Check out our recap for Orange is the New Black season 2 episode 9 “40 oz of Furlough,” which is now available on Netflix. How are you enjoying OITNB season 2 so far? If you missed our recaps of episodes 4 and 5, then CLICK HERE to get filled in! Our recap for episode 6 can be found right here. Want to read about episode 7? Click here. Episode 8 recap: Click here.
OITNB tells “The story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend.”
We’ll be recapping all of OITNB season 2 right here and encourage you to check back often to get the lowdown on a particular episode. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the season, so don’t be shy in hitting up the comments section for some chatting. Continue reading below for the recap of episode 9. If spoilers make you ill, then shield your eyes now. We don’t want you to be angry with us for accidentally spoiling your OITNB Netflix marathon.
Orange is the New Black season 2 episode 9 “40 oz of Furlough” RECAP:
Piper is called for her furlough. She wakes and dresses and then Red hands her and address of her restaurant and hugs and thanks her. She tells her – off you go. Piper gets a cavity check from Wanda and she asks what she would possibly take out of prison and Wanda says it’s procedure, not logic. She hands her clothes to hand into and tells her to hurry up.
O’Neill tells her she will be checked for drugs when she gets back and rattles off a list of things she can’t do, places she can’t go and stuff she can’t consume. It’s all by rote and she tells O’Neill that was impressive. He says he does Poker Face in his head to keep it straight. He asks if she wants to hear and she says it’s okay. Cal is there and O’Neill laughs and says he pegged her for yuppie not hippy.
They hug as she gets in and she takes a deep breath and says she can’t believe her G-ma is dead. He says he knows but says she didn’t miss much. He says she just slept then drifted off. She says she didn’t get to say goodbye and he says he told her and that it was good. They roll out.
It’s commissary time and Red orders spices and Vee asks why she needs spices and asks if Dmitri hit it big with a scratcher. Red tells her not to talk about her kids and Vee mocks her for gardening with the AARP crowd. Red pulls Nicky aside and asks for a favor. She says she wants oatmeal pies and Red agrees. She says she needs her to bring the girls to the greenhouse at dinner time. She says it’s going to be special and Nicky says more icing on a shit cake doesn’t make it taste better.
The doors open and George comes in. They are shocked into silence. He pulls out his pen and calls a shot out. He calls another one unsanitary and adds a shot. He issues five in record time and says – Mendez is back, bitches. Bennett asks Joe why George is back and says it can’t even be legal but Joe says his suspension is up so they have to deal with it. Bennett says the inmates aren’t safe around him. Joe implies that Fig thinks no one is up to the task but him and Bennett says he is and Joe says, prove it.
Healy is at therapy and she asks why he’s there. He says several people suggested it and Chris says to embrace his feelings of being uncomfortable. He says he doesn’t feel comfortable anywhere and she says he seems stressed. She asks if he likes his job and he says he used to and felt useful. She asks what changed and he says he doesn’t know – got older and thinks it’s all a waste.
Chris says we can get stuck in life seeing things from one angle and shifting perspective can help. He asks if that’s her $75 an hour advice. She asks if he’s uncomfortable with her rate and he asks if she didn’t just hear him say it. He’s riled and she asks if he’s always this quick to anger and he asks if she’s always a condescending cunt. She makes a note and he apologizes. Chris sighs and says they have their work cut out for them.
Nicky talks about the roots of heroin to some of the other girls at AA. She says it was named that because it made you feel heroic. She says heroin is her soul mate and best girl because she makes everything better. She says fuck the Germans and Suzanne applauds. Rosa closes out the meeting by saying magical fairy dust, unicorns, etc.
Vee approaches her and asks if she read The Fault in Our Stars. Rosa says she has enough depression in her life and doesn’t need it in her books. Vee asks what she turns to so she can escape reality. Rosa says the problem is reality keeps coming back. Vee tells Nicky she must have been hell on debate team and Nicky says she won original oratory two years running until she got expelled.
Red lurks outside and watches Vee. She goes into the kitchen and sees a print on the glass and cleans it. She tells Gloria she’s there for her stuff and Gloria says not until she has the rest of her stuff. She tells her she’s a woman of her word. Bennett tells Red she’s out of bounds and writes her a shot. Gloria says it’s not her issue and walks off. Bennett says she better not be near the kitchen again and Red says he’ll make a great father and touches his chin. She walks off and he looks appalled. She smiles as she walks away.
