Orange Is The New Black Season Three Review
The Plot
With Vee gone for good, season three focuses on some of the less known characters back-stories. Meanwhile, Litchfield is threatened with closure before a corporate company steps in to save them. But their new rules and regulations create hostilities between the guards and upper management when new untrained staff are hired. Meanwhile our leading lady Piper begins a new moneymaking scheme involving her fellow inmates used underwear…
The Good
Opening with a Mothers Day themed episode in which Litchfield organises a ‘bring your child to prison’ day for the inmates, the tone for this latest season is set instantly. While the present day goings on are still very much going on, it’s mainly the back stories that are what keeps this latest batch of episodes interesting.
With most of the bigger characters pasts explored widely enough, Orange Is The New Black season three instead turns to the last few dregs, with episodes focusing on Chang, Big Boo, Norma and even Litchfield’s new boss Caputo. Caputo’s episode is one of the standouts this series as not only do we get to see a great piece of character development for him, which sees him sacrificing a potential future in a rock band to become a devoted father, we also get a brief glimpse of Rosa, our first since her escape from the prison at the end of season two – more on that later…
On the subject of character development, season three also shows just how much Pennsatucky has grown. From being the bible bashing villain of season one to Big Boo’s new bestie and even accepting her as the brilliantly sassy lesbian she is, Pennsatucky has slowly grown from a hated character to a fan favourite over the past three seasons.
Though much of the present day happenings of season three aren’t particularly interesting, one exception is Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren’s storyline. After becoming a new critically acclaimed writer (if you can call her fellow inmates critics) when she pens a time travelling sex story that EL James would no doubt be jealous of, Crazy Eyes experiences the effects that no doubt every fan fiction writer can relate to as her fan base grows larger and larger and demands for new chapters come flooding in. It’s a fun storyline which also shows her insecurities in love and sex which come to a satisfying cliffhanger in the shows finale.
We can’t finish this section without mentioning the chicken though. Last seen in season one, the chicken’s triumphant return is a brilliant way to answer the question that has been hanging on fans’ minds since it’s first appearance. Sure, Doctor Who may have cracks in the wall and lost planets, but neither are as satisfying as finally finding out once and for all whether the chicken is a myth or not!
The Bad
Though there are a whole host of highlights to be found in the latest season, it’s undoubtedly the weakest of the three. Jumping back to Rosa for starters, even though we get a glimpse of her in Caputo’s flashback episode, her story isn’t really finished satisfyingly enough. Last seen driving off for freedom and killing Vee in the process, season three starts off with a small throwaway scene to signify that the cancer did indeed kill her. But the question of whether she managed to stay free or had to spend her last weeks stuck in prison isn’t truly answered.
Then there is the overlaying theme and story in season three. Or rather lack thereof. While the past two seasons had a clear endpoint to where the final episode would undoubtedly take us thanks to the villainous roles of Pennsatucky and Vee, season threes lack of a clear antagonist makes it somewhat unorganised. Instead we get Piper starting up a Breaking Bad style empire in which she hires her fellow inmates to surrender their dirty underwear for her to sell to perverts on the outside. It could have been an interesting story for the entire season but starts a little late and doesn’t have an ending yet nor does it have an enticing cliffhanger to whet our appetites for season four.
There are of course some additions to the cast, but the one highlight has got to be the incredible Ruby Rose, who comes in as Piper’s new assistant/possible love interest. Unfortunately it only takes three episodes before she is unceremoniously thrown aside seemingly never to return.
Piper and Alex seem to have switched roles this season, with the newly returned Alex being paranoid and needy for much of the show while Piper becomes more and more manipulative. It’s odd to think that she was once the driving force of the entire show and admittedly it’s somewhat refreshing to see that she has been turned into a mere supporting character giving the less known characters a chance to thrive. But with her gone as a main lead, there doesn’t seem to be a replacement. And though it’s certainly nice to see the show try to pack more into each character, some have completely uninteresting story lines. The main example being Norma. For season three she has left Red’s side for good and has now somehow become a new messiah for many of the inmates in a story that seems incredibly dragged out and never-ending.
