Orange Is the New Black (sometimes abbreviated to OITNB) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Jenji Kohan for Netflix.

[3] Produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television, Orange Is the New Black premiered on Netflix on July 11, 2013.

The offense had occurred 10 years before the start of the series and in that time, Chapman had moved on to a quiet, law-abiding life among New York's upper middle class.

In addition to the established setting of Litchfield Max, a significant portion of the season takes place in a newly created ICE detention center for detained presumed undocumented immigrants, showing their struggles and lack of access to outside help in large part because of complete or extreme disregard of the law.

One of the show's key conflicts involves the minimum-security prison's Director of Human Activities (aka the warden, under privatization nomenclature), Joe Caputo, whose efforts and aims as a warden constantly conflict with the corporate interests of MCC, which acquires Litchfield Penitentiary as it risks closure.

This theme is continued when a new forward-thinking and caring warden is hired at Litchfield Maximum Security and unlike Caputo, actually institutes educational programs and positive changes.

[13] In July 2011, it was revealed that Netflix was in negotiations with Lionsgate for a 13-episode TV adaptation of Kerman's memoirs with Kohan as creator.

[11][19] Prepon initially auditioned for Piper Chapman;[20] however, Kohan felt she would not worry about her [in prison], noting a "toughness and a presence to her that wasn't right for the character."

[22] Likability was important for Morello, whom casting director Jen Euston deemed "a very helpful, nice, sweet Italian girl.

The Advocate touted Orange Is the New Black as possibly the first women-in-prison narrative to cast a transgender woman for this type of role.

[23] Uzo Aduba read for the part of Janae Watson but was offered the character Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren.

The title sequence features close-up shots of female non-actors who were formerly prisoners, including Kerman herself; she is the one who blinks.

[29] For the second season, Uzo Aduba, Taryn Manning, Danielle Brooks, and Natasha Lyonne were promoted to series regulars.

[32] For the third season, several actors were promoted to series regulars, including Selenis Leyva, Adrienne C. Moore, Dascha Polanco, Nick Sandow, Yael Stone, and Samira Wiley.

"[52] Hank Stuever, television critic for The Washington Post, gave Orange Is the New Black a perfect score.

But it is also filled with the entire range of human emotion and stories, all of which are brought vividly to life in a world where a stick of gum could ignite either a romance or a death threat.

"[53] Maureen Ryan, of The Huffington Post, wrote: "Orange is one of the best new programs of the year, and the six episodes I've seen have left me hungry to see more.

The site's critical consensus reads: "With a talented ensemble cast bringing life to a fresh round of serial drama, Orange Is the New Black's sophomore season lives up to its predecessor's standard for female-led television excellence.

The site's critical consensus reads: "Thanks to its blend of potent comedy and rich character work, Orange is the New Black remains a bittersweet pleasure in its third season.

[61] Spencer Kornhaber from The Atlantic stated that Piper Chapman's scenes "once felt obligatory by mere dint of the fact that they powered the show’s plot, but now they mainly allow Taylor Schilling to demonstrate her comedic chops".

[62] Anne Cohen from The Forward said the season used "traditionally anti-Semitic tropes",[63] while Nathan Abrams from Haaretz described a "remarkably upbeat and positive representation of Judaism".

The site's critical consensus reads: "Orange is the New Black is back and better than ever, with a powerful fourth season full of compelling performances by the ensemble cast.

[68] The Hindustan Times praised the season for how it dealt with the topic of rape, while negatively describing the new characters as "mere one-dimensional fillers".

The site's critical consensus reads: "Orange Is the New Black's fifth season offers up more of the sharp writing and dizzying tonal juggling acts that fans expect – albeit somewhat less successfully.

The site's critical consensus reads: "Brutality and humor continue to mesh effectively in a season of Orange Is the New Black that stands as a marked improvement from its predecessor, even if some arcs are more inspired than others.

The site's consensus reads: "Carried by its exceptional ensemble, Orange Is the New Black's final season gets straight to the point, tackling hard-hitting issues with the same dramatic depth and gallows humor that made the show so ground-breaking to begin with".

[82] Taylor Schilling received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama.

[102] In April 2017, it was reported that a cybercriminal had stolen the first ten episodes of season 5, in a security breach of a post-production company.

[103][104] Multichannel News reported that demand for the series significantly increased over the seven-day period following the leak of the episodes.

[105] Orange Is the New Black generated more viewers and hours viewed in its first week than the other top Netflix original series House of Cards and Arrested Development.