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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

'Orphan Black' season three premiere was worth the wait

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Tatiana Maslany returns as Sarah, and several other clones, in the third season of BBC's "Orphan Black," which combines top-notch writing with masterful acting performances.

"Orphan Black" (2013-present) is arguably the best science fiction series currently on air. The combination of incredible acting from the star Tatiana Maslany, the compelling script and the show's unpredictable storylines make each episode better than the last. "Orphan Black" follows the story of Sarah Manning (Maslany), a young, single mother who, along with her foster brother, Felix (Jordan Gavaris), has been struggling to provide for her daughter, Kira (Skyler Wexler). One night, Sarah witnesses the suicide of her apparent doppleganger, whom she learns to be a local police detective, Beth Childs (also played by Maslany). Sarah assumes Beth's identity, initially hoping to inherit some of her money and to discover if and how the two are related.

After much investigation, Sarah realizes that she is one of many clones living around the world who have been created by the Dyad Institute, a biotechnology research institution whose main goal is to use the creation of clones to control the nature of human evolution. To make matters more complicated, a religious cult of Proletheans believes the clones are unnatural and is killing them off one by one. Currently, there are five known relevant, living clones: Sarah, Cosima, a brilliant scientist, Allison, a suburban mom, Rachel, the executive of the Dyad Institute, and Helena, who was previously an assassin trained by Proletheans but who has left that life to become part of a family with the rest of the clones.

At the start of this current third season, Cosima is extremely ill with a currently untreatable disease that is unique to the clones. The clones have discovered that the military, similar to Dyad, has created a male faction of clones, some of whom have gone violently rogue in search for information on the cloning projects. One of the clones, Rudy (Ari Millen), is broken out of Dyad by his brother, Seth (also played by Millen), and nearly kills Sarah and Kira. Sarah decides that it is too dangerous for Kira to stay with her, and in a gut-wrenching scene sends Kira away with the child's recently re-emerged biological father Cal (Michiel Huisman).

The writers waste no time in this season premiere, diving head-first into the turbulent storyline. "Orphan Black" produces only one 10-episode season per year, so it is refreshing to have the writers immediately throw viewers into the action, as opposed to spending an entire episode recapping the previous season. The writing is complex and sharp, examining all facets of Sarah's life. Each clone has their own separate subplot, which the writers make sure to flesh out to a meaningful level. Sarah's relationships with her fellow clones have, over the seasons, become more intimate to the point where she now considers them her sisters. We see Sarah open up to the other clones in a way she hasn't been able to open up to most of the people in her life.

Besides the clones' dynamic relationships, "Orphan Black" explores the morality of the characters, primarily with regard to the idea of human cloning and how it affects the personal identity of those involved. Dyad sees the clones as simply props in a grand experiment, an easy task when one is unaware of the lives the clones have built for themselves. Rachel has managed thus far to emotionally separate herself from her sisters to a certain extent. Yet, now that she has actually met them in person, her betrayal begins to have mental repercussions on her. Similarly, a Dyad research assistant, Delphine (Evelyne Brochu), is assigned to befriend Cosima for research purposes but ends up falling in love with her. Her loyalty is torn between two opposing forces, a typical situation for many of the characters on the show. The cast is strong and diverse, with all actors portraying the subtle nuances of their characters.

The best part of the show is undoubtedly Maslany. There is no denying that she is an incredible actress, whom many fans believe was snubbed for an Emmy nomination over the past two years. At this point, she has played about a dozen different clones, five of whom appear regularly. As if that isn't enough, Maslany masters scenes where she plays different clones conversing with one another. Besides the striking differences in physical appearance, each clone has a different walk, accent, set of hand gestures and facial expressions that they make when exhibiting emotions.  Maslany is able to portray each character's particular mannerisms seemingly effortlessly. Her most mind-boggling performance comes when she plays one clone imitating another, making every character stand out and allowing the scene as a whole to come across as completely believable.

Maslany's impressive portrayal of many characters, in combination with a strong cast and smart writing, makes "Orphan Black" a science fiction hit that everyone should watch. "Orphan Black" airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on BBC America.

Summary Maslany's impressive portrayal of multiple characters, in combination with a strong cast and smart writing make "Orphan Black" a science-fiction hit that everyone should watch.
4.5 Stars