10 Reasons Why You Should Watch Orphan Black

It's been awhile since I did one of these posts but when I finished Orphan Black last week all I wanted to do was shout at everyone until they sat down and watched it for themselves. It really is a brilliant and original sci-fi show that has tonnes of mystery and scientific intrigue while also being very character driven. It's also a really hard show to discuss without giving away major plot points and spoilers so if you could all just go watch it and hurry back that'd be great. I'll just wait here while you do, don't worry you'll get through the first 10 episodes quick as a flash - it's that addictive.

Premise: Sarah Manning, petty criminal and general let-down, finds herself thrust into a dizzying mystery after she witnesses the suicide of a woman who looks exactly like her. Stealing the deceased woman's wallet she sets up an elaborate plan to take on her identity long enough to clear her bank accounts and start a new life with her daughter Kira and her foster brother Felix. But of course things don't work quite so easily. Sarah quickly discovers the reason why Beth threw herself in front of a train. Sarah isn't alone, Beth isn't the only person who looks like her - She's just one of many. But why do they exist and why is someone trying to kill them all? (cue X-Files music)

Or if that was just a jumble of word salad (avoiding spoilers is HARD) then maybe just watch the trailer.



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1. Tatiana Maslany

To be honest this could be reason 1 through 10. She is phenomenal and even if the rest of the show was utter garbage I'd still watch it. She's that good. Of course she is though, she has to be. Maslany has to play half a dozen different people, often three at a time in a single scene, and while a certain amount of commendation needs to go to the make-up team and writers for making them completely independent characters visually, the fact that Maslany is able to transform into so many characters is a testament to her skill as an actor and an indicator of how vibrant a career she has ahead of her. You can tell which character she's portraying from a close-up of her face, or from a long shot of her walking away from the camera, hair and other distinguishing factors covered up. Add to this how often she plays one character masquerading as another, letting just enough of their accent or mannerisms in to let the audience know we aren't seeing the real Alison or Sarah but covering enough to fool everyone on the show. I just can't.


2. Felix

Felix isn't the most original of characters (gay English artist with ample sass) but I love him. He adds much needed levity and reality to the bonkers situation he's found himself mixed up in thanks to having a foster sister who turns out to be a clone. It also helps that Jordan Gavaris is absolutely magnetic and rocks the long winter coat look.

3. The hearty mix of normal fuck-uppery and sci-fi insanity

There's a lot of stuff going on in this show which I'm not going to reveal because spoilers (obvs) but perhaps the reason it garnered so much attention when it came out (and why I loved it so) was the way it mixed the insane unreality of sci-fi with the sorts of problems everyone goes through, clones or no. Sarah got stuck on a shitty path and is trying to get to a place where she can raise her daughter without worrying that she's going to end up sending her daughter down the same path. Cosima is struggling with a budding relationship, and Alison feels trapped by her suburban lifestyle. They're clearly there to help set them up as people rather than carbon copies of one another (clones have feelings too you guys!) but they're such normal insecurities and feelings that they actually help to make the science fiction part of the story feel more grounded.


4. Wardrobe/Colour theory

Maslany might be doing the lion's share depicting a multitude of characters but she isn't doing it alone. Each character is designed to look completely unique - different hair colours and styles, different fashion styles etc - but it goes deeper than "the science one has dreads" or "soccer mum wears a lot of cardigans". Each character has a colour that they wear almost exclusively. Cosima wears burgundy/maroon, Alison wears pinks, Sarah wears black when she's herself but navy blues as Beth, Helena is in yellows and khaki greens. It's a subtle way of establishing their character roles further, pink for the suburban housewife, black for the outcast/punk but it also reminds me of the colour theories on Breaking Bad and when I'm on my second viewing I'll be checking to see if it goes any further than this.









5. Eye Candy

As with any good TV show there are plenty of pretty people to oogle while you get your 40 minute dose of science fiction. As it turns out being a clone that someone wants to kill doesn't stop you from falling in love and wanting to have sexy-times with that handsome guy (or girl) over there. It doesn't meet Game of Thrones levels but prepare to see plenty of ass and steamy shower scenes throughout the series.


6. Oh Hai there Toronto!

I'm probably biassed from my recent holiday and the fact that my family hails from Toronto but I really love that the show is set there rather than in New York. It makes sense given that it's a Canadian production but there's something about films and TV shows being set in places that aren't instantly recognisable that adds some reality for me. It's more normal, more ordinary. There's also the added fact that I actually do recognise the settings in the show and can proudly point to Felix's loft or the bus terminal and say "been there".


