Ep 5. Love and Hate

Bea is back in the mix. No immediate threat is looming, at least that seems to be the case. The plot of season 4 has simmered down a bit. At the center of the plot though, seems to be the tug and pull between love and hate. The lines are blurry, the emotions are running high, the characters are being pushed to their limits and in some instances going beyond them.

The episode starts off with many of the characters seeming to be biding their time. Kaz is slowly but surely consolidating her hold on the prison, trying to make it her own in more ways than one. We also learn more about how much Kaz cares about her role in the prison as she puts herself repeatedly in the line of harm's way. Vera comes across as a mirror image of Kaz this episode with Vera becoming more and more isolated, separating herself from the people she used to care about.

This is where the plot picks up. Almost everyone seems to be at a crossroads of some sort. Whether it's Vera trying to control what she can by pushing against Will and doing everything in her power to cling to the hierarchy she created or Kaz trying to push buttons by starting a rogue group of inmates in the hopes they will rebel against the current hierarchy, the feelings of angst are palpable.

Franky is also getting in on the action. Her dynamic with Bridget is starting to evolve in surprising and dark ways. Franky's emotional fragility is starting to become more apparent and it's hard to think of where she is going to end up with the unpredictable Bridget. Meanwhile, in other parts of the prison, Sonia is coming across as increasingly mysterious and she is building up a reputation as an angel investor of sorts with her peculiar knack for hunting down and acquiring expensive pieces of artwork.

All of the plotlines eventually start coming together when the inevitable happens and there is a fight between Kaz and Bea. Their altercation may not have been as extensive but the tension that was building between them was reaching a boiling point and it's obvious that their situation is not over yet. There are a few other fights throughout the episode that are worth noting but the overall theme is always the same: love and hate.

Towards the end of the episode, we see the full extent of Bea's plans but we also see a glimpse of a brand new character who may come to be a significant player in the future episodes. This character is a welcome addition to the cast and it will be interesting to see just how much of an impact they will have on the overall story.

Overall, the show does an excellent job of showcasing its characters in a not-so-flattering light when it comes to examining their personal relationships. The emotions run high and the writing is solid enough to make the viewer care about what is happening onscreen. It's still too early to tell where the show is going but it's always interesting watching how the storylines will continue to evolve.