S02.E01: Thirsty Bird

[Turtle]

The relationship between Alex and Piper is my least favorite part of this show.  They just never made sense to me as a couple, and I never felt any chemistry between them at all.  Moreover, it makes no sense to me why Piper continues to trust Alex or to listen to her in any way.  Did she forget that Alex is the reason she's in prison in the first place?  Alex has shown that she is looking out for herself first and foremost, yet stupid ol' Piper just keeps on believing her, and and keeps on getting screwed over.

 

I think it is possible, albeit unlikely, that Piper was transferred without being told why.  The various guards along the way may not have known why she was being transferred, and especially because she was in seg, I can believe that no one at the prison told her.  But if she was subpoenaed for trial, and she is on record as having an attorney, her attorney should have been notified, and her attorney should have let her know.  Either way, it's so scary to imagine being in that position, shuffled around without any idea of what's going on. 

[heatherchandler]

I love Lori Petty - especially loved (kind of in a campy way) Point Break! I agree, I'm glad she hasn't botoxed the life out of her face.

Not sure why but I cannot stand the opening credits song. I mute it til the show starts.

I love love love the opening song! Regina Spektor is so awesome, her voice is amazing. I was actually upset to find that Netflix skips the credits when binge-watching.

[hypnotoad]

 

Alex has shown that she is looking out for herself first and foremost, yet stupid ol' Piper just keeps on believing her, and and keeps on getting screwed over.

 

I certainly agree Piper needs to get a bit smarter about Alex, but sometimes there are people in our lives that we are just attracted to whether they are good for us or not.

 

I, however, love that relationship (as messed up as it is) and I think the actresses have a ton of chemistry.

[bravelittletoaster]

God they have so much chemistry, I think.  So even though they're completely toxic for each other I fucking eat it up with a spoon.  More, please.

 

Y'all are going to make me go back to the book to see what real Piper knew when she was being transferred.  I'm sure she did understand what it was about, but I think I remember her being no less terrified for it, really, and I think that's what they were trying to capture here [while also keeping us in suspense.]

[Red Fields]

I love the opening music, too!

[hatchetgirl]

I freaking hate stupid Piper. Argh. She's such an unrealistic shit. I hate that she's cashing in on this experience and trying to play "oh, I didn't know it was bad" or "I'm just some dumb girl, tee hee". I like the other actors on the site and the way it plays out.

[Skittl1321]

 

This is a take-off on the classic "prisoner's dilemma" example in game theory.

As soon as Alex started telling Piper to lie, I looked over at my husband and said "well, the first option is they both tell the truth, and in that case, what would happen? Or, they could both lie.  Or, one lies and one tells the truth, what would happen then?"  Except, Piper wasn't punished for lying, though Alex was rewarded for telling the truth- so it was slightly different than the original prisoner's dilemma. 

 

 

I agree with those who dislike the credits. They are SO long.  Which is actually something I like about binge watching. Netflix starts past the credits on subsequent episodes. So I only had to fast forward them like 4 times all weekend; just when I restarted Netflix after taking a break.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I've been watching S2 in several chunks at a time, but even when I let Netflix autoplay the next episode, I still get the theme song. I don't love this particular theme song (although I do like Regina Spektor), but I do like all the closeup shots of the faces and I think it's nice that the show has a theme song and opening credits. I hate that over the past decade and particularly in the last few years, many network shows have done away with opening credits. Some of them just have a title card for a few seconds. Even shows like Grey's Anatomy that used to have opening credits got rid of them. I know for network shows, every second they "waste" on the credits is time that could be sold for commercials so it's easier for cable networks like HBO and Showtime (and Netflix) to still have opening credits since they don't have to worry about that.

[bravelittletoaster]

I *do* kind of get it with the network shows, though.  From the creator's perspective, the network is going to give you marching orders on how many minutes and seconds you have.  I'm sure you'd rather not waste a minute of it on an intro.  But on Netflix and the premium cable channels where you've got time (har har) why not?  Personally I enjoy the little psych up time the title sequence provides me, breaking up my binge, getting me stoked for the next one.  But if I didn't I'd just mute it and stare into space for a minute.  I kind of think the harping on it is outsized, but whatever.  Complaining on the internet is what we do, I know.

 

I do think it's a well done intro.  I like the song, I like Regina Spektor personally [she's very sweet irl], I like that they've put real prisoners' faces in front of you lest you forget, I like that real Piper appears near the end with a blink.  I dunno...as far as credit sequences go, I mean, it's not Game of Thrones, but it's pretty good.  I'm sure if you've seen it 13 hours in one day it's a bit grating, but that's kind of on the viewer.

