All the best besties on this season of ‘Orange Is the New Black’
It’s been a couple of weeks since Orange Is The New Black (OITNB) dropped yet another binge-worthy season packed with comical moments, tear-jerking scenes, and socially-conscious situations. Now in its third season, the pop culture phenomenon’s intense characters feel like the super-sweet yet totally twisted friends we have in our #SquadGoals. Although we were introduced to the Litchfield ladies through the eyes of Piper Chapman, their lives have become an increasingly important part of the show as we watch them form powerful alliances while living the locked-up life. While there are awesome larger cliques that are typically based on race, we love the one-on-one friendships that give us all the feels.
Here are a few of our favorite pairs on Orange Is The New Black:
Pennsatucky and Big Boo
Well…we didn’t see this one coming! Bible-boasting Pennsatucky and proud lesbian Big Boo became bona-fide partners-in-crime through a strange yet touching alliance. During the premiere episode (“Mother’s Day”), Pennsatucky was shown mourning over a makeshift grave representing her five abortions. As she cried and beat herself up emotionally for her past, Big Boo came to the rescue. She strolled over in her clownish-attire complete with equally creepy makeup and offered a different perspective on the situation. Of course, most of us wouldn’t be consoled by her speech, but Boo’s words surprisingly gave Pennsatucky the strength to move on. Later in the season, Big Boo comes to her aid again, and has her back in a major way, after a devastating sexual assault.
Meanwhile, Pennsatucky helps Big Boo learn how to play a “”reformed lesbian turned Christian” to convince a reverend to donate to Boo’s commissary fund. In true friend fashion, she laughs at Big Boo when her attempt fails and tells her she is better off just being herself.
Their shared laughter over the weird situations (Pennsatuckey’s fake seizure to avoid van duty) and their causal banter about their opposing beliefs makes us wish they could have a spinoff show. The unconventional bond between the pair is definitely one of the best parts of the latest season.
Taystee and Crazy Eyes
Although Poussey will always be Taystee’s number one BFF, there is another friendship brewing for our favorite rapper. This season, we watched as Taystee and Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren grow closer in the wake of their evil mother figure Vee’s escape and fatal accident at the end of season two.
In an emotional scene, Taystee confronted Crazy Eyes post-potato scandal in her bunk to force her to accept that Vee was gone. What she didn’t expect was to break down in tears at the reality of her dysfunctional foster mother’s death. There wasn’t one dry eye on anyone’s couch as the women embraced each other to cry over the master manipulator who broke their hearts. As the season progressed, Taystee kept being Crazy Eyes’ voice of reason and often stepped in to help her avoid the dreaded psych ward. In return, Crazy Eyes was always available for a lighthearted moment, occasional insight, big hugs, or to share her writing genius through a seductive sci-fi story. It’s another odd pairing but it somehow makes sense.
Taystee and Poussey
It’s impossible to have an OITNB friendship-style list without these two. From their mutual love for the library to their raw honesty with each other, Poussey and Taystee’s friendship has survived everything from Vee’s craziness to Poussey’s alcohol addiction. More than anyone else, we have watched their friendship go through countless tests and yet they seem to be stronger than ever. We love watching them do pretty much anything together: schooling their fellow inmates on books, cracking inside jokes, dreaming about the future, embracing each other’s quirks, or giving us an impromptu concert. Basically, their relationship is pure friendship perfection.
Flaca and Maritza
Just call them the Lucy and Ethel of Litchfield! There’s no doubt that the Latina inmates stick together and there is no closer pair in their clique than fake acid dealer Flaca and her gal pal Maritza. The mascara-wearing characters originally took a backseat to the “regulars,” but their screen time has increased as they gain popularity. The rock-obsessed and slightly naïve ladies are such a hit with OITNB addicts, they have officially been dubbed as “Flaritza” and have their own fan club (no lie…Google it).
It’s obvious why the Flaritza fandom is a big deal – the girls fight, forgive, and comfort each other just like real life friends who happen to be behind bars. When Flaca declared that she was better than the other Latinas and left the kitchen, Maritza still remained loyal to her friend and welcomed her back with open arms when she came to her senses. Their offbeat interests and funny, unsolicited advice are a welcome addition when the show gets a little heavy. Long live Flaritza!
(Images via Netflix)
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