lingering-pessimist

[hippygirl14]

Orange is the new black - Storm-y weather (05x13)

[oitnbstuff]

like if you save

[50shadesofspacegrey]

The fact that she took her hijab off as soon as they came inside says a lot about oitnb’s ability to comment on society as well as the society they’re commenting on itself…

Orange is the New Black - S05E13 ‘Storm-y Weather’

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Orange is the New Black (S05E13) Storm-y Weather Airdate: June 9, 2017 @oitnb Ratings: @netflix original Score: 8/10 **********SPOILERS BELOW********** What now? Watching an OITNB finale is a bit like the next day after a great roll... You had a great time, and emotionally you're drained, there's a bit of magic still floating around in the air, you wonder will happen next... But in a way, you're kind of sad that it's all over. And of course, you're too stunned to do much of anything except furrow your brow like James Franco attempting to show any simple range of emotion beyond 'stoned'. Until next time, right? The best thing about the end of OITNB5 is the fact that we know it's going to come back for a 6th & 7th season, but with the massively radical shakeup we saw happen here in S5... There's never been a time in the series' history that we have been in such a place where we don't even have a slight inkling of an idea as to what is coming next. Over the course of 4 years and 5 seasons, we've seen characters come, go, pass, come back again, disappear into MAX, and some that have more of a final ending. It's safe to say that as tragic as the S5 ending was, as we saw best friends, lovers, and feelings as safe & simple as familiarity being separated and hauled off into different vans, going god knows where, at least we don't have to deal with another loss like the magnitude we dealt with at the end of S4. It took hours of sobbing and patting my back just to come back to reality and stop crying after that one. We have praised S5 for featuring new characters, as well old characters in a different way... As well as experimentation with new types of storytelling and even head-first dives into different genres just to give the series a fresh beat. It's hard to believe that all this happened in just a 3-Day timespan... Technically we've spent years with some of these women, but never has the series reached such heights in tension as it did here. One again, I feel it pertinent to mention that I'm just glad they decided to not put me in a situation where I could possibly cry like a baby for hours on end. I always knew that this riot would never end well for any of the women, and by E12 when everyone was having their personal revelations and epiphanies as to where they stood in life and with each other, I immediately sensed that they'd all be ripped apart from one another. No way things could be this harmonious with such an ugly consequences hanging above like dark pulpy rain clouds just waiting to burst over all of their heads. I'm not going to lie, there was a part of me that thought someone was going to die (as there usually is a major death in every season), but I was relieved when we were delivered the death of Piscatella instead of a beloved inmate. With Piscatella dead and Angie (Julie Lake) & Leanne (Emma Myles) redeeming their 'bad girl' ways... A majority of which was spent reeking havoc throughout Litchfield, torturing Pensatucky (Taryn Manning), putting on 'Litchfield's Got Talent', and raping CO Stratman (Evan Hall), all by wiping everyone's slate clean in a fire burning everyone's records... It looks like maybe Maria's (Jessica Pimentel) attempt at stealing all the hard work Gloria (Selenis Leyva) put in to moving the guards from 'Spanish Harlem' to 'Poo', by way of cutting a hole in the fence, actually payed off. The additional time Piscatella recommended will most likely never be added on to her sentence and she actually got to hold her baby. As mad as I was at Ruiz in that moment, I couldn't help but shed a tear or two. She made a snap decision, did what she had to do, and actually achieved something from it... Whether this will be only for a short term prize or even as something as big as a sentence reduction, we'll have to wait and see... But even though MCC isn't exactly the keepers of words or showers of good faith, Nita (Gita Reddy) did show that she was appreciate of Maria's sacrifice. That little hint of empathy that Nita let us all see had to count for something, at least I hope for Maria's sake that it does. Just as Pensatucky was once a fearless leader of many and fell to the 'Litchfield Pariah', Maria's decisions will land her in a similar path. I have absolutely zero doubts about that. And now... 'The 10 Count' and other wild inconsistencies of the 5th season of OITNB... Because as great as OITNB can be, it's never without its faults. There were powerul performances throughout this season... Uzo Adbua, Danielle Brooks, Selenis Leyva, Adrienne C Moore, Beth Dover, Miriam Morales, Rosal Colon, Dale Soules, Vicky Jeudy, Julie Lake & Emmy Myles... And some breakout performances by Francesca Curran, Daniella De Jesus, Asia Kate Dillon, and Kelly Karbacz... While Kimiko Glenn, Laura Gomez, Amanda Stephen, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Lea DeLaria, Diane Guerrero and Jackie Cruz felt wildly under utilized and other extremely talented women were either lost in the shuffle or given small or subplots that won't see greatness born from them until further into the series. Alas, at least the seeds were planted. Even