Will be watching this. Jenji Kohan created this.

6/17/2013 2:28:00 PM

Looks interesting. Really liked the first few seasons of weeds so I'm gonna give it a go. I'm excited about how the netflix model will affect the way premium channels do business if they release hits.

6/17/2013 3:01:57 PM

White Lady Outside of Cary: The Show

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

6/17/2013 3:18:29 PM

First episode is damn good.

7/12/2013 1:37:18 AM

Have watched the first two epidsodes now. I enjoy it.

7/12/2013 8:55:13 AM

Watched 3 episodes last night. Very good stuff. This might be the most woman-centric show I've ever watched.

The third episode about the transvestite was probably the best yet. They handled that storyline very well. Not something most shows would do.

[Edited on July 12, 2013 at 9:18 AM. Reason : .]

7/12/2013 9:14:05 AM

I'm 4 episodes in, really liking it so far. I'm curious as to how far they get into her sentence in season 1. I think she mentioned that she'd been in for 2/3 weeks in the 4th episode so the pacing is pretty good for more seasons if they pick it back up.

7/13/2013 3:32:36 PM

i wouldnt be surprised if they fast forwarded some of the sentence in season 1 and then she did something dumb to get more time in as the cliff hanger at the end of the season.

7/13/2013 5:02:47 PM

I'm 4 episodes in and I really like it so far. If it stays this good through the rest of it, I don't see why they wouldn't pick it up.


That said, I really think Netflix should consider releasing their shows weekly or maybe 2 episodes a week.

I love to binge watch as much as anyone else, but I think they're missing out on some things by releasing all episodes at once. Shows that have one episode a week (good shows) see a bump in viewship due to people talking about the show. It helps spread the word, but there's also a "i must be the only one NOT watching x... I should start watching" aspect.

I feel like the Netflix model makes it tough to talk about the show outside of the small group you're actually watching it with (which may literally be yourself or whoever you live with). Honestly, I was very hesitant to even click this thread since I'm only 4 episodes into the series and I'm sure a lot of people are finished.

I guess what I question about this model is whether or not the shows are generating enough "water-cooler buzz" or discussion that it piques the interest of non-netflix users. Even if you could easily talk to people about the show, you may finish in a week or two. And the conversations span a much smaller span of time than if it were one episode a week. Which means it also limits the number of people that are exposed to those conversations and say "hey, what show are you guys talking about?... Oh, it's only on Netflix... maybe I'll get Netflix."

Obviously they're not worried about it. But I can't help but wonder if it could be helping their sales a lot more. Plus, I like talking about shows. I binge watch OLD shows that I didn't watch when they originally aired. That's fine to me because most people have seen them already and aren't talking about them now, or would likely spoil something for me. I'll binge watch these new shows because the next episode is available and I want to see it. But I feel like a big piece of what I enjoy about watching some shows (talking with people about the show, where it will go, etc.) is all but lost in this model.


TL;DR: I don't mind binge watching old shows that people aren't talking about anymore or they'd likely spoil for me if I did talk about the show. And I binge watch these new shows because A) I can, and B) there's no set schedule for people to keep to. Everyone is on a different episode. I think it kills the ability to talk about these shows.

[Edited on July 14, 2013 at 10:04 AM. Reason : tl;dr]

7/14/2013 10:00:07 AM

Quote :

"That said, I really think Netflix should consider releasing their shows weekly or maybe 2 episodes a week."

I feel the same way. There's something about appointment television that I appreciate and miss when I binge.

7/14/2013 11:45:53 AM

^^season 2 was already ordered before the premiere

7/14/2013 11:16:10 PM

i agree as well... House of Cards for example had quite few plot developments that could have been talked about, but the TWW thread was like 3 pages long for the whole season because once everyone had watched them all, there just wasn't much left. I wouldn't care that much except I really want Netflix original content to succeed to help make cable change the way they deliver content.

After the new arrested development season and the vampire/werewolf show fell flat for me, it is great to see them find another solid hit with this show.

7/15/2013 4:45:03 PM

^^ Awesome. I've watched a few more episodes and am still really enjoying it. I'm hoping it maintains the things it's doing well.

[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 9:44 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2013 9:43:04 PM

Just finished episode 3 and going to watch 1 more before bed. Definitely a fan.

7/16/2013 10:11:11 PM

Just finished the first season. I heart this show. Not so much the main character though. She kind of sucks. Also, do not care for Jason Biggs.

