So far, this summer feels… well, empty. Empty of strong, relatable female characters; characters with dimension and depth.
Luckily this spring gave us something to hold us over.
Orphan Black is a BBC America show that is both mind-numbing and awe-inspiring in scope and realism. With the DVD/Blu Ray on sale in a few weeks, I dare you to just watch one episode at a time. It’s impossible to do, nearly as impossible as it is to talk about the show without giving anything away.
But I’ll try.
Orphan Black starts out as the story of a young mother/con artist, Sarah, trying to get her life together for her daughter and foster brother. Sarah sees an opportunity to put her plan into action, and throughout all the crazy twists and turns she holds on to that plan like a life vest. While it’s never explored, it’s clear that Sarah is struggling to come out of the shadows. Despite her dark past, Sarah tries to do the right thing – for her daughter, her family and herself. Sarah is brave and smart enough to know that the right thing usually looks like the wrong thing on the surface, but she fights on, never giving up, even when the battle gets too murky to see.
Sarah is played by Tatiana Maslany, an actress whose range reaches out to infinity. Maslany plays several roles, each one to such perfection that you completely forget that it is the same woman behind each one. You find yourself hating her and loving her in the same scene, forgetting that Maslany is pretty much 80% of the show’s cast. Each character is fully formed and distinctive, even when they are impersonating one another (I told you, mind-numbing).
There are several amazing aspects of this show: its concept, tightly woven plot, exceptional acting and fast-paced action to name a few. But what really grips you is that the central characters, played by the same actress, are all female. They are mothers, daughters, scientists, police officers, housewives and damaged souls. But they are all strong women fighting against forces and circumstances beyond their control. They fight together for their own reasons, but they are all fighting against the same thing: to not be controlled and owned.
Orphan Black is a relentless thriller with a heart and soul. The only negative aspect of the show was that the season was only 10 episodes long. But those 10 episodes were more exciting and tighter than nearly any summer blockbuster.
defydemure 