S02.E02: Looks Blue, Tastes Red

[David T. Cole]

A mock job fair provides Taystee with a chance to show off her business smarts; Red feels isolated from her prison family.

[CofCinci]

You know, I think this episode would have been better as the opener.

[LadyNebula]

You know, I think this episode would have been better as the opener.

I agree.  I spent the entirety of the first episode wanting to get back to Litchfield.  

 

Vee looks like she's going to be a suitable villain.  Can't wait to see what havoc she wreaks.

[Mya Stone]

Those teeth, though. 

 

Can we talk about those teeth? Oh. My. God. 

[90PercentGravity]

While I appreciate the insertion of random wang, couldn't it have been done in a less pointless manner?

[crazycakes]

Those teeth, though. 

 

Can we talk about those teeth? Oh. My. God. 

I can't stop running my tongue over my own teeth now, to make sure they're still there. Good lord.

 

Loved Taystee this episode. Her story is so interesting to me, and she was great during the interview. I wanted to hire her! Vee is going to be a good addition, I think.

 

Also really enjoying watching Red's fall.

 

I want more Crazy Eyes. 

[millennium]

Is it possible Daya will be transferred to another prison?   Hers is the weakest and least sympathetic storyline in the series.   The only point of her being in this episode was for scat humor -- and it wasn't even humorous.  The guard she hooked up with is every bit as uninteresting.

 

The actress who plays Tiffany Doggett deserves an Emmy.  I despise the character, but she pulls it off seamlessly.    I almost freeze-framed the teeth when she smiled in the van, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

[Dusty]

I think it's the black holes in her gums that will haunt me forever.

 

With Alex gone I think that Tastey and Poussey are going to be my favorite relationship to watch this season.  I just love their friendship.  I love that once Poussey realized how important the contest was to her she was full steam ahead to help her.

 

Was the opening credits always that long?

[bravelittletoaster]

It was nice to catch up with everyone at Litchfield, but this episode established for me that I find it a far less interesting place without Piper or Alex in it. I hope Piper's back soon.

I think Vee will be a good addition to the prison, though. This episode just felt a little too broad and preliminary for me, but I guess that's to be expected early in the season.

[Happy to be here]

You know, I think this episode would have been better as the opener.

 

 

The whole point of the opener was is Piper going down for Pensatucky's death.  I know most of us knew ahead of time that Taryn Manning was a regular for season 2 but still the point of the plane ride and most of Piper's stay in max was not knowing if she had killed someone.  

 

As for this episode I found a good deal of it disappointing mostly because Taysee was my least favorite of the original cast.   

 

I however like the Diaz stuff which I usually find blah.  This episode however was interesting and entertaining.

 

Red has always been one of my favorites and I like her storyline and that it is following along a logical progression from losing the food truck for the Russians.  That cannot be good for her.  

Edited June 6, 2014 by ChaosTheory

[millennium]

Did anyone else get a sense that Taryn Manning's lines were looped in, especially the scene in Healey's office?   I wonder if the teeth prosthesis made it difficult for her to speak. 

Edited June 7, 2014 by millennium

[JodhaBai]

 

t was nice to catch up with everyone at Litchfield, but this episode established for me that I find it a far less interesting place without Piper or Alex in it. I hope Piper's back soon.

 

I felt the same way.  

While it was great to catch up with everyone again, I felt Piper's absence.   The ep was lacking because of this. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I actually felt like this episode proved what I thought last season, which is that the show would be totally fine if Piper finished her sentence and the show kept going without her. I can't stand her persistent cluelessness and I find all of the other characters so much more interesting than Piper.

[bravelittletoaster]

Yeah, I'm just the opposite. Maybe it makes me a terrible person, but I've kind of made my peace with that. If Jenji ever gets rid of the pretty blonde Trojan horse I think I'm probably out. Fortunately given the fact that Taylor and Laura have done the lion's share of press leading up to this season, I'm not for now particularly concerned about that eventuality. I think we'll have Taylor for at least 4 seasons.

[junemeatcleaver]

Much better episode than the first.  Despite the absence of Piper, it made me resent her for the fact the only way we got to see the more interesting characters last season was through the PoV of Waspy McBoring Face.

[Helena Dax]

I still can't believe each meal at the prison has 1.500 calories. That would mean 4.500 calories/day. (It was a random line on the speakers but to me it was the biggest shock in the episode. Maybe I didn't understand it well).

