The 10 Best "Orange Is the New Black" Moments (So Far)

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The shower montage at the start of the pilot episode is brilliant in that it perfectly introduces the character of Piper Chapman. We first see her former perfect life: growing up in a wealthy, WASP-y family, spending time with her loving boyfriend, etc. Which makes the sharp cut to her current situation in prison, where she's miserably shivering in a shower cubicle surrounded by strangers, all the more jarring. Right off the bat, viewers are thrust into the thick of things, just as Piper is.

This is one of the most horrifying moments in OITNB history, coming at you smack dab in the middle of the first episode. When Piper unwittingly insults head chef Galina "Red" Reznikov's cooking on her very first day in prison, Red retaliates by putting a bloody tampon in Piper's breakfast sandwich. It's the perfect welcome-to-prison gift.

The entirety of episode three, which features transgender inmate Sophia Burset's backstory, is simply outstanding. Viewers get a glimpse of her daily struggle to become the person she wants to be—from her life as a male firefighter and her transition to becoming a woman to dealing with her son's anger and wife's confusion. The episode truly hits a high point when Burset's wife willingly helps her dress as a woman for the first time, reminding viewers that their love, like all love should be, is beyond the physical.

Officer Mendez is easily the most hated character om OITNB. His list of despicable moments is endless, and it includes molesting inmates and smuggling drugs into the prison. In one memorable scene, during a heated conversation with Red over their competing interests in the smuggling business, he threatens the cook by dropping trou' and peeing into her prized Thanksgiving gravy. Classic OITNB absurdity. (Side note: What is it with OITNB and pee?!)

Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett's foray into faith-healing ends on a sour note when she attempts to heal a visiting juvenile delinquent who's confined to a wheelchair, pushing the terrified girl to the ground. Tiffany is then sent to the psych ward, where she's locked in a small metal cage to be psychoanalyzed.

Now, we're not huge fans of Pennsatucky (after all, she did lock Vause in a dryer in episode eight, "Moscow Mule"), but her scene in the cage is an excellent reminder of just how dehumanizing prison can be.

Viewers were all rooting for Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson when she was released from prison in episode nine, though her hilarious quips and shenanigans with best friend Poussey would be sorely missed. However, despite her freedom, Taystee ends up back in jail.

In a heart-wrenching scene, Taystee explains to Poussey what life after prison was like: While in jail she felt like she mattered, she meant nothing on the outside. She recounts her experience sleeping on the floor of her cousin's apartment and feeling lost, saying, "Everyone I know is poor, in jail, or gone." It goes down as one of the more profound and telling moments on OITNB. 

At the beginning of episode 13, the inmates audition for the prison's annual Christmas pageant. All of our favorite inmates, including Crazy Eyes, Black Cindy, and Yoga Jones, display their so-called "talents" with panache and Christmas flair. During the pageant, Poussey sings a heart-wrenching edition of "Amazing Grace," and Norma, who has been mute the entire season, spontaneously breaks out into song. Touching moments like these are what give OITNB the emotional depth that captures viewers and keeps them invested in the show's characters. 

Tensions have been building between Piper and Pennsatucky all season, escalating from innocent taunting to Pennsatucky threatening Piper with a razor blade in the showers. The season culminates in a final showdown during the Christmas pageant. Pennsatucky believes Piper disrespected her, while Piper is slowly losing everything that matters to her: her fiancé, her girlfriend, even her sanity.

The last few moments of the season show Piper unleashing some serious rage—i.e. beating Pennsatucky to a bloody pulp—making the wait for season two all the more difficult to bear.