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Orange Is The New Black

What is orange is the new black?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Type American television comedy-drama series[1]
Creator Jenji Kohan[1]
Platform Netflix[1]
Source memoir Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman[1]
Original broadcast 2013 to 2019[1]
Setting Fictional minimum-security women's federal prison[1]

Orange Is the New Black is an American comedy-drama series on Netflix, created by Jenji Kohan and based on Piper Kerman's 2010 memoir. The title plays on the fashion phrase "___ is the new black" and refers to prison orange uniforms. It aired from 2013 to 2019 and explores race, class, gender, sexuality, and mass incarceration [1].

Context

Orange Is the New Black is an American comedy-drama series on Netflix, created by Jenji Kohan and based on Piper Kerman's memoir [1]. The title is a play on the fashion phrase "___ is the new black" and references the orange prison jumpsuit color [1]. The series aired from 2013 to 2019 and addresses race, class, gender, sexuality, economic inequality, and mass incarceration [1].

Documented claims

  • The series tells the stories of women incarcerated in a fictional minimum-security federal prison. [1]
  • The title is a play on the fashion phrase "___ is the new black" and refers to the orange jumpsuit color that became popular in U.S. prisons in the 1970s. [1]

Questions and answers

Why was Orange Is the New Black canceled?

The series concluded after seven seasons in 2019, with the final season serving as a planned ending for the story [1].

What is the true story of Orange Is the New Black?

The series is based on Piper Kerman's 2010 memoir about her year in a women's federal prison, though the show fictionalizes and expands the story [1].

Is Orange Is the New Black worth watching?

The series is widely regarded for its ensemble cast and its exploration of social issues, making it a notable entry in Netflix's original programming [1].

Is Orange Is the New Black LGBTQ?

The series includes significant LGBTQ representation and storylines, reflecting its broader themes of gender and sexuality [1].

Sources

  1. Orange Is the New Black (TV Series 2013–2019) — imdb.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Culture