We see Red years ago when she first got there. Anita is there too and then Vee comes in. They all just got to the jail. Anita leaves them alone as some black girls come in. Rhonda comes in and hands Vee a welcome basket and says she’ll see her at breakfast. Vee says she doesn’t eat breakfast because it upsets her stomach. Rhonda tells her she eats it now and rolls out. Vee offers Red some of the stuff the girls brought and she takes a toothbrush and thanks her. She tells Vee she’s very kind.
Vee asks Red if she has a work detail yet and she says kitchen. She says it feels like home there. She says she serves food in her family’s market. Vee asks if she’s good and Red says she is. She says the vendors here deliver shit. Red says the vendors are there because of her and she says they are why she’s there. Vee says she can use that but Red says bending the rules is what got her where she is.
Vee says she’s telling her how to survive. In the library, Poussey checks out books and puts cigarettes in them. She takes the stamps from the back and slides the cigarette in. She tells them to reshelve it but Flaca tosses it down. Suzanne comes in with a box of tampons and Poussey thanks her and says she’s having a heavy flow day.
The bell rings and Larry goes to answer. It’s Piper and Cal and she asks Larry if it’s weird that she rang the bell, but she wasn’t sure what to do. He says it’s crazy that she’s really there. He hugs her and Cal yells, no touching and says he’s trying to ease the transition like when POWs eat too much and their stomach explodes. Piper says you never remember what home smells like until you’re gone.
Larry asks what it’s like and she says him, laundry detergent, candles from Anthropologie and coffee. Larry rushes to fix them coffee and she asks if the boxes are all her stuff and asks why she has so much clothes but then she digs in and starts sniffing. She asks where her pants are and he says at Polly’s. She asks how she is and he stammers then says probably fine.
Larry says she won’t be able to make it tomorrow since she’s sleep training the baby. Piper says it’s not fine and asks Cal about a pillow their mom had – with a cow on it. She says it was a stupid fucking pillow and Cal says he has it now. She tells Larry the coffee is good then rubs the couch and says upholstery is good. He offers to let her stay there and she says he didn’t even try to make it sound like he wanted that.
She says it’s in her furlough papers that she stays with her parents. Cal says he can wait in the car because it’s getting tense. She asks Larry what he wants and he says he doesn’t know. Piper says that’s exactly how she doesn’t want to spend her two days. She says if she can’t be with her grandma, she’s going to enjoy her trip. She says she wants to do the Spotted Pig.
Larry asks if she’s not supposed to drink and she says not to ruin it by being a pussy. Cal says it’s nice to know she’s still a rule breaking criminal at heart, but there’s one thing. He takes her to the viewing. She stands with her mom and Cal shaking hands. She thanks people and has to answer questions about being a felon and explaining furlough. She says no handcuffs and that it was nice they trusted her.
She asks her mom how much longer and her mom says everyone is coming back to the house at 7 and says the funeral is tomorrow. Piper says everyone is staring at her. A woman comes by and Carol tells Piper that her grandma hated her because she always wore kitten heels. Piper says her nana considered them the boiled carrots of footwear.
Mendez prowls the cafeteria slinging insults then comes to Brook. He tells her to get some food and she says she won’t eat. He makes a racial joke and she says she’ll report him to administration. Mendez calls for attention and says inmate Soso seems to think that she’s violating regulations with her insubordinate attitude. She says she’s staging a protest and he hauls her off. The ladies all whoo and ogle and Bennett slaps his hand on a table and tells them to keep it down, but then adds please.
At her mom’s, Piper is cramming lettuce into her mouth and tells Larry it’s been forever since she had a veggie that crunched. She guzzles a glass of wine and he tells her easy. She sidles closer and puts her arm around him. She tells him she missed him and he steps back. She asks if he wants to get busy and she asks how long it’s been since he came in a real live vagina and not in his hand. He walks away.
Her dad says she’s not supposed to be drinking and she says fuck it but then he says no one needs her sentence to be extended. She says really and asks if that’s the last thing that he needs or anyone. She reminds him that he’s the only one who hasn’t come to visit her. He says his mother has died and he doesn’t want to do this with her now.
She apologizes and he says Celeste was proud of her and she says not anymore but he says that’s not true. He says he just can’t see her like that. He says that woman in prison isn’t his little girl and she says that’s exactly who she is. She goes looking for Larry and finds him in the bathroom. She grabs him and kisses him and tells her to stop. He asks if she’s sure and asks if the door is locked. She unzips her dress and sits on the sink.
