 The episode was written by series regular John Viener and directed by Brian Iles . It received mixed reviews from critics for its storyline and cultural references . According to Nielsen ratings , it was viewed in 7 @.@ 38 million homes in its original airing . The episode featured guest performances by Kevin Michael Richardson and Nana Visitor , along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series . " Jerome is the New Black " was released on DVD along with seven other episodes from the season on June 15 , 2010 . 