7/16/2013 10:35:17 PM

After finishing it I didn't really like Piper either. Her decisions are annoying but I guess that's her thing...she makes shitty decisions. Also it keeps things interesting.

7/16/2013 10:57:21 PM

True. The show wouldn't be the same without her, but she is my least favorite character with my least favorite storyline up until the very last bit.

7/16/2013 11:29:39 PM

The main character is kind of like the mom from weeds. Starts out seeming pretty normal, just caught in a bad situation, but then makes things more difficult on herself over and over again. She went in saying she was going to keep her head down and do her time, but i guess that wouldnt make for an interesting show. Definitely became less likable and relatable as the season went on.

Like the show though. Neck and neck with House of Cards for best original Netflix show.

7/17/2013 12:11:18 AM

Just finished. House of Cards is better. This series isn't terrible, but none of these story lines really grabbed me.

7/17/2013 3:22:38 PM

I finished episode 4 last night and I can't think of a show I found as immediately engaging since I starting Breaking Bad last year. Less predictable than most shows out right now.

7/17/2013 4:42:13 PM

Mom from weeds is a great comparison. Jenji Kohan knows how to capture upper class white woman narcissism.

7/18/2013 8:45:25 AM

i could never be a guard at a female prison.

7/18/2013 9:23:12 AM

why...are you not pervy enough?


all those men are straight up sexual deviants

7/18/2013 9:33:37 AM

Finished the season last night.

Overall, I really enjoy it. Slight spoilers ahead.

I don't always care for the tone of the show and some of things they choose to have happen with that tone in mind. It's not an extremely serious/realistic show, but it's not completely outlandish either. So there are some things that have been a little too unbelievable with that mind. Some of the characters would be better described as caricatures than characters, especially Mendez. So I have a bit of a tough time taking it seriously when a character like that is into more serious stuff. And I just don't buy that Heely is walking away from an inmate trying to shiv another inmate in a low-security prison over the potential victim having verbally insulting him. Actually, I just don't know if I'd buy that a woman who walked into an abortion clinic with a shotgun and killed someone would be in such a prison.

But I really like the "human interest" aspects of the show. How the inmates were before they were in prison, how they cope, etc. Claudette choking the guard worked for me because she was a well rounded character by that point, and I could see her having such an outburst given what had transpired. Where as a guy who looks like mendez (who looks like that, really?), talks as creepily as mendez, walks like him, has that skewed perspective, etc. all in one character who pisses in a vat of soup to prove his dominance is not very believable to me.

I think the show does the human interest/heart warming stuff great. I'd prefer they stick to that stuff and stay away from the absurd stuff and the forced violence. Which, according to the real Piper, was extremely rare.


I just ordered the book. I'm curious to see how the show compares to her actual experiences. Granted, I realize it's a show and fluffed up a bit, but it's a pretty interesting topic from an interesting perspective.

[Edited on July 18, 2013 at 11:37 AM. Reason : .]

7/18/2013 11:16:22 AM

I wish they could have found an actress that could have pulled off Pennsatucky. Taystee is by far my favorite character/actress. Great show. I want to watch House of Cards but political dramas are kind of a poo subject with me just like politics in general. I'm gonna bet this pulls in more Emmy awards next year than House of Cards.

7/19/2013 9:44:43 AM

i'm 8 or 9 episodes in

wish we'd get some Pornstache backstory

he's too caricatureishly evil for my taste right now.

7/20/2013 10:11:58 PM

^^what's wrong with Taryn manning? I thought she brought the perfect amount of meth head insanity.

7/21/2013 3:00:59 AM

^this

7/21/2013 9:14:47 AM

im still not convinced how I feel about this show.

7/22/2013 4:43:42 AM

i finished season 1 over the weekend. i really loved it. Piper started out as a surrogate for the viewer, introducing us to the ways of female prison life before finally fleshing out into her own, truly flawed character. the supporting cast, especially inside the prison, is fantastic and the flashbacks did a great job giving us insight on some of the wrong paths that were taken to wind up in the this place. They weren't meant to be whole secondary story arcs, which is fine and probably better. But i think they did just enough to let glimpse inside some of the more central cast.

I felt the most compassion for Ms. Claudette and Taystee. I was actually heart broken to see Ms. Claudette and how her story ended. And Taystee's story was sadly true for many of those in our failed prison systems. Granted a chance to make a fresh start but with absolutely no support or means of bettering themselves on the outside. I could understand why people can't adjust to the outside world. It's a parallel we see sometimes in the military. You are used to structure and order, the outside is chaos in comparison.

and the final scene I found great. It firmly entrenches Piper in the fishbowl of prison life. But she's now alienated herself from her own kind while also building a list of enemies of guards and prisoners. and i liked how the "what does she need? new teeth" joke came full circle with the dark conclusion of Piper basically knocking her face in.

