I signed back up for Netflix for two four reasons.

First, I have never seen Breaking Bad. Not a single episode.

Second, I missed all of New Girl’s second season.

Third, Arrested Development (duh).

Fourth, it was free (at least for a month).

Instead of doing any of the first three, I have instead become completely hooked on the Netflix original show, Orange is the New Black.

I’m kind of surprised I am so committed to the show, given that I watch it on my iPad with headphones and have to tune everything else out.

My usual MO is Passive TV Viewing (PTV): the TV is on in the background and I look up from whatever else I’m doing now and then. Law & Order marathons are perfect for this mode.

But Orange demands my full attention.

I love the way the show jumps around, weaving together the inmates’ current circumstances with how they got to prison.

Orange also powerfully demonstrates the alternating reality (so far as I can tell, having never gone to jail) of forming alliances but never feeling completely safe. The rules are different in prison and the ‘right’ answer isn’t always clear. Race and class also play huge roles in the plot.

The characters are wild. My favorite is probably Red, but Crazy Eyes Sue is, ahem, notable too. Laura Prepon of That 70s Show fame is super-sexy as Piper’s ex-girlfriend, and the reason Piper is in this predicament in the first place.

Of course, the hilarious tweeter Jason Biggs plays Piper’s fiance on the outside Larry. The real life Larry wrote this for the NY Times Modern Love column.

My only complaint is that because all first season episodes are available at once, watching Orange is a less social event than, say, Scandal or Bachelorette. This show would be even more amazing watching collectively, in my opinion.

Orange is based on a memoir by Piper Kerman of the same name. I have to imagine that book sales are suddenly booming.