Watch Orange is the New Black with Mumsnet and win an iPad mini

[AliceMumsnet]

Last month we started Watch with Mumsnet, a new TV club, in which we'll be watching and discussing some great TV series together. Last month, we got stuck into Gossip Girl, and this month we'll be watching the all-new, exclusive-to-Netflix, Orange is the New Black.

Orange is the New Black follows the life of Piper Chapman, a middle-class Brooklynite who has to pay her debt to society when her past as an international drug runner comes back to haunt her.

Arrested and then imprisoned in a federal jail, Piper is forced to trade her comfortable New York life with fiance Larry for an orange jumpsuit and a strange new world of everyday indignities that force her to question everything she thinks she knows.

There's already much excitement and discussion about the series from Mumsnetters:

"I am addicted. Love it. Highly recommend." Cutitup

"Me too! It's real watch-as-many-as-you-can-in-a-row tv. I love the fact that each character has a story, and the black humour. It's very good on female relationships as well." PepeLePew

"TV show of the year!! Absolutely brilliant characters and acting!! I've watched it once all the way through on my own and again all the way through with DP who loved it too!" LeslieKnope

You can watch the whole series instantly on Netflix here, and if you subscribe to Netflix now, you get the first month free.

Once again Netflix are offering you a chance to win an iPad mini. All you have to do is watch and discuss the series with other Mumsnetters on this thread to be entered into the prize draw. All contributions are welcome, whether or not you've watched the whole series - but if you?re not sure where to start, here are a couple of the questions that we think the series prompts:

Do you think the show has strong female characters?
Who's your favourite?
How do you think you'd cope if you were sent to prison?
Do you think you'd deal with prison life better than Piper?

Happy watching!
MNHQ x

This prize draw is now closed.

[themonsteratemyspacebar]

I will happily join in!
I think the series does have strong female characters, it has a real mix of personalities which i imagine you would get in a prison.
I also loved the series bad girls and think that the show is very similar. The mix of intertwined stories is very clever too.

The only point in which i was a bit was the chicken episode. Seemed really bizarre and didn't fit into the series!

I'm not sure how i would act in prison. I don't do sucking up and am not a sheep, but i realise that i would have to start to not draw attention to myself and cause trouble. But i wouldn't like it and probably would slip up!

[YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar]

I love it! The female characters are strong and ballsy and the men are kind of pathetic.
Red is my favourite character. Her backstory is funny and sad. You can tell under that tough exterior that she cares about the women she feeds.
I don't know if I would cope. I'd keep my head down by working and doing any educational courses available.
I like Piper but its convenient how she becomes friendly with the "cooler" ladies. Her girlfriend is stunning. I sooo would. :o

[YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar]

Yes the chicken episode was confusing. I still don't get if she really was seeing it or not. Was it a metaphor? I dunno. Oh and the fisting. There's a fair bit of fisting going on.

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

I watched it all in about 3 days, very addictive.

I love how we get to see all the stories of how they ended up in there, and how we get to see how Piper being in prison effects everyone around her.

The women in the prison are great, a real mix of mostly strong characters.

The only bit I'm not so keen on is the whole pregnancy storyline, I'm not really sure how it will play out, but so far it has been pretty unrealistic.

I have lots of favourite bits but the one that springs to mind is Piper insulting the food to Red without realising she is the cook. Oh and 'Crazy Eyes' (who look so different in real life) peeing on the floor.

I also think it is great that it isn't like the usual american dramas where everyone is walking about perfectly groomed and made up all the time.

And the end of the series I can't wait for the next one to see the outcome of that.

[DontLetTheMugglesGetYouDown]

I love it! Love Captain Janeway (sorry but I can't picture her as anything other than CJ!)

It is very addictive, I watched them all in about 2 weeks and now I'm gagging for more. Can't wait to see what happens in the next series after that ending

[DontLetTheMugglesGetYouDown]

Oh and I don't think I would cope well with prison life at all. You'd find me curled up in a little ball under my bed every day.

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

I thought the story of how Pipers cellmate, her name escapes me just now, got put into prison was really well done. Where you see her cleaning the house after one of her girls was assaulted and then you see what she had done.

[Littlegreyauditor]

Oh I loved this series. I thought the female characters were strong and well written but my favourite is definitely Red. Her back story was quite sad I thought, all those sniping little kept women looking down on her.

On occasion I wanted to slap Piper quite hard but in general I thought she was reasonably likable. I also loved the older lady who shared a cell with Piper (the cleaner).

I suspect I would not do well in prison. I am very mouthy and I don't do well with cliques and gangs so I suspect I might have a hard time.

