Note: This review contains mild spoilers for season 6 of Orange is the New Black.

Six seasons in and you can't accuse Netflix hit Orange Is the New Black of resting on its laurels, confident in the knowledge that its fans will watch no matter what.

Last season took place over the course of only three days during the riot that followed the tragic death of fan-favourite Poussey in season four. It didn't completely work – even creator Jenji Kohan admitted some of the plots were "fan fiction" – but it did provide a season unlike any that came before.

And season six is arguably an even bolder reinvention of the show, following the game-changing season-five finale that saw the majority of Litchfield's finest loaded into buses heading to various prisons.

Not only that, but the fate of ten inmates – including Piper (Taylor Schilling), Alex (Laura Prepon), Red (Kate Mulgrew), Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) and Taystee (Danielle Brooks) – was also left up in the air as CERT officers broke into the bunker where they had been waiting out the riot, with the events also inadvertently leading to Piscatella's death after he was shot by a CERT officer.

The result is a season that feels fresher and more surprising than the ones that came before, even if it hasn't quite gotten rid of a few familiar issues.

Netflix

Unlike previous seasons, the details of season six have largely been kept locked up by Netflix and the show's cast and crew, so we won't go into too much detail here. Now that the trailer has been released though, we feel it's safely spoiler-free to say that it kicks off with the characters having to get used to a new life – and new rules – in maximum security, leading to their loyalties being tested like they never have before.

If that weren't bad enough, the authorities and Litchfield management company MCC are looking to lay the blame for season five's riot squarely with the inmates, leading to some potentially devastating consequences for anyone who took part... and even some who didn't.

It's here where season six excels as it leads to unexpected decisions from characters we thought we knew well, only to discover that as inmates, they're largely looking out for themselves. By the end of the season, long-lasting friendships are likely irreparably damaged and new bonds have been built between characters you never thought would be close. It's a strong change from previous seasons where, generally, you knew where things were going or how characters would react.

Netflix

The situation also sees the core cast of Orange Is the New Black deliver some of their best work to date on the show, with the likes of Danielle Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Uzo Aduba and Natasha Lyonne relishing – and excelling with – the richer material on offer. Piper is still Piper, mind, and Taylor Schilling does her best, but the character remains hard to root for, despite some late-season developments.

Another benefit of the show's move away from its original setting is that some light trimming has been done of the cast. At times, the show has made the cast of The Walking Dead seem small, but in season six, some established supporting characters are either barely seen or not seen at all. Some absences could anger fans, but that's a risk that the show has smartly been willing to take.

It means the storytelling is more focussed and there's always forward momentum, even when some episodes threaten to feel overlong with most clocking in around the hour mark. The improved pacing is also helped by fewer flashbacks during the season as, even though they're a staple of the show, they have sometimes felt like padding in recent seasons.

Netflix

Sadly, season six isn't quite as successful in bringing new characters into the fold. A large part of the season's overall arc centres around the leaders of two warring blocks in Max, sisters Carol (Henny Russell) and Barbara (Mackenzie Phillips). Despite a connection to an established character, they aren't fleshed out beyond the stereotypical 'don't mess with them' warnings until too late in the season, so they're not compelling villains.

Their respective lackeys Madison (Amanda Fuller) and Daddy (Vicci Martinez) fare better, but the less said about some of the new guards, the better. In fairness, the guards aren't helped by one of the show's persevering flaws in that it often struggles to balance its humour with the bleak harshness of prison.

The move to Max means that season six is darker than usual with genuinely uncomfortable scenes, but there are still awkward attempts to add a quirky edge to the guards dealing out the punishment. It could work in the (slightly) more relaxed environment of Litchfield's minimum-security prison, but in Max, the show would have been better served by playing it straighter.

Netflix

But while the new characters aren't quite as impactful, it doesn't detract from the strong ensemble the show has built up over the seasons. The season continues to tackle timely and important issues, including Black Lives Matter and prison reform, without ever feeling like it's a box-ticking exercise. Combined with the excellent performances, these storylines deliver emotional beats that hit hard.

So even though flaws remain, season six is altogether more engaging and an improvement on the mixed season five. Even more promisingly, the season finale delivers some seismic revelations that should mean season seven will continue to rewrite the rule book.

Litchfield may be no more, but Orange Is the New Black's future is bright.

Orange Is the New Black season six arrives on Netflix on July 27.

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