S04.E12: The Animals

[Primetimer]

Galina 'Red' Reznikov has been around the block, and she knows how to solve any emergency. She's got the answer to your problems.

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[The Mighty Peanut]

Quote

I wanted to clarify that I don't deny the horrors that go on in prisons, the neglect, the abuse, the over-all low standards. Part of my graduate studies involved studying prisons in-depth. I cried every day reading my course material and imagining what people were going through, many for non-violent crimes and in much worse prison conditions than even OITNB conveys.  By the end of the course, I had reached out to the authors of our main text and let them know how profoundly they shaped my views on behavior and criminology.  Prison is worse than punishment, it's a fate most of use wouldn't wish even on the most awful crimes we read about.

I'd recommend the show Rectify if you haven't watched it already. It's about a man who is freed from Death Row based on previously unreleased exculpatory DNA evidence and the psychological effects/PTSD he suffers from having spent 17 years in SHU. It's really good because they have three types of Death Row prisoners--innocent (we think), guilty of a horrible crime but unmistakably redeemable, and guilty yet totally irredeemable--that cast a really thought provoking light on capital punishment, solitary confinement, and incarceration as a whole. 

Topic: ITA that prison is worse than punishment and I see it reflected in the guards on OITNB. I'm not saying we should just forgive and forget when people commit crimes but from a lot of the backstories I've really come to believe that a lot of us are just one bad decision away from winding up in jail ourselves. Not so much the ones that involved premeditation, but ones like Watson--one stupid night of rebellion at exactly the wrong time. 

Edited June 30, 2016 by The Mighty Peanut

[gesundheit]

I thought this was..incredible. The decision making and writing and everything was so deliberate in getting their message across. 

I understand the argument from the queer community, that queer women are disproportionately killed off (as opposed to a happy ending.) The want (and need) for queer couples with happy endings. 

But from a writers perspective..from someone who wants to make a statement about society, where we are now in society, is not at the happy endings. It's at the "message" aspect..it's at the calling attention to the dehumanization of different groups of people. 

Here was a clear message. Black Lives Matter. The dangers of corporate prisons and the systemic issues that go along with that. And it had to be Poussey. It had to be the character that is universally loved..both on the show and off the show. The gentle spirit, the character that the most people would cry over. On show characters weren't going to rebel for Watson. The fandom wouldn't have this reaction to Black Cindy. The only other option was Tastie, and let's be honest..she would have kicked that little guards butt. 

And speaking of the little guard. It had to be him too. Why? Because the issue isn't about singular racist monsters, murderers or rapists infiltrating the prison/police system. It's systemic. The Piscatelli thought process..treat them like animals..the power tripping..that was the commentary. 

IMO, this show..and the show after..are so well done and so thought provoking..and the creative choices were what they had to be to make this statement/message that wanted to be made by the writers. 

But I'm still going to miss my favorite character. A lot. 

Well put, mercfan3. That's about the long and short of it. My heart is broken, as well it should be to tell that story effectively.

[gesundheit]

I was devastated as well. I loved Poussey. And she actually had a future. As horrid as Judy King is, I am sure she would have gotten her a job. It would have been good for her post prison image. 

Re: CPR I was wondering if Poussey's windpipe was crushed by Bayley's knee. Not that there was any attempt to find out or to save her in any way. 

Caputo and Healy have both been ground to bits by that place and the system. Was Healy checking himself in to a Psychiatric facility? Or is that where Lolly is? 

I'm almost afraid to watch the last episode. 

Yes, Healy checked himself into a psychiatric hospital. Good instinct. Finally.

[Auntie Velvet]

Wait, is that really the sole recap that Previously is going with for THIS, of all episodes?

[micat]

That was devastating.

I didn't even think of the CPR angle. I figured he crushed her ribcage (actually I was cringing the whole time waiting to hear her spine snap) and she wasn't coming back from that. But they should have tried.