The Ugly Truth
Orange Is The New Black’s return has some interesting additions to it’s already strong host of characters. But ultimately it becomes unhinged with the lack of a decent running storyline, antagonist of even protagonist. Perhaps it was time for a breather after the intensity of the first two seasons, allowing us to see more back stories for other characters. However season four really needs to have a change in order to stay interesting…
Orange Is The New Black Season Two Review
As Neflix releases the Third series of hit prison drama Orange Is The New Black, we recap the highs and lows of the second season. Check out our other posts for the season one review and our verdict on the latest episodes.
The Plot
After the events of season one, Piper is sent to SHU until she’s transferred to Chicago as a witness for a trial to put away the dealer she used to work for. But when she lies under oath and ruins her chances of getting out early, Alex makes a deal to be free. Meanwhile, Litchfield welcomes a new inmate/villain in the form of Vee (Lorraine Toussaint) a former inmate who, upon her return, changes the entire system between the inmates as she starts bringing in drugs.
The Good
So it turns out that Piper was lucky at the end of season one. Last seen in the midst of a rage induced attack on Pennsatucky, we finally learn that she has Crazy Eyes to thank for making it look like a fair fight. In season two, Piper is betrayed by Alex when Alex tells her to lie in the courtroom only for her to get released and leave Piper all alone.
For season two, Piper’s story becomes very much in the background as Vee and Red’s fight overtakes it. And rightly so. With a story that begins in flashbacks to their younger days and ends all these years later where their fight is still going strong. While Red is trying to regain the power she once had by replacing her kitchen for a greenhouse and her posse for a group of OAP’s, Vee is trying to become Litchfield’s new kingpin again as she manipulates everyone and anyone she can. Including Crazy Eyes.
Suzanne’s (Crazy Eyes) flashback episode is one of the biggest highlights for season two as we are finally shown her in her youth with her adoptive parents struggling to raise such an outgoing young girl. But her contribution to the series does not end there. Her loyalty towards Vee is unquestionable and very nearly lands her in maximum security as Vee tries to convince her that she beat Red half to death with a lock in a sock.
As well as this we also have Rosa (Barbara Rosenblat), a character who appears in the very first episode but who we only start to learn about in this season as she gets her very own flashback to her bank robbing glory days while at present she’s fighting a losing battle with cancer. With just weeks left to live, Rosa is given a chance to escape thanks to Morello (Yael Stone) and takes it, while also taking the perfect shot at a just escaped Vee which leads into this seasons cut to black (or orange) as we wait for season three.
The Bad
Unfortunately Larry’s storyline doesn’t get any better this season as he and Piper’s best friend decide to hook up and fall in love. Not only killing any interest we had in Piper and Larry’s relationship, but also putting the final nail in the coffin to his story it seems, as much to fans rejoice, Larry Bloom will not be returning for season three!
The Ugly Truth
Orange Is The New Black season two provides much more for the supporting characters than the apparent leading lady. So much so that they can hardly be considered supporting any more, if they were even considered that in the first place. Netflix’s hit ensemble piece continues to grow in story and character. Bring on season three!
Speaking of which check out our interview with star Yael Stone about season 3 below:
Orange Is The New Black Season One Review
As Neflix releases the Third series of hit prison drama Orange Is The New Black, we recap the highs and lows of the first season. Check out our other posts for the season two review and our verdict on the latest episodes.
The Plot
Happily engaged Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) is sent to Litchfield prison when her drug trafficking days with ex Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) resurface. And if that wasn’t enough to hinder her future with husband-to-be Larry (Jason Biggs), she just so happens to be sharing her new home with not only Alex, but a whole host of inmates…
The Good
With almost thirteen hours of storyline to cover, the chances of mentioning each of Season One’s many many highlights are slim. Starting off with Piper’s instant slip up as she criticises Red’s (Kate Mulgrew) cooking in front of her before finding out she’s just criticised the chef, in front of the chef. Cue a future of tampon mcmuffins for breakfast lunch and dinner util, after 3 burning mouthfuls of chewed up chill later, Piper’s mistake is corrected and Red’s back problem sorted along with it.