 

Anyway, I loved the episode,  more than I loved the first one. It was great to see everyone again, even  the pathetic Healey and his Russian wife. The friendship between Taystee and Poussey is adorable and I liked Red bonding with the older inmates. Figueroa is someone I'd like to see at Litchfield but as an inmate. She's disgusting.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Helena Dax

[Brn2bwild]

I don't quite get why Fig has the authority she does.  Isn't she just the Warden's executive assistant?  Which means that while she might govern who gets access to the Warden, she shouldn't get to make decisions that a Warden would make.    

[Pixel]

I think the Warden is an absentee who doesn't actually do very much, so Figg has taken over and has no supervision.

[ApathyMonger]

Yeah, I don't think we've ever actually seen the warden, have we?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ha the warden is like Tino on My So Called Life!

[90PercentGravity]

I thought Fig's title was Assistant Warden, not Warden's Assistant.

[Portia]

I thought Fig's title was Assistant Warden, not Warden's Assistant.

Assistant to the Warden?

[kitcloudkicker]

I still can't believe each meal at the prison has 1.500 calories. That would mean 4.500 calories/day. (It was a random line on the speakers but to me it was the biggest shock in the episode. Maybe I didn't understand it well).

 

The reminder was that they should be eating 1,500 calories total, per day, I believe. 

[90PercentGravity]

1500 Calories is way too low, especially since a lot of these women are doing some physical labor. Even a sedentary person of average weight burns around 2500 calories.

[bravelittletoaster]

No, a recommended daily allowance for a normal person is 2000, unless you're at altitude.  I think these women are less, not more active than they should be.  1500 sounds appropriate to maintain a healthy weight, tbh.  

[deSchenke]

You know, I think this episode would have been better as the opener.

If they had done that, there would be no suspense as to the demise (or not) of Pensatucky.

[TookiClothespin]

Assistant to the Warden?

Ha! If only Fig were more like Dwight.

I'm pretty sure the announcement says that a typical meal is 1,500 calories, which stood out to me, too (especially now that it's bikini season!). That just seems way too high. We hear the announcement again later in the season (but don't ask me when, the episodes are all blurred together).

Taystee was so great in her interview. Really hammers home the tragedy of her not being adopted by a nurturing family.

[Tara Ariano]

I wrote a little something about Pennsatucky.

[bravelittletoaster]

Yeah, thanks for that extreme close up.  Yikes!

[joanne3482]

I'm pretty sure the announcement says that a typical meal is 1,500 calories,

 

I agree that's what the voice is saying. The amount of food they are given isn't anywhere near 1500 calories though so it seems odd. 

[ganesh]

 

I actually felt like this episode proved what I thought last season, which is that the show would be totally fine if Piper finished her sentence and the show kept going without her.

I always thought Piper was merely a jumping off point to introduce us to this world. I didn't miss her absence and if this is how the show is without her, then I'm looking forward to it. There isn't any tv rules that say this can't be an anthology show with a large cast. There aren't characters like this on tv, so why not tell stories about these kinds of people?

 

Tastyee is one of my favorites, and I always thought she was smarter than she let on. It seems like from the start, she never caught a break. 

 

I didn't know the actor was returning as a regular (gag), but I didn't think PennsT was actually dead. That would have seemed a bit much. I don't like the character and don't care for the actor, so I hope her storyline is minimized. 

[shirazplease]

In prison, they typically feed you a LOT of simple carbs and starches...so lots of calories.  They like you to be sluggish and out of shape, that way you pose less of a physical threat to the guards.

[RadiantAerynSun]

 

I agree that's what the voice is saying. The amount of food they are given isn't anywhere near 1500 calories though so it seems odd.

 

I didn't look that close but I guess if there are desserts, cupcakes or something involved, it might get that high, or maybe they are not expected to necessarily eat everythin gon their plate, but yeah, 4500 a day would be ridiculous. Maybe breakfast is particularly light, or maybe they don't do lunch AND dinner ...?

[Mya Stone]

I wrote a little something about Pennsatucky.

Oh. My. God. Nightmare fuel for the next 7 months. Thanks @Tara Ariano !

[mledawn]

As mentioned upthread - this show would still be a blast without Piper. Tastee and Poussey are fantastic buds, I loved their friendship last year, too.

[Veruca Assault]

I'm on the side of letting Piper out and away from the show. I find the stories of the other inmates much more interesting. I'm especially interested now in what happens with Tastee and Vee.

