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Orphan Black fans, I have a confession to make: I liked this week’s episode much more than the season premiere, which I found unwieldy to the point where I got lost in the plot.
This week’s episode was calmer and more rooted in character than conspiracy, although we still got plenty of Project Castor developments.
So let’s get to the action, which begins between the sheets as Rudy brings a random woman back to his hotel room. As they’re in the throes of passion, Seth joins in, much to the woman’s horror once she opens her eyes and sees them both hovering over her. (Props to co-creator/director John Fawcett for the magnificently creepy shot of four hands roaming over the woman’s body.)
The next morning, Paul shows up to administer a cognitive test on both clones — which Seth fails spectacularly — and Rudy gets a little mouthy with Paul about Sarah working with Dyad. “That seem right to you? I don’t know her like you do, sir,” he says. (I have a feeling Rudy is so going to regret that comment later.) Paul gives Rudy and Seth their extraction orders, but Rudy points out that they don’t have the original sample yet. Still, they are to report to base, Paul instructs, to which Rudy replies, “Is that coming from Mother or you?”
Instead of following orders, Rudy breaks into Felix’s loft to finish the job. He takes Kira captive while Seth glitches downstairs with Cal, who shows up after getting a warning from Paul. The deal that was cut was to buy Sarah time and space, so why isn’t she taking it, Paul wonders before warning Cal that this is going to end badly for everyone and that he needs to get Sarah out of here. Too late, buddy, but thanks for caring! No, truly, it’s nice to see that there is still some concern and feeling for Sarah on Paul’s part.
Back at the loft, Sarah pleads with Rudy to let Kira go and confesses that she doesn’t have the original sample. When Seth starts crying out in pain downstairs, Sarah plays on the brother/caretaker angle and how Castor tampered with them, too. Rudy finally releases Kira and then puts Seth out of his misery with a couple shots to the chest.
“It’s alright. I’m here, brother,” he says over Seth’s body. “Don’t hold on. Go easy. I love you.” For a relationship that was created and developed in just two episodes, the bond between them and the goodbye is surprisingly moving.
Rudy spares Cal’s life as he leaves, but it’s still not safe for Kira anymore so Sarah sends her away with Cal to Westeros Iceland. So much for the domestic fantasy Cal painted by buying a house nearby. At least they got to enjoy some indoor hockey before it all went to hell. (At this scene, my friend remarked, “They are so Canadian.”) But as far trying to figure out what to do with a child character and having to write out an actor who has limited availability, it’s pretty organic. While they’re away, Sarah vows to put an end to all this and get Helena back, which means going to the male clone they know: Mark, who closes out the episode by burning off his Project Castor two-headed horse tattoo.
Now let’s check in with our other favorite clones:
HELENA | The poor thing gets put through a stress test — is that what they’re calling waterboarding now? — until Castor’s “Mother” stops it because Helena’s pregnant. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but we’re very happy to meet you,” she tells Helena, who is then subjected to the same cognitive test as Rudy and Seth. Her little scorpion pal chimes in with commentary – “Where are these mangoes? Keep provoking them or we’ll never get any mangoes.” – until Mother once again breaks things up. She tells Helena that her family sold her out, but she’s “not expendable to me or my boys.”
ALISON | In suburbia, as only Alison and Donnie can experience it, the couple decides to buy drug dealer Roman’s inventory and client list since he’s getting out of the business to go to college. Ramon wonders if they have what it takes, to which Donnie replies, “Don’t doubt our stones. We have ample stones.” That is until he hears the price Alison is offering: $32,000. But his wife is sneaky/clever/convincing and points out, “I have just found my voter base [for the school trustee election] and I suspect they will be very loyal supporters.”
COSIMA | The geek monkey experiences a health rebound, which causes her to be “open to perspectives on the void.” When she and Scott visit with Dyad’s top scientist, he confirms that both the Leda and Castor originals were lost, but given how hellbent the Castor clones are on finding it, I’m guessing we don’t know the whole story yet.
