All bets are off as OITNB resumes following the intense three day prison riot that played out over season 5. As the ladies of Litchfield are transferred to maximum security down the hill and out of state, alliances are tested, broken and built in unexpected places. New characters abound as the women integrate into the cell blocks of max. No longer divided by race as they primarily were in minimum security, khakis, blues, and pinks struggle for power and sometimes for peace.
Old Friends, New Enemies
Much of the season 6 drama revolves around new and dangerous faces. The most annoying being Madison aka Badison (Amanda Fuller, Last Man Standing), who seems to be in the middle of everything despite not being HBIC.
The cell blocks are ruled by these two, Barb and Carol, murderous rival sisters played superbly by Mackenzie Phillips (One Day at a Time) and Henny Russell (Freeheld).
Guard Games
Many of the minimum security staff have been transferred to max, with some coping better than others after the trauma of their captivity during the riot. Corrections Officers at max are expectedly more ruthless and spend time playing a twisted “fantasy football” type game. The guards “draft” their “players” (inmates) in the hopes of scoring points for things like lesbian activity, concussions, suicide attempts, and other random violence. Notable new COs are CO Tamika Ward (Susan Heyward) who has history with Taystee, and CO Stefanovic (Josh Segarra) who’s hotness is sadly surpassed by his inhumanity.
Missing Persons
Several characters are barely seen or off to parts unknown. Boo, Yoga Jones, Brooke, Maritza, the meth heads Leanne and Angie, as well as other familiar faces are mostly MIA. There are rumors that one inmate died during the final storming of the prison that ended season 5. God only knows where Chang is as we saw her escape through a hole in the fence.
Overall it’s a strong season with captivating story lines, complex new characters and more of the backstories that show how these women came to be incarcerated. The pace can be a little slow through some episodes and season 6 has less moments of lightness than we’ve seen in seasons past, but superior casting and acting continue to make OITNB one of those shows I watch in three days and then have to wait a year to enjoy again. I suspect we will see several of these inmates try to “steal” an Emmy in 2019.
