Brow Beat

The Second Season of Orange Is the New Black Looks Dark

It should not be surprising that a series set more or less entirely in prison would go to some dark places—and it’s true that Season 1 of Orange Is the New Black had its grim and heartbreaking moments. Still, the overwhelming impression created by this trailer for Season 2 is that much more difficult times are ahead, especially for the show’s ostensible protagonist, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling). And Lorraine Toussaint as the new character Vee certainly looks like bad news (though that could be a fakeout, given the way this show likes to upend expectations).

We’ll find out on June 6. By the way, this recent Vanity Fair piece about the real person who inspired one of the show’s main characters is worth reading—so long as you remember that Orange Is the New Black, the TV show, has always happily and plainly been fiction.