Orphan Black fans, what did you think of Episode 2? Did Ari Millen impress you with his four portrayals this week?
I love this show so much. This episode moved quickly. My only complaint is that they didn’t use Felix enough. Alison and Helena as the most entertaining clones, and they both delivered this week.
Where are these mangoes? ;)
Even though he had an awful almost-pornstache (just not quite bushy enough…), they killed my favorite Castor clone so far. D:
I loved this episode from the freaky clone 3 way to Mark burning the tattoo off. Figured Cal was a goner given how “in demand” Huisman is. Was surprised they killed off a male clone this early…might be for the best though. 2 episodes in and so far so good! Love this show #cloneclub
I’m not feeling those clone boys . Their storyline irritates me more than anything. They are eating Felix’s screen time , now he is just a random character with no story of his own.
I completely agree. It’s to the point that I almost wish he was the male clone, and it would have actually made sense to the story.
He needs to get his slut back on and try balancing his life with that of his sister clones.
Disagree with the writer, I didn’t enjoy this episode as much as last week. I simply am not that interested in the Castor clones and remain to be convinced about Ari Millen’s ability to bring any definition to them. For me, this episode had too many of the characters I am not interested in – Paul, Art, Castor clones – and not enough of the ones I love – FELIX! 2 episodes in and hardly any Felix! No Delphine, barely any Cosima.
Looks like, as last year, Helena is going to be kept separate from the other clones. Those Blade Runner type tests were fun for Helena’ s mango responses though!
agree!!! pupok sass is the best thing, he is the true mvp of the show atm. i pray these castor clones dissapear this season, i just dont feel them at all !!! michelle forbes s gone, we barely knew charlotte, like these writers need to finish first with the chracters we got, give us storyback of the leda clones, how they evolve on being sisters and a unit, bring tony back, he is the only male clone i love.
Orphan black is still a very unique show,but…I was almost sure Felix would be the male clone, it’s not fair that Helena is being separated from the rest again, Felix role is becoming too limited we need to see more of Felix and helena.
Rudy is my favorite Castor clone. Yes, the creepy psychopath. Please don’t kill him. What the hell is wrong with me? LOL.
Ari Millen is killing it right now but DAMN I can’t stand those Castor clones!!!!! Yes, we need more Felix, Helena screen time. I’m confuse w/Paul’s situation is he really ”all in” w/ the Castor project as a Dyad spy trying to more info on them?
I’m curious about Paul too. I would love more of his backstory. Dylan Bruce showed so much conflicted emotion with his eyes in the seen with Cal. I need there to be more.
I don’t mind the male clones, but I want to know what there connection is to the Leda clones (other than being the male counterpart) sooner rather than later.
Also, we keep getting this spiel from Sarah that she needs to save Helena, but—once again—it felt like the story went nowhere.
We know the Leda clones are prone to cancer. I wonder what they’ll do about treatment for Cosima now that Kira is out of reach so won’t be available for them to harvest more bone marrow, and they can only do so much with her tooth. Will Cosima continue to improve?
And what is the problem with the Castor clones. With that testing they do it appears something is going on that affect cognitive abilities? Some thing with the brain? Seth seemed to be have severe pain in his head there at the end.
Also I wonder, did the create sterile clones with the Castor clones? Have the addressed that and I just missed it.
This week and last wee I just kept thinking; Poor Helena! With the season 1 finale I never thought I’d feel so sorry for her, or worry about her so much.
i hope all the castor clones die, no disrespect to the actor, but their addition made me lose interest in the show :( i missed the show how it was in season 1
I am glad they got rid of her daughter. That is now getting in the way of the story. I am not into these military clones at all.
Stop torturing Elena all the time. That girl needs a break and some happiness. It feels scattered and unwieldy to me right now and I am finding myself doing other things while it is on.
I hope they get more focused and tighten up the many many threads they have going and seem to be adding too.
I am a huge fan, so I am feeling disappointied so far this season. I found myself asking, where exactly is this story going anyway and what do we care about?