I found Piper & Alex - in the present - romantic and refreshing.
It was the show "getting it's humanity back", if just for a moment.

I lost a lot of respect for Hammerschmidt over this season.
I used to look forward to his scenes.

Oh, "Richard Nixon", a real "glad-hander" himself…

I have NEVER read this, anywhere.
I've read that Rosalynn is a stirct no-nonsense taskmaster, in compensation for his openness, but that they are both kind, giving people.

I remember that we've heard Chang's voice come out of the PORT-O-POTTIES™, but have we seen her this season?

I love The Ladies Of Litchfield…. When the show is at it's best, it has a singular clear voice and a sharp viewpoint.
This season feels written by comittee, too many cooks…
Most of it has blended together well enough, but what hasn't really stands out like a turd in a punchbowl.

Yeah, I'm not SAD FOR him…
It's just it was being treated so lightly, I thought, "he's gonna start moving, any moment…
but if he's really dead, they are all in deeper trouble than they understand.

The Gloria & Maria scene got me back on board; I checked out last episode and stayed that way for a good part of this one…

And aso: Humps's death… and how it's still being played as "funny"…

They're definitely emphasizing Suzanne as a danger, to herself & others…

The way Yoga Jones has been dumbed down especially sticks in the craw.

It was like it suddenly turned into FOOTLOOSE, and I was still sour about the previous episode!

We've never seen him before.

The whole series fell apart for me last episode, and didn't come back together til Gloria was on the phone.
Then I was back to caring (& crying).

This show has always been trash in prestige drama drag.

This episode made me think of when I was a child and my Mom told me that I "couldn't" be gay, because "gay men HATE women, and you LOVE women!
Look at your walls! Posters of Dolly Parton! Ann-Margret! Susan Lucci!
See? You LOVE women! That proves you're not gay!"

You articulated this better than the show!

I had to turn away.

I also have a problem with the show portraying Piscatella's manipulation of an inmate as a "romantic relationship".

I was just reminded of Yoko Ono's CUT PIECE.