I am done with Suzanne. I think the character, while well-acted, is poorly written. She is exactly as crazy, out-of-control, in control, cognizant, empathetic, oblivious, violent, nonviolent, smart, etc etc as the plot needs her to be at any given moment.

Edited June 24, 2016 by micat

[Madding crowd]

Yes, Suzanne is not very consistent in her behavior. Have they ever shown whether she was on medication? I can't remember and wonder if medication would help control her violent side. 

[dmc]

I cried so hard in this episode.

Spoiler

The worst part is that even after she died they act like her body isn't even worthy of respect. True and heartbreaking...

[dmc]

Wait, is that really the sole recap that Previously is going with for THIS, of all episodes?

thought the same thing. I hope not, because the episode deserves much better

[poopchute]

Is it realistic that there are no cameras anywhere in this prison? I was thinking this during the investigation about the buried body and now with this, I assume that in real life you would have footage of everything that happens in the common areas anyway.  Maybe not.

[mspaul]

3 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

 

Wait, is that really the sole recap that Previously is going with for THIS, of all episodes?

 

AGREED.  I've been looking forward to this recap since I binged last weekend (I mean, as much as one can look forward to reading something  you know is going to make cry, and probably at work), and I feel like this is a pretty egregious disservice.

Edited June 24, 2016 by mspaul

[Maysie]

7 hours ago, micat said:

I am done with Suzanne. I think the character, while well-acted, is poorly written. She is exactly as crazy, out-of-control, in control, cognizant, empathetic, oblivious, violent, nonviolent, smart, etc etc as the plot needs her to be at any given moment.

I agree with the point that she's written according to whatever the plot purposes demand. I don't think it started that way, at least based on what I can remember, but I think it's kind of devolved into that. Taking the long view of the season, seeing how things worked with Suzanne and whatshername - the one she abandoned in the woods - I can see how things morphed into what happened in this episode. Yeah, I can kind of "blame" Suzanne for Poussey's death, but for sure, she's no more to blame than Bayley is. It's his boot on her back. And if I'm honest, I'm going to reach back and blame Humphreys and whatshername because he instigated the fight and she went for it and in the process, they broke Suzanne. (From my perspective, she hasn't been too bad this season, crazy-wize, compared to other times.) I can absolutely see how the minute the guards put their hands on her after the fight that she lost her shit. And of course, Poussey is the one to watch out for her, because that's who she is.

But whatever, this episode was the first that actually made me cry and I started when Blanca stood up on that table. There's a lot I don't like about the character, but over the last three episodes I gained crazy respect for her.

The episode has set things up for next season to be mighty interesting - there will have to be some sort of investigation, given there's a dead guard with four social security numbers in the garden and a dead inmate. As well, there will be attention drawn to it based on Judy's presence, and I wonder if Poussey's death will have any meaning for her at all - and if so, how that plays out.

I'm almost afraid to watch the final episode because man, it's been a downward spiral for the last few. I can't imagine how much darker it will get.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Maysie
Really? That's the recap for this episode?

[ridethemaverick]

Well that was bullshit. 

[loki310]

Me (looking at billboard of OITNB): Orange is the New Black!

Uber Driver: Oh, are you watching it?

Me: Yeah, I'm almost done - episode 11.

UD: Episode 12 devastated me. I nearly cried.

Me: Well, as long as nothing bad happens to Poussey, I'll be okay...

(108 minutes later)

Me: ....

[Trixie Belden]

Fuck. This. Show.

And Caputo.  Fuck him too while we're at it.

[poppy-]

I can buy Bayley being unprepared, distracted , badly trained , a bit  dim ---- but who on earth puts his KNEE on a woman's back and then puts his weight on his knee? That is such an unnatural maneuver. There was no reason for him to not get up and face the prisoner who threatened him.

 

I mean, I get the point is that it was senseless, but I really didn't buy it.   A guy who feels bad after seeing fruit thrown at a prisoner really treats a  (small) woman that way? Even by accident?

