Summary
Orange Is the New Black Season 7, Episode 2, “Just Desserts” hones in on the horror of ICE, women in the workplace and race.
This recap of Netflix series Orange Is the New Black Season 7, Episode 2, “Just Desserts” contains spoilers. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.
Episode 2, “Just Desserts” is heavy on themes with women in the workplace and the treatment of immigrants in the USA.
Maritza returns — a character that did not appear in season six, and we all presumed was taken to another prison. She’s out, and she’s out clubbing while under curfew, pouncing on an NBA star to sleep with. The burning issue is that she wants to “love up” with the NBA player and cross the country, but her curfew does not permit her to travel.
“Just Desserts” pits the security guards in competition with each other due to the Warden role suddenly becoming vacant. Aleida is encouraging Hopper to apply, only to serve her interests so she can supply more drugs in the system.
Episode 2 eventually focuses on Alex, who is trying her utmost best to not get into trouble — she tries to get rid of the drugs planted on her by Greg and tries to put them in her locker, but Artesian McCullough catches her, and we presume she is going to write up a report regarding the crestfallen Alex.
However, we learn that Artesian has always struggled in male environments due to misogynistic behavior, and Orange Is the New Black season 7 serves the audience a flashback. When she was in the military, she tried to fit in with a squad of male soldiers, but while sleeping, she is raped by one of the men. Her disconnect from the prison staff is partly due to her traumatic past, so when she sees the security guards childishly pretending to have sex while discussing their interviews, she decides not to report Alex, but instead, team up with her and sell drugs. I felt this was a lose/lose for Alex, but let’s see.
With Tamika Ward and Artesian both nerved by the realization that they are not paid the same as the men in the same system, they take it on themselves to get their power. Tamika decides to interview for the warden position, and to everyone’s surprise, she gets the job over Hopper. It was mostly due to promising cost cuts while also ensuring the prisoners were happy, but the other wardens below it was a diversity quota that Linda Ferguson is trying to fill.
With Daya on edge due to forcing Daddy to OD and die, she is advised to make her own place in the prison and throws another inmate over the railings to make a point. She looks enthralled by the experience.
Episode 2 continues to reveal Piper’s life, who has decided to take on a babysitter role for her friends to earn extra cash; she is clearly struggling but finds comfort in the mother group, talking about her long-distance relationship with Alex. Piper and Alex remain strong, but you must wonder how long it’s going to take before one of them breaks — or maybe because it is the last season they won’t.
As “Just Desserts” ends, immigration enforcement officers enter a club Maritza is in, and ask for ID — Maritza does not have her ID, and she is sent to an immigration prison, and that’s where we see Blanca Flores. Orange Is the New Black season 7 is hitting home the immigration story in America, serving well for episode 2.
You can read the recap of the third episode by clicking these words.
