‘Orange is New Black’ is built to last

By Verne Gay

Tribune News Service

Season four of “Orange Is the New Black” is now streaming on Netflix

Litchfield’s guards stage an impromptu walkout in protest over Joe Caputo’s (Nick Sandow) self-promotion to “director of human activity,” just as 100 new inmates arrive, including a famous one, TV chef Judy King (Blair Brown), who’s in for tax fraud. A work crew left a gaping hole in the prison yard fence, and the girls head for the lake.

This season begins in that lake, where new friendships are forged, notably between Suzanne Warren (Uzo Aduba) and Kukudio (Emily Althaus). Black Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore) has converted to Judaism while a new inmate is a Muslim. Poussey (Samira Wiley) and Soso (Kimiko Glenn) develop their friendship. Sophia (Laverne Cox) is still in solitary (she doesn’t show up until the fourth episode). Alex (Laura Prepon) confronts a hit man in the greenhouse. Piper (Taylor Schilling) confronts everyone else, notably a growing Latina contingent.

Back in February, Net-flix handed “OITNB” three more seasons after this latest one. Most shows are happy to get one more year. Three’s an eternity or – given these circumstances – nearly a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, for fans or network. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Based on the first six episodes of the fourth season, “OITNB” remains fresh, funny/sad, smart, inventive, well-written and particularly well-acted. There’s nothing here to disappoint established fans, maybe even a little something (or someone) to attract new ones.

For a show that could never quite seem to decide where its heart truly belonged (comedy or drama) that might appear to be a big departure. In fact, it’s not. “OITNB” always obstinately reserved the right to be either/or, sometimes both. That all remains the same, and so does that trademark exploration of Big Issues: mental illness, transgender abuse, prison overcrowding and the complex, innate human drive to socially sort ourselves by ethnicity, status and sexual orientation.

The first six episodes are still funnier. This is a series built to last, easily for three more seasons.