[ShortyMac]

Nooooooooooooooooo! Poussey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :((((((((((((((((((((((((((

I accidentally spoiled myself before I started the season, so, I knew it was coming, but not how.

She was such a great soul, spirit, and character. Litchfield won't be the same without her.

Fuck Piscatella and Humphey.

It was hard to see Red so worn down by Piscatella, but I'm so glad that Blanca and everyone stood up for her and what was right.

Just the season finale left...

[Save Yourself]

Wait, is that really the sole recap that Previously is going with for THIS, of all episodes?

I've been very disappointed by some of the PTV recaps this season. Ep3 only addressed P and Soso's relationship; Ep5 was only about Tastee; Ep7 was about the inmate's hairdos (!); and this 'recap' was just poo. It's a real shame.

[Cassandre]

Just saw the episode. And I'm like "I wasn't ready". I can't believe Poussey's actually dead. I wasn't ready for anything that happened in  this season.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Cassandre

[announcergirl]

On June 26, 2016 at 2:34 PM, Cassandre said:

Just saw the episode. And I'm like "I wasn't ready". I can't believe Poussey's actually dead. I wasn't ready for anything that happened in  this season.

Me, too. I knew it was going to happen from reading, but I wasn't ready.

[DrLar]

My take is she was killed because she was nice and small and make the crushing of her airwaves more believable (I doubt a much bigger inmate would have perished), so nice girl was accidentally killed by a nice guard pressured by Piscatella. Not because she was gay or black

[Blakeston]

25 minutes ago, DrLar said:

My take is she was killed because she was nice and small and make the crushing of her airwaves more believable (I doubt a much bigger inmate would have perished), so nice girl was accidentally killed by a nice guard pressured by Piscatella. Not because she was gay or black

I don't think anyone's saying that she was killed specifically because she's gay or black. But it's unbelievably common for TV shows and movies to kill off queer female characters - especially when they aren't white, and especially when they're in happy relationships. And especially this year (I don't want to spoil any other shows, so I won't mention which ones they are.)

I get why it made sense for Poussey to be the one to die, but I also think it's unfortunate that we have yet another example of this trope.

[LJonEarth]

On 6/23/2016 at 0:07 AM, MarkySnark said:

So... correct me if I am wrong because I binged and may have the timeline screwed up, but something's screwy. Suzanne goes batshit crazy and beats another inmate within an inch of her life and is somehow able to be among the general population as if nothing happened. Lolly, meanwhile, is innocently sitting in a box, holding a potato, thinking she's going to go back in time and is put in the psych ward, albeit she did admit she killed a guy weeks before. It seems to me that Suzanne should have been placed in the SHU or Psych after her physical altercation, even though the guards practically forced her to do it. I guess this is to illustrate the total and complete ineptitude and disregard of human decency of the new guards and, by extension, MCC. To me, that's too much of a stretch. It's not like Broom Closet Girl was a universally-hated inmate that everyone knew was in need of a beatdown. I guess the only explanation can be if they sent Suzanne to the SHU or Psych, the guards would have to explain why the fight happened and they would get in trouble. I guess I will have to hope that someone will slock the hell out of the guard that started it. He makes Pornstache look like a model employee.

Was there space left in the SHU? That and I agree that doing something about the altercation would have outed the guards. I don't know. I'm grasping at straws.

Even though this death was spoiled by my stupid inconsiderate friends fewer than 24 hours after the episodes dropped, I still think they really went hard on telegraphing Poussey's death in this episode. I assumed that it would be either suicide or being caught in the crossfire of something, but she was making way too many plans for the future.

[Princess Sparkle]

26 minutes ago, LJonEarth said:

Was there space left in the SHU? That and I agree that doing something about the altercation would have outed the guards. I don't know. I'm grasping at straws.