7/22/2013 7:53:22 AM

spoiler******i guess



does anyone know if she beats that meth heads ass in the book, in fact, has anyone read the book? is the show straying from it because I was meh on the show until the last 2 episodes. great fucking show. crazy ending havn't quite soaked it in. Im going to have to wait a year to see where that ending leads her? shit man.


oh and. this too

Quote :

"I just don't buy that Heely is walking away from an inmate trying to shiv another inmate in a low-security prison over the potential victim having verbally insulting him. Actually, I just don't know if I'd buy that a woman who walked into an abortion clinic with a shotgun and killed someone would be in such a prison"

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 10:21 AM. Reason : dee]

7/23/2013 10:19:13 AM

I just started reading the memoire. I'll let you know how it differs when I get a little further in.

7/23/2013 12:26:29 PM

Yea, Pennsatucky's character was too close to James Cameron villain territory for me. Not sure who could have pulled off such a caricature.

7/23/2013 12:45:51 PM

Quote :

"Not sure who could have pulled off such a caricature."

Nobody within the tone of the show. I thought Manning did a great job of playing that character, personally. The problem was that the character is a caricature in a show that it doesn't quite fit. So is Mendez/Pornstache. At least too caricature-ish for the show so far.

It's like Gary Oldman's character from Leon... or even more so in The Fifth Element. Those characters fit and work very well in those films. Even the Leon character which is much more toned down compared to the Fifth Element character wouldn't work well in something like... NYPD Blue for example. It's not that the actor isn't nailing it, the character just doesn't fit. That's a writing/directing problem imo.

I honestly saw both of those characters (pornstache and pennsatucky) as a bit of comic relief early on in that I laughed at how ridiculous they both were. But then Mendez is getting head for drugs and what not. He's a complete creep/perv. Surely that's not meant to be laughed at... so was I supposed to be taking this guy seriously? But at the same time, he's just a caricature. He looks and acts in entirely ridiculous ways (although the essence of his actions are believable... people definitely smuggle drugs into prisons, would use addicts like that, etc.). But Mendez, the person, is a completely unbelievable human being.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 1:41 PM. Reason : .]

7/23/2013 1:38:37 PM

maybe so...in the eyes of the outside world. but in the confined world of the women's prison i thought Mendez fit. He's misogynistic and is so absorbed in himself in a "i am god" sort of way. the mustache, the flattop haircut all give the appearance of alpha male in a very misogynistic way. but outside of the fence he's just another loser with nothing going for him. i thought his caricature definitely fit.

7/23/2013 1:53:16 PM

Just watched the final episode. I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The background stories for the inmates were some of my favorite aspects of the show. Or in the case of Taystee, her present day release and winding back up in jail because she lacked the resources and support in the real world to make it.

I really didn't like Larry (oh he watched Mad Men?! Oh no he didn't!) in the beginning, but I came around by the time he did the interview even though as he was doing it I felt so angry with his limited information/perspective on Piper's life in prison was being broadcast. In particular his recount of Piper being "wifed" by Crazy Eyes/Suzanne. Her backstory is one I'm really interested in, and I hope we get to see what her situation is in Season 2.

7/23/2013 2:02:36 PM

I thought Biggs was too distracting at first but he really won me over. They tried to make Pornstache into a multifaceted character but it didn't quite work for me. Maybe next season they can not make the evil not so evil.

I keep thinking that Crazy Eyes is shadowing the inmates for a play like Tobias Funke or something. Hopefully, it's crazier than that.

7/23/2013 2:09:41 PM

only three episodes in, but I'm really enjoying it. and I didn't like Weeds at all.

7/23/2013 2:38:32 PM

^^^^ yeah, the character definitely fits as an example of how people can view themselves in their own little fish bowl, especially one like that.

What could have sold it better for me would be seeing him out of that world. Especially if he was sort of aware of him being "nothing" outside.

But they've done a great job rounding out a lot of characters. So hopefully they'll do more with him next season.

