How 'Orange Is the New Black' defined what makes a Netflix hit
When "Orange Is the New Black" debuted on Netflix in July 2013, it felt like an afterthought.
A few months earlier, "House of Cards" had rolled out to great fanfare. The streaming network had reportedly paid $100 million for two seasons of the political drama, executive produced by David Fincher and starring two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey. It was followed by a highly anticipated revival of the cult sitcom "Arrested Development."
By contrast, "Orange Is the New Black" boasted no major stars, no Oscar winners and a relatively modest budget. Several prestigious cable networks had already passed on the series, which was adapted by "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan from Piper Kerman's memoir about her time in a women's
