While many Syracuse University students spent this past summer away from campus, there was a flourishing trend revolving around Netflix’s new series, “Orange is the New Black.”

It seems like the show has gained fame over night, creating die-hard fans within weeks of its premiere in July. In its first season, “Orange is the New Black” has proven just strong its supporting roles are, all of which are female and extremely diverse.

The show’s plot is based on a true story. It follows Piper Chapman as she finds herself imprisoned for helping then-girlfriend Alex Vause transport a suitcase full of drug money across international borders.

However, the shows most intriguing attributes don’t surround Chapman and her conflicted relationship with ex-girlfriend Vause, but rather the roles played by the rest of the cast.

The lack of a male presence in the new series is a refreshing change from what has been popular on television up until this point. Add the fact that minority actresses are the dominating force in the cast and it becomes obvious that the new series is pushing against some major stigmas in the entertainment industry.

So who is behind this compelling new series? Jenji Kohan.

Kohan, who brought us the popular show, “Weeds,” back in August 2005, holds the position of both creator and director. Though she makes the first season seem like an obvious hit, Kohan admitted to Collider.com that it was not an easy feat getting networks to pick up the show.

The combination of a female lead and minority-filled cast made it hard for her to pitch the idea without receiving skepticism about its potential in the industry.

However, Kohan saw an opportunity to gain momentum by enticing producers through the notion that the story surrounds a privileged white woman going to prison. In her interview with Collider.com, Kohan calls Chapman’s role “a terrific gateway drug into all the things [she] wanted to get into.”

Though Kohan pitched the story by fixating on Chapman’s role, she built up each character’s story equally in the first season, making it hard for viewers to pick just one favorite.

Kohan’s full investment in the series is what turned it into a success, and has helped break some major barriers in the industry. It is not often that women of color are given roles with such intricacy and depth.

The diverse cast ranges from Latino to black to transgender, and includes a wide variety of ages. They are all actresses brimming with talent, but who have never before been given a shot because their demographic doesn’t come up as often in a typical Hollywood casting call. Kohan said the amount of talented auditions made the job as much of a difficulty as it was a delight.

“Orange is the New Black” demonstrates that network executives need to be more willing to take on shows that push the status quo. Kohan’s success in having the show picked up by Netflix is a step in the right direction, but she still had to use Chapman’s role as an incentive to gain interest.

Without Chapman’s role, the show would not have been nearly as successful. But, as Kohan told Collider.com, her role is easily accessible.

Whether or not fans of the show consciously realize the show’s intention is to increase diverse women’s roles on the small screen is uncertain, it has indisputably introduced viewers to a refreshing new take on mainstream television.

Paris Bethel is a junior advertising major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on September 8, 2013 at 1:22 pm