Orange Is the New Black recap: 'The Tightening' 

Taylor Schilling, Natasha Lyonne, Kate Mulgrew, Laura Prepon

At the end of episode 8, Piscatella entering Litchfield definitely seemed like an “oh s—” cliffhanger for the inmates. But in episode 9, it actually turned out to be a plot development that played both for amusement and horror, which is a very tough line to walk. It definitely is not going to be an episode everyone (or even most people) likes, but I actually kind of dug it. I like being scared, which this episode pulled off several times, and I enjoy theme episodes when they’re done well, which I also thought “The Tightening” pulled off.

So let’s dive right in. Piscatella is now inside the prison, wearing full riot gear and stalking the inmates like the psychotic bogeyman that he so clearly is. He first picks off Flores, who puts up a good fight, but he’s like the Mountain in SWAT armor, so the encounter is over fairly quickly. Then things really get creepy as Piscatella stalks and kidnaps Nicky, Big Boo, Piper, and Alex.

There are horror movie homages and references everywhere, from

 reference with Suzanne — and they delighted this horror fan to no end. But what made the episode such a winner is that in the very same moment where you’re smiling and delighted over the homage, you’re also completely freaked out at the sight of Piscatella just appearing in a hallway or dragging a body around a corner or flashing by an open doorway when the inhabitant of said room has her back turned.

Meanwhile, Red is running around doing her best Jack Torrance impression. She seems completely nuts — especially because she’s detoxing after chowing down on pharmaceutical-grade speed for the better part of two days — so no one will take her seriously about people disappearing, even though she’s 100 percent right (though she doesn’t yet know Gina, Anita, Yoga Jones, and Frieda are not actually Piscatella’s victims; they’re holed up in Frieda’s awesome rec room).

Eventually, Red finds the girls and prepares to take on Piscatella by herself. Her chances are probably not great, but if anyone can do it, Red can. As she reminded us earlier this season, “Real Russians have no proverbs. We have vodka and misery.” She’s fueled by a steel spine and rage, so if there are going to be any casualties in this riot before the season finale, perhaps it’ll be Piscatella at the hands of Red. Fingers crossed, right?

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