Why The Rumored 'OITNB' Leak Isn't Worth Your Time

If you're as puritanical as I am concerning the sacred plotlines of your favorite TV shows, then the rumors that Season 5 of Orange Is The New Black has reportedly been leaked are sure to break you out in hives. Because, guys, hearing a really devastating spoiler is basically enough to cause rage blackouts. So, in order to protect ourselves from such suffering, I think we all need to know: Did Orange Is The New Black Season 5 actually leak early?

If reports from Deadline, Variety, and more are to be believed, then a hacker, or group of hackers, known as thedarkoverlord reportedly stole episodes from Season 5 of OITNB, and apparently demanded that Netflix pay a ransom to halt their release. However, Netflix then allegedly failed to respond to the demands, resulting in some of the Season 5 episodes being reportedly uploaded to popular torrent site, Pirate Bay. The authenticity of these episodes has yet to be verified, however. Bustle reached out to Netflix for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.

On Friday, Variety shared a statement from Netflix concerning the threat of the leak (which hadn't yet happened at the time):

"We are aware of the situation. A production vendor used by several major TV studios had its security compromised and the appropriate law enforcement authorities are involved."

As a fan of the show, however, I don't feel compelled to hunt down the allegedly leaked episodes in the least bit. Hell, I don't even feel compelled to find out if the leak is legitimate or not, and here's why.

For starters, we have only a matter of weeks to wait until Orange Is The New Black returns to Netflix on June 9. And while you'll receive no argument from me about just how tense the Season 4 cliffhanger of Orange Is The New Black was, and how eager we all are to see what happens next, I'm also in no mood to rush that experience.

Sure, if Season 5 of the show had been heavily delayed for whatever reason, then I might be singing a different song. But, the show always delivers the goods at around the same time every year. And if you're anything like me, then the marathoning of the entire new season of the show on Netflix has become something of an annual tradition. To try and jump ahead and watch a handful of episodes prior to that time just feels like a cheap way to ruin the whole experience.

There's also the matter that, if the reports are to be believed, not every episode of Orange Is The New Black has reportedly even been leaked. And even if you were to go forth and dive into the episodes which have reportedly been uploaded online, you're also going to have to stop three episodes prior to the end of the season, which still leaves you with the same problem you have now: wanting to know what happens next and having to wait for it.

Netflix hasn't just revolutionized the way in which we watch television, but also the way that we engage with and enjoy it. For a relatively small monthly fee, it provides a truly liberating viewing experience, allowing for users to watch whatever they want, whenever they want, at their own pace. When Season 5 of Orange Is The New Black is officially made available on the streaming site, most of us will likely enjoy it in the space of one lazy weekend (or over the course of one very sleepless night, if you're feeling hardcore).

So please, join me in maintaining a sanctity of story and the swerving of spoilers for Orange Is The New Black — and any other show for that matter. Because I wholeheartedly believe that Season 5 deserves to be waited for and watched the way Netflix intended.