OITNB S3 E8 “Fear, and Other Smells” is about:

* Vause’s backstory about her descent into addiction after Piper leaves and her mother dies. Fahri and Vause both start “getting high on their supply together” the end result is that Kubra has Fahri killed right in front of her (Fahri was Vause’s primary contact since the very beginning of her time in Kubra’s organization). Kubra sends Vause to rehab but warns her that he knows people “everywhere.” Now that Vause is estranged from Kubra she grows increasingly paranoid about Lolly (who seems to be following and tracking her movements).

* The inmates adjusting to the higher cost of commissary and new terrible food after MCC takes control of Litchfield. The administration at MCC trying to cut costs and inefficiencies in every possible way. The food is so bad that Red resigns from running the kitchen one-week after getting her job back.

* Piper trying to corner the market on Ramen Flavor Packets which become virtually the only means that prisoners can use to make the new food edible. Piper’s play is to use the flavor packets to induce prisoner’s to help her with her panty business. Piper also approaches and converts CO Bayley to help with getting the panties out of Litchfield.

* Suzanne’s erotic series of stories (aka “The Hump Chronicles”) gaining popularity all over Litchfield and the pressures popularity brings when a writer is surrounded constantly by her demanding fans (this episode made me feel a little sorry for George R.R. Martin who has been taking holy hell from fans for years about not finishing the next book in the A Song Of Ice And Fire Series).

* The short-term resolution of the growing tensions between Sophia and Gloria (over the friendship between their sons).

* A very bizarre scene between Doggett and CO Donuts that unfortunately is only a taste of more upsetting things to come (he suggests that Doggett pretend to be a duck and quack and waddle around for donut pieces when they go on an away mission together).

* Brooke SoSo going to Counselor Healy to ask to be moved to Birdie's caseload, which of course makes Healy insecure. Healy says no and suggests that she take anti-depressants (he also tells her that depression is all “in her head” and that people “don’t like sad people”). Berdie later confronts Healy who relents (but only after mentioning that he doesn’t have to deal with “someone like you” and doing some other awful things).

* Daya owning up to George Mendez mother that George was not the father of her child. This admission was triggered by George’s mom telling her, during a visit, about Aleida’s for-profit conniving (at the same time she was pushing for Daya to give up the baby).

* Poussey coming to the realization that she has become a full-blown alcoholic and Taystee tries to intervene so that she will start attending AA classes. Instead of going to AA Poussey decides to join the “Cult of Norma” instead to get direction.

* Seeing the very first appearance, in the flesh, of Linda from accounting. Also, we learn that Danny Pearson is the somewhat neutered offspring of the head of MCC. When he tries to push for increased funds for programming and books at Litchfield, his father tells him to stand up to Caputo and to remember that he is in charge. This conversation between Pearson and Caputo results in one of the more memorable songs ever performed on OITNB by Caputo’s band Sideboob (“You’re The Fuckin’ Warden”)

Ramen Noodles

I have mentioned before that Ramen Noodles, in some ways, are the core currency in prisons. Cook-ups, which are elaborate combinations of Ramen and other commissary items (and sometimes items from the kitchen) happen every day all over every prison and jail where I was incarcerated.

Ramen noodle Cook-ups are usually very communal, good cook-up chefs are highly valued and not easily discarded, and virtually every prisoner has their own personal favorite Cookup recipe and technique for creating a Cook-up.