[piewarmer]

So happy to have more OITNB to watch!

 

It took me a few moments to square Lori Petty's distinctive voice with what I thought was Ellen's face. Lori does look different from her early 90s roles, but I figure I don't look the same as I did 23 years ago either.

 

It's been awhile since I read the book, I sort of assumed that they'd used all the book material in season 1 and had forgotten the whole Con Air thing.

Edited June 9, 2014 by piewarmer

[smrou]

Personally I enjoy the little psych up time the title sequence provides me, breaking up my binge, getting me stoked for the next one.

Yeah, I feel the same way about it.  I like that little break.  If I disliked the song I'm sure I wouldn't--there have been other shows I've watched where I've always skipped the opening if possible--but since I like the song fine it works for me. 

[Skittl1321]

Now I really wonder why my Netflix skips the credits when I binge watch.  It does it for every show I've watched on there.  I wonder if it is my TV?

 

I too thought the prisoner was Ellen. I'm kind of shocked to learn it was Dottie's sister.

[Pixel]

It doesn't skip the credits for me when I binge watch. I wish it did. I got sick of that song by episode 3, season 1.

[bravelittletoaster]

It varies depending on your device.  Someone should list the devices which skip the intro somewhere on the internet for the sanity of people who can't abide the intro.  Maybe they could splurge on a new toy.

[Juneaucat]

The real Piper is in the credits?  I rewatched them just now and I didn't see her.  Any hints on where to see her?  I've seen her interviewed many times so I know what she looks like.  But I didn't recognize her in the credits.  

 

Just read an article on this and she's the one who blinks.  How very cool she was in them!

 

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1673132/move-over-dove-orange-is-the-new-black-celebrates-real-women#5

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I watch on my laptop and the credits get played every time. I haven't tried watching on my phone because is rather watch on a larger screen, especially when watching several episodes at a time with Mr. EB.

[RadiantAerynSun]

 

How dare you! Have you never seen Tank Girl?

(I kid, dear @Rhondinella - never watch Tank Girl. Ever.)

 

I recognized Lori Petty's voice as the trainer from Free Willy... just me? That's what I thought... lol

[DangerousMinds]

The opening song only skips for me when watching on my iPad. They play each and every time when watching on my PC. That said, I find them easy enough to FF through.

[Rhondinella]

Yeah, I saw that supposedly you could skip through the credits if you watched automatically on Netflix, but I've been watching only on PC and it hasn't happened for me either.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@Rhondinella - your comment combined with your avatar cracked me up!

[Rhondinella]

You're welcome.

[BeatLA24]

The intro is skipped on PS4.

[Jade Foxx]

 

I thought Taylor Schilling really sold her scenes, particularly the one on the plane. I could have done without the flashbacks though.

 

I wanted to wait before posting about TS' acting (I'm on Season 2, Episode 8), and I just don't see it. Or perhaps, I don't feel it. I thought the airplane scene was abysmal.

Same with the phone call scene when learning her grandmother passed - no tears, just a bunch of face pulling and groans. Just awful.

 

Yes, it doesn't help that I don't like Piper...(on screen, haven't read the book). I keep watching for the other character's acting/backstories; they're truly more compelling than Piper, who I find bland and annoying. 

Edited June 10, 2014 by Jade Foxx

[Lovecat]

@Jade Foxx, can you spoiler tag, please?  I mean, we can guess, but that doesn't happen in S2E1.  Thanks!!

[Jade Foxx]

@Jade Foxx, can you spoiler tag, please?  I mean, we can guess, but that doesn't happen in S2E1.  Thanks!!

My apologies, @Lovecat. New here, still learning my way around. Thanks.

[DrSpaceman]

I found it to be a solid opener.  Great way of putting us in Piper's spot and not knowing what was happening. 

 

The whole backstory worked well, showing her history of her deciding when to lie/break the rules and when not to do so and how that influenced her decision

 

ANd it actually carries over to when she gets back and agrees to the lie about her fight with Pennsatucky.  It goes unmentioned but you have to wonder if her telling the truth here and how she was backstabbed influenced her decision to go along with the lie later, which helped her. 

I watch on my android phone, Ipad and TV via my Wii, none of them skip the intro

Edited June 12, 2014 by DrSpaceman

[DangerousMinds]

Hmm, my iPad mini definitely skips the intro every time if I don't stop watching between episodes. Maybe it's different for an older model?

[MamaMax]

It really jumped out to me as unlikely that female and male prisoners would be allowed to intermingle like that. Can someone who knows comment on this? Seems to me that it would be asking for trouble...

