9 Reasons We Can't Wait For Orange Is The New Black Season 2

9. Litchfield Prison

Litchfield Penitentiary is situated somewhere in upstate New York and is the facility that houses this compelling prison drama. The community within it effectively serves as a microcosm for the outside world, where friendships and animosities are as present as ever and it's important to observe appropriate etiquette at all times. Much like high school, and more subtly in the adult world, inmates have established their own crowds and it's an important part of prison life that you pick one and stick to it. A well-tested narrative technique that works brilliantly in Orange is the way in which the viewers' perspective is aligned with the newcomer, in this case, college girl Piper Chapman. Piper acts as our window into this unfamiliar environment, where the rules are inflexible and you'd do well to remember your place, something which Piper struggles with at first. One commendable achievement of Orange writers is the refreshing way Litchfield manages to avoid all the clichéd prison tropes. There's no constant threat of territorial aggression or sexual abuse. You don't need to always be scared of getting shivved or raped in the shower. The biggest adjustment is getting used to the lack of privacy and a very rigid lifestyle. Even though Piper tried to prepare as much as possible before she surrendered herself, this is instantly shown to be useless. Everything you thought you knew about prison is about to be thrown out the window as and despite asserting that she did her research, Nikki and the other inmates think it ridiculous that she 'studied for prison'. Some prison tropes do make an appearance but are given novel twists. For example, the staff that run Litchfield are mostly corrupt creeps who are out to further themselves, whether it's Healy fighting his own personal issues with women and lesbianism and taking it out on Piper, or ball-buster Natalie Figueroa covering up scandal after scandal whilst embezzling money from the prison budget. But these issues are all portrayed with sufficient detail and intricacy that they work as part of Litchfield's complex and fascinating environment. Every character in the Litchfield community is given the same realistic treatment and none of them come across as 2D tools to pad episodes. Consequently, Litchfield emits this air of 'never-before-seen' authenticity that is part of what gives Orange its charm. It's not just a backdrop for the goings on that take place throughout the season but is very much part of the character of the show as it captures the eccentricity of prison life and all that it equates to; the loneliness, the camaraderie and the antagonism.