Orphan Black: Season 1

Rating: 5⁄5

There is a reason why television critics can’t stop talking about Tatiana Maslany. The fact that her work on the first season of _Orphan Black _missed out on an Emmy nomination which damn well should have resulted in a win over Claire “I do the same boring crazy spy skit every episode” Danes was scandal enough, but the recognition from the Golden Globes (nominated - still didn’t score a win) as well as several high-profile wins have justly placed her excellent new science-fiction show on an entirely new, wider playing field. The month of April 2014 sees the long-awaited return of the almighty, epic _Game of Thrones _(WOOHOO), but you also need to be gearing up for the second season premiere of what probably was 2013’s best new show.

We start with Sarah Manning (Maslany), a low-life English hustler in Canada who has just left her drug-dealing, abusive boyfriend Vic (Michael Mando) and is looking to connect with her daughter Kira who is currently being looked after by Mrs S (Maria Doyle Kennedy), Sarah’s foster mother, who emigrated from Ireland to the States many years ago. One day she witnesses a suicide. The odd thing being that the lady who jumped in front of a train looked exactly like her. Brushing this off as being a massive coincidence, Sarah steals Beth Childs’ (Maslany, again) identity. Although complicating the matters is the fact that Beth is a cop and is in the midst of a complicated shooting incident. Beth’s police partner Detective Art Bell (Kevin Hanchard) senses something’s up, and it doesn’t get any more awkward when Beth’s boyfriend Paul (Dylan Bruce) shows up.

But that’s not all. It seems Beth was up to some investigating of her own. She has been in contact with several of these “lookalikes” and it doesn’t take long for the truth to finally come out. Sarah is one of many clones who were created in a mysterious scientific experiment that went a little awry. And all having grown up in different backgrounds, all these women born in 1984, have grown up to become completely different human beings. We have the hustler, the cop, a soccer mom housewife, a nerdy scientist, a German who pops up out of nowhere, a Ukranian with some scary, severe psychological issues and that’s just season 1.

And in portraying this vast range of characters who are so completely different from one another (they look very different too, sometimes it’s easy to forget they’re played by the same actress - so kudos to the hair/make-up/costume teams), is the immensely talented Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany. Not only does each clone feel like someone whole, there are distinct characteristics that make them all stand out even in a seemingly crowded ensemble. She has a way of making every clone stick to the viewer’s mind, and where several clones appear in one scene, her interaction with herself (acting doubles are used, and edited fragments put together taking almost 17 hours to shoot a single scene where three of the clones are together) appears seamless. Her accents, too, shuffling back and forth mainly between English and American, with some Eastern European thrown in there too, are effortlessly done. Further seasons will only give more room and opportunities for Maslany to expand her versatility as a compelling actress, which is one of many appealing qualities of the show.

With every episode there is a brand new set of twists and turns that both shock and amaze at the bold steps the show is not afraid to take. The writers aren’t interested in making it an easy road for Sarah and the rest of the clones and with many challenges come exciting plot points that become more and more addictive. After one necessary lie, there is another lie, more cover-up, and it’s not long before a whole web of lies becomes too confusing to handle even for the protagonist, which

There is some excellent cast integration work at play here too. Not only do the clones cooperate (for the most part) for survival, the growing number of supporting players who get in on the mind-boggling science-fiction conspiracy action keep the pace alive and healthy. Art is a smart detective who, along with his new partner Angela Deangelis (Inga Cadranel), isn’t too far from putting all the pieces together. Vic, Sarah’s ex, has a way of complicating everyone’s lives just by showing up, which is great news for the audience as the level of tension and drama continues to build. Paul, Beth’s lover and Sarah’s new boy-toy so to speak, isn’t just there to get naked, because his character starts building too throughout the season. Felix (Jordan Gavaris), Sarah’s foster brother, is let in on the clone secret from the get-go, and not only provides some sharp, timely comedy but also invaluable input to the show’s core plot. Most intriguing however is Mrs S, played stoically by Maria Doyle Kennedy. There isn’t a whole lot revealed to us about the strict, no-nonsense Mr S until right towards the season 1 finale, and given what kind of juicy subplot she may have to play with, her expanded role will almost certainly boost the show’s enjoyment factor next season, as if there wasn’t enough to thoroughly enjoy here anyway.

Who are the villains here? Aside from a certain psychopath out to kill everyone it’s an ever-evolving mind-game to determine where people’s loyalties lie. Even with the clones their individual lives that they have had over the years influence the decisions they make, and just because they share the same genetics, doesn’t mean their priorities are all the same. Conflicts of course arise, and with pressure from shadowy figures who are constantly lurking somewhere, you certainly get the feeling that no one is ever safe, and there will be a whole lot of running and fighting until these characters find some peace.

Graeme Manson, one of the creators of the show, has claimed he would like 8 seasons overall plus a feature film. It’s a show of endless potential, with so many interesting directions it could take. The near-perfect season 1 has been a brilliant set-up. Throw in more clones, remember to ruthlessly kill some too, let Tatiana Maslany do what she does best, keep up the pace, make great use of the non-clones, slowly but surely reveal the villains, have some double-crossing, back-stabbing, but most of all, keep the surprises coming; as the number of jaw-dropping moments in the starter 10-episode season alone was extraordinary. Here’s to 7 more seasons of such brilliance.