Those teeth pictures are the things of nightmares.

[charming]

I didn't miss Piper or Alex. They're the least interesting characters to me next to Larry. I admit I have a huge bias against Jason Biggs but I feel like a different actor could have brought more depth to that role. I was hoping that he would be gone from the new season.

 

My heart breaks for Taystee. The way she was looking for love, acceptance and family only to be preyed on by a manipulator.  I love Lorraine Toussaint and I'm so excited to see her in this role.

 

I was amused by everyone's ideal job scenarios. Yes, Poussey, I would like a job at the beach where I could just chill while collecting a check too.

 

Forget the Meth Heads teeth. What about Boo getting that poor poor dog to lick something besides peanut butter?

Edited June 11, 2014 by charming

[bravelittletoaster]

I'm trying really hard to forget that ever happened, actually.  Which is made easier by the fact that this ep is the only one I skipped in my rewatch.

[90PercentGravity]

I was hoping that "it got weird" meant that it was just something she thought about and then she felt uncomfortable having the dog around knowing her mind "went there." Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself...

[catalogrrr]

Forget the Meth Heads teeth. What about Boo getting that poor poor dog to lick something besides peanut butter?

I can't unsee it, no matter how much I try.

[halgia]

Loved this one. Taystee is my favorite (so far), and that scene of her not at RJ's funeral was simple but it really got me.

[DrLar]

Those teeth.. why don't they brush? or is it the drugs?

 

Weird that they use the toothbrushes as weapons instead of actually brushing their teeth with them..

[Portia]

I've always assumed those are meth teeth. I used to work at a residential facility for women in recovery, and we had quite a few otherwise nice-looking women with teeth just about that bad. Like Pennsatucky, one girl who was only in her early 20s was very excited to get a set of false teeth.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Portia

[Jodithgrace]

Did anybody ever explain how Boo got to have a dog? It seems that all the inmates would have pets if they were allowed. Boo's not blind or incapacitated in any way, so it's not a service dog. Did I miss the explanation?

[90PercentGravity]

Boo was in a program where prisoner's train service dogs. I doubt the real programs allow the prisoners to roam freely with the dogs, but, otherwise, such programs do exist.

[Misstify]

I think it was a therapy dog. Anxiety or some other emotional issue?

ETA: never mind! That's right, she was training the therapy dog.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Misstify

[bluedevilblue]

They didn't say how she got the dog, but I had assumed it was through a program like this - http://www.champdogs.org/prison-program/prison-program

[Scarlett45]

I love Lourraine Toussant as well- I think she will be an interesting edition to the cast.

Yes the meth teeth are incredibly scary.

[Hanahope]

So as usual, the way you ‘dress for an interview’ is to be skinny.  Loved the reworking of ‘make sure shit isn’t stolen’ into ‘monitoring inventory’ and ‘providing security.’  Of course, for all the help they provide, as long as there’s the ‘have you been convicted of a crime’ box on employment applications, ex-cons will have a very hard time getting any sort of job.  LOL on telling the ex-nun she should work in fashion.  Wouldn’t she just be able to return to the convent? 

 

I wasn’t sure at first that Tucky remembered Healy being there at the fight with Piper.  But she sure knows now.  Guess she’s getting a new grill out of it, heh.

 

You can definitely see why all the ‘work hard and you’ll get ahead, pull yourself up by your own bootstrap’ BS propagated by certain political parties, has a hard time competing with eating a meal made with real food (as opposed to fast food).  Too bad someone with Taystee’s math skills wasn’t recognized in school.  She certainly could do better than a minimum wage fast food job.  She certainly knocked that interview out of the park.  Loved Black Cindy saying the real big criminals won’t deal with them and only corporations more hated than them will.

 

Loved Crazy Eyes wanting to mentor crazy children. 

 

Also, as being a new mother once, the absolute moment the baby is fast asleep, most mothers will put the baby in a crib or bassinet or something.  They take the opportunity to give their arms a break.  So seeing Polly carrying the baby seemed just propish.  Also, drinking alcohol while breast feeding is a big no no.

[Fisher King]

I thought Fig's title was Assistant Warden, not Warden's Assistant.

 

She's the Warden's Ass? Can't stand her.

 

Taystee was the MVP of this ep. Love her. Love hers and Poussey's relationship even more.

 

I didn't realize Piper and Alex were MIA until close to the end.

 

Just why WERE Larry and dad in the gay bath house?

Edited December 24, 2014 by Fisher King