the incredibly talented Taryn Manning went massively underused, but it feels like that they are setting her up for a proper story arc in S6, so at least she'll have her moment soon. Ending her arc in S5 in the Guard House with Coates, snuggled up with her rapist under a blanket, makes for endless possibilities to spiral a psychologist's wet dream of a character study. Obviously the cast of OITNB is massive and not everyone can have large chunks of time devoted to complete character arcs that tie in heavily to the main narrative, but then again women like Uzo Aduba & Beth Dover were still able to take the time and scenes they were given and steal the spotlight, making the most of a short amount of time. It's up to these women, as character actresses, to really take it all the way... But it's also up the writers to give them something worthwhile to chew on and hang onto. And while there is plenty to discuss at the end of S5, not all of it is good. Like many other writers, bloggers, reviewers, and fans... We did the math and we are a bit confused on the '10 count' of missing ladies the men who violently and haphazardly stormed the women's prison turned temporary castle shouted out when attempting to tell Caputo and MCC the progress of the raid. Even with Linda being accounted for, we're not sure where that number came from... Just a small example of short-sighted missteps we occasionally see from an otherwise talented writing team. Also, as a Drug & Harm Reduction activist, I'm not sure why Cindy giving Suzanne a few Lithium pills (which I was under the impression she was prescribed anyway) would ever result in a coma like state needing as something as extreme as an EpiPen. It was just a short stick that wasn't thought through that was inserted into the finale for some additional drama and to get Taystee, Cindy and Suzanne in Frieda's abandoned pool turned bunker. It was sloppy and we at Spotlight Saga condemn any storylines that promote ignorance or false information about chemicals and drugs. Simply put, OITNB is better than that. However, it's hard to deny how beautiful that end result was... Seeing these women who once were so stuck in a pattern of self-segregation stand together, holding each other's hands with grace and dignity brings tears to my eyes as I merely picture the scene writing about it. That picture was worth far more than a thousand words, carried a beautiful message, but could have been achieved without compromising any artistic or factual integrity. I don't aim to cheapen the moment, it was beautiful, and I anxiously await the outcome with a heavy heart. Unfortunately I must steer the conversation back to inconsistencies because I truly believe that OITNB is also better than to not have MCC know that Linda from Purchasing was there at the time of the riots or had at least gone missing around the starting time of these riots. This is the type of woman who'd show up for work, even on the weekends. Maybe this was to give characters and fans satisfaction at the end when they all claimed to work for MCC to make Linda look crazy... But honestly, even though I understand their feelings of betrayal, you would think at least Boo would buy what she was selling. I did. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like Linda grew copious amounts during the short time that S5 took place and actually meant what she said when she promised she would do her part to incite change amongst the prison system. If they treated her right at the end, they could have had a great ally. Now... I'm thinking not so much. If I was Linda, I wouldn't be too pleased with any of those women. I feel like another potential beautiful moment, future or otherwise, was compromised for comedy and unnecessary comeuppance. If it's any consolation, Beth Dover, you were absolutely amazing this season and we have our eye on you and Danielle Brooks for any end of the year awards, such as one we've already locked in favor of Uzo Aduba's incredibly nuance performance throughout the entirety of S5. Regardless of any short sighted plot stick, surely the events of S5 will bring about change to more than just where inmates are shipped after the riot. While OITNB is fictional, New York law states that 'Riot in the First Degree' is a Class E Felony, which doesn't carry much weight, but will still ensure that most of these women, especially those that were public symbols during the riot, will have a few years tacked on to their sentence. I'm actually hoping the plan is to clear the prison, clean it, and then ship most of the important women and characters back to Litchfield to carry on their storylines in a similar fashion under new circumstances. Whatever happens, things are going to be different... But as the series ended on the women left inside Litchfield in the pool as the rest of the prison had been swept and cleared, fading to orange, leaving their fates hanging in the air... I think the main thing we are left hoping for is that none of our favorite women that remain in that lineup are hurt or killed and taken away from us forever. Overall, S5 was a mostly successful season of OITNB... But baby, this doesn't have anything on S4 and the epic rise and fall of one of the greatest characters of Litchfield Women's Prison... The woman whose demise started this whole thing... Poussey Washington. We miss you, Samira Wiley. You were so incredible, so inspirational, your unjust and untimely exit caused a series to be turned upside down on its head. Until S6, guys. You know we'll be there!