 

I'm pretty sure you're right; Shu was full. That's why Red called Piscatella's bluff that he'd send her to the Shu; she said she knew he wouldn't send her because Shu was full, and he asked her how she knew.  And I agree with both of you; Suzanne stayed right where she was because there's no way the guards were going to want to explain why they were sending her there, since not only would they have to explain the fight, they'd also have to explain it happened during an interrogation that Caputo explicitly said shouldn't take place. I'm just curious as to how they explained Maureen's injuries to the hospital unit. 

Edited June 29, 2016 by Princess Sparkle

[WelcomeStranger]

On 6/21/2016 at 0:29 AM, MaryTylerMoore said:

When Tamir Rice was shot by the police officer in Cleveland the cops never administered CPR and let him lay there and bleed to death. When the cop shot Ramarly Graham in the stairwell he called his union rep instead of an ambulance. I was surprised to see people here complain about CPR not being administered after the events we've seen in real life.

 

I saw these echoes, too, and have no doubt it was intentional on the part of the show. When Poussey was on the ground with the life being crushed out of her, I saw her desperately mouth, "Help me..." It brought to mind the incident with Eric Garner, the 40-something man who found himself forced to the ground by police after breaking up a fight. His last words caught on camera were "I can't breathe." He later died in custody.

Taystee's reaction was dramatic and heart-rending, but the scene that really tore me up was later,

Spoiler

when Norma was holding a disconsolate Brooke Soso like a child, singing to comfort her in Norma's rarely heard clarion voice.

[paramitch]

I love the vast majority of PTV recaps, but that was the worst "recap" I've ever encountered, and for one of the most pivotal episodes in a series I can think of.

So many vital, tragic, moving, important things happened in this penultimate episode, and the recap instead is some nonsense advice column that has NOTHING to do with the events of the actual episode? I could have forgiven it halfway through the season  -- Red has constantly threatened her snoring roomie with death (so there's lots of room mid-season for an extra about advice and silly death threats and hijinks!).

But this? This is the summary of one of the show's most telling and important episodes? Not with a heartfelt exploration of WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN IT? But with some filler crap about all the random people Red wants to kill? (It doesn't even set the stage for why she's so kill-crazy, being tortured and sleep-deprived by Piscatella.)

To say I'm disappointed is a massive understatement. Meanwhile, this episode broke my heart.

Edited July 3, 2016 by paramitch
missing punctuation darn it

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I managed to stay completely unspoiled so I was devastated by Poussey's death. I know that normally when a character is happy on a show like this, I should expect the worst but I thought it was just Poussey's positive attitude yielding tangible results (a good relationship with Brooke, asking Judy King for a job when she gets out, etc).

As much as I will miss Poussey, I understand why she was the one they killed off and why they did it this way. We know that there is violence and danger in prison, even in a minimum security facility like Litchfield. People still get shanked and beat up (as well as abused by the guards), so if someone dies that way it's upsetting but not surprising. But to see someone die, not because of an inmate holding a grudge or a guard deliberately abusing his power, but because of a lack of training in a chaotic situation is truly tragic because it could have been prevented.

Aside from Bailey's lack of training, Piscatella's brute force response is also to blame. I know there is probably no good way to handle an entire cafeteria full of riled up inmates standing on the tables, but having a bunch of guards come in and just start yanking them down was not the answer.

I loved that Blanca and Piper were the first ones up on the tables. Even though I'm not a Piper fan, every once in a while she manages to do the right thing. This was her moment for S4.

I was really hoping that all the different groups banding together to oust Humphreys/Piscatella would result in a temporary truce and maybe some cross group friendships (or at least understanding) so I was sad when their meeting didn't go anywhere. It was still nice to see one of the white power girls remark to her friends that the other women weren't THAT bad.

On 6/19/2016 at 1:17 PM, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

The Taystee/Poussey friendship has long been one of my favorite aspects of the show, and it was glossed over to make room for the Poussey/Soso relationship development. Taystee's anguish when she realized Poussey was gone was some of the rawest acting I've ever seen. I'm still reeling. But she earned it, IMHO, more than any other inmate. Poussey was her family. 

