It looks like Netflix is on a roll, as it just may have another hit on its hands. Already.
Late last week, Netflix announced that it has renewed its upcoming original series Orange is the New Black for a second season. The announcement was something of a surprise considering that the show has not even debuted yet.
“Jenji and her team have produced a phenomenal series and we’re eager to get a second season to our viewers,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix.
Some early reviews have started coming out from those who got early access to the show (via The Atlantic Wire).
The Hollywood Reporter’s Tim Goodman writes, “Series creator Jenji Kohan (Weeds), has crafted a dramedy based on the popular memoir of the same name from Piper Kerman and infused it with an unpredictable flow of laughs, seriousness, an impressive and measured reveal of character backstories, and enormous potential.”
Emily Nussbaum at The New Yorker says, “Smart, salty, and outrageous, the series falls squarely in the tradition of graphic adult cable drama; were you pitching it poolside in Beverly Hills, you might call it the love child of ‘Oz’ and ‘The L Word.'”
Alison Willmore at IndieWire, who calls the show Netflix’s “strongest orignal series to date,” says, “‘Orange is the New Black’ has neither the intricate construction of the fourth season of “Arrested Development” nor the high gloss of prestige of “House of Cards” (though it does have Jodie Foster as an episode director), but in its tart, empathetic narrative it manages to have more vitality than both put together.”
These are some pretty strong words, and it seems likely that the show will quickly find a loyal fan base. Even Netflix’s Hemlock Grove, which opened to reviews pretty much on the other side of the spectrum from these, found its fan base quickly, and has also been renewed for a second season. So far, Arrested Development is the only Netflix original that has yet to be picked up for another season, but there’s certainly demand for it.
All thirteen episodes of Orange is the New Black Season 1 will appear on Netflix on July 11th.