Orange Is The New Black Essay

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Orange is the new Black What is the show about?
The Show revolves around Piper Chapman, a woman in her 30’s from New York city, who is sentenced to 15 months in Litchfield Penitentiary, a minimum security women's federal prison in upstate New York.
Piper was been convicted of a decade old crime of transporting a suitcase full of drug money for her then girlfriend Alex Vause who was an international drug smuggler.
Piper’s sudden and unexpected indictment seriously disrupts her relationships with her New York upper class circle. Her fiancé, family, and friends only knew her as a law-abiding citizen who she now has to leave behind for a life of orange jumpsuits and a baffling prison culture.
In prison, Piper is reunited with Alex, who named …show more content…

These flashbacks typically explain how the inmate came to be in prison or otherwise further develop the character's backstory. The majority of the characters featured are in prison for offences related to drugs, fraud, and theft, while some are in prison for organized crime, murder, and aggravated assault charges. Most are from lower- and middle-income backgrounds, although some are from wealthy backgrounds, and others are from broken or dysfunctional families. The show also depicts corruption and inadequacies of the U.S prison system and the abuse of power by some correctional officers upon female inmates. As the series has progressed, the focus on Piper as the lead character has lessened and shifted to the ensemble and concurrent plot themes.
Who are the main characters and what is their purpose within the show?
The main character is Piper Chapman.
Alex Vause is an ex girlfriend of Piper Chapman.
Caputo
Sam Healy is a correctional officer
Red is a fellow inmate and matriarch
Larry Bloom is Pipers fiancé
Suzanne, aka Crazy Eyes
Nicky
Sofia
What makes the show a ‘drama’?
Orange is the new Black is a type of narrative fiction or semi-fiction intended to be more serious than humorous. It focuses on the in-depth development of realistic characters who deal with realistic emotional struggles.
Does the show conform to elements of another genre? If so, which genre and what elements? …show more content…

The target audience for Orange Is the New Black covers a wide range. As it has a mature theme and

and with it being distributed and exhibited on Netflix first and then on TV shows that the more predominant audience is the more technologically advanced. Social networking also influences the target audience, which is shown through the two step flow concept. Which is evident as the popularity of OITNB has grown mainly through word of mouth.
Do you think the show is successful? Why/why not?
I believe that the series is incredibly successful.
Netflix does not release viewing figures, however in October 2013 Netflix said that “the show is a "tremendous success" for the streaming platform. "It will end the year as our most watched original series ever and, as with each of our other previously launched originals, enjoys an audience comparable with successful shows on cable and broadcast TV
Orange is the new Black is its most watched original series and continues to be so since its launch in July 2013”
The much anticipated Season 4 is due to air 17th June 2016
Any other information that is relevant or interesting
(1 – 2 pages)
Step

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