Orange Is the New Black season 7, episode 3 recap: And Brown Is the New Orange
By Ariba Bhuvad
Tamika settles in as the new Warden of Litchfield as Orange Is the New Black focuses more on the immigration storyline of the season.
Orange Is the New Black is not holding back in its final season, and that means shedding light on issues such as immigration. At the end of season 6, we learned that there would be a for-profit detention center at Litchfield, and as we get further into season 7, we’re seeing the negative impact of it.
The new Warden, Tamika, is trying to get situated but let’s just say the correctional officers aren’t exactly warming up to the idea of her new role. They don’t take her too seriously, even though she has some amazing and logical ideas for the prison that would actually help. It sucks because officers like Hopper are quick to remind Tamika that she got the job as part of a diversity hire. And while it hurts to hear, it is very much the truth.
This sets Tamika back a bit, and when Taystee and Badison get into a fight, she finds herself confused on how to resolve the matter. Meanwhile, Fig is sent over to the ICE detention center, and given how horrible she can be, it’s jarring to see how even she is uncomfortable at the horrible sight of the center and the jam-packed detainees.
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Throughout the episode, we see Maritza trying to plot a way to get out of prison, which includes finding a way to contact her mother so she can have her birth certificate brought in thus clearing up this immigration mess she’s stuck in. But you see, the detention center makes it nearly impossible to make calls, see visitors, or pretty much do anything. But with some bartering and trading along with recollecting the number of a lawyer that might be able to help them, Maritza tries to call the lawyer but runs into a dead end.
Whenever there is a dead end with Orange Is the New Black, it means that something is bound to happen to rattle things up. Maritza may have lost all the money Blanca had left but when they learn that their dear friends are working in the ICE kitchen, things take a turn. Maritza enlists Flaca’s help to get in contact with her mother, while Gloria works on trying to connect with Blanca’s man.
Alex continues to find herself in a crappy situation with McCullough forcing her to deal for her. It’s clear she has no idea to go about this business, and Alex wants nothing to do with it. But what are you going to do when a guard is blackmailing you? Not much.
Alex finds a way around all of this when she suggests that instead of trying to deal heroin, that they charge people to charge their contraband phones. That is guaranteed to make money because they’ll be able to charge their phones without getting caught.
As this episode of Orange Is the New Black comes to a close, we see Tamika finally make decisions of her own regarding the prison. Ignoring Hellman’s request, she ends up transferring Badison instead of Alex as he wanted, and decides to be more assertive and demanding so people don’t take advantage of her.
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I found this episode to be alarming because the insight it gives into the ICE process, especially when Blanca’s boyfriend ends up getting picked up by ICE as well. Seriously?! But hey, at least Piper got a job with her dad and Red is on the path to being normal again. Now if only Tasha and Cindy could be friends again, things would be perfect!
What did you think of this episode of OITNB? Let us know in the comments!