Orange is the New Black: “It Was the Change”

It’s not like Vee was all sunshine and roses before this, but “It Was the Change” revealed just how horrid she truly is. Flashbacks take us to happier days of R.J. and Taystee living with Vee. They argue over chicken wings, and tease Vee that she’s going through menopause. We learn that R.J. has always had a bit of a crush on Vee (“If you weren’t practically my mom, I don’t know what would happen”).

Later, Vee learns that R.J. has been trying to branch out on his own. She’s furious, and goes to see him, at first angry but then seemingly mollified by R.J.’s assurances that he’s not encroaching on her business and that he wants her to share in the profits. They sleep together (blech!), and Vee sends him out to buy her popsicles. But the cop Vee has working for her shoots R.J., and plants a gun on him. So this is how evil Vee truly is—not only will she have the man she practically raised killed and framed, but she will sleep with him first. Why? Because she always wanted to? Because she could? To prove that she’s still all woman even though she’s going through “the change?” We’ve seen Vee do this before—lulling her enemy into a sense of calm. Clearly this is part of her M.O. But killing R.J. is beyond horrific. And I have to wonder if Taystee is at all suspicious, or if she believes R.J. was killed by the cops.

Vee uses this same approach with Red after Red attacks her and attempts to strangle Vee. She asks for a truce, even joking, “You just tried to strangle me with plastic wrap so you can sell mascara in jail.” The duo shake hands, but you know it can’t be that easy. By the end of the hour, Vee is viciously attacking Red in the greenhouse. I didn’t exactly believe Vee’s plea for a truce, but still—her takedown of a defenseless Red was devastating.

Once again Poussey gets drunk on her own hooch, and ends up trashing all of Vee’s tobacco supply. Vee is furious and blames Taystee. “I seem to recall you saying she wasn’t going to be a problem,” she tells Taystee before casting her out, saying she needs to “neutralize” the situation. As long as Taystee’s working for Vee, Poussey is going to be a problem. “You said you would protect me,” Taystee pleads. Taystee shows all the signs of an abused child—she still wants to be with her abuser no matter how awful she’s been treated.

Meanwhile, the long-promoted super storm Wanda finally hits Litchfield, flooding all the bathrooms and taking out the power. The inmates must all camp out in the cafeteria, trying to entertain themselves with games of “f—, marry, kill,” participating in a Soso-lead sing-along, and getting high on nutmeg.

Like Taystee, Pennsatucky is looking for someplace to belong. She tells Healy that she might try to get in with the lesbian crowd which, of course, leads to another homophobic rant by Healy. “No offense, but men being in charge has never done me any good,” she tells him. Boo sees this as an opportunity to have fun with Pennsatucky, and regales her with stories of how to become “initiated” into the lesbian community and the “gay agenda.”

While Litchfield is drowning, Fig is off to a glam fundraiser for her husband. She refuses to return Caputo’s calls and then when he finally gets a hold of her, she tells him he has to deal with it on his own. We learn that it was Fig’s husband’s idea to embezzle money for his campaign through Litchfield. Clearly her husband doesn’t take her career seriously. But still Fig is feeling mighty pleased with herself until she sees her beloved husband making out with his campaign aide. Many viewers have suspected Fig’s husband was gay ever since he spurned his wife’s advances a few episodes back, but to Fig this is a devastating revelation.