There’s a character in Season 6 of Orange Is the New Black named Badison. She’s exactly who you think she would be from her self-appointed nickname. She’s a loud busybody who’s a fan of bad jokes and is more than a little ridiculous. But the fact that a character as eye rollingly silly as Amanda Fuller’s surprisingly great Badison Murphy can exist in this world speaks to how this season has changed. For the first time in a while, Orange Is the New Black is leaning into its comedic roots, and it works.

As I binged through all 13 episodes of this new season, I was reminded of Showtime’s Billions on more than one occasion. That’s a compliment, by the way. Billions’ first season was a study of egomaniacs that seemed unsure if it should stay serious or embrace the humor it secretly loved. But subsequent seasons threw aside the morose leanings of Season 1, and in much the same way Season 6 of Orange Is the New Black proves that this series is unafraid to embrace its sillier side. This new season is fun. There’s a sense of letting go and leaning into humor that’s been missing from the series since Season 3 dealt with the aftermath of Vee’s death. After last season’s heavy-handed prison riot, Orange Is the New Black has finally remembered how to relax again.

But that doesn’t mean this new season is a flippant laugh fest. Thanks to last year’s riot, Litchfield is all but dead, meaning that most of the troubled women we’ve come to love are now down the hill in big-girl prison. And big-girl prison has its own collection of petty grudges, nail-biting rules, and larger than life characters to worry about. Season 6 flips Orange Is the New Black‘s script a bit, casting even the most troublesome of Litchfield’s ladies as reactionary characters in its story about this new prison’s all-consuming feud between sisters/prison bosses Carol (Henry Russell) and Barb. But between following our wide-eyed protagonists lying, hustling, and scheming to keep their heads above this rivalry, the season slips in more emotional plot points about how each women will be punished for the riot. Because the lollipop-sucking Carol and the psychotic Badison are so amusing to watch, the emotional gut punches that land hurt even harder.

Danielle Brooks‘ Taystee has an especially powerful season, adding even more depth to her already complicated character. Since Poussey’s (Samira Wiley) tragic death at the end of Season 4, Brooks has become such a powerful emotional force for this show, it’s easy to forget the days when she was best known for dancing and improvising rhymes. Likewise Adrienne C. Moore‘s Black Cindy is finally allowed to be something other than mere comic relief, and Selenis Leyva‘s Gloria is allowed to be something other than the mom. Even the party-happy Nicky (Natasha Lyons) breaks type, becoming something akin to responsible in this new season.

Of course, this being Orange Is the New Black, some things will never change. Uzo Aduba‘s Suzanne remains a heart-breakingly beautiful character, though she’s a bit more tragic in this season than in years past. Red (Kate Mulgrew) is still a scheming queen, though one with a disjointed kingdom. Piper is still the worst, a credit to Taylor Schilling‘s delivery. Schilling has nailed portraying a punchable upper middle class white girl for years now, and the fact she still remains insufferable is a testament to this show’s inclusivity, sensitivity, and awareness of its own story and privileges.

During a time when modern television is plagued by unrelenting tension, political overkill, and impossible to follow plots, Season 6 of Orange Is the New Black almost feels breezy. And after last season, it’s earned that refreshing levity.

Season 6 of Orange Is the New Black premieres on Netflix Friday, July 27 at midnight PT / 3 a.m. ET.

Stream Orange Is the New Black on Netflix