Orphan Black
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Twisty sci-fi show is thrilling but full of violence, sex.
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Orphan Black
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Based on 10 parent reviews
Great show, but has violence against women
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What's the Story?
Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) is a woman with problems. She's on the run from her abusive boyfriend, from whom she's stolen cocaine she hopes to sell and finance a new life for her and her young daughter, whom she abandoned months ago at the home of a foster mother. But Sarah didn't count on bumping into Beth on a train station platform. Beth looks just like Sarah -- or, she did, before she stepped into the path of an oncoming train. Sarah impulsively decides to take on Beth's identity, using her keys to visit Beth's apartment and her ID to extract Beth's money from the bank. But Beth's identity comes with strings: She's a cop who shot a civilian, and she's under police investigation and being chased by mysterious, murderous strangers. Oh, and Beth also has some mysterious connection with a bunch of women born right around Sarah's birthday who, despite living in different towns, all share the same face. Does Sarah have a twin? Or is she just one of an army of clones? It's up to Sarah and her sidekick, foster brother Felix (Jordan Gavaris) to find out what kind of mystery they're up to their necks in.
Is It Any Good?
The "oh my gosh, there's another me!" gimmick is a familiar one, both cinematically and on television, where it's been used as a plot device in many a failed show (see: Ringer, Dollhouse). So though the ideas here are nothing new, the zippy plot, realistic dialogue, and appealing actors bring new life to an old premise. It sure doesn't hurt that the (mostly international) cast of actors are unknowns stateside; seeing fresh faces makes the mystery easier to swallow.
Main character Sarah isn't a nice person. She lies, she steals, she apparently asked her foster mom to watch her young daughter for a night and then didn't come back for almost a year. She even fakes her own death. But the actress playing her, Tatiana Maslany, is somehow still sympathetic, making viewers want to follow along with her as she figures out who she is and what part she plays in a big, bad conspiracy. The chemistry between her and wisecracking foster brother Felix is potent, and a lot of fun too. We really believe these two have a history, and want to see what they'll do next.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about similar themes in TV and movies. Can you think of any other shows that feature main characters who are doubles, twins, dopplegangers, and so on? Why is this particular narrative device so appealing?
What city does Orphan Black take place in? How can you tell? Do you think the show is filmed in the same place where it seems to be set?
Is the audience supposed to like Sarah? What about Felix? What about their characterization leads you to this conclusion?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 30, 2013
- Cast: Jordan Gavaris, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Tatiana Maslany
- Network: BBC America
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Award: Emmy
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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