Thoughts on Season 4 of "Orange Is the New Black"

The fourth season of Orange Is the New Black now available on Netflix and the series continues to push boundaries of race, sexual orientation, and mental health issues in its latest season.  It also establishes itself as one of the strongest and most diverse series available on the streaming service.  I say diverse because of its mixture of comedy and drama and its exploration of many themes, issues, and characters. 

The first season took Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) as its main subject of focus.  In subsequent seasons, including this new one, different characters come in and out of focus.  Most episodes contain flashbacks of various characters’ lives, delving into their personalities, how they got to where they are, and how their current fates were decided.  This aspect of the show is where its real originality was established and its continuance is always welcome and of interest.  

In season four, new characters are added to the show.  Also, previously-established characters are given time to shine and develop further.  One of the most interesting characters in this season is Lolly (Lori Petty).  She is a character who experiences extreme, psychotic paranoia and delusions.  Her mental illness is treated admirably by the show in such a way as to maintain the character’s dignity and humanity.  Her psychosis never becomes her character but is merely a facet of her personality, an extraneous feature that she is forced to deal with.  The show pulverizes stereotypes and stigmas regarding mental illness and Lolly’s trajectory highlights a mixture of tragedy and comedy.  Her flashbacks also add layers of depth to her character and illness.

Race and racism plays a big role in the current season.  Different racial divides are formed.   It is interesting to see how the show depicts the realities of prison life and how the tenuous boundaries between different races are constantly pushed back and forth as characters cross lines and interact in eccentric ways. 

By the season’s end, it may be a [Spoiler] to reveal that all racial and sexual orientation differences are transcended in all out revolt by the prisoners against a corrupt correctional employee group.  This small revolt can be read as a microcosmic examination of the revolt against police brutality and general corruption in society at large.  It is really a riveting season.  The show continues to get stronger and more interesting as we impatiently wait for the next season.

Free State of Jones (2016, dir. Gary Ross)

Few would regard the Civil War era as a time period ripe for cinematic harvesting as countless films have dealt with it in one way or another over the years.  Free State of Jones directed by Gary Ross offers a unique angle on this era with the true story of Confederate army deserter who leads a rebellion against the corrupt Southern government in his home state of Mississippi.

 

One reason the film engaged me was because of the strength of Matthew McConaughey’s performance.  His Newton Knight presents the right amount of intelligence and charisma to make his leadership believable.   McConaughey’s comeback over the last five years is ever apparent, even perhaps if this film isn’t his best or most coherent.

The film deals with the issue of slavery in an interesting light.  It depicts how the emancipation of black slaves at the war’s end did not mean immediate freedom or easy times.  In fact, the film demonstrates how the cessation of war brought on the rise of the Klu Klux Klan and other organizations of hatred that have made life horrendous for black citizens especially in the South. 

The film isn’t all warfare and endless action.  There are long periods of inaction and dialogue-heavy scenes that may be a hindrance to some viewers’ attention spans.  But with patience, the film can be a rewarding experience on many levels even though it is far from perfect.  It is a testament to one man’s courageous vision and presents a character that, contrary to common sense, stood up to and opposed the Southern United States’ ideology.  Free State of Jones demonstrates that you don’t have to be a victim of your own birthplace and heritage but that people can have independence, courage, and compassion regardless of the beliefs of the surrounding culture.