Here we go. The first episode of the final season of the inimitable Orphan Black.
We begin where we left off. Sarah bleeding to death on an island, completely isolated from any help. I’m a little annoyed that got solved with just a tampon and a walking stick when last season it was like “Sarah’s on death’s door” but I mean, she’s our heroine. She’s scrappy. After she wanders around the island for a few days she finds Cosima who is staying in an extremely creepy village called Revival full of human test subjects. Okay. I have to be honest here, I’m already a little disappointed at the direction this season is taking us. It doesn’t seem right to be introducing new stuff when there’s so much left unexplained from previous seasons. Last season with Evie and Bright Born felt like an end run around itself and I’m worried we’re headed toward the same place with this season. Westmoreland is an interesting Big Bad (I’m getting some serious Wizard of Oz vibes from him) but I feel like moving all the drama to the island was a mistake.
Not to mention as Mr. Frontenac says during the episode “There’s only one faction now.” After all that? Why have I even been watching if all the factions and divisions within Neolution are going to be disposed of offscreen? I give the show credit for focus but it makes the past few seasons feel annoyingly irrelevant. And are we ever going to see the Proleatheans again? What about Mark and Gracie? What about whatever’s in Kira? I used to have complete faith that Orphan Black would answer all my questions but there’s been a certain loss of trust here. The tail end of last season did a lot of damage to my good faith.
Rachel is the clone to keep an eye on. We don’t know what she’s up to or who’s side she’s really on. Last season she just about killed Sarah and her mother (who Mud says will pull through) but this episode sees her allegedly curing Cosima? What is going on?
Westmoreland of Oz is another intriguing factor. Who is he? Is he real? Is he really 170 years old? There were several mentions of “The Fountain” which I took to mean the fountain of youth (funny, I thought that was supposed to be in Florida). I’m also not a fan of shipping Delphine off immediately after she got reunited with Cosima. Just let them be together, show! Jeez.
Finally: what the frick frack is in the forest? Was it helping Sarah? If so then why attack her? If we weren’t perfectly aware of where Helena was I’d say it was her. It seems Helena-ish.
Just a note: I am behind on reviews, but I’m also behind on watching so please, don’t spoil me (or anyone else) in the comments.
Keeping Up with Clone Club
Poor Helena took an arrow to the uterus? Will either of her babies survive? I mean I’m not an OBGYN but that seems pretty fatal to a fetus. Good thing Donnie literally ran away from Alison or Helena would be dealing with that injury all on her own. PS. The visual of Donnie running away wheeling a small suitcase behind him will stay with me forever.
I have complete faith in Mrs. S. There’s no way any harm has come to her or Kira. Ferdinand is probably not so lucky.
Bits and Pieces
Sarah really should have charged her phone before she left for the island.
There was a really nice metaphor in Kira (or her photo) helping her mother survive the cold night. Kira also kept coming to Sarah in her dreams. A mother’s instinct or an extension of Kira’s ill-defined psychic powers?
Delphine’s hair was majorly on point.
Great use of Helena’s score as she attacked the guy who had Donnie cornered.
Quotes
Mud: “We’re all his children here.”
Kudos to the actress for the super creepy vibes she was giving off.
Felix: “OH MY GOD ARTHUR! I almost hit you with a pan.”
Art: “Yeah well I almost shot you so we’re even.”
Jordan Gavaris’s delivery is everything.
Alison: “Poop on a stoop.”
Charlotte: “This place is scary.”
Delphine: “Follow the crazy science.”
three out of four emergency loon calls
sunbunny, who may or may not be played by Tatiana Maslany
Yay, the reviews are on. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, this premiere was different. It made me think of how Alias started as a thrilling spy show with a bit of sci-fi and ended the fourth season with a zombie apocalypse in Russia. And while Westmoreland reminded you of Wizard of Oz, sunbunny, all the talk about longevity also made me think of Alias. Westmoreland is kind of Orphan Black's version of Rambaldi, isn't he?
I think this premiere didn't work for me because it was too much about keeping the sisters in peril. Sarah is chased, Helena is stabbed in the belly, Alison is kidnapped. Too much peril does not a thriller make. In any case, I'm glad we are finally getting to the crux of the story. And I'm actually okay with the Proleatheans never showing up again.
Thank the lords Cosima got her treatment. Looooong overdue. It was my favorite moment of the episode, beautifully played by Tatiana.
Rachel is now super religious and no longer a bitch. Yeah, right. Well, as long as she is not throwing tantrums, it works for me.
I won't spoil you (or anyone else), but just as encouragement, the season gets better. I didn't like the first two episodes, but having watched up until episode five, there is a standout episode on the way and the story started to click for me. :)
Speaking of being reminded of things, a bunch of ill-dressed people with an unseen leader living on an island in yurts seemed... familiar somehow. At the very least, I wouldn't have made the setting an island. Why not a mountaintop in Tibet or something?
ReplyDelete(Yeah, yeah, I know - an island's cheaper. You just film the woods behind the producer's house and SAY it's on an island.)
Let's hope the season will end the show on a high note and explain some things. Because for me there's just too much aborted arcs that don't go anywhere and are quickly replaced by new stuff that won't get explained, but Tatiana's acting keeps me watching.
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