10 Striking Similarities Between GLOW And Orange Is The New Black
7. The Feminist Message
Coming back to Larry and Mark, both characters show why masculinity is in crisis right now. Instead of acting like men, they both exploit their partners - Larry makes money off Piper's story, while Mark forces Debbie to stay home. In a sense the two can't exist without their women. Larry's whole identity is based on being the ex-partner of a convict. Mark can't handle basic household chores and ridicules Debbie in order to keep her at home with the baby.
With such "masculine" characters, there's really no reason for women to live in their shadows. As proven by both shows, they are perfectly capable of doing 'manly' things. What's more, OITNB last season explicitly excludes men from the main discourse and positions them as inmates. The prisoners perfectly recreate the outside world and are able to function without major conflicts, which deems men replaceable.
Granted, this conclusion might be too strong, but there's no point in believing that women need men to function. Since the show is enjoyed by men and women alike, there's hope that this message will resonate with fans of both sexes.