Are you stuck in a loop of rewatching the same three shows over and over again? If you’re looking for something new, I have just the show for you to binge watch.
Orphan Black is inventive, subversive, funny, thrilling, and overall just a great watch. Not only is there a driving plot, but the show focused on the characters’ development, too! So what is Orphan Black anyway?
The hit Canadian show that ran for five seasons from 2013-2017 on BBC America is the modern science fiction thriller genre at its finest. The screenwriter Graeme Manson and director John Fawcett are behind the show, which is nothing without its star, Tatiana Maslany, who plays several identical people (aka CLONES!) on the show.
The series begins with Sarah Manning, who sees a woman who looks just like her jump in front of a train. This begins the whirlwind journey into clone club, with Sarah assuming this woman’s identity to try to uncover the mystery of it all. Throughout the show we meet nearly a dozen different clones but mainly focus on a select few: Sarah, the punk British foster child, Alison, the soccer mom, Cosima, the scientist, Helena, the “angry angel,” and Rachel, the double-crosser. The show takes into consideration the moral and ethical implications of cloning and how it all affects personal identity.
While the first season grabs the audience with its thrilling mystery about an influential biotech corporation and the copywriting of the human genome and the uninformed clones who get caught up in all of it, what really makes you keep watching are the characters. Maslany is the star of the show, often playing three or more roles on screen at once, representing each character in their own unique and complex way.
Alison Hendrix, the soccer mom who unwillingly gets tangled up in clone club and craves the normalcy of her suburban life, becomes more lovable with each season, even as her life gets more and more complicated. (Also, the plotline with her and her husband over the course of the show is a highlight!)
Cosima Niehaus, the lesbian evo-devo biology student who becomes the science geek of clone club and assumes a pivotal role in understanding the biotech company behind her origins, is known for her quote, “My sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me” (YES, girl).
Talking about Helena at all could be considered a spoiler but just know that she is one of the more complex characters in the show and her presence is critical at certain plot points.
Rachel Duncan, the clone who actually works for DYAD, the biotech company that started it all, becomes more complicated and interesting as the show goes on and the series thrives because of it.
Sarah Manning, the clone that kicked off this show, shows that she can be a kickass mother, discover a new family, and take no one’s b.s.
If you love science fiction, this show is definitely for you. Even if you aren’t a science fiction fan, this show is filled with found family dynamics, powerful sisterhood, LGBT+ representation, action sequences and character development with a touch of dark humor. Importantly, it shows the complexity of women, from nail techs to punk troublemakers to corporate businesswomen.
All five seasons, each comprised of ten episodes, are available for free streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Otherwise, check into BBC America to learn more about this show. And once you’ve binged the whole thing and fallen in love with these characters like I have, then we can talk.
I hope you enjoy the show and become a part of #cloneclub.