‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 4, Episode 11 Recap: Fire Escape

Orange is the New Black has had its share of villains, especially when it comes to the correction officers, but there’s something very different about Humphrey. He’s not Litchfield’s typical problematic guard — leering at inmates, some abuses of power — but he’s way more sinister, veering closer to actual sociopathy than just a desire to make these women’s lives even more uncomfortable than they already are. The “Would You Rather?” game with Maritza was just the beginning and now Humphrey is power-tripping something fierce, and the inmates are caught in a dangerous, fucked up game.

Let’s rewind a bit, though. At the start of “People Persons” Piper and Flores are still being forced to stand on top of a cafeteria table but their punishment is cut short — making neither the guards nor the inmates winners — by the alarm. Everyone is ordered back to the dorms so the administration can deal with the dead body. The discovery of the body predictably has a ripple effect throughout the prison (just as nearly everything does). There is Alex, of course, who is freaking out about getting caught (though we get some nice scenes of her and Piper being friends again). Frieda is calm and mostly just offended that she isn’t considered a suspect (after all, she did murder a cop with his own gun … but she can’t remember if that’s one of the many murders she got sent away for). Piscatella is doing his own thing by going forward with the investigation in his own warped way, and therefore ignoring Caputo’s orders to hold back.

Healy soon realizes that Lolly’s earlier confession to him was an actual confession and not just the deluded ramblings of a mentally ill woman but he doesn’t immediately come forward with this information. Instead, he seems to have completely given up and walks into the ocean with the intention to kill himself. A phone calls brings him back to his senses — he assumed it was Katya calling him back but nope, it was work. As much as I dislike Healy, it’s hard not to really feel for his desperation and hopelessness in that moment.

Since Piscatella and co. aren’t privy to this Lolly knowledge, he goes ahead with the investigation and interrogates Red. Red doesn’t give up any info (though they do find her set of keys) and mostly just antagonizes Piscatella even further, remarking on how he’s not a detective but just a lowly C.O. Meanwhile, Humphrey’s in a room with some of the other inmates brought up for questioning including Sankey, Kukudio, and Suzanne — who we all know isn’t exactly equipped to handle this much pressure.

The flashback in “People Persons” belongs to Suzanne and it’s possibly the best this season. Insights into Suzanne’s past are always intriguing and heartbreaking and this is no different. We see her working as a greeter in a Super Emporium store, overly enthusiastic and a little weird but also happy. She’s nice, she’s friendly, she’s knowledgeable of regular customers, and she’s practically floating on air when she learns that she’s been named Employee of the Month. But disaster strikes quickly, as it’s wont to do in Orange is the New Black. When Grace (Suzanne’s sister/roommate) goes away for a weekend with her boyfriend, leaving Suzanne all alone, Suzanne has a hard time adjusting. She’s incredibly dependent on Grace because Suzanne doesn’t have any other friends. She doesn’t know how to make friends, but Grace urges Suzanne to at least try.

But when Suzanne says she doesn’t know how to make friends, she’s right. At the playground, she begins hanging out with a young boy named Dylan who comes home with her so the two can play video games. Suzanne doesn’t realize why this is inappropriate behavior — she is only just happy to have a sort-of like-minded individual to have fun with — and she also doesn’t understand how to let people go. When Dylan wants to leave, Suzanne doesn’t let him at first; he calls the police and tries to escape via fire escape, only to fall over the railing while Suzanne watches.

In keeping with OITNB’s style, the flashback parallels Suzanne’s current plight. It remarks on her uncontrollable emotions, the way that she can be easily convinced or manipulated, the way that her own brain often works against her. This plot seamlessly ties in with Humphrey’s reign of terror as he tries to convince Sankey and Suzanne to fight each other — even calling Suzanne a “black retard” — but Sankey refuses and Kukudio steps up. Suzanne doesn’t want to fight her either but is pushed to her breaking point and eventually beats the shit out of Kukudio, leaving her a bloody mess on the prison floor. Humphrey’s only reaction is joy that he won $20 betting on the fight.

EXTRA NOTES:

• Healy eventually tells everyone about Lolly’s involvement with the body and she’s then sent to Psych. Alex, Red, etc. all seem to be safe — even if Lolly talks about the others, it’s unlikely people will believe her.
• Nicky still can’t get clean but at least she has Tiffany around to help and hold her hair while she pukes. Tiffany has a newfound love of helping people (stemmed from handing out water at the construction site) which is both endearing and sad, knowing that there’s not much she can do to help in prison.
• Oh yeah, Judy King, Yoga Jones, and Luschek all take Molly and have a threesome. Yep, sure, why not?

[Watch the “People Persons” episode of Orange Is The New Black on Netflix]

Pilot Viruet is yet another freelance writer in New York City who watches everything from teen dramas to wrestling, hosts monthly TV parties, and started a website solely for a .pizza domain. You can follow them @pilotbacon.