At the beginning, it was all about her. So middle class and so blond, how did she end up there in jail? Would she be able to survive, or eventually get out of it? Piper Chapman, portrayed by actress Taylor Schilling, had (few) friends and (many) foes inside the prison, a plethora of equally interesting and mostly dangerous co-starring characters. Too interesting, perhaps. Certainly more so at every episode, to the point they have completely and rightfully overtaken at the center of the story of "orange is the new black." Alex Vause the dark lady, Galina "Red" the Russian and the bubbling Taystee, "Crazy Eyes" and Daya are the main reasons for fans to watch the show right now.
Piper Chapman gradually alienated the sympathy of her fellow inmates and Netflix viewers see one stupid move after another, turning into a ridiculous self-professed gangster that won't survive in a real prison the length of an episode.
Go Chapman, go!
Rumors are swirling on the internet that Piper Chapman could end up being killed in an act of revenge by the end of season 5. All bets are against her, as she made too many enemies inside the prison who are now plotting revenge. But then again, when Netflix viewers first met her in the pilot episode of "Orange", none of them would have bet a penny she would survive living with "Crazy Eyes" for four seasons. If that's the case indeed and Piper Chapman will die, it will be partly due to the creators impossibility to recast her in a decisive position in the future of the series.
Piper Chapman as she stands by the end of season 4 is a clueless, vapid character that cannot guarantee the success of the next series of "Orange Is The New Black." She already had a much-needed reality check when she got marked with a swastika by the "latinas", making her go back to imploring the caring attentions of her lover Vause and maternal figure, stiff but loyal Red.
Was that enough to get her back on track? Will she find a way to get back to the center of the plot and the audience's interest? Whether the creators have decided if she will survive or not, Piper Chapman is still on call to show if she was just a fluke or she's indeed an immortal TV character to be beloved. The answer will be in season 5 of "Orange Is The New Black", currently in production and scheduled to air in 2017.