[bravelittletoaster]

Well they were on Con Air together in the book. Real Piper was terrified. But I don't remember about the prison itself.

There are joint facilities, though. I'm just not sure how they work. The one where they filmed those scenes is one, I believe. Laura talked in an interview about how she and Taylor had 20 minutes to shoot that scene through the bars before the door behind Laura was going to open up and release the male prisoners. To which news she said Taylor replied, "I don't think I feel comfortable with this," and Laura said, "YOU'RE not comfortable?" Heh.

[Misty79]

I wanted to wait before posting about TS' acting (I'm on Season 2, Episode 8), and I just don't see it. Or perhaps, I don't feel it. I thought the airplane scene was abysmal.

 

Yes, it doesn't help that I don't like Piper...(on screen, haven't read the book). I keep watching for the other character's acting/backstories; they're truly more compelling than Piper, who I find bland and annoying.

I like Piper but I agree that Taylor's acting in the plane scene was a little sketchy. I think the actress does much, much better with comedic scenes. She has a tendency to overplay hysterical stuff. The plane scene reminded me of the hysterics of her break down in the SHU in season 1, which I didn't like either. I thought that was overdone, yet her catharsis scene with Healy (her "girls like us go for tall, dark girls" like Alex) was utterly brilliant. She does angry well, and funny well, but hysterical not so much.

[DrLar]

Yeah maybe they can combine males an females on the Con Air, but on prisons? Also from season 1, why so many male guards? this always leaves space for sexual favors/rapes... but I guess is hard to find heterosexual female guards out there..

 

Man Alex manipulated Piper so good, she also seems to got a deal with the D.A. and Piper wasn't even allow to talk to anyone? I call this BS..

[DrSpaceman]

Piper talked to her lawyer and her lawyer told her to tell the truth, plain and simple, which is all Alex did, really.  Alex talked her out of doing what her lawyer and really Piper should have known to do in the first place. 

 

I don't have too much sympathy for Piper on this.  Trusting Alex and being in a relationship with her got her thrown in jail, but she still listens to what Alex tells her to do?  Should have known better. 

[mansonlamps]

Haha I turned on the TV GUIDE Network tonight and stopped because there was a gorgeous young Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze on my screen.  Keanu was with an actress I didn't recognize until she spoke and than I realized it's the infamous Lori Petty you have all been talking about (it's the surfer movie).  Never heard of her and don't recall seeing her before, but damn it's hard to reconcile her with the actress that was in OITNB this episode!

[bravelittletoaster]

Man, y'all need to watch A League of Their Own.  Love that movie.

[Lannister23]

Finally decided to start Season 2 after putting it off for as long as possible. I just knew that once I started I would have to binge watch the whole season. 

 

It was a good opening episode and I love the Alex/Piper relationship so they were the best parts of the episode for me. Saw Alex's betrayal coming from a mile away, she has always been someone in it for themselves. I'm guessing she got offered some sort of deal. 

 

Piper's new roomies were interesting but I'm so glad the supporting cast will be back next episode. They really do make the show what it is. 

[Crim]

Sorry to hear Alex will be absent for much of this season.   I think I felt as excited as Piper when she glimpsed her from across the yard.   Alex is a far more interesting character.

 

It was nice to hear Larry's father refer to him as "a half-wit."  Honesty is always appreciated.

Totally agree with both points.

 

I wasn't quite sure what Larry's father meant when he said the half-wit line though. Was it that Piper did this for Alex? The rest of their conversation didn't really indicate that was the case. Or did Larry tell him at some point that Piper hooked up with Alex again, so he wasn't really surprised at the latest development?

[bravelittletoaster]

I think he was implying that, yes, he knew she lied for Alex's sake (or so they both thought).

[Hanahope]

Finally get to be part of the conversation here. 

 

I'm not too surprised Piper didn't know where she was going or what was going on.  Guards don't always know everything, just what's on their paper.  The Litchfield guards are all told not to treat the inmates as people and they probably treat anyone in SHU even less than that. 

 

I'm not sure Alex knew Piper would suddenly change her mind and lie on the stand.  She may have thought if Piper was going to tell the truth, she better do so as well, or it would go even worse for her.  Maybe hearing that Piper was going to tell the truth, Alex told her lawyer she'd help even more if she could get a deal.  Then after she testified, she learned Piper switched.   That said, why wasn't Piper shown being given a deal for her testimony.  Sure it would never been a 'good' and full of details as Alex's but, even a month or two would have been worth it to Piper.

 

Piper does seem to have a record of doing that, changing her mind back and forth.  And she usually ends up blowing it because of her changing mind.  As we used to say in the TWOP TAR forums, she keeps Bald Snarking and that's usually a bad thing.  She needs to choose a side/principal/action and stick with it.