I don't think their friendship was necessarily glossed over. I think what happened this season was a realistic depiction of the way some people act when they fall in love - they want to spend every possible minute with their new boyfriend/girlfriend and end up neglecting their other friendships. It sucks but it happens. And it didn't seem like Taystee was mad about it either. I think she was just happy that Poussey was happy.

[Juneaucat]

I'm sobbing and although I'm very tender hearted, I don't usually feel this devastated when a character on a show dies (except Edith on Archie Bunker. I cried hard as a kid because I was too young to realize only her character died, not the person.) I was unspoiled so this was beyond unexpected and horrible.

And the PTV recap was sh$t. I'm a longtime TWOPper and loved finding PTV two years ago. I listen to all the podcasts and usually love the recaps. But this one was horrible. It was like it was too hard to do justice to such an intense, dramatic episode that the writer chickened out. Find someone else in that case because as dumb as it sounds to say this about a tv show, reading things like the recaps and discussions help a person process difficult situations. 

[archer1267]

 I knew it was coming but cried anyway when I saw it tonight. Taystee's keening over Poussey was so real and raw and I lost it.

I feel compelled to find a silver lining in this downer of an episode. I wasn't expecting Fig and was happy to see her! Even though she was shifty as hell, seeing her reminded me of a time when Litchfield was run with some humanity. (Or at least, not sadism.)

[tennisgurl]

I was spoiled thanks to some assholes who posted casting spoilers for Your the Worst, but I spent the whole episode praying it would be a fake out, and she would be ok. But no. I watched it last night before bed, and I could not sleep for ages, I was just turning over the whole incident in my head. Its hurting my heart. Poussey was just one of the loveliest people ever, and her death is just a tragedy. 

I am not a violent person, but my God if those awful guards (plus Linda and her awful corporate buddies) all tied in a fiery inferno, I would roast marshmallows. Bayley might have been the one who actually killed her, but its the fault of these corporate assholes and these sadistic guards that this untrained kid was thrown into this situation. And their overreaction to the protest (which was awesome and heartwarming and I hated knowing what was coming), and Humphrey starting that creepy fight, and their complete inability to yreat the inmates as people, and the whole damn thing. What a mess. I need to figure out how I feel about this. I get why they did it, but GUH. 

[SnarkKitty]

I wasn't ready. :/

I couldn't even finish, I had to stop and give it a day to finish Ep 11 and then 12. Thank goodness I stopped dicking around and watched after hearing how others were spoiled - I hate being spoiled with the fire of a thousand sons, and every day past the season drop the danger of being spoiled by reading some random article not even associated with OITNB grew.

Like many have expressed, I never expected to find myself in sobbing tears over the death of a TV character. I HATED that it was Poussey. Even as I (now) understand why it had to be her. I can't lie, I would have been happier with less audience reaction and outrage in exchange for say, losing Daya or FlaRitza. Boo would have worked too, she is a popular character that would have had a big impact. But whatever, it's done, and no more P for me. I'm finding it hard not to be turned off the character of Suzanne given her being the catalyst ... but then I'd have to blame P for getting involved to help her.

This is why we can't have nice things - like Washington & Soso 4Ever. And recaps that respect that.

[Falafel]

Just finished the episode. I cannot believe out of all the characters on the show, they killed Poussey. Who is there to root for now? She was easily my favorite.

This season was bleak as fuck and now the best character is gone. I still have to watch the finale because I might as well, but at this point, it seems unlikely I will be watching season five. Geez. 

edit: I was not spoiled, although I knew this episode made people cry. I also knew someone was going to die. Poussey is my absolutely fave, but I didn't cry. Mostly my jaw dropped and I said "What the fuck?" to myself. I'm kind of angry that in a season this depressing, they went all out and made it worse. I get it, prison is horrible and the show falsely made prison seem sort of fun, but god, this wasn't really the show I signed up for. As the season went, the episodes got sadder and more angering. Like I said, I'll see how the finale goes, but there's not going to be a van hitting Vee and making it all better, and there's not going to be a lake wherever can be free and get over their shit. I don't think there's any turning back from the direction things have gone in, and it's depressing as shit.

