Season 5 Ending Aside, 'Orange is the New Black' Gets a Season 6
And a Season 7, at least.
While the final scenes of Orange is the New Black Season 5 have an air of finality and uncertainty to them, that’s nothing new for Jenji Kohan’s hit Netflix endeavor. Despite official confirmation that the show will be continuing past Season 5, some fans online are still expressing concern over its future.
This post obviously contains spoilers for Orange is the New Black Season 5, so don’t blame us if you can’t look away.
The final scenes of Season 5 — which include the prisoners of Litchfield being separated from their prison families and beaten by SWAT officers, as well as some of the season’s core gang of prisoners (Frieda, Suzanne, Black Cindy, Taystee, Red, Alex, Piper, Nicky, Gloria, and Blanca) standing strong against an oncoming storm of officers after the welcome relief of Desi Piscatella’s death — have a lot of people worried. The episode feels final to some fans. Here’s why you don’t need to be worried.
First: Netflix had already announced Orange is the New Black’s renewal before Season 5’s premiere. They’re not going to be pulled out from under anyone. So, no matter what, Season 6 and Season 7 are on the docket for the next couple of years. Despite this easily accessible information, a lot of fans online are worried that the uncertain ending of Season 5 doesn’t bode well for the show’s continuation.
Second: The emotional resonance of these images are cruel cliffhangers, yes, but they’re also promises for more to come.
Alex and Piper have to get married (and, let’s be honest, probably break up again), Morello has to have her baby, Red needs to continue working on her soul-searching, Poussey’s death is still heavy on everyone’s minds, and the prison families have a lot of recovering to do.
And, last but not least: OITNB’s creator, Kohan, is frankly known for letting her shows go on for what some consider too long. Weeds, which ran from 2005 to 2012, is the perfect example of a runaway train. And while Orange is the New Black’s fifth season is what some are already considering to be its best, sometimes shows needs to die while they’re ahead.
That being said, Orange is the New Black Season 6 is expected to premiere sometime in 2018. Season 5 is currently available to stream on Netflix.