Suzanne is one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite. That actress had been great. I'm up in the air on whether i want to see a backstory on her or not. I kind of like wondering.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 2:48 PM. Reason : ^]

7/23/2013 2:48:04 PM

1/2 done with the last episode of the season, I like it.. Going to be nice to see where they take it

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 6:27 PM. Reason : herp]

7/23/2013 6:26:55 PM

while i like the Netflix model of releasing new series (here it is, watch at your own pace) i do feel like the binge watch effect does have an impact on show discussions. A show like this could really have some fun and interesting water cooler talk, but it's hard to keep it focused when everyone is watching at different paces.

Netflix is still learning. I would support a 2-3 per week type model. Releasing 3 episodes a week would still get an entire season out in one month keeping everything fresh on viewers' minds.

7/23/2013 8:01:34 PM

^ yeah, I agree entirely.

I'm a few chapters into the book, the point where she is about to walk into prison.

Here's what's different so far in case it prods anyone to read it for themselves (nothing that isn't already different in the show).

The real Piper was a Smith College grad, was waiting tables and living with friends. Nora (the real life Alex), was a neighbor. She didn't pick her up in a bar.

They were all pretty broke, but Nora left for a few months, came back and suddenly had her own place and nice stuff and what not. While on what was technically their first date, Piper asked her about the change in lifestyle and Nora told her what she was into.

Yada yada yada. Piper was dating her, traveled with her (while lying to friends and family the whole time about her relationship and job). Piper's involvement really was just traveling with Nora while she did her drug business for a long time, but she was eventually asked to carry money and drugs.

The whole luggage not showing up with the right flight thing really happened. And she did unwittingly skip customs. I don't recall if they mentioned it in the show or not, but it was heroin that they were involved with. Which is what I imagine most suspected if they didn't say.

The glam wore off and Piper realized that Nora didn't really care for her as much as she thought, and the life wasn't good for her and she left. Nobody knew about it. She met Larry. Larry knew she was a lesbian and they were just friends for years. But he didn't know anything about the drug stuff. Some things happened and eventually they started dating. They moved to NY together. Both doing seemingly well.

She was indicted. She agreed to take the plea deal. But they arrested the african kingpin in London at that time, so they didn't want to send her to prison yet because they wanted her to testify against him as a civilian rather than an inmate. it was six years after that that she went to prison! From what I recall, the show made it seem like it all came back 10 years later. But the charges really came just a few years later. Then she was just waiting, knowing she was going to prison, for the other 6 years.

She knew from the get go that Nora named her.

They didn't tell anyone since they didn't know when she'd go to prison or for how long. They just knew it would be 30 months or less (she hadn't actually had a trial yet). She was supervised that entire time, had to report in monthly, etc. But kept it secret from everyone except just a very select few and her family. Around year 5, the U.K. told the U.S. they weren't going to extradite the drug lord guy (apparently he was very well connected). That meant there was no more need to wait for her trial.

They motioned for a lesser sentence due to the 5.5 years or so she had been under supervision at that time. The prosecutor said they wouldn't argue it. They started telling friends and Larry's family (her family had known for a long time). Unlike the show, Larry's family was extremely supportive. She was sentenced to 15 months.


I'm just a few chapters in, but it's interesting to read about some more in-depth things of what really happened. It seems to be well written. She definitely refers to herself as a WASP several times. I honestly didn't realize people still used the term "WASP". I'm really interested to get into the actual prison stuff and see how her personality comes out through that. And see how these characters really were. The nun is definitely in it. Piper says at the beginning that the names have been changed except for Sister (whatever her name is) and someone else who gave her permission to use their real names.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 9:41 PM. Reason : .]

7/23/2013 9:25:40 PM

bitch needs to respect my ice machine preferences.

7/23/2013 9:30:34 PM

Quote :

"I don't recall if they mentioned it in the show or not, but it was heroin that they were involved with. Which is what I imagine most suspected if they didn't say."

alex has said things to the effect of "i'm awesome at moving heroin" a time or two I think.

7/23/2013 9:37:11 PM

yeah, I remember that now that you mention it. I think she said it just like that when they were on Alex's cot at one point.

7/23/2013 9:39:41 PM

Plus the whole NA thing where Alex admitted to breaking the #1 rule of don't get high on your own supply.

7/23/2013 10:46:56 PM

First double post like, ever in 10 years.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 10:47 PM. Reason : ]

7/23/2013 10:46:56 PM

^suspend for 15 months

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:51 PM. Reason : .]

7/23/2013 11:51:15 PM

+1 for 15 month suspension, we don't like padders on this forum sir...

7/24/2013 1:12:35 AM

7/25/2013 3:34:47 PM