Edited July 8, 2016 by Falafel

[stillshimpy]

I have to give the show credit for making sure to acknowledge a reality of the evils of for-profit prisons and the way people who are incarcerated and viewed as disposable within the system and also by the public.  I get why it had to be Poussey because she was an example of several different aspects of the failure of the justice system in this country.  She was a non-violent offender, locked up because of draconian laws surrounding weed (a far too common event in our world) , but the show had the wisdom to swerve in her characterization by giving her such a stable, loving family with a father who was actually in a position of power.  So she was a great balance of the real failings of the criminal justice system but with enough differences to elevate her from being a stereotype.  

I admired the characterization, loved the actor in the role and even though we spent the entire season knowing that something hideous was going to happen when it came to Poussery and Soso (they were sweet, loving, downright adorable together and each other's refuge in that terrible place), I didn't guess at the truly horrific manner the show employed.  My husband and I were both crying as we watched last night.   

It wasn't until I woke up this morning that I realized the show had also just done a nearly textbook execution of the "Bury Your Gays" trope.  Yikes, show.  I understand that on this particular show if any character dies, the likelihood that the character will be gay is really quite high.  That said, the show did go out of its way to structure in a bunch of elements from that trope (in a loving relationship, hopefully planning for a brighter future).  I guess they figured that since it was almost inevitable since so many characters in the cast are gay, they were just going to swing from the heels on it.  

I do have to hand it to the show, that had incredibly emotional impact.  For a heavily foreshadowed event, anyone being happy on this show is usually a portent of doom, it really did feel like an emotionally manipulative plot development.  I think, in part, because it echoes so many events in our own world (intentionally). 

I usually don't end up posting about this show, but this season has been a real heartbreaker. 

Edited July 17, 2016 by stillshimpy

[Mama No Life]

This episode, and this season, have been heartbreaking and raw. But so good and worthy.  I almost gave up on this show after last season....so glad I stuck with it.  RIP P.

[farmgal4]

On July 7, 2016 at 11:22 PM, Falafel said:

Just finished the episode. I cannot believe out of all the characters on the show, they killed Poussey. Who is there to root for now? She was easily my favorite.

This season was bleak as fuck and now the best character is gone. I still have to watch the finale because I might as well, but at this point, it seems unlikely I will be watching season five. Geez. 

edit: I was not spoiled, although I knew this episode made people cry. I also knew someone was going to die. Poussey is my absolutely fave, but I didn't cry. Mostly my jaw dropped and I said "What the fuck?" to myself. I'm kind of angry that in a season this depressing, they went all out and made it worse. I get it, prison is horrible and the show falsely made prison seem sort of fun, but god, this wasn't really the show I signed up for. As the season went, the episodes got sadder and more angering. Like I said, I'll see how the finale goes, but there's not going to be a van hitting Vee and making it all better, and there's not going to be a lake wherever can be free and get over their shit. I don't think there's any turning back from the direction things have gone in, and it's depressing as shit.

I'm just now watching the final two episodes, and I'm actually having to MAKE myself watch them.  This season has been too depressing, raw and volatile for me.  Hell, I feel like I'm the one being mistreated by the end of each episode.  As much as I love the show, I don't know if I can stand to watch another season like this one.

[farmgal4]

On June 29, 2016 at 9:18 PM, WelcomeStranger said:

I saw these echoes, too, and have no doubt it was intentional on the part of the show. When Poussey was on the ground with the life being crushed out of her, I saw her desperately mouth, "Help me..." It brought to mind the incident with Eric Garner, the 40-something man who found himself forced to the ground by police after breaking up a fight. His last words caught on camera were "I can't breathe." He later died in custody.

