Summer is a strange time for TV fans. The majority of major series are on hiatus, and it’s easy for an avid TV watcher schedule to be completely thrown off by the summer holidays. Luckily for us, there is one particular series which comes back every summer for our binge watching pleasure: Orange is the New Black. Orange will be premiering its fourth season in the near future, and fans have been wondering what will happen to the inmates of Litchfield. One character who never ceases to attract precarious situations is Piper Chapman, and now we have an idea of where she will end up during Season 4.
In a recent interview with THR actress Taylor Schilling, who plays Piper in the Netflix original series, opened up regarding where Piper will go in the forthcoming season:
She’s becoming a little bit of a kingpin and has this swagger. But the feeling I always have about Piper Chapman is that she tries on everything like a piece of clothing — she doesn’t quite fit the jacket, but she tries it on. And I love that about her.
Looks like the panty business is still up and running. And Piper is going to be getting even more obsessed with the world within Litchfield.
Piper’s arc in Orange is the New Black is one of the more surprising ones, especially last season. The series began with a very normal and sheltered Piper being thrown into the crazy world that is incarceration. Much of the joy of Season 1 came from watching Piper attempt to adjust and blend in among the colorful cast of characters, as well as adjust to life behind bars. Slowly but surely we saw her entire existence center around the prison; her relationships with her best friend and fiancee ended, she continued to have strained familial connections, and she eventually started her own illegal business within the facility.
Piper’s kingpin status may mean a few things for Orange is the New Black as a whole. To start, there needs to be a reason for Piper to stay in Litchfield as the series has more and more seasons. Piper was only supposed to be incarcerated for a year, so it’s likely that Piper’s business will be discovered, and she’ll be awarded more time as a consequence. This will cement Piper’s inmate status, and allow the show to continue without timing becoming suspect.
Additionally, Piper’s ascension into a kingpin will continue her path toward corruption and anti heroism. We were shown how gritty and cutthroat Piper has become in Season 3’s finale, when she got back at Stella for stealing from her; she filled Stella’ bunk with contraband, stopping her release and forcing her into maximum security. And Piper was also one of the only characters left out of the finale’s joyous lake scene, illustrating that she’s no longer the innocent or sweet woman that she once was.
What do you think of Piper’s role as a prison kingpin? Sound off in the comments section below.
Orange is the New Black will be released in its entirety June 17th on Netflix.
