Orange is the New Black headed to Netflix worldwide this July

Fresh comedy series Orange is the New Black is Netflix-bound. Thirteen hour-long episodes of the original comedy-drama series are set to hit the online streaming service worldwide on 11 July.

Based on the memoirs of Piper Kerman, Orange is the New Black stars Taylor Schilling, from 2012's The Lucky One, as Piper Chapman, sentenced to a woman's prison for a year for her association with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon). This is quite the change from her comfortable life in New York with fiancé Jason Biggs -- can she adapt and make friends, or will she sink behind bars?

Kerman's best-selling book is brought to life by Jenji Kohan, the Emmy Award-winning writer and producer behind Weeds.

"Jenji Kohan has created a dramatic yet deeply funny world populated with unforgettable characters and no-holds-barred humour set against the backdrop of a women’s prison," boasts Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. "Jenji is one of the most fearless voices in television and we are proud to share her uncompromising vision with Netflix members."

The show joins the dark House of Cards and Hemlock Grove as a growing number of original dramas coming this year on Netflix. The news comes a month before a new, and long-awaited, series of Arrested Development, which returns to our screens on 26 May. Like those shows, all 13 episodes of Orange will be available in one go for you to enjoy at your leisure.

Orange is the New Black also stars TV and movie veterans Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Pablo Schreiber, Danielle Brooks, Laverne Cox and Taryn Manning.

Are you crazy for Netflix's latest show? Or will you be giving it a miss? Let us know in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.