From a queer minority feminist perspective Orange is the New Black is the best show out there right now. You've got a show that consists primarily of female characters, that features not only gay/straight dynamics but also more fluid sexual arrangements and experiences, including a trans-woman, and also casts women who represent the entire spectrum in terms of color, shape, conventional attractiveness, and size. Orange Is The New Black laughs in the face of the Bechdel test. It's like "Bechdel? Bet you didn't."

In addition it highlights women of all age ranges, particularly in the second season, and the impact that living in prison can have on such groups.

For these reasons, I love Orange is the New Black. But, good things don't last. Though I do love what this show brings to the screen, and the diversity of experiences it reflects (even though fictionalized), I expect maybe another really decent season out of it before it begins to jump the shark. And frankly, don't know if kleinbl00 has finished Season 2 yet, but like, there's a pretty big deus ex machina that I found frustrating at the end, which I interpret as a warning sign that the storyline/plot is going to go downhill. I mean, we already had competing prison gangs smuggling in black market items using multiple methods, I think we are outside of the realm of "realistic" in that regard now. But are they going to manage to keep it believable or are they just gonna throw the baby out with the wash?

tl,dr: I love Orange is the New Black because of the things I feel it is helping do for TV, women, minorities, and genderqueer folks. In that way I view the show as very important - it's too bad it's not on cable but it would never get on cable I don't think. From a plot perspective I had some problems at some points with this season, but all in all I enjoyed it. In regards to kb's comment about people to root for, there are a few kind-of secondary characters I like and would like to see succeed, but I don't know if I was ever really rooting for anyone in particular.

Orange is the New Black is about the basic, fundamental shittiness at the heart of everyone

KB, do you think the thesis of Orange is the New Black could be that prison makes people into animals? It degenerates basic humanity?