'Orphan Black' Review/Recap: "Newer Elements of Our Defense"

Sabrina Petrafesa ’18 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Last week a truth bomb got dropped on Orphan Black viewers that the Leda and Castor clones are biological siblings. With that revelation, much of this episode is spent building a rapport between Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) and Mark (Ari Millen). The two of them spend the episode fighting and bickering because they cant seem to trust each other. The chemistry between these two actors is completely riveting to watch. When the episode picks up right after last week’s, the action doesn’t stop. Mark is shot (if we didn’t trust the Proletheans before — we really don’t trust them now) and Sarah is trying to take care of him and he is incredibly resistant. It’s almost ridiculous.
Through Mark we learn so much more about the personal lives of the Castor boys. They were raised by the military and they are very mission oriented. In doing this it’s almost made us trust Mark — says this reviewer very cautiously. Millen plays this specific clone so well, you can’t really tell where his loyalties lie. However, it’s obvious that he’s come to appreciate and —daresay — care for Sarah when Rudy shows up and almost kills Sarah and Mark takes charge of the situation, pulls rank and saves Sarah’s life for now. And speaking of Rudy, all that’s to be said of that last scene of him chasing Sarah is “Wow.” Millen is so amazing as this clone, he is a great combination of creepy, terrifying and manipulative. Rudy walking around and trying to egg her on by bringing up Kira was absolutely terrifying.
Some of Maslany’s best performances this episode is when she’s playing Helena. Her first attempt to escape is convincing. Helena is going crazy thrashing around and throwing her bathroom bucket at her guards. It’s an amazing performance by Maslany. The brief moment you see Helena spy into the very sketchy room where they seem to be operating on someone you can see the confusion and pity in her drugged gaze during her recon for her later escape, you can tell she wants to do something, but values not being caught more.

The next time Helena finds herself in that room there is a tender moment between her and the Castor Clone who is lying in the chair with the top of his skull completely gone and his brain exposed. Millen’s short performance as this clone was very memorable and emotional, pleading for Helena to end his life and she does. This one moment of selflessness, she ended his suffering despite knowing that doing this would ruin her own chances of escape. This scene really reminded viewers of exactly why we love Helena, she is calculating and cares very deeply for the people around her. Which is why her line “You say you love boys, but you lie. You’re a shit mother!” is so amazing. She doesn’t even know these boys and yet she’s starting to care for them as if they are her brothers.
Little Gracie (Zoe De Grand Maison) isn’t so little anymore and she is going through a crucible. First her lips get sewn shut and gets impregnated with Helena and her father’s child in season two and now she realizes she’s married to a clone and she’s lost the child that she has only recently decided she wants to carry. Maison is playing a character that is very similar to Helena — what Helena could have been as a child. She’s been used and abused by her parents and now she’s lost her husband and her child. This character is no easy feat to play and Maison has played her fantastically well. As a viewer we still don’t even know if we can trust her or not. She’s been raised to hate the clones and now they’re probably all she has since her mother has kicked her out. It’s going to be exciting to see where this plot line takes us. Gracie could be the end of everything or a very useful ally.
This episode we finally see the most of out favorite man on the show — Felix (Jordan Gavaris). He’s been on back burner these last few episodes and finally we see him shine by forcing Cosima (Maslany) out of her break up depression (speaking of where has Delphine been?) and to a bar where she can hopefully find herself a rebound. Felix and Cosima’s interactions are fantastic this episode. The banter between these two is so different than the banter you get between Sarah and Felix or Allison and Felix. The two are more like best friends and it’s fantastic to see that kind of relationship on screen between the two of them. Cosima is so resistant to anything involving online dating, but there is a tender moment between the two of them when Felix talks about finding what they’re really looking for, “The one who holds your heart forever.” Because all of a sudden, they’re not just talking about Cosima they’re talking about Felix too and what he wants. It could have been scripted, but it’s also more possible that Gavaris made the choice to deliver this line that specific way.

Allison hasn’t really been interacting with her sitters this season, but her plot line is the most entertaining of them all. Allison and Donnie continue to sell drugs, but not without a few bumps in the road. Maslany delivers as Allison every single time. From casually counting her drug money while talking on the phone with Cosima, to bossing Donnie around and showing him up by carrying the soap, to wearing hand knit mittens to a drug deal, and completely taking charge in that drug deal (with a drug dealer who happens to be her high school ex-boyfriend). This can’t end well, but hopefully (fingers crossed) Allison ends up the new school board trustee and continues her business as a very successful drug dealer.
Four episodes in and it might be safe to say that we don’t have to worry about the Castor Clones taking over and stealing the show. Orphan Black still relies heavily on the story lines of our four main clones — Sarah, Cosima, Allison and Helena. We keep meeting new boy clones, but their story lines aren’t separate from the girl clones. They are so intertwined that we cant get the boys without the girls, but we sure as hell can get the girls with out the boys.
Overall Episode Grade: A