 

I lol'd at Piper being relieved the black guy was a hit man and not a rapist.

 

I hope we see Lori Petty again, I always liked that actress.

[Pimms]

I loved this episode for many reasons, but especially for the contrast between the higher security Chicago prison and Litchfield. Litchfield looks like a Swiss boarding school in comparison; at least they have that one stall with a door. Just the thought of spending all day locked in a cage with 5 other women makes my skin crawl. I'm not even sure who was worse, the woman who took four dumps a day or the one who licked Piper's face in the middle of the night. 

 

 

 

Piper talked to her lawyer and her lawyer told her to tell the truth, plain and simple, which is all Alex did, really.  Alex talked her out of doing what her lawyer and really Piper should have known to do in the first place.

I don't have too much sympathy for Piper on this.  Trusting Alex and being in a relationship with her got her thrown in jail, but she still listens to what Alex tells her to do?  Should have known better.

 

That said, why wasn't Piper shown being given a deal for her testimony.  Sure it would never been a 'good' and full of details as Alex's but, even a month or two would have been worth it to Piper.

Is Larry's dad a practising criminal lawyer? I get the feeling he works in another area and is just doing this as a 'favour' for Piper -- which is appalling and unethical, at least in my point of view. If he doesn't practice criminal law, he may not have even known that he could ask for a deal. Even if he does, though, I think that his dislike of Piper has coloured his work as her lawyer. Or maybe he genuinely doesn't understand that when dealing with powerful drug lords, a little truth goes a long way to getting you killed. 

 

In any event - I agree that it was a dolt move to trust that Alex was going to tell the truth, but I also think Alex's initial plan to lie was the right one, at least for Piper.  I think her best move was exactly what she did -- to say that she didn't recall meeting him. These events took place 10 years ago, Piper wasn't heavily involved in the cartel's work, and she was primarily there as Alex's girlfriend. The time frame alone makes it plausible, if not probable, that she "can't recall" who he is, and in my opinion, it wouldn't be worth it to try and prosecute her for perjury. Piper knows that Kubra is willing to kill people (as Alex told her when she carried that suitcase, and in Chicago), and she was getting a big fat nothing in return for her testimony -- no time off her sentence, nothing. Maintaining your integrity by telling the truth is nice until you have a bullet in your head. Alex's advice was sound, I think. 

[Hanahope]

I would agree that using the "I don't recall" bit is plausible, but it sounded like Piper and her lawyer already met with the prosecutors and they knew she did recall meeting Kubra.  Yes, it probably isn't worthwhile for them to try her for perjury, given that they did apparently get Alex's better testimony, and proving perjury can be difficult and time consuming.  OTOH, if they recorded the meeting with the prosecutors, it may not be all that difficult to prove perjury (how can you say one day you recalled meeting him and suddenly the next, you don't?), but the feds may have better use of their time than to follow up.

 

I expect Piper used Larry's dad because he was free and presumably better than a public defender (as I presume they didn't have the money for a real criminal attorney).  But I guess even that is done now, as most lawyers won't continue to represent a client they know is lying.

[bravelittletoaster]

Or at least won't represent a client they know is lying and also has fallen out of love with their son in favor of the other woman...

[jumper sage]

Woo hooo, I got Netflix, woo hooo.

 

Just started season 2 and I just knew Alex was going to screw her.

[Petunia13]

I feel the same about the opening credits. The song was great the first time I heard it and then quickly lost it's luster. I often feel that way about most lengthy opening credits. The only time I don't mind it so much is when the opening credits are there to provide useful info for the viewer, like GoT's map that helps us visualize all of the places we'll be seeing in that ep or reminds us of the names of new places. The other annoying thing is that the EP's are very aware that people will be consuming this show in a different way than normal. Marathon watches are typical with this show since it's all released at once. That means we are forced to listen to this song 13 times in a very short amount of time or else ff. The artistic nature of the opening credits loses all it's value when it's so overdone. I could deal with it being done for the first and last episode of a season and then lose it altogether for the other episodes. But seriously, 1 min, 20 secs every single time makes me insane.

I agree its way too long. And I don't really care for all the opening shots of women's faces (we get it. Some women in prison are old. Many are homely. And something about body modification on the face..?).

[Trace]

HBO and Showtime no doubt love their opening sequences.  True Blood, Game of Thrones, Big Love, The Affair, etc.  all go on way too long.  I always DVR so I can FF through them.  I just want to get to the show and the same opening credits over and over get very old very fast.  It's like they're making up for no commercial breaks.