Next up comes Crazy Eyes (Uzo Aduba). Piper’s new unwelcome prison wife brings about issues galore when one simple act of sharing headphones on movie night turns into a chocolate and vanilla swir-irl. But just like Romeo and Juliette’s story, Piper and Crazy Eyes’ romance ends badly, although we’re pretty sure Julliette wouldn’t have openly peed in Romeo’s bedroom…
All this and we haven’t even properly met Alex, though she has been a prominent backdrop throughout. It’s not until a heart to heart between the two with Alex stuck in a giant washing machine, that everything becomes water under the bridge and they unite to smite a common enemy.
That common enemy? That’d be Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning) a bible bashing redneck who doesn’t like lesbians one bit. After locking Alex in the aforementioned washing machine, Pennsatucky creates a target on her back. A target that is hit in the form of becoming briefly under the assumption that her hands are healin’ hands that can cure her fellow inmates of anything, from a sore knee to even that dreaded lesbian feeling that is surely a disease of some kind, right? But when some troublemaking youngsters arrive to see what their future could be like, Pennsatucky discovers that those healin’ hands of hers don’t quite the same effect on wheelchair disabilities and so off to psych she goes.
Unfortunately, Piper can’t get to the end of the season without missing her sworn enemy and doing the ‘right thing’ by confessing, allowing Pennsatucky to return with the hopes of baptising Piper. But try as she might, Piper eventually cracks, leading Pennsatucky to come to the logical conclusion that she must kill her. All this comes to an incredibly teasing finale in a snow covered post christmas show fight outside where none but Officer Healy (Michael Harney) can see. Unfortunately for Piper, Healy turns a blind eye, leaving her to let the rage overcome her as we see Pennsatucky get knocked to the ground, and into it. How it ends, we don’t know just yet, thanks to the evil of the cut to black.
It’s the flashback’s in season one that are the big highlights however. As we are introduced to Red before we find out about her Russian mafia past, or Miss Claudette (Michelle Hurst) and her irritating need for cleanliness before learning about the clean up that got her into Litchfield in the first place.
All this and we haven’t even mentioned Pornstache. Or the chicken. But was there even a chicken in the first place? THAT’S the real question…
The Bad
Though Orange Is The New Black is consistently good, there are certain story lines which are perhaps not as high a standard as the main one. Particularly Larry’s predicament throughout the entire season. As he tries to get used to life without Piper we’re apparently supposed to feel sorry for him, but when he comes up with ideas such as broadcasting all of Litchfield’s crazy characters out over the radio for everyone to hear, it starts to become difficult to feel any sympathy at all.
Also, though Daya’s (Dascha Polanco) pregnancy storyline is interesting, it feels like one that is slow moving with the timeline of Season One. Perhaps by the end of season three it might start to gain a bit more momentum…
The Ugly Truth
Orange Is The New Black season one is a strong start, with a main storyline that ends tantalisingly enough to make you want to just refresh Netflix for a year as you wait for season two to arrive. Each character brings their own unique storyline alongside it however, with flashback’s galore that make the experience even more entertaining.
Spy Review
The Plot
When a deadly arms dealer (Rose Byrne) finds out the identities of all the CIA’s top operatives, it’s up to desk-bound analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) to finally show her worth as she goes undercover to infiltrate the sale of nuclear weapons.
The Good
Melissa McCarthy’s latest comedy, her third with writer-director Paul Feig, is undoubtedly her strongest since she first became a household name after 2011’s Bridesmaids. This time she plays a lowly CIA operative Susan Cooper, who longs to go out into the field while pining after Jude Law’s aptly named suave secret agent Bradley Fine. McCarthy gets to showcase a wide variety of comedic skills as well as show off her knack for action in an incredibly funny spy-spoof. The laughs begin as soon as the bond-esque opening credits start rolling out.
The plot is certainly nothing groundbreaking, but for a spy comedy it doesn’t need to be. Thankfully this allows for McCarthy to focus more on her brilliant comedic timing and constant aggressive mannerisms. Her furious foul mouthed tirades may be familiar to audiences by now but those furiously funny charms work so well for this film in particular. Since Bridesmaids it seems that she’s been giving almost the same performance in each film, however with Spy she gets to play both sides of the comedic spectrum. Starting off downtrodden and clueless she’s the hapless victim of most of the jokes, until she finally finds her confidence when confronted with Rose Byrne’s scenery chewing villainess.
