'OITNB' Deserves More Recognition, Emmys

As happy as I would have liked to be about the fact that Orange Is The New Black was nominated for four Emmys going into the 2015 Emmys Awards, I was just nervous instead. Sure, the series proper was up for Outstanding Drama Series, while Uzo Aduba (aka Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren) was up for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Pablo Schreiber (aka George "Pornstache" Mendes) was up for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and Jennifer Euston (casting director) was nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, but that doesn't mean a whole lot. Orange Is The New Black took home four Emmys in 2014, but not a single one was for Outstanding Series. Then again, that was when it was being considered as a comedy series, so that could have been a factor. But my nerves, you guys, my nerves. As it turns out, that nervousness was fully justified, because Orange Is The New Black was snubbed at the Emmys.

Listen, the actors and actresses and casting directors involved in the production of the show are absolutely amazing and worthy of the prizes that they may not have taken home on Sunday night. However, the fact that the show itself has gone this long without being recognized for its social and cultural impact by the biggest TV award in the land is truly staggering. The sheer number of women of color that make up the ever-expanding ensemble cast of Orange Is The New Black is, in some cases, more than the women of color that make up the cast entire blocks of television you can find on certain channels during primetime. The representation lesbians, transgender women, bisexual women, and well, women in general gives the audience a broad look at the spectrum of human sexuality. The heavy issues that the show deals with, from drugs to rape to abuse to families to friendships, are enough to bring a tear to any fan's eye.

Orange Is The New Black deserves to be credited as an Outstanding Series because it is an Outstanding Series. It's the kind of series that you have to imagine would have been immediately rejected on a conventional TV station, especially considering how many shows on TV still have largely white-washed casts. It's the kind of series that put Netflix on the map as a serious contender for racking up insane ratings for original programming. It paved the way for later Netflix juggernauts like Daredevil, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Sens8. Even now, it remains Netflix's most watched series. And you're telling me it still hasn't won an Emmy?

I'm not saying that Game of Thrones isn't an amazing show. I'm sure that it is. I just question if it has the same kind of cultural and social relevance as Orange Is The New Black. It's certainly not beating OITNB on the diversity front, and, while it features a similar amount of talented actors and actresses, it has been recognized so many times in the past that I genuinely feel that this year would have been a good year for it to step aside to let the spotlight shine on another show: a show that most people are absolutely floored to realize has never taken home one of these statuettes. Orange Is The New Black has just come off of a third season that saw even more depth, character development, and powerful stories than ever before, so perhaps next year will be the year that the Netflix hit gets the recognition that it deserves. It just hurts my heart to have to say that for the second year in a row.

Image: JoJo Wilden/Netflix; skyejems/Tumblr