S07.E04: How to Do Life

[Meredith Quill]

Quote

Piper goes to work for her dad. Vinnie visits Lorna with news. A desperate Taystee asks Daya for a favor. Caputo leads a restorative justice class.

[TwoBitUsherette]

Flaca and Maritza, together again! Too bad their happiness at seeing each other couldn't last very long. I feel awful for Blanca and Maritza to be stuck in there.

It's kind of sad how excited I was to see Bell and O'Neill return. The guards from before Litchfield went private were always my favorite.

Poor Lorna. Poor Taystee. Even poor Piper.

[Brn2bwild]

I'm glad I actually care what happens to Piper again.  That hasn't happened for a few seasons now.  When she drank the alcohol I thought: "Oh God, I hope her probation officer doesn't stop by!"  You know that's coming.

[MSterling]

Did anyone else catch the director cameo? He's a cardboard cutout for the lottery in front of the deli where Mendoza was going to buy.

[Chaos Theory]

I never understood why people dislike Piper so much.  I really like the idea that even for her getting out of prison isn’t the dream she thought it would be.   Even working for her father is a hassle.  

[Brn2bwild]

From this episode (or the last one; I don't recall), we're supposed to get that "Sterling" doesn't really exist, right?  Morello just made him up and took random photos from Google?

[Ceindreadh]

Just now, Brn2bwild said:

From this episode (or the last one; I don't recall), we're supposed to get that "Sterling" doesn't really exist, right?  Morello just made him up and took random photos from Google?

Sterling did exist, but he died. Morello is in such denial that she hasn’t told anybody and she’s using random photos to pretend he’s still alive. 

[Brn2bwild]

1 minute ago, Ceindreadh said:

Sterling did exist, but he died. Morello is in such denial that she hasn’t told anybody and she’s using random photos to pretend he’s still alive. 

Ah okay.  I should have done a rewatch of the previous season.  Thanks.

[ExplainItAgain]

The ending to this one was rough. Poor Taystee.

This episode wasn't the best though because you could sort of see where all the plotlines were heading. Like Maritza not being born here, Taystee trying to hang herself, Lorna pretending the baby wasn't dead and Piper eventually snapping (Chekhov's tequila/giant cookie?).

[Chaos Theory]

3 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

From this episode (or the last one; I don't recall), we're supposed to get that "Sterling" doesn't really exist, right?  Morello just made him up and took random photos from Google?

Morello has always had issues with reality.  She was in prison in the first place for stalking a guy she thought she was in a relationship with.   Sterling was born premature and died soon after.  Morello is exactly the type of person who would build the fantasy that the baby still exists.  

[mj2000]

Between Taystee and Lorna I was in tears. I know all too well what emotional state that Taystee had to be in for her to try to hang herself. I was hoping that Lorna's baby would make it but little Sterling joined many other preemies who fought as hard as they could. She will never get over this 😞

[zibnchy]

This is bothering me. I refuse to believe that, in the fictional world of OITNB, the warden would not have allowed the husband (are they married?) to give Lorna this news in person (not behind glass), in private. We know about her previous bouts of alternate reality, but does the prison? Maybe they don't care. I really don't want to watch Lorna go slowly mad with grief. It makes me so sad that Sterling died.

Did we really get rid of Baddison? Thank god.

Edited July 28, 2019 by zibnchy

[Ceindreadh]

3 hours ago, zibnchy said:

This is bothering me. I refuse to believe that, in the fictional world of OITNB, the warden would not have allowed the husband (are they married?) to give Lorna this news in person (not behind glass), in private. We know about her previous bouts of alternate reality, but does the prison? Maybe they don't care. I really don't want to watch Lorna go slowly mad with grief. It makes me so sad that Sterling died.

Did we really get rid of Baddison? Thank god.

Vinnie is definitely Lorna’s husband - Lorna got pregnant from the conjugal visit allowed once they’d tied the knot. 

Maybe Vinnie never said anything to the warden and just came for a normal visit. 

I’m sure that if Warden Ward had been asked, she’d have allowed a more private setting for him to break the news. 

[RealReality]

On 7/27/2019 at 2:22 AM, MSterling said:

Did anyone else catch the director cameo? He's a cardboard cutout for the lottery in front of the deli where Mendoza was going to buy.

The guy from pretty in Pink?

[DoctorAtomic]

7 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

Maybe Vinnie never said anything to the warden and just came for a normal visit.

He looked like he was having a tough time dealing with it as well, so I can buy that he just couldn't bring himself to talk to the warden. Maybe had he had more time to process he might.

[meggonzo]

I thought Gloria had 2 sons, not daughters? I don't remember daughters mentioned before.

[Brn2bwild]

1 minute ago, meggonzo said:

I thought Gloria had 2 sons, not daughters? I don't remember daughters mentioned before.

I think this is the first time we've learned about them.

[MSterling]

9 hours ago, RealReality said:

The guy from pretty in Pink?

Yes, Andrew McCarthy. He directed 15 episodes of the show, two each in seasons two through seven and three the first season; he's the director with the most number of episodes for the show.

[RealReality]

14 minutes ago, MSterling said:

Yes, Andrew McCarthy. He directed 15 episodes of the show, two each in seasons two through seven and three the first season; he's the director with the most number of episodes for the show.

Thats so neat!  I recognized him from the cutout so I assumed he was going to be mr. George and have some lines!  Good for him.  I still kinda have a crush on him from pretty in Pink.  And in my heart I'll always hate James Spader.

[jsm1125]

I'm confused as to why Piper wasn't supposed to have that cookie cake? Was it laced with pot? Are certain kinds of foods not allowed for parolees? 

