That is two weeks in a row where Blanca had one of the best jokes (The Heat Miser joke from E3 still makes me giggle - Red does look exactly like Heat Miser).

I do like the dialog when Red starts talking about how she, “feels 27” and then looks in the mirror. My Mom has told me that she feels exactly that way herself (she is in her 70’s) and I myself often feel that way. I am still listening to as much new music now as I was when I was 18, I still love most of the same things, but when I look in the mirror...I don’t look, at all, like I feel.

A friend at church grew up in Japan and she told me that in Japan aging people are not culturally isolated or neglected like they often are in the United States (relegated to shuffleboard, golf, and a walker). Maybe we should be more like Japan? I have no idea if this is accurate, and it is anecdotal, but I would certainly be willing to learn more.

Anyway, Red finally discovers that Piscatella was on duty when an inmate died in the showers at max (he was discovered burned over 80% of his body).

3. “Now I Am The Jeffie”

That line was uttered by Angie and Leanne and directed at the Latina’s after they recover the gun. Obviously, they meant to say “I am the Jefe” but as they are meth-heads apparently it is thought to be entertaining when they often purposely deploy racist comments (it’s funny because the meth-heads are stupid...see).

This was not the only example of the meth-heads being used as the vehicle for “stupid/racist” comments either (You can be “the Hispanic”).

I am conflicted here because it is certainly in character for the meth-heads to say things like this and in fairness, I heard casual racist comments all of the time in prison. What I don’t like is that the show seems to be sanitizing these comments as punchlines aka “Isn’t it funny that the stupid people are racists.” I think this either means:

a) The show wants to be able to make it okay to laugh at racist jokes (pretty sure this is not the point?)

b) The show wants to make a point of connecting uneducated people to racism (which makes it okay for enlightened folks to laugh at or with the stupid racists)

Either way, I don’t really like this kind of stereotyping. Many uneducated people are not racist. Many meth-heads are not racists. One of the guys who lived across the hall from me for the last few years was a very nice non-racist, uneducated, but smart and capable recovering meth-head (unfortunately, I suspect he is either on the run or back in prison now).

Also, many educated people are racists too, and some people get off on making poor and uneducated people the object of jokes and often of cruel policies. We shouldn’t reduce people to “types” because there are often real consequences:

* Formerly incarcerated people cannot get jobs because they are irredeemable “felons.”

* Poor people are to blame for their own poverty because they are considered “lazy welfare queens.”

* Addicts are often considered immoral narcissists who need “tough love.”

* And despite all the wars and bombings and, of course, having the largest prison population and harshest sentences in the world, what many think we all suffer from is the so-called “wussification” of America.

There are people in prison who are very racist, but something about this deployment of humor seems gross and really rubs me the wrong way.

Again, I find it troubling that they are reducing what had been complex characters (yes, even Angie and Leanne) to cartoonish stereotypes.

2. “Take Me To Max”

WTF?

So, seriously, Sophia wants to reconnect with Sister Ingalls so badly that she volunteers herself as an escapee to go to max (only to find out Sister Ingalls got pneumonia and was given compassionate release)?

By the way, escape is a new charge.

I am really confused, everyone else at Litchfield seems to have full internet access (at least from cell towers) and Sophia didn’t even think to look up if Sister Ingalls was still an inmate?

I hope I am wrong, but Sophia is one of the best characters on OITNB and I feel like lately the writer’s have been going out of their way to erase her from the series (she just got out of SHU for a full season as you might recall). Just when she found a productive role for herself as a riot nurse the writer’s move her to maximum security? Why can’t she just be written into the main storylines?

On the bright side, now she can hang out with Miss Claudette (and Laverne Cox is also a regular on the show Doubt which is getting a second look this summer. On the bad side, it is a show on CBS which means it is probably bad - sign - but, hope she does well!).

1. “He Took An Ambien”

The governor’s “assistant” informs his Chief of Staff that he might be out of it after taking an Ambien as she shows up to inform him about the riot.

Look, I have NO IDEA why a prison riot at a Federal Facility (managed by a private prison company) would fall under State Jurisdiction (Federal Inmates fall under Federal Jurisdiction).