my OITNB thoughts
*spoilers*
Okay so I literally JUST finished season 7 and here’s what I have to say;
Piper: ok piper as a character overall is annoying we know this, but I liked that in the end she stuck by Alex despite what everyone in her life told her. The whole cheating/not-cheating thing pissed me off a lil even though I really liked Zelda as a character. Alex+Piper may have had their ups and downs but I’m glad that vauseman is endgame.
Alex: She is one of my favourite characters because she is such a strong one. We know from previous seasons that she has loved piper for 10 years if not more (love is pain??) so the whole Guard-cheating situation really annoyed me as it seemed very forced. I almost cried in the scene where Hellman shoved the Heroin down her throat as it was so brutal. I LOVED that she got to go to Ohio and be with Boo, Jones, Gina, Norma etc because it shows that she won’t be alone and that the ‘rest of the gang’ is all doing okay down in Ohio together - it made me smile :))
Red: IM STILL CRYING OVER HER. Fr this one I’m hella pissed at. They really took the Mother of the family and destroyed her in front of them??? Did they have to??? I think it’s just such a shame that she was seperated from Nicky. Red is/was THE strongest, maternal, most badass character and definitely one of my favourites, so so so heartbreaking to see her story end like this (but at least she has morello) seeing her deteriorate really felt like losing someone.
Taystee: She really did deserve justice, honestly one of the most disappointing but realistic character endings. I loved the poussey flashback she had - and the way she set up the found inside the prison, I thought it was good that they are giving her something to do within her sentence.
Cindy: even though I know she deserved it, I still felt bad for what happened to cindy
Suzanne: I liked how they showed her development really well over the last couple of seasons, and that they have shown a friendship between her and lolly. I really love Suzanne (ice cream... and justice!!!)
Pensatucky: she lost A LOT over the whole series and has honestly had THE BEST character arc/development. From going to a character that everyone hated- to one that everyone is grieving for?? Incredible. The one thing that made me even sadder was the fact that taystee found her, even after all the shit she’s been through. Tiffany’s death was so shocking but she died so taystee could live.
Morello: AGAIN- STILL CRYING. Lorna is the sweetest character of this whole show, and one of my favourite characters. Did they really have to take sterling away from her?? Was it necessary??? At least she is in Florida where she can be looked after - make some friends, instead of being in psyc where she may not have survived. Seeing morello get worse and worse this season really broke me because even though I knew she was crazy, I really thought that Nicky and her would be able to stay by each other’s sides and the fact that Nicky had to ‘turn’ her into Florida... that shit hurted. Her last scene with red really said a lot nd spoke. Her ending may not have been happy at all but it was realistic and that’s what’s upsetting
Gloria: mama had a brilliant ending. She didn’t turn in Maria again to be nasty and she got the proper release date. Gloria got to see her family, got her daughters back AND got to see her grandchild. She got the ending that I would have liked red to have but I’m still happy :)
Shani: everyone seems to love shani, and while I appreciate that her and Nicky had a special relationship- I just didn’t like it :/ maybe because I rlly want morello and Nicky together?? But I think mainly because it seemed a bit forced and unreal- idk but for me it didn’t seem to fit right. I agreed that her story was tragic though - she didn’t deserve the ending that’s predicted
Flaca/Maritza: Maritza’s ending was brutal, and left us to chose what happened. I really thought that when flaca and maritza found each other again it was gonna be a happy situation for them (me -> 🤡) What I did like though was the fact that Flaca is carrying on Gloria’s work and helping the women in the detention centre.
Blanca: Her character played a really big role in this season (and in season 5 too) I love the way they ended things with her, because for her all she ever wanted was Diablo- this was a solid + happy ending :))
Pornstache/luzchek/warden ward: Mendez seemed to be a changed man, and I liked the little scene we had with him and his daughter, luzchek had a reasonable ending but a good one in terms of - he did the right thing. Warden ward was a good women, and a good friend too - I liked her character, she was funny but also a good warden, FUCK HELLMAN!
Fig+Caputo: I’ve always liked caputo even in the beginning, although I thought fig was a bitch. I loved them both this season they were amazing as a couple and fig giving that woman her abortion pill - well done 👏👏 I also liked the twist on the fact that they chose to adopt! (See the end for notes on the MeToo)
Maria: her character arc seemed forced?? I like that she was trying to improve though
Daya: so..........we just gotta asume she’s dead??? Tbh this bitch deserved it. Yeah she got life, but she could have desided to do something good with it - like taystee. Instead she goes for drugs and dragging her sister(s) into it. I agree with aleida here, I don’t recognise the s6/s7 daya.
Nicky: I saved the best till last. Nicky is my all time favourite character because she is strong, funny and tough, but at the same time we see a really vulnerable and raw side of her. SHE DESERVED BETTER. Nicky has lost everyone. Lorna, red, piper, Alex, shani- all gone and on top of that she had to deal with turning in the woman she loved most to Florida where she could never care for her again, she had to deal with watching red (her mother) deteriorate before her, and watch her love interest be deported without saying goodbye or being able to do anything. Nicky deserved none of this but what gets me is that this is realistic, and not a happy ending :(( I will never stop being sad about nickys ending. The only good part is she chose to learn from red, and become a newer version of red. Working in the kitchen (running it) and helping girls to get clean, this shows hope for her- maybe even find a new family. But Nicky doesn’t know that Boo, Gina, Norma etc and now Alex are all fine and together and happy. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to Red or Morello and will never be able to help them again - that’s what makes me sad and what made my heartbreak.
gangs @ the end: I really liked that they showed all the characters staying true to them selves. All the old friends are still together and still surviving/thriving. The last 2 seasons were very focused on only the people in max and the detour showed us all the old inmates. Honestly I miss the original Litchfield - nothing will beat the first 5 seasons.
SIDE NOTES: the show did soooo good to show the truth about ICE and the brutality of it all. They also included MeToo which I think was a good addition. This season was heavily set in today’s world and shed such good light on all current events - I really really liked that. Even though it’s over now, the show will still go on the effect more and more lives, just like it’s effected mine. truly- orange forever :)
