the show. That's the whole point of the thread. It's completely fair game to question other people's criticisms, especially if they're framed in a way that don't actually say anything.
...but why did you ever think they were ACTUALLY trying to starve her out? She's in a minimum security prison, not Azkaban. The point of that plotline wasn't whether or not Piper was going to be starved to death, but how she was going to resolve the conflict between her and Red from a position of complete powerlessness.
For what it's worth, I hated Piper by the end of the season, too. But I think that's the point. I think one of the lesson's Piper's learning from being forced to stand still and deal with her shit in prison is that she's not as nice a person as she thought she was. Crazy Eyes gave her a stone cold read in that bathroom.
Nothing wrong with disliking the show, but that last guy was completely wrong about nearly anything that has factual evidence behind it.
Fantastical
Death Prophet
Yeah some people are being ridulously defensive. "Are you a Republican?" Lol.
I think it's a great show, but I could see it not being for some people.
I think it's a great show, but I could see it not being for some people.
Byakuya769
Member
I've seen people get more bent in other show threads over criticisms far better than "must be aimed at women," the equivalent of "this seems fake, it's not like Oz" and "I didn't get that romance at all, she's ugly."
GregLombardi
Member
This show is unbelievably godly. Nearly perfect in every way. And the chicken episode, THE CHICKEN EPISODE.
Watched the last episode and was pretty happy with the way it ended.
It's funny how Piper's story is the most interesting part of the show in the first half of the season and by the end, you care less and less about her drama and you care more about the other storylines they have going.
It's actually kind of a problem, because the writers made the two of them so flawed (Piper and Jason Biggs' character) that I wasn't really rooting for them to stay together (or break up).
It's funny how Piper's story is the most interesting part of the show in the first half of the season and by the end, you care less and less about her drama and you care more about the other storylines they have going.
It's actually kind of a problem, because the writers made the two of them so flawed (Piper and Jason Biggs' character) that I wasn't really rooting for them to stay together (or break up).
Ludicrous Speed
Banned
Ivysaur12 was going on about how high the stakes were:
I didn't think they were trying to starve her out. That's my point. I guess some people did??? Anyway, I didn't think the stakes were high. Maybe when the crazy girl tried to kill Piper at the end, but that seems to have been an isolated incident.
So you think the audience is supposed to hate Piper? Then what's the point of watching if you don't like the main character? For me, I think I started to dislike her character in the flashback when she was forcing her boyfriend to do the all juice diet and then she fucking cheated! She was going on and on about how good it would be for them and essentially guilted him into doing it. What a terrible human being.
You're right. He's not a supermodel. He's a fitness model.
I guess he's not technically a fitness model, but he helped write a fitness book.
In my opinion, there is a large gap in attractiveness between the two.
Now let's be fair. The actor is obviously not in the same shape in the show as he is in that photograph.
I downloaded that photo of him to my phone anyway!
The stakes weren't necessarily high just because she was being starved -- it was compounded with the fact that she didn't understand that world of prison and could not afford to make another mistake or faux pas. That's why Larry's radio interview was so rough.
brianjones
Member
watched 6 episodes over the past couple days im really liking it so far
..except for laura prepon.. i dont think shes a good actress at all and her voice bugs me.. read recently shes leaving the show cant say ill miss her, although im not sure where her story ends up at this point.. im already cringing at piper going back to her
the show might be a little too.. cutesy at times. it makes prison look not all that bad
also makes me want to rewatch oz
im not sure how long this show can go on either unless it pulls a weeds and completely abandons its original setting
..except for laura prepon.. i dont think shes a good actress at all and her voice bugs me.. read recently shes leaving the show cant say ill miss her, although im not sure where her story ends up at this point.. im already cringing at piper going back to her
the show might be a little too.. cutesy at times. it makes prison look not all that bad
also makes me want to rewatch oz
im not sure how long this show can go on either unless it pulls a weeds and completely abandons its original setting
RiderKairuu
Member
Just finished and I thought season 1 was really well done. It's easy to look at the first few eps and assume that every character exists just to be another stereotype in a prison drama, but I was left really impressed with how a lot of the inmates are humanized by the end of it. My only gripe isn't really a gripe but I can't help but feel, given the premise, that most of the male cast was made to be intentionally unlikable. That's just me reaching, though.
Also my girlfriend blew my mind when she pointed out that the yoga lady was Patty Mayonaise from Doug. I spent that entire show trying to figure out why she sounded so familiar.
Also my girlfriend blew my mind when she pointed out that the yoga lady was Patty Mayonaise from Doug. I spent that entire show trying to figure out why she sounded so familiar.
Cornballer
Member
- Huffington Post Interview: 'Crazy Eyes' From 'Orange Is The New Black' Talks Flirting, Jodie Foster And That Infamous Scene
A couple recent pieces on race and OitNB:
- memles: The Race to Address Race in Orange is the New Black
- Salon: The bar for TV diversity is way too low
- Anthony Oliveira: A Question of Taystee : On Racist Stereotypes in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
A couple recent pieces on race and OitNB:
- memles: The Race to Address Race in Orange is the New Black
- Salon: The bar for TV diversity is way too low
- Anthony Oliveira: A Question of Taystee : On Racist Stereotypes in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Feeling bad for the people in this thread that don't get this show. Just finished it and loved it. Though it's obviously not in Mad Men's league or style at all, it's similar in that it seems there's an audience that doesn't get into just how dramatic and interesting the relationships are because they're expecting something a bit more immediately tense and overdone. The only time I can relate is that Larry's radio interview was the show's big dramatic moment that should have delivered for everyone, but the changes afterward are kind of brushed off.
rocksteady1983
Member
My wife and I marathoned it last weekend in 2 days. We loved it. Really looking forward to season 2. Writing was phenomenal. Actually care about all the characters.
This is pretty spot on. The bar is indeed very low, but this show is certainly ups the ante a bit.
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