As usual, Netflix’s hit show Orange Is The New Black had me hooked and enthralled — until the end. (Spoiler Alert!)
Before you go and call me a negative Nancy, let me say that there were a lot of good things about season 5. On the whole I really enjoyed it.
Despite some critics saying that the season didn’t work well with the condensed timeline I thought that the pacing was good and there was some great background stories about the inmates. And I really enjoyed that the focus moved away from Piper more than previous seasons.
I was so addicted to this season that I watched it all in just three days. So there’s no doubt that I enjoyed myself along the way this season, especially with all the great twists.
Yet, the ending didn’t do the season any justice. The entire final episode was framed around the riot coming to an end, and yet the finale didn’t give us real closure on the situation.
The viewers are built up to a climax only for the season to cut out at the worst possible moment. With most of the hostages freed and secured, the state gave the go ahead for the prison to be taken back by forceful means. From past experiences with riots, everyone involved knows that means there will more than likely be casualties.
And with last seasons shocking death of fan favorite Poussey Washington, that means that viewers no longer feel like their other favorite characters are safe. Naturally, the viewers are in a panic at this time just hoping that no other good characters get killed off.
To make matters worse, the force that is sent in to stop the riot seems to be particularly violent as well. They have no problem abusing the prisoners, even the ones that want to peacefully surrender to them.
When it’s discovered that 10 inmates are missing after the prison has been emptied, the force comes to the conclusion that an attack is being planned. So they go back into the prison believing that they’re in danger and will probably have to kill someone in order to defend themselves.
And they do kill someone — when the captain of the prison guards Piscatella goes to leave he’s shot by the force. Despite the fact that he was just trying to get out of there, their first instinct is to shoot.
As all of that goes down, the remaining inmates are still hidden in the old pool. This group includes some of the best characters on the show — Frieda, Suzanne, Cindy, Taystee, Red, Piper, Alex, Nicky, Gloria, and Blanca.
Fans would be devastated if we lost any of these characters. Instead of finding out their fate though, the show cuts out, just before revealing what happens when the doors to their hideout is blasted open! The final image is of the those inmates holding hands, waiting.
What gives Netflix? It’s pretty clear that they’re trying to leave it on a cliff hanger to draw viewers into the next season. Yet, they don’t have to resort to such a disappointing ending. The season was good enough to bring back fans for another season.
Instead they’re going to be left pissed off and annoyed. Enough that they’ll stop watching the show? Probably not, but fans do get tired of antics like this eventually so they should think carefully before pulling this again.