Taystee's reaction was dramatic and heart-rending, but the scene that really tore me up was later,

  Reveal hidden contents

when Norma was holding a disconsolate Brooke Soso like a child, singing to comfort her in Norma's rarely heard clarion voice.

Yeah, I came undone during that scene too.

[xtwheeler]

On 6/20/2016 at 8:29 PM, MaryTylerMoore said:

When Tamir Rice was shot by the police officer in Cleveland the cops never administered CPR and let him lay there and bleed to death. When the cop shot Ramarly Graham in the stairwell he called his union rep instead of an ambulance. I was surprised to see people here complain about CPR not being administered after the events we've seen in real life.

It's weird that previously I thought Healey and Pornstache were awful but these new guards are sadist assholes. They don't even see the prisoners as human beings! 

I was devastated to see Poussey die but I love the flashbacks of the way she lived. I'm glad her family is well-to-do hopefully they'll sue the pants off MCC. 

There was just recently an article about this: Something disturbing about how cops act when they've just shot someone.

The tl;dr is that what OITNB portrayed isn't all that far off the reality.  There seems to be a general lack of alarm, purpose, and intention, and a general malaise, ennui, and lack of initiative.  There is a lot of standing around ignoring the dead body in the midst, no taking care of the basic human dignity of the person who just (rightly or wrongly) just lost their life.  Watching many of these, there is like a switch that is flipped from "human" to "inhuman pile of debris" that occurs, and that is a really disturbing idea.  I'm sure this could be a field of psychological study all its own, but I imagine one's psychological defense upon shooting someone, especially if you have any doubt about the justifiability and necessity of that shooting, is to dehumanize the victim.

And that is when we are talking about (generally) trained officers. When you are talking about Piscatello's band of rent-a-guards, I'm sure they have no psychological tools to deal with this and put it in a context, no on the job help, etc.  They're mall cops who got one upgrade too many.

And poor Baxter.  You could see he wasn't trying to do it.  You could see it was a bad situation compounded exponentially by a situation that had already been mismanaged, and by his extreme lack of training.  None of the guards were assisting him correctly.  He didn't know that was an improper hold.  No one else dealt with the other threat he was perceiving.  You could just see it going wrong for a dozen different reasons, none of which make him a murderer, but ALL of which implicate his company and his CO.  

Your heart and your sunshine will be missed, Poussey.  We can all unequivocally say that you were better than that place, and better than what you got.  I'm glad she got some happiness before she was cut down. Flights of angels will sing that one to her rest.

[stan4]

On 6/18/2016 at 8:33 AM, ciprus said:

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

I'm not sure if this was a genius move or a horrible one.

Never have I felt so terrible when watching this show. I feel physically ill. Of all the people they could have done that to, they certainly went for maximum impact. Such a useless death that could have been prevented (which was probably why they did it the way they did). The nicest guard takes out the nicest inmate. How ironic.

And seriously, none of the guards are trained in CPR? Since most of them are veterans they must be, so did they just not care enough to make the effort? They'd rather wait for medical to get there (too late) instead of trying to undo the damage right there. Either it's sloppy writing or these new guards really are worse than I could ever have imagined.

Yes.

 

Ruined what could have been a powerful scene bc to my eyes, a round of cpr with rescue breaths had a HUGE chance of bringing her back.

One of the few times it actually has a good chance - witnessed arrest due to hypoxia that is addressed within mere minutes.

 

Terrible writing.

On 6/24/2016 at 11:10 AM, micat said:

 

I am done with Suzanne. I think the character, while well-acted, is poorly written. She is exactly as crazy, out-of-control, in control, cognizant, empathetic, oblivious, violent, nonviolent, smart, etc etc as the plot needs her to be at any given moment.

Boring and annoying from day 1.