TV Review: Orphan Black
I'm going to preface this post with the fact that I am a huge fan of genre television, which is not always a popular opinion. But if you are going to watch any type of genre show, I would highly recommend Orphan Black as your introduction into this realm of television. (I'd recommend The 100 next, but that's for another post on another day.)
Orphan Black follows Sarah Manning, a wayward grifter, as she is thrown into the clutches of a cloning conspiracy that holds the secrets of how she even came to exist. She meets and befriends a number of her "sisters" as they attempt to find some kind of self-determination out of the heavily monitored and controlled lives they have been forced to live, without their knowledge. The show deftly explores complex themes of agency, identity, and what it means to be a family, and thoroughly absorbs the viewer into the intrigue and suspense of the world the clones live in.
The third season of OB started airing on BBC America in April, and already it is shaping up to be a very different, but just as engrossing arc for the show. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the clone intrigue is doubled and new characters show up at every twist and turn. The suspense is still always building and the writing is as sharp as ever; I am constantly impressed by how each character is paid their due and given a chance grow, even if they are ostensibly the villains for our formidable hero. Nothing is ever as it seems, even for the bad guys (gals?), and, for me, that is the main reason why the show is so successful at what it does.
It highlights the multitudes of women, their good and their bad and everything in between, and sparks a conversation about their right to control over their own bodies and lives. It's politically and socially charged without being heavy-handed, and it's all wrapped up in a an intense, but always fun, sci-fi bow. Helmed by the talent of Tatiana Maslany playing Sarah and her sister clones, Orphan Black is definitely a genre show you don't want to miss.
Happy watching!
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