Orange Is the New Black: Season 5

While previous seasons of Orange Is the New Black—one of Netflix’s signature original shows—have taken place over a few weeks or months, the fifth season unspools over three days as the inmates of Litchfield Women's Correctional Facility riot and take over the prison. In the fourth season, the prison was pushed by an aggressive new head of guards toward maximum security behavior and turned into a pressure cooker by overcrowding, and the situation explodes when the women finally fight back against the increasingly brutal treatment by the guards. But here the sudden freedom from guards, routine, and rules becomes an invitation for many to give into their worst impulses. There is little unity and a lot of conflict among the ladies, with many sabotaging the efforts of Taystee (Danielle Brooks) to negotiate for better conditions and more humane treatment. And there is even an element of tragedy as Crazy Eyes (Uzo Aduba) goes off her meds and careens into manic reactions to the chaos. Piper (Taylor Schilling), once the central figure of the show, is just another self-absorbed bystander here until she's finally roused into meaningful action. Entertaining, engaging, and often riveting, the popular Orange Is the New Black maintains its high-quality writing and storytelling, mixing dark comedy and dramatic conflict, along with some acute observations on the corrosive effects of prison life. Presenting all 13 episodes from the 2017 fifth season, extras include episode commentaries, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a gag reel. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)