He unzips and they try to get the spacing right. He can’t get hard and she says she’ll help and kneels down. He says this is weird and they’re not even together. She tells him to shut up but then he says he slept with someone. She asks why he decided to tell her that when he had is flaccid dick in her mouth and he says it was a semi. She tells him not to defend his boner. She puts her dress on and he zips up. She asks if it’s someone she knows. He says yes and she says she doesn’t want to know any more.
They sit on the floor together. She says it’s really over, isn’t it and he says he doesn’t want it to be. She says that he does and he says he feels shitty saying it. She leans on him and says she knows. He holds her hand and sighs. He says he’s going to miss her and she says she loves him. He says he loves her too. She says he doesn’t have to come to the funeral and he says thank God.
Brook does laundry and Pensatucky shows up. Brook rants about pornstache and says he punished her with more work. Pen says people don’t like conviction and Brook says when others stop eating, they’ll listen. Pen says it’s dumb, mean, cruel and stupid. Leanne says to leave her alone and says she’s right. She says they deserve to be treated like normal even though they are criminals and says no one wants to live like an animal.
Brook asks if she’ll join her and Leanne says it depends on what they’re having for lunch. Pen says Lilo and Stitch starving to save the world and then asks if that means she’s Stitch and calls Pen a freak and says no one likes her. Pen slams her into a wall. A guard comes in and Pen throws her hands up.
The old ladies show up to the kitchen and Flaca gets sassy with her. She says they’re there to get Red’s stuff and the old ladies pull out shanks and one says she cut her husband’s dick off with a dull knife and she still dreams about it. She says it was the best thing she ever did. They walk out with the stuff and say that it’s disappointing being underestimated because of your age.
Back in the day, Red cooks and Vee talks to her. They talk about why Rhonda got sent to max. Red hands her a vat of rice and says put your hand in. She says it’s unsanitary but does it. She pulls out some contraband and says she’s testing the waters on selling. Vee says she’ll be running things in a few months and Red says slow and steady and thanks her for her advice. One of the black girls comes to see Vee about a girl that didn’t pay her debt and Vee goes to collect.
Daya gives Bennett a handy in a storage closet and she says he needs to relax. She says Red is helping them and says it will be all right. She says it’s odd that Mendez hasn’t said hi since he’s supposed to be in love with her. He says he’s going to tell Joe that Mendez is the father.
She says she can’t believe that he’ll send an innocent man to prison and he says that was the plan. She says it was her mom’s plan but she’s had time to think. He says this is how life works and she says she wants time to think and tells him to wait. She asks if he wants her to finish and she says yes.
Leanne comes for a smoke and has a bunch of extra stamps. She wants drugs but Poussey doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Piper talks at the funeral about her grandma making sugar cookies. Cal is up there with her. She says she messed up the cookie dough and started crying but says her grandma told her they would be fine and says they would be even better. She says that Celeste told her, Piper life is made in mistakes. She cries and Cal hugs her and says that her name was Celeste for God’s sake then apologizes to the priest.
He says a celeste is a magical instrument with steel plates that ting and sound like an ocean making music. He says she was special and made you feel important even when you were nothing but a polyp in the sea of mundanity. He says she was wonderful and should be celebrated. He says it’s incredible that Piper is there because she’s a ward of the federal government.
He says it’s a day to celebrate life and today. He says that’s why he can’t think of a better time to do this. He pulls his fiancee up on stage and tells everyone that he and Neri are getting married right now. His mom isn’t happy but they bring up Sam, a friend who just got ordained. He says Celeste would be pleased with their use of the free flowers and food, if not a tiny bit judgmental. He pulls Piper up beside them and says we’re going to eat the world. They hug and he says – sorry mom.
Poussey sneaks up on Taystee and says she thinks Vee is bringing in drugs. She tries to tell her but Taystee says to shut up and says it’s her business and she’s been good to her. She says Vee is her family and Poussey says she thought she was her family and asks who she would save if they were both drowning. Taystee calls her pussy and says she’s done talking about Vee. She tells her that Vee don’t play around and tells her not to get in Vee’s way or hers and grabs her by the shirt then walks off.
Healy asks Pensatucky what happened and she says she gets angry sometimes. She says she knows she’s been a bully and was trying to turn a new leaf. She cries and begs him please not to send her to SHU. She says it’s truly awful down there. He asks if she’s always been quick to anger and if it’s right below the surface. She says yes and asks if he’s psychic and she asks how he knows and he says he’s had anger issues of his own and a change of perspective can make all the difference.