7. Whodunnit? 

Nothing in this show is what it seems, everyone is hiding something or covering something up for someone else. You'll find yourself suspicious of everyone, side-eyeing the shit out of any new person or unexpected nice act. Everyone seems to have an agenda but it's almost impossible to be sure who is working to get themselves ahead and who is working for the "bad guy". Is there even a bad guy? Is there only one bad guy, or are the clones facing trouble on multiple fronts? Each episode opens new doors for the story to travel down and while the big picture looks to finally be coming into focus you can't help but wonder which side of the story we're getting and what surprises are waiting patiently in the shadows.


8. Cosima and Delphine

When I threw out a tweet asking a few of you if you'd seen this show Alice replied that before OiTNB this show was the apple in the lesbian community's eye. I'm assuming that's based on Cosima and Delphine, two science nerds whose friendship and subsequent relationship gives Cosima strength amidst all the clone-drama while she's back in America studying. I can't say much more about their relationship without some heavy spoilers but let's just say that the development between the two is complicated, messy and amazing. I loved the scenes the two have together and the storylines that developed around them but even outside of the brewing relationship they were two girls I'd love to hang out with. I wouldn't understand a word of the scientific mumbo-jumbo they sprouted but I'd sit there smiling like an idiot, just enjoying their company.

9. It's not just sci-fi

This really goes off the earlier point but if anyone has been thinking "yeah it sounds alright but I don't really do sci-fi..." then don't worry. It's definitely a science fiction show but I'd say it's probably a drama first. It's also got aspects of police procedurals (think more in the vein of Sherlock than CSI), family drama and black comedy. The best genre shows are always the ones that infuse other elements into them, it brings in a larger audience and it stops it from ever getting formulaic or staid. For the same reasons people found themselves liking The Sopranos even though they never liked gangster films or enjoying Game of Thrones even though they usually dislike fantasy, people will gravitate to this show and connect with the generic ties that best suit them.


10. You have nothing else to watch.

Sherlock has finished, Game of Thrones and OiTNB aren't back for a couple of months and New Girl and Girls aren't exactly shows you can binge watch. You need another show to fill your down time and if it's the kind that will have you addictively watching until 3am then more the better right?

Monday Links

*If I could meet any celebrity I think I'd choose Tom Hanks. It's not even an acting admiration thing, he just seems like a genuinely awesome dude who never disappoints. Anyway, this is a long way around to pointing out that he did an AMA. (Via Reddit)

*Remember that time I ruined Rugrats for some of you (Laura? I'm pretty sure it was you)? Anyway, Funny or Die put together a live action video which reboots the show as a thriller. It's pretty great AND it has some Arrested Development alum, so double yay! (Via Funny or Die)

*Ever wondered what David Bowie's top 100 books are? Well, here ya go! (Via The Independent)

*Hey #MonthofFranzy ladies, here's some relevant douchebaggery to lead into our first section read. Franzen is hitting out against twitter...again. (Via Teleread)

*P.S It's not too late to jump on the The Corrections readalong Alley is hosted this month. Come on, you know you want to hate read it as much as the rest of us! (Via What Red Read)

Monday Links

*^Game of Thrones reimagined as the Buffy opening credits. Love it.

*Lessons we can all learn from Spike Lee's Kickstarter project. Or, if you're famous and you want to use Kickstarter you should do a little preparation (Via The Dissolve)

*Orange is the New Black and transgender characters in film and TV. Fascinating article, plus lots of stuff about Sophia and Laverne Cox. (Via The Daily Beast)

*Up close and personal with Game of Thrones fashions. The detailing is gorgeous. (Via Buzzfeed)

*16 quotes from authors about writing for children (Via Mental Floss)

* "The Lolita Legacy", an article about controversial contemporary novels that follow in Nabokov's footsteps (Via Readings)

*Here's the article the real Larry wrote about Piper's experiences in jail. Really interesting read for anyone loving OitNB at the moment (Via NY Times)

*Artist and writer Molly Crabapple visited Guantanamo Bay. Equal parts fascinating and upsetting, it's an important read. (Via Vice)

*Why are female alcoholic writers treated so differently from their male counterparts? (Via Flavorwire)

Monday Links (on Tuesday)

*This theory is kind of ridiculous and amazing and it's all about how the Pixar films take place in the same world/reality. (Via Buzzfeed)

