Orphan Black Review (TV Series: 2013-Present)

Synopsis:

Before the detailed Orphan Black review, let’s see the synopsis of this TV series. Sarah Manning is a street-wise woman with a troubled past as an English orphan who bounced around foster homes before being taken in by Mrs. S, who uprooted her to North America. When Sarah witnesses the suicide of a woman, Beth (who looks like her), she decides to steal Beth’s identity (source)

Creators:

John Fawcett and Graeme Manson

Cast:

Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Kristian Bruun, Kevin Hanchard, Dylan Bruce, Evelyne Brochu, Josh Vokey, Ari Millen, Skyler Wexler and Maria Doyle Kennedy.

Orphan Black Review:

You may have heard of Orphan Black since Tatiana Maslany, the lead actress, has just won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series this year. Sci-fi series do not get much recognition from big organizations like Emmy and Golden Globe, but the judges have been turning their heads to Orphan Black and Maslany in the past few years, and I am about to tell you why.

The synopsis may not seem to be something new. It may seem like another show about “identity theft” or “long lost twin”, but just like Sarah Manning, you will be astounded with the fact that there is more to it.

Or in this case, there are more of her.

I would like to be direct and say that this show is about human clones. Sarah meets someone who looks exactly like her by chance. Then she meets not another one, but three others in the span of two episodes. These incidents pull her into a world that she is not aware of: the world where people kill for science. And for the rest of the story, I will let you find out.

The best thing about this show, or I should say “the most extraordinary and jaw-dropping” thing is Tatiana Maslany’s acting. Most actors are professional and great at their job, but how many of them can play 15 different persons flawlessly? Maslany masters the switch between accents, tones of voice and mannerisms of each clone that sometimes you forget they are played by the same actress. She is a true chameleon and completely deserved that Emmy and more in the future.

Another strong point is how fast the stories go. Since there are only 10 episodes per season, you can expect each episode to be including important scenes and shocking twists. You will even feel so stressed out on the edge of your seat sometimes, which is when the humor comes in handy. The CGI in scenes with multiple clones are also done seamlessly.

And just like most shows that last longer than 3 seasons. Orphan Black has a common problem: they run out of plots. They have the bad guys for each season, but in the recent ones, they all sort of blended and broke into branches. To put it simply without spoiling anything, there is an evil organization, which has another organization inside. There is a head of that organization, but there is a bigger head, and there is another and even bigger head. In the end, there are many names to remember and it confuses the audience.

Moreover, there is a “thing” with Kira Manning, Sarah’s daughter. She seems to be a “psychic”. Whether what she says is coincidentally true or becomes true, Orphan Black should stick with the science, which is what the show is about.

Another weakness (or strength if you like to be shocked) is how the show does not hesitate to kill the main characters and break your heart. Fortunately, some of them may or may not die and come back.

In summary of the Orphan Black review, Orphan Black is as entertaining as any action/sci-fi movie or series. It also comes with romance, sense of humor and family matters.

Recommended episodes:

Trust me, you should not miss any episode.

Orphan Black season 1-4 is available on DVD and Bluray. Season 5, the final season, will back in April 2017. For starters, you can check out the first trailer here.

Do you like this Orphan Black review? Are you a fan of this TV series? Comment and join the discussion!