"Orange is the New Black" Netflix series...any fans

5 episodes in so far. Like it as much as the first season.

(I also really like the feature that hide spoilers here.)

 

Spoiler: Season 2 Finale

I actually saw that ending coming once Rosa was behind the wheel and Vee was revealed to be the woods, but that doesn't mean I wasn't cheering when "it" happened.

 

Spoiler

I thought that ending was a little too neat and clean, but I can't deny that it was satisfying.

 

Binged watched the entire series within the past couple of weeks and I am hooked! Such a fantastic show.

 

Two episodes into season one. It's been kind of a chore, with a few stops and starts. If it was funnier or more serious, I might be hooked. Right now it's neither to me. But the first episode probably set some kind of record for the number of times a leading actress got naked within an hour. Cable is fairly disgusting in that way. If you can flaunt it, they do.

 

You will get hooked. That was my initial reaction also. Not sure what I thought.

ALL of the characters grow on you, a lot. The whole location and how they live will grow on you.

Kinda like Lost, but instead a prison with naked women.

Uh I guess really not like lost..

 

Yeah, it must be one of those "get to know the characters" kind of things. I'll give it some more time. I know it's quite popular.

 

Watched two more tonight (hey its saturday)

You were right. I didn't like the first two episodes because it had about a 60/40 ratio of humor to drama. And I didn't like the humor. It was trying way too hard to be hip and contemporary: Youtube jokes, selfies -- it was a bit like a strange network sitcom with lesbian scenes. If I'm going to invest my scant free time in a series, I want quality writing with substance. Not jokes about blogging. I'm not a 19 year girl, you can spare me the hip high school humor. And in the opening shows Piper was supposed to be the annoying-yuppie-who-goes-to-jail and that didn't really work: She wasn't sympathetic and a cardboard character who just came off as incredibly stupid. Comes episode 3, less humor. Better. Then episode 4. Zero jokes, straight drama. Very good!!! Now I like the show, it was the lousy humor that was ruining it for me. How could I becoming interested or involved in a show about the perils of prison when the writers half wanted to be writing The Big Bang Theory? Now that they tuned the humor WAY down, it's so much better!

 

haha, told you No, seriously I think the big issues I had were a bit similar to yours. But looking back, I think I was not really "used to" their world, or how it would seem. A bit shocking, all the nude scenes and sex type scenes. I do not get shocked very easy, but simply did not expect this show to be all that shocking. Ya the humor gets toned down some, but in my case, I think it was mostly getting into how the show feels.

I just finished season two, and my wife and I both absolutely love it. We wanted to see more!!

 

Yeah, OitNB is definitely just as much a comedy as it is a drama.

 

Just finished the first season.

The series is uneven. Some great scenes and acting but too many cliches, one-dimensional characters and story lines.

Laura Prepon is outstanding, as are some of the secondary characters such as Red, the meth-head redneck girl and others.

Prepon rules any scene she is in. Lots of natural presence.

I find the scenes outside the prison to be weak.

Good enough to watch season two.

 

I also just finished the first season. I pretty much agree with everything conjotter says, including Prepon being the best on the show; most believable character. I think the show is also a bit uneven, with it's ups and downs and agreed on lots of cliches. High points, however, are very good. Some of my least-favorite episodes may also be attributed to my own lack of patience with romantic interplay (my main gripe against Mad Men -- I don't like to feel I'm watching a soap). I also agree it good enough to watch season two. (And I watched the opener of season two, wow, what a show that was!!)

 

It got better throughout Season One...and seems to be even better in Season Two (we're at Episode 5 at the moment...savoring it). I'm glad they've branched out from the Piper Chapman thread and started filling in the other inmates' back stories.

 

Agreed. I've finished the season and can say that it only gets better - definitely preferred Season 2 over Season 1.

 

I finished season 1 and do agree with most posts about clichés and one dimensional characters. I watched ep 1 of season 2 and it already feels better then season 1. But I guess without season 1 I would not be interested in 2!

Kinda reminds me how I felt after watching season 2 of The Wire and then how good (to me) season 3 was!

 

That's my problem with the show...the humor. It comes off very forced and to me is very distracting. They have loads of great stories and characters to hold our attention--the last thing I'm tuning in for is for the jokes.

 

We watched the first 3 episodes of Season 1 last night.

I agree with much of what has been said here.
Like seeing the back stories and Jason Biggs is, typically, dull as a hammer.

It usually takes 2 or 3 episodes to get into the tone and feel of many cables series (hated Mad Men at first).
My gut recation so far is to pass on the rest of the season, but my wife likes it so I'll end up watching anyway despite my misgivings LOL

 

Just finished season two last night.

Spoiler

It was good to see Vee get what was coming to her, but I agree with the comment that everything might have been tied up a little too neatly overall.

Was Piper's ploy with Alex just to get her sent back to prison so that they'd be "even" or was it that plus she's hoping she'll be sent back to Litchfield specifically so they could be together? I really hope the writers don't bring Alex back to Litchfield, as that seems to stretch plausibility a bit.

Plot lines I don't care about:

• Daya, Bennett, and their baby. Haven't cared about their romance from day one. Especially when that cheesy piano music starts playing when they're together.
• Larry, Polly, and pretty much anyone else on the outside now. I really wish that Piper and Larry's scene in the bathroom at the wake would have been Larry's last.

 

I thought the ending to Season Two was EXTREMELY satisfying, neat or not. One of my favorite season enders of any series ever.

 

Absolutely!!

 

I was so shocked to hear Morello talk in her real Australian accent. Wow! It was the same experience I had while watching Idris Elba discuss the Wire in the lead up to season 2 a decade ago.

 

I put off watching for a long time because a) it was too popular and I was tired of hearing about it and b) I work in corrections (mental health director for state prison system) and generally try to avoid anything work related when I'm not at work. But I'm glad I finally gave in. My wife and I love the show, but I have to admit that some of it drives me nuts (most of it is very realistic, but there's other stuff that is way farfetched). The writing and acting are both great and I love how the show gives just about everyone (even people you hate) some sense of humanity with the back stories or plot turns.
The real Piper is now an activist for prison and sentencing reform and does a lot of presentations and speaking engagements to support that. I really respect that she could just kick back and bank her royalty checks, but continues to work for correctional reform--especially for women. I understand her original memoir is better (natch) and it's on my reading list.

 

Started watching on the recommendation of a co-worker. Made it through the first episode of Season One. Unimpressed. Gave it another chance with the second episode. Still kinda meh. Got about halfway into episode three and finally bailed.

I didn't like any of the characters. At all.

The same co-worker got me hooked on "House Of Cards" and "Breaking Bad" so I have those to enjoy at least.

 

I loved season 1 and was eagerly awaiting season 2. Now having seen both seasons, I would have to say that I preferred the first. In season 2, I grew a bit tired of the constant flashbacks. Some flashbacks were brilliant but many felt like unnecessary filler as I was far more interested in the present day prison drama and intrigue. Also, one of my favorite characters, Piper, was hardly in it at all.

Which is not to say I didn't like season 2, I did overall, just not as much as season 1.

 

Saw both seasons in a 2-3 day binge of 26 episodes(!) Count me as a fan. Amazing show. Can't wait for Season 3, coming July 2015.