Ep 1. I Wasn't Ready

As a young woman in her thirties, Piper Chapman had it all - a great career, a devoted fiancé, and a comfortable lifestyle in New York City. But all of that comes crashing down when she is sentenced to serve time in a federal women's prison for a crime she committed ten years ago. In the first episode of Orange is the New Black, titled "I Wasn't Ready," we see Piper's introduction to life in prison and learn about the varied and complicated other women she will be spending the next fifteen months with.

The episode begins with a frantic and disorienting montage that shows us glimpses of Piper's previous life - her idyllic engagement, the extravagant apartment she's forced to leave behind, and even a shot of her taking a shower. We quickly learn that Piper was convicted of transporting drug money for her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause, who she ran into years after they had last seen each other. The show does a good job of building tension and dread as Piper is processed into Litchfield Penitentiary, a minimum-security women's prison in upstate New York.

Once she's inside, Piper is thrust into a completely different world, one with its own rules and hierarchies. She's assigned to bunk with Miss Claudette Pelage, an older and intimidating Haitian woman who immediately takes issue with Piper's phone conversation with her fiancé. Piper is also given a tour of the prison and meets several other women, including the flamboyant Sophia Burset (a trans woman and hairdresser), the religious and judgmental Pennsatucky (who had an altercation with Piper on the bus ride to Litchfield), and the obsessed-with-sex Big Boo. One of the strengths of the show is how it delves into the diverse backgrounds and personalities of the women in prison, making them feel like fully-realized characters rather than caricatures.

As Piper begins to adjust to her new life, she also has to confront the fact that Alex Vause is also serving time at Litchfield. Despite their tumultuous history, Piper's rekindled feelings for Alex form a central conflict in the episode, as she struggles with the possibility of rekindling their relationship while also trying to maintain her commitment to her fiancé. The show does a good job of portraying the complex and volatile emotions that Piper is feeling, particularly in a scene where she breaks down in the prison chapel after hearing the choir sing.

Other subplots in the episode include the tension between Red, the Russian kitchen chef who controls the prison's contraband, and Gloria, the new kitchen head who wants to assert her own authority. There's also the story of Daya, a pregnant woman who is one of the few Latina inmates, and whose relationship with the prison guard Bennett becomes fraught with ethical issues. And of course, there's the looming threat of the sadistic guard known only as "Pornstache," who seems to take pleasure in intimidating the inmates.

"I Wasn't Ready" is a strong opening episode for the series, establishing a compelling protagonist in Piper and a rich world of characters and conflicts. The show does not shy away from the harsh realities of life in a women's prison, but also manages to find moments of levity and even hope amidst the bleakness. The themes of identity, power dynamics, and the gray areas of morality are all present, making the show feel like a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the American justice system.