[ExplainItAgain]

3 hours ago, meggonzo said:

I thought Gloria had 2 sons, not daughters? I don't remember daughters mentioned before.

She mentioned in one of the earlier seasons that she had two daughters that lived upstate. I guess they eventually moved to the US. She found the FB for her one daughter who had a kid this season.

9 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

I'm confused as to why Piper wasn't supposed to have that cookie cake? Was it laced with pot? Are certain kinds of foods not allowed for parolees? 

It was being saved for another coworker the next day, so she spoiled a surprise and ate the party food, lol.

[preeya]

12 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

I'm confused as to why Piper wasn't supposed to have that cookie cake? Was it laced with pot? Are certain kinds of foods not allowed for parolees? 

Although the show is likely exaggerating things, it seems restrictions after parole are somewhat extreme. She had more (personal) freedoms while locked up. Makes me think of Shawshank when the parolees couldn't make it on the outside after being locked up for so many years.

[foxfreakinmulder]

Poor Lorna, I hope she doesn't lose Vinnie too.

I didn't feel too sorry for Piper this episode. She has a nice job working for her dad and yeah she didn't get half the day off to go see Alex but it's not like they can't talk on the phone. No need to violate your parole by drinking or eating the giant cookie that was for a coworker. She knows her dad is not happy with her due to the fact that she screwed up her life by the choices she made. He didn't have to but took a chance and hired her, that should tell her there is still some hope of getting back in his good graces. I get she wants to see Alex but knowing things are still shaky with her dad wait a couple of weeks before asking for half a day off. Don't throw a tantrum it's not your dads fault you went to prison for selling drugs. 

I like the kitchen crew.

[Ceindreadh]

1 hour ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

Poor Lorna, I hope she doesn't lose Vinnie too.

I didn't feel too sorry for Piper this episode. She has a nice job working for her dad and yeah she didn't get half the day off to go see Alex but it's not like they can't talk on the phone. No need to violate your parole by drinking or eating the giant cookie that was for a coworker. She knows her dad is not happy with her due to the fact that she screwed up her life by the choices she made. He didn't have to but took a chance and hired her, that should tell her there is still some hope of getting back in his good graces. I get she wants to see Alex but knowing things are still shaky with her dad wait a couple of weeks before asking for half a day off. Don't throw a tantrum it's not your dads fault you went to prison for selling drugs. 

I like the kitchen crew.

Not to be picky, but Piper wasn’t in prison for selling drugs. Her crime was to move the money that was the proceeds from selling drugs. IIRC, she brought a suitcase of drug money to Europe. 

[Ray Adverb]

I was sad at the end when Tasha's suicide attempt failed.  She's such a detestably awful character.

Piper's parole officer is unusually persistent for a parolee with a short supervision time for a nonviolent first offense.  My roommate is on parole and pretty much all she has to do is not commit crimes, check in twice a month, and not leave the state.  Her parole officer makes surprise visits once a month.

Not to mention that, since there is no parole in the federal system, she should not exist. 

I cannot believe what a piece of shit Piper's sister in law is charging someone without 2 nickels to rub together rent.  This is family for Christ's sake.  She strikes me as one of those obnoxious people who prides themselves on being incredibly virtuous, as long as none of that takes any effort or sacrifice.

[kieyra]

Just spitballing, but

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-federal-supervised-release.html

[foxfreakinmulder]

7 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

Not to be picky, but Piper wasn’t in prison for selling drugs. Her crime was to move the money that was the proceeds from selling drugs. IIRC, she brought a suitcase of drug money to Europe. 

Thanks Ceindreadh. I couldn't remember if her crime was selling or moving drugs so I went with selling. At least I got the drugs part right lol.

[tennisgurl]

That was a depressing episodes even by this seasons standards. Poor Lorna and Vinnie and their lost baby, poor Maritza finding out that her mom lied to her her whole life and that she is still stuck in detention, poor Piper and her post prison struggles, and poor depressed hopeless Taystee. Taystee might have started working on my last nerve the last few seasons, especially during the riot, but I still feel awful for her. Her life was ruined for a  crime that she really didn't commit.  

Of course Lorna would dive into fantasy world where her son is still alive, the whole reason she is in jail in the first place is because she deluded herself into thinking that a guy she hardly knew was her boyfriend and started stalking him. She desperately needs mental help, especially now. 

While it lead to more sad, I was at least thrilled that Flaca and Maritza reunited. 

[Dobian]

On 7/27/2019 at 7:22 AM, Chaos Theory said:

I never understood why people dislike Piper so much.  I really like the idea that even for her getting out of prison isn’t the dream she thought it would be.   Even working for her father is a hassle.  

Piper is very likable this season.  The character has really redeemed herself the past two seasons.  People really began disliking her when she started acting like the big prison gangsta and just came off looking silly.  She was too whiny and spoiled.  But the past two seasons she has grown into someone you can kind of root for.  And her dad's an asshole.

The character I have never liked from the beginning and who continues to be my most disliked character is Daya.  She just cemented her status as a POS when Taystee came to her with her suicide plans and Daya coldly told her it would be a thousand bucks for the drugs.  Hey, how about informing the warden to put Taystee on suicide watch?  Nope, not Daya.  Considering she killed her girlfriend just a couple of episodes ago, not surprising.

Lorna's story is heartbreaking.

[possibilities]

I thought Daya's high price for the suicide cocktail was to HELP Taystee to not actually be able to get access to the drugs.

Suicide watch is usually a trip to the SHU, which is much worse.

[Hanahope]

So when they were showing the montage of Piper throwing away the pens, I figured that her dad must not pay for daily trashcan emptying.  But yeah, why on earth would he keep pens that don't work (or ran out of ink)?  What's the point of that?  No wonder it set Piper off.