He says instead of SHU, he wants her to visit him once a week and she asks what they’ll do and he says they will talk. She asks what about and he says he’ll counsel her about her issues. She says yes and thanks him. He says he’s a nice guy and that’s the truth.
Out in the greenhouse, Red welcomes her old gang and sits them down to a nice dinner. Boo is there, Norma too and Gina. Boo drops her napkin and when she bends to pick it up she sees the secret tunnel. She interrupts Red and demands some slop and says food me. Red slaps her and tells her to shut up and eat so she can have her moment. She thanks the Golden Girls. Red says she never said the most important thing – I’m sorry.
Gina says they’ve done okay without her and Red says she wants them to do better. Norma says they didn’t miss being pushed around and Red tells Gina she regrets what happened to her and made a mistake. Nicky looks down the table as Gina says it’s okay. Red says they can have more of a democracy and Nicky welcomes her back with a kiss.
Red tells Norma she’s been by her side for years and says she misses her and she’s her best friend. Norma toasts Red and she thanks them. Boo asks what about her and Red thanks her for always being a pain in her ass. They toast in Russian.
Back in the day, Red unpacks stuff from Norma and sees a black girl waiting. She says she can fill out a form and she slaps it out of Norma’s hand. She says she’s there to buy the company. She says she gets to stay in minimum security with her ribs not broken. She tells her to run to Vee and tell her the adults need to talk. The woman gets up in Red’s face and she tells her to go.
Gloria chews out the girls and asks how three little old lady stole from them. They say they were scary and one looked like a Disney witch. One of the older ladies shows up with a package for Gloria and says Red sends her apologies.
Bennett finds a cigarette butt and goes into the dorm demanding what the hell it is and screaming at the girls. He says it’s time for a search and starts tearing up bunks. He finds a mirror and takes it. Vee watches and sees a box of tampons on the floor. He tells them he’s in control and they should be scared.
He goes crazy tearing stuff up and Mendez comes out and puts his arms around him to calm him and says he’s going to get himself fired. He pulls him away and tells the ladies it’s okay and to clean the shit up. Mendez picks up the box of tampons and sets it down by Taystee and walks away saying sorry for the fuss. Suzanne is freaked.
At the meal, Cal dances with his new bride. A couple of people ask Piper how she is and they say they would be heartbroken if their daughter was in her position. The woman says they still see her as the achiever she once was and say they’re sure she’s anxious to return to her old self. Piper looks at her brother dancing happily and says she’s not actually.
She grabs her jacket and walks out. She has the address for Red’s shop and heads to Queens. She sees that it’s shuttered and there’s a for lease sign hanging up. She goes to a convenience store and looks at a bottle of champagne but then grabs a 40 of Colt 45 and sits on the bridge drinking it and eating a burger with her shoes off and the breeze blowing her hair. She looks back at the lights of Manhattan.
Vee is in the bathroom and Boo is sitting on the toilet. She asks what she wants and Boo asks how much it would be worth to her to find another route in. Vee asks for more info but Boo says she wants an offer first. She says she knows how Red is getting contraband in and says the guards are hot on her trail. Boo asks for 20% and Vee laughs and calls her a smug little dyke. Vee counters with 10% and Boo says they’ve got a deal. She whispers into her ear.
Back in the day, Vee and her girls come into the kitchen and Red says she doesn’t want her girls in there. Vee asks her who she thinks gave her the order. Red says they’re friends and says she’s not taking over her business. Vee says they can share since she gave her the idea to start with. Red asks what she did with Rhonda. Vee says Red will fill the orders and her girls will distribute and collect the payment.
Red says she’ll tell Healy and Vee says she’ll make sure she ends up like Rhonda. Vee says her first mistake was not having back up and backhands her then tells her girls to go ahead. They beat up Red while Vee nibbles a carrot. Norma watches in horror while the girls kick her brutally. The beating finally stops and Red lies on the floor clutching her stomach, bleeding and whimpering.
Poussey watches Nicky set up for a meeting and Taystee comes over and hands Nicky something and says the first is free and to let her know if she wants more. Nicky sees she’s give her drugs and is thrilled. Poussey watches with interest. Joe tells Bennett that he didn’t mean for him to terrify the inmates and get suspended. Bennett says he’s under a lot of stress with the shot quota and personal stress.
Joe says he has to leave his personal stuff at home and he tells him that Daya is pregnant.