The character of Alex Vause is loosely based on Catherine Cleary Wolters, ex-girlfriend of Piper Kerman, the author of Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison and an executive consultant on the series.

[3] In actuality, Kerman and Wolters did not serve their prison sentences together as depicted in the series; however, they were reunited in a flight to Chicago, where they were detained for several weeks in a detention facility to testify in the drug trafficking case.

In her interview with Vanity Fair, Wolters said that they were not girlfriends but friends with benefits, a notion with which Kerman disagreed, stating that they may have different perspectives about their time together and their relationship was complicated.

"[11] In her memoir, Kerman described Wolters as a "droll" woman, with a "drawling, wisecracking husky voice" and a "playful, watchful way of drawing a person out"; "when she paid you attention, it felt as if she were about to let you in on a private joke.

[7][12] In 2015, HarperOne released Out of Orange, Wolters' memoir covering from the circumstances of her involvement in the drug trafficking ring and her relationship with Kerman, to her arrest, prison experience, and the present.

[15] The two begin a romantic and sexual relationship in episode nine; they are also both involved in a dispute with another inmate, Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett (Taryn Manning), who locks Vause in a dryer and then attempts to kill Chapman in the season finale.

[24][25] Vause becomes increasingly concerned that Balik has sent someone into the prison to spy on her and bring her harm; she suspects that this person is Lolly Whitehill (Lori Petty) and attacks her in the toilet.

Due to a lack of intimacy and the obvious restrictions in their relationship, Alex encourages Piper to seek physical comfort from somebody else whilst she is away with the agreement that it is a temporary arrangement and to ensure she isn't lonely.

[35] Matthew Wolfson of Slant Magazine described Vause as intelligent, "with the instincts of a pragmatist, but without a strategy—a striking and emotionally direct person who may have closed off too many options for a workable future”.

[36] Dana Piccoli of AfterEllen said that Vause could be considered a villain in the first season as she is the reason Chapman is in prison, but she is also a "fascinating character that we want to understand and spend time with.

[41] PopMatters's J.M Suarez described Vause as street-smart, "fearless" and "intimidating", contrary to Chapman who is "sheltered" and "often afraid and deferential", and it is "in highlighting these differences in prison, that their eventual backstories have even more impact.

"[56] Chris Harvey of The Daily Telegraph called Prepon's portrayal "unforgettable" and wrote that Vause's wicked attitude and bespectacled look have made the character a "cult favourite".

[58] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic said Vause was "correct [...] when she diagnosed how inconsistent Chapman's worldview is", and her "return, in letter and in flashback, offers another lesson in moral relativity and personal transformation.

[60] In her review of the season's finale, Zernike wrote that although Vause may not be the "typical re-entering felon", her speech to Chapman about needing to violate her probation, flee, and likely return to her former felonious life "does raise some good points" regarding issues with the prison system.

[62] Charlotte Richardson Andrews wrote in Sight & Sound that Vause is one of the show's "believable and investment-worthy" queer characters, and the "tangled, romantic dance that [she and Chapman] do is compelling, nuanced and sexy where, in other hands, it might have felt exploitative".

Vause and Chapman's dynamic in the third season feels "fresh", as they confront their issues in the present without passive aggressiveness and without a focus on the past, and they are forced to "question their faith not just in each other but also in themselves when dealing with each other.

The character Stella "appears right on time to drive a wedge between [Chapman and Vause] just as a functional relationship becomes possible", and the show "manages to make [the looming love triangle] feel consequential.

"[67] In her review of the third season, Jessica Kiang of Indiewire wrote that Vause and Chapman "come spectacularly together but find, again with some insight, that they’re a couple whose fire can burn on hate much easier than on routine.

Their role play in the prison's drama class, however, "balances the palpable hostility with humor and heart, making the scene wildly entertaining, but also ensuring that the moment really means something, too.

[73] Keith Nelson Jr. of Digital Trends found Vause's speech to a correctional officer about the malleable and interpretive nature of morality to be frank "societal commentary".

[74] Sarah Bredeman of FanSided opined that the commentary Vause made to Rogers is "one of the best 'we are not your salvation, you can’t save us, and this ain't no Dead Poet’s Society kinda situation' speeches", and "it really hits home a good point.

"[75] Kelly Lawler in USA Today suggested that, as opposed to how Chapman painted her, Vause's legitimate concerns over the danger she is in makes her one of the most rational individuals on the show.

[76] Perri Nemiroff of Collider said that Vause's season three flashbacks of her witnessing what her drug cartel boss is capable of made her present situation "far more dynamic and tense", giving her anxiety full credibility.

[83] Perri Nemiroff of Collider said Prepon has been successful "taking Alex from a strong inmate you don’t want to mess with to someone super vulnerable who's fearing for her life.

[85][86][87][88] In Harper's Bazaar, Emma Dibdin wrote that Vause having to kill, dismember, and bury her would-be murderer was "the beginning of a season that saw almost every one of our beloved inmates go through her darkest hour yet.

Jen Chaney of Vulture noted that the "murky issues surrounding blame" are prompted from the outset of the season, as both Vause and Lolly become responsible for the homicide of the hit man, "yet neither of them are true 'murderers' in that both were motivated by self-defense.

[96] Myles McNutt wrote that Vause being compelled to finish killing the man, instead of letting him die by Lolly's deed, "makes it more visceral, and creates an internalized event to frame her understanding of her status as a 'criminal' in the season to follow.

"[100] Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya of Autostraddle considered the scenes of Vause helping Lolly reconcile her thoughts and emotions "a cutting and intimate look at self-care and coping mechanisms.

[102] Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx wrote that Vause and Chapman needing to be under the influence of drugs "to finally be honest with each other about all their recent tragedies seemed about right for a relationship that's always thrived on a high level of drama.

[109] Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya of Autostraddle wrote that Prepon is "giving her best performance to date on the show, effectively capturing the turmoil of Alex’s mind and the psychological toll of this secret.