*David Simon, creator of The Wire, has some things to say about the Trayvon Martin case. (Via Warming Glow)

*And while we're on the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman trial, one of the jurors has a book deal. Ron Hogan raises some legitimate concerns about how the juror manages to get a book deal within 48 hours of the trial's end. (Via Buzzfeed)

*The blog Native Appropriations was following the production of The Lone Ranger, and has written a review of the film now that it's out. (Via Native Appropriations)

*Turns out the iron throne on GOT is for pussies. The book version is epic, terrifying and 100% more dangerous. (Via Uproxx)

*Because everyone likes a good comeback, especially out of the mouth of awesome literary and political folk (Via Buzzfeed)

*Kathryn Shulz does not like the Great Gatsby (any form) and here's why (Via Vulture)

*Oldish news at this point, but it turns out JKR wrote a novel under a male pseudonym. That's all well and dandy, but where's my Grindelwald book already! (Via The Age)

*Because I had to read this shitty book, I demand everyone read the review so that I feel like it was worth something. I also rail against anti-divorce sentiments, misogyny and rape so yay? (Via ME!)

*The other week Meg said that she didn't think 50 Shades deserved to be on Book Riot's well-read list, and I 100% agree but I also feel a little weird criticising something I haven't read (not that I needed to read 50 Shades to know it would be garbage). But guess what, Jennifer Armintrout read the book and recapped each chapter so that we would know what's going on without reading it! It's equal parts hilarious and infuriating - as in Jenny's commentary is hilarious, and the book's content is infuriating. Thanks to Raych for mentioning it on her blog. (Via Sweaters for Days)

TV Trailer: Dracula

So it seems Dracula is coming back to the small screen. But this time he is American, or posing as American (I guess?) and trying to introduce science to the Victorians? And he's got some sort of past lives thing happening with Mina? And Renfield is a black man in a suit? Well, at the very least it looks like they've got quite the budget, and since it's from the folks behind Downton Abbey and Tudors, we'll probably get a very pretty show at the very least. I, however, can not wait to watch Jonathan Rhys Meyers struggle with an accent again. Seriously though, WHY IS HE AMERICAN?

Fanart Friday: Doctor's and their Companions

I'll be honest, more often than not in the new series I haven't liked his companions. Rose was too love-sick for her own good, Martha was just plain obnoxious, Donna was fabulous (and I'm so sad she could be the Doctor Donna for so short a time), Amy is great when she isn't crushing on the Doctor and Rory is simply to die for. However, like them or not, I'm not so stupid that I can't see that without them the Doctor may well be dead, in serious trouble or terribly, terribly lonely. Though he (in all regenerations) spends much of his time fixing their errors and slapping their hands away when they try to touch things, he is also lucky to have them around to bounce ideas off, add an extra hand (or two) and occassionally recognise the simple remedy when his mind is churning looking for complex concepts. So to honour the wonderful men and women who help our two-hearted hero so thoroughly, here is an art gallery dedicated just to them, and the relationships they develop with their Doctor! As always, I highly recommend checking out the rest of the artists' work by clicking through the links!

New Who by Janey-Jane

Imaginary Friend by BobPsycho

Amy Pond by Stera

Fanart Friday: The 10th Doctor

David Tennant is my doctor. I've enjoyed the other actors hired to take on this momentous role but no one else manages to encapsulate the Doctor's sadness, lonliness, quirkiness and huge capacity for both love and anger like dear Mr Tennant. On top of his incredible acting prowess, he managed to endear me with his fantastic knack for dressing in pinstripe suits, long coats and converse shoes, 3D eyewear, *that* hair, and his delightful English accent (though his natural Scottish accent is quite wonderful also!). In honour of my favourite Doctor, the man who battled Darleks and Cybermen, fell in love with Rose Tyler, saved the Earth time and time again and taught us all a few valuable lessons, I've collected a few of the best artistic pieces on DeviantArt. Be sure to continue through the links to see the full-size images and the rest of their collections. Allons-y!!

Doctor Who by Mydogatela

Doctor Whoooo by K9Darkice

The Doctor by Key-0

Tenth Doctor by Nimloth87

Ghost of You by Aimeekitty

The Tenth Doctor by S-von-P

The Doctor by Eryslash

Oh and I probably should mention that this is the first batch in a kind of huge batch of Doctor Who Friday Fanart posts! Hope you're all as in love with DW as I am!