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Despite a couple of rough seasons, there’s no doubt Orange is the New Black still holds its place as one of the biggest and best Netflix Original series. As a result and the fact that season 6 is now over and we’ve finished already, we thought it’d be good to tell you some other shows which you should be watching right now if you love Orange is the New Black.
Season 6 just dropped on Netflix and as you may know, the show has already been renewed for season 7 coming in 2019. With that said, it probably wasn’t the brightest idea to stream all 13 new episodes in a weekend.
What does the show have to have to be on this list? Well, any of the following traits from Orange is the New Black which it masters so well. The writing, a strong female cast, the multitude of issues covered on the show or just how good the drama is.
Wentworth
Seasons Available: 5
Wentworth has grown to be a juggernaut for Netflix and some may argue it’s even the better show. The gritty Australian prison drama shares many similarities with Orange but ultimately, it’s a show with a lot more bite.
Much like Orange, the first few seasons centre around a central protagonist but has quickly morphed to become an ensemble format focusing on varying inmates from multiple backgrounds.
A new season should drop on Netflix soon so it’s a perfect time to jump in.
Shameless (US)
Seasons Available: 7
You’ve already watched every episode to date of Shameless right? RIGHT!? Well if you haven’t, stop what you’re doing now and go check it out. The story told in Shameless will be familiar to those who love Orange is the New Black. It’s filled with ups and plenty of downs too. The characters are what keep you coming back and even though not every situation is relatable you truly feel connected to this world and their upsets.
Netflix thankfully gets regular yearly updates of Shameless so if you aren’t watching this right now, you have no excuse.
GLOW
Seasons Available: 2
GLOW you could argue is the distant cousin of OiTNB. The reason we say this is because they share the same executive producer int he form of Jenji Kohan.
The series features an all-star female cast who take on a life outside of prison in the form of pro-wrestlers. The first season sees the girls prepare for the main event and the second sees them enter the spotlight as the ‘Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling’.
The show consistently receives critical praise from all so this should absolutely be on your list.
Weeds
Seasons Available: 4
If it’s the writing in Orange is the New Black that keeps you coming back after each season then thankfully Jenji Kohan has had another series from the past streaming on Netflix.
Although the final few seasons of Weeds are shockingly terrible, the early ones are still packed full of charm and are deserving of your attention. It tells the story of a suburban mom who resorts to selling the substance after the sudden death of her husband.
Sense8
LGBT issues are a constant theme in Orange is the New Black with the main character, Piper having to often deal with the negative stigmas attached. Sense8 deals with LGBT issues like no other show and has since become a beacon for the genre.
The action-packed series comes from the creators of “The Matrix” and features a mixed cast but also contains storytelling and character development as seen in Orange is the New Black.
Sadly, the show was cancelled last year but that doesn’t stop us from giving you our whole-hearted recommendation.
What other shows would you recommend to fans of Orange is the New Black? Let us know in the comments down below.
Netflix Synopsis: "A privileged New Yorker ends up in a women's prison when a past crime catches up with her in this Emmy-winning series from the creator of Weeds."
