"Looks Blue, Tastes Red" is the second episode of Season Two of Orange Is the New Black. The inmates prepare for a mock "dress for success" presentation and interview preparation. Pennsatucky returns from SHU, her mouth a wreck, and bribes Healy into getting her new teeth as the price for her silence. Taystee's Back Story, as a foster daughter to Vee, a drug distributor, is shown through flashbacks; at the end of the episode, as Taystee wins the interview contest, she sees one of the latest transfers to Litchfield watching her: Vee.
This episode provides examples of the following tropes:
- Age-Inappropriate Dress: Morello wears a sailor suit that the presenter describes as "childish."
- Badass in a Nice Suit: Nicky (who loses points for her hair) and Taystee (who loses points for a sheer blouse and too-tight skirt).
- Bad Job, Worse Uniform: One inmate points out that they're more likely to be wearing fast food uniforms when they're released. (During a flashback, we also see Taystee in a fast food uniform).
- Bestiality Is Depraved: Big Boo doing "something weird" with the dog and the peanut butter.
- Cover Version: Of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," which provides nice musical Book Ends. The episode opens with young Taystee singing the song and meeting Vee, and ends with Taystee encountering Vee at Litchfield while the Cover Version plays.
- Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: In-Universe. Red's son's girlfriend hits him in the face with a heavy object. Red sees nothing wrong with this.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: A depressed Red has stopped dyeing her hair since she lost the kitchen job. We also see her Eating Lunch Alone.
- Fashion Dissonance: A "real world" (not futuristic sci-fi) example. Sophia chooses a short, sequined cocktail dress, which is completely inappropriate for a job interview (or work wear).
- Fashion Show: The inmates participate in a "Dress for Success" type presentation. Each inmate chooses an outfit from a collection, and then the presenter critiques them during the show. A few of the less-fantastic Costume Tropes are discussed and shown.
- Hidden Depths: Taystee's a math whiz. It makes her story all the more heartbreaking, because with better opportunities, she might have gone to college and not ended up in prison.
- Language Barrier: An ongoing issue with some of the characters. Daya doesn't speak Spanish, although the kitchen workers switch back and forth to English. We also see Healy listening to language recordings to try and learn Russian, so he can speak to his wife.
- Mood Whiplash: We go from Taystee's success and the somewhat funny cheers and support she gets from the other inmates to RJ's funeral.
- Oh, Crap!: Taystee's response upon Vee's arrival.
- Public Bathhouse Scene: Larry and his dad visit a gay bathhouse (they had a Groupon). Includes a Shirtless Scene from them, and full-frontal nudity from a few extras. Played for Laughs.
- Shown Their Work: An in-universe example, when Taystee rattles off statistics about the Philip Morris company's growth.
- Title Drop: Taystee drinks a slushie, blue raspberry flavour.
- Written-In Absence: Piper does not appear in this episode due to still being in Chicago.
