So I think season six was weaker than some previous ones, but overall i really enjoyed it. It felt like a more focused storyline, with fewer characters being the centre of attention, which I liked. I did miss a lot of the characters we didn’t see this year (like Boo, excluding that one scene), but I think it worked well. I also loved the introduction of the gang warfare element, the conclusion of which was tense and satisfying and brilliant.Â
The continued focus on the injustices faced by prisoners - especially ones from minority groups - was great as always, even in the way that (SPOILERS) Piper, a white woman who enjoys so many privileges, gets out early while Taystee gets sent down for a murder she didn’t commit and Blanca is taken to an immigration detention centre instead of being released. And Piper isn’t even all that grateful.
As with the ending of series 3, this felt final and like the perfect ending to the show and so I’m not sure why they feel the need to do a series 7. Perhaps we’ll follow Piper as she writes the memoir that inspires the show, perhaps she won’t be in it at all. Either way, I’m not sure any more is needed. I’ll watch with interest to see what they do, but their desire to have one final wrapping-up series may be overkill when this seemed a pretty perfect ending. We start with Piper going to prison and end with her leaving. Still, we shall see what is to come.
