It's no surprise that Orange is the New Black Season 1 Episode 10 was another powerful installment of the series, but not much really moved. It just had some big lessons to impart. Coming up with titles for these are tricky, because there are so many lessons to be learned.

Payback was at the top of my list, not only because it's a bitch and Piper and Alex had some in store for Pennstucky, but because Tricia had done her time and come out of detox and we were treated to a bit of her back story. She had big plans, but that's all they're going to be.

Things are getting a little out of control at Litchfield. It finally comes out that Red only sent Tricia to detox because she thought it would be enough to get the prison to look into what was going on. How the hell did a clean girl suddenly become a junkie after getting to prison? But she was wrong.

When Tricia came out clean, Pornstache said it was time for her to pay him back, and when she was again rejected by Red, all of her false bravado about bad choices didn't mean squat, because she felt alone and afraid and she started using again. 

It was perfect timing for a group of girls to be by for a scared straight lesson. They all thought it was pretty goofy, and Poussey, Crazy Eyes and Black Cindy were making it more silly than frightening with their over-the-top attempt to scare the girls. They may have been delinquents, but they weren't stupid. One kid was in a wheelchair, and Poussey couldn't bring herself to treat her like crap. Even though the kids were half crying, it didn't seem to be working.

For some reason, Guard Bell thought using Piper as the token lesbian would do the trick, and things got real when she was talking to the chick in the wheelchair about having nowhere to run from yourself in prison. 

I'm scared that I'm not myself in here and I'm scared that I am.

Piper

• Permalink: I'm scared that I'm not myself in here and I'm scared that I am.

Piper's realizing things about herself that she never thought about, or that she did but swept under the rug. Hell, we all have thoughts about who we might be, but we gloss ourselves over with clothes and makeup, groovy jobs and cool friends and never have time to sit in the stark reality of a place like prison to find out who we really are. 

She came to that realization with the wheelchair girl, and it was Piper's honesty that scared the crap out of the teens and the other volunteers. That chat was one of my favorites of the series so far. It felt like she was making progress beyond any woe-is-me type of behavior; even past the worries of Larry and her "real" life. 

Tricia's story of life on the streets and how she kept a notebook of everything she ever took with the intention of one day paying it all back was really heartbreaking. She was in the right head space for someday making things right, but even when she turned up at a store to pay for headphones she had swiped two years earlier, she still managed to pocket a necklace. 

It's doubtful that's what ultimately sent her to Litchfield, as you don't go to federal prison for petty theft, but it was horrifying to think that she was so young and already on the street for years. She even looked different. Since Pornstache tucked her away in the janitor's closet to cover his own ass and she ODed, only for him to have to cover his ass again with a fake hanging, we'll never find out why wound up in prison.

It was a bit disappointing that Daya and Aleida ganged up on Bennett about the pregnancy and pretty much made it all about money. Even Daya used the "if you love me you'll" whatever line, and it wasn't about coming to a decision together or anything rational, but about this supposed windfall of money mother and daughter thought he had from losing his leg in the war. Unfortunately, he lost his leg in a dreaded hot tub bacterial infection scenario so their expectations were a little far fetched. 

I get a little tied up in my entertainment, and I want to think people are more than their situations -- but I have to remember all of these women are in prison. Every last one of them. The odds of them turning out to be gals I'd want to pal around with are probably slim. Yet, this is also based off of a true story, and the real Piper is now a successful author and TV producer. So, people can change.

There wasn't a lot of movement elsewhere: 

• The Larry story is annoying and can take a rest for the time being.
• Poor Miss Claudette was expecting a visitor and had her hopes dashed. That was such a short scene and I'd hoped for more.
• It's interesting how Crazy Eyes is becoming more of a Suzanne.
• Pretty much everyone knows Piper and Alex are getting it on.
• Healy is a sick man. He thought there was too much touching going on after everyone saw Tricia's body being wheeled away and girls were comforting each other with hugs. 
• Nicky's fed up with Morello and her fake Christopher. Apparently he hasn't been to visit since her third week in prison. Other than calling Bora Bora, Bora Bora Bora, she also said Tricia delivered Red and olive and called her a Judas Priest. HA!

I'm down to three more installments and then I'll be suffering right along side the rest of you in my need tohave more. That doesn't seem fair! I believe the final episode of Orange is the New Black Season 1 is a Christmas episode, so I'm going to try to post it on the big day. That makes sense, right? 

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.