Either way I enjoyed the series so much that I bought the book, and have spent months trying to read it (not because it is bad, it is very good, buy DS does not like me to read when I could be holding things or following him about).

[IsawJimmykissingSantaClaus]

Amazingly addictive. I love the theme tune! I was petrified for Piper in the first few episodes when she was learning the ropes. I did not expect the ending to the series either - that has stuck with me.
I like Crazy Eyes. I liked most of the characters. Names escape me as I watched it over a few evenings ages ago but the pregnant prisoner's mum was one character I didn't like, although I realise I'm not supposed to!
I was interested in the way that they all belonged to a group even if they didn't set out to.
I think I would be a people pleaser in prison just to protect myself. I would be beyond petrified to be in that situation. I also don't have any skills like Piper had to make the bad back balm to placate Red. I'd be scuppered!

[TinyPawz]

Good show, looking forward to series 2 although I heard that Alex will not be in the series

[KhunZhoop]

Loved the series, much better than the book! More involving, less self-serving towards Piper, and more flesh on the bones of the other prisoner's stories too. So good to see a female-oriented ensemble show that isn't just about bloody shoes and boyfriends.

We decided to give an episode of Orange a go in spite of being slightly less than drawn in by the series description (we were admittedly bereft after finishing watching all seven series of Dexter just beforehand) and we ended up gorging on the entire series over two days! We'd been completely drawn into the prison-world by the end of the pilot, and we were completely disarmed by the quality of the show - having heard the words "Netflix Exclusive" we thought it was going to be some appallingly exploitative (and cheap!) show like on some cable channels, but we loved it. Well made, well acted, and, like with True Blood, a significant improvement on the source material. Well played Netflix!

Very much looking forward to the second series.

[WildThong]

I love it! The last women's prison series I watched was Prisoner Cell Block H!
Similarities of course in having strong female characters, I love the captain (CJ), but obviously this is smart and slick too. Great story lines.

[Lighthousekeeping]

As abit of gossip. The hot one that was Pipers girlfriend us no seeing Tom Cruise.

[Letitsnow9]

I watched them all in a short space of time as I was utterly hooked. I love all the characters and would love to know how close they are to real inmates the real piper was in with. Full marks to her boyfriend for being so supportive too, I wish piper hadn't got involved with the ex in prison though!

Was a bit more graphic (sexually) than I was expecting which was the only downside although not bad by any means

[RubyRR]

I've wanted to watch this for ages, any indications as age rating? just wondering if I can watch it with young teen

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

Ruby there is a lot of sex in it, there are also some very adult storylines and some violence too. I would personally say a 15/16yo would be ok with it but no younger.

[nobutreally]

Ooh, netfllx user already and really want to watch this as I've heard very good things - but I have all of Breaking Bad to watch first (on netflix, natch) ... Maybe I can persuade dh to watch both at once...

[YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar]

Alex will be in the second series according to Digital Spy.

[FrostedButts]

I really like it, loved the chicken! And piper's boyfriend's parents. Favourite character is probably miss claudette though Kate mulgrew is also very good. Would be glad to see the back of Uhlux, she of the one vowel sound!

[aristocat]

I love this too It is all all so well written you cannot help yourself to watch more and more. As we find out who everyone is, the flashbacks and circumstances that sent them to prison are essential to find out more about their characters.


Do you think the show has strong female characters? Yes, very. I think all of the characters are good and interesting in their own way.

Who’s your favourite? Piper but I also like Red too .... can I choose both please! Most of the women are such strong characters it is hard to choose.

How do you think you’d cope if you were sent to prison? Awful, I am too loud and this would obviously get me into trouble. I would need to learn to keep quiet for an easier life. Do you think you’d deal with prison life better than Piper? No.

[Cindy34]

I like YogaJones, she seems to have the attitude towards time inside that appeals to me.

I think Red will cause trouble for a while but Chapman will fix things somehow, otherwise she will starve. Wonder what skills she has to trade, creative footwear probably will not get that far.

[Cindy34]

CrazyEyes (Susie) is an interesting character.

Bennett is young, attractive and could be easily led astray. Wonder how long he will last as an officer. What do you think, is he there for a reason? Will he be having affairs with inmates or be there to help them get things from the outside that they need?

[maddy68]

I'm totally hooked!
Strong characters and great storylines leave you gagging fir the next episode
I'm loving pipers boyfriend, and the way he is struggling on the outside , I think that will be an interesting development as the series progresses.

[OvO]

I find Piper just so utterly unlikeable. But I like that I don't like her.

She's such a knobber, uses people all the time. If she was on MN she'd be told YABU a lot.