“Do you know the difference between pain and suffering?” Pennsatucky asks in the new trailer for “Orange is the New Black” Season 4. “Pain is always there, but suffering is a choice.”
It seems a very deliberate choice, then, that this trailer highlights all of the suffering going on at Litchfield prison in Season 4. “Orange is the New Black” has always marketed itself as a comedy, and competed as such in the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards, where it was nominated for 12 awards and won three, including one for guest actress Uzo Aduba. It was again considered a comedy at the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards that year, where the show won best comedy ensemble and Aduba won female actor in a comedy.
But later in 2015, the Television Academy ruled against the show's petition and forced it to compete as a drama, where it had to go head to head with the likes of “Game of Thrones,” “Mad Men,” and “Homeland.” While “Orange is the New Black” has its serious and disturbing moments, it’s definitely featured a notably lighter mood than most of the shows in the category…until now?
Season 4 seems to be fully embracing its “drama” label by emphasizing the pain, suffering, and actual seriousness of life inside a prison. Gone are the days of chasing chickens through the yard or playing charades. Piper (Taylor Schilling) is afraid for her life, and the prison seems more divided than ever before. Netflix officially describes this season as one that, “delves into the racial and economic tensions that run rampant in the halls of Litchfield. Overrun with new inmates and overseen by inexperienced guards, the prison undergoes an unprecedented culture war.”
Some notable favorite characters are absent from the trailer, including Laura Prepon’s Alex, Natasha Lyonne’s Nicky, Laverne Cox’s Sophia, and Matt McGorry’s Bennett. But some new additions include more white supremacists, riot gear, and a Soda Stream!
Season 4 of “Orange is the New Black” hits Netflix on June 17. Watch the trailer below: