When Orange Is the New Black last left off, the Litchfield inmates were basking in a joyous, symbolic cleanse in a nearby lake following a divine confluence of events (namely, a staff walkout and an improperly constructed fence). The beautifully drawn-out scene was undoubtedly the most memorable from Season 3, but as is to be expected with a show like this, it was also clear that the warm, peaceful moment would not last too long. As we saw in that finale’s last moments, the prison facility is only going to get more crowded, and lots ofloose plot ends remained: What will happen to Alex (Laura Prepon), one of the few inmates not frolicking in the lake, who has just been cornered by the hit man sent to retaliate by her former drug boss? How will the newly promoted Caputo (Nick Sandow) deal with the consequences of the breakout and staff walkout? And what will become of Stella (Ruby Rose), who has just been framed by Piper for stealing money from her panty business?
The first trailer for Season 4 doesn’t get too specific in addressing these questions, but it does suggest that pretty much every aspect of the show is going to get kicked up several notches in terms of stakes and intensity. The conflict between old and new Litchfield inmates is going to come to a head, and Piper’s got even more enemies than she’s had in the past. Elsewhere, lots of tears are shed and Taystee is apparently working as a receptionist in Caputo’s office. And while there are no visual tipoffs about Alex’s fate—she’s nowhere to be seen in the trailer—I think I hear her voice in a very brief exchange with Red (Kate Mulgrew), in which she asks the prison matriarch if she can “keep a secret.”
For all its sprawling plotlines, hopefully we’ll get some closure early on in Season 4, thought it’s hard to tell at the moment—let’s not forget that OITNB was recently renewed for a whopping three more seasons.
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