Surprisingly enough, McCarthy is not the best thing in Spy, that particular title goes to Jason Statham. Shedding his reputation for generic ‘hard man’ action heroics, Statham puts in a scene stealing turn as a clearly deranged and delusional rouge spy. His constant and increasingly bizarre boasting about his ludicrous past exploits gifts Statham with most of the film’s best comedic lines. It’s enough for Statham to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is much more than just an action star. While his previous films have of course had their fair share of humour, in Spy his supporting character gets the chance to fully relish in it for the first time.
The Bad
Unfortunately Statham’s scene stealing does take the focus away from McCarthy somewhat. While she holds up the film perfectly well on her own, perhaps it’s the 2 hour run time that eventually turns Spy into a bit of a drag at certain points. It also almost feels that we’re just waiting for Statham to reappear, perhaps due to the fact that this is the first time he’s been allowed to truly mock himself.
Peter Serafinowicz also crops up as a sleazy Italian agent who spends his entire time trying to ‘woo’ McCarthy in a series of hit and miss jokes that are more miss than hit.
The Ugly Truth
It’s more Austin Powers than Kingsman on the bond spoof spectrum, but Spy is certainly worth trying out if not to see Melissa McCarthy in her least annoying role since Bridesmaids then at least to see Jason Statham in a brilliantly hilarious turn that could easily (and hopefully) start a new stage of his career.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Red Carpet Interviews below from the film’s European Premiere in London:
Just Jim Dale Review
The Plot
Carry On comedian, musician and Harry Potter narrator Jim Dale sings, jokes and dances audiences through his lengthy and surprisingly varied career in showbiz for two hours of good natured fun.
The Good
Jim Dale is best known to generations of fans as a slapstick Carry On star; an Oscar nominated composer and for providing a voice to the adored Harry Potter audio books. In his energetic one man show the spritely grey haired comic reveals with pride and passion about how he owes all of that success to a childhood obsession with music hall.
Walking audiences playfully back through time, Dale is an irrepressibly likeable figure and a consummate professional entertainer. He’s quick to follow every mention of success or fame with a self-deprecating jibe, always careful to ensure that his anecdote packed musical set never feels like bragging or a display of shameless ego. Most of the big laughs he consistently generates are very much at his own expense. Embarrassing childhood photos, humiliating audition experiences and misguided musical ventures are among the hilarious pieces of personal shame that Dale generously shares with crowds in the quest for well-earned giggles.
Although older audiences will appreciate the references to past generations of stars and a nearly forgotten style of music hall theatre, Dale is enthusiastic and quick witted enough to hold equal appeal to far younger crowds. Cringe worthy songs and physical pratfalls have a universal and timeless appeal.
In particular Dale’s wildly entertaining second act complete with a couple of hysterical Carry On memories and a shameless re-enactment of a disaster in the recording booth for Harry Potter breezes by with laughter ringing wildly throughout the Vaudeville theatre.
The Bad
It’s impossible to find a flaw in Dale’s irrepressible comedy charm. Though of course it’s only fair to say that those old enough to affectionately remember his Carry On star turns and musical heyday will perhaps laugh a little harder and longer at some of his stories and old school song and dance routines. It’s an affectionate throwback to a golden age of all round entertainers, even if some people will be perhaps more enthusiastic about turning back the clock than others.
Though Carry On fans will be especially delighted to see Dale in action, ironically they may wish he dwelt a little longer on his 11 film stint with the British comedy staple. Eager to play to a mixed crowd of fans from his varied career Dale only allows himself a handful of Carry On memories, though we suspect he could easily have packed an entire show full of them.
The Ugly Truth
Just Jim Dale is a true testament to what one man can do armed with quick wits, comedy timing and a clever piano accompaniment. It’s a special treat for those that fondly remember Carry On Classics and a generation of entertainers who truly could sing, dance, act and above all keep audiences laughing in the isles. The show runs till 20th June at the Vaudeville Theatre.
Review by Russell Nelson