10: Orange is the New Black by Matt Taylor

There has (rightfully) been a call for more diversity on television, and many popular series have taken steps to become more representative of the real world. But you don’t even have to turn on your TV to watch the most diverse, socially conscious series of 2015. For the third year in a row, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black flawlessly walked the tightrope between drama and comedy, providing audiences with both riveting social commentary and dozens of new one-liners to hold us over until the next thirteen episodes are made available for our bingeing pleasures.

Now more than ever before, Orange is the New Black made use of its massive ensemble of talented actresses, unseating Mad Men as the most talented cast on television. This year, we saw new sides of many of Litchfield’s inmates, creating subplots that were both hilarious and heartbreaking. One of the funnier highlights found Suzanne (“Crazy Eyes”) writing erotic fan fiction that garnered a cult following, allowing cast MVP Uzo Aduba the chance to show off her comedic skills after her more harrowing plotline last season. But there were also darker moments; such as when Pennsatucky was raped by a guard she thought she was friends with. It was a brave choice on the writers part to ask the audience to sympathize with a character that was so detestable in the past, but Taryn Manning made the transition easier thanks to her flawless work. This season also found Piper stepping out of the spotlight and, essentially, becoming Litchfield’s Walter White by starting a crime ring (of sorts) with some of the inmates. Taylor Schilling took advantage of this storyline and revealed new sides of her character we hadn’t seen in the past, making her far more interesting than the timid, naïve prisoner we had already gotten accustomed to. And, while the cast is made up primarily of women, credit must be given to Nick Sandow, who deserves an Emmy for his work as Caputo. It takes a truly great actor to make us pity, not hate, a character when they make terrible decisions, and Sandow made his character a tragic figure, not a straightforward villain.

The best thing about Orange is the New Black, however, is that it manages to balance entertainment with thoughtful analysis of serious concepts. From the internalized transphobia that Sophia (Laverne Cox) is faced with throughout the season, to the way a cliffhanger hinges on whether or not the jail will be bought out by a major corporation, no fictional drama is dealing with hot-button topics like this one. In this golden age of television we’re living in, there are many entertaining series to watch. But no other series is currently calling for social change like Orange is the New Black is, and that’s what separates it from its peers. It truly is one of a kind.

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