Love and rejection seems a theme of episode eight, with Delphine and Cosima finally talking about their breakup, and Donnie (Kristian Bruun) confronting Jason (Justin Chatwin) about him kissing Alison (Tatiana Maslany), except he actually kissed Cosima, but it’s the principle of the thing, dammit!
Here’s a slightly late review of Orphan Black, episode eight. Sorry about that.
So we open in the Mexican cantina, where a somewhat injured Dr. Coady (Kyra Harper) is quizzing the staff about the escapees, Sarah and Helena. She’s got burns on her face and hand, and reveals to the government man, Benchman (Tom Barnett), that the Castor research was indeed blown to smithereens by Paul’s (Dylan Bruce) grenade. She’s lucky to have escaped with her life, but unless a miracle happens, the Castor clones (Ari Millen) are doomed.
Except not; Benchman has a source in Dyad who’s close enough to the action to know there’s a book which might be of use. It’s the same one left by Dr. Duncan which Rachel is helping decode with help from Scott (Josh Vokey). But they’ve hit a snag. Rachel wants to do a deal, she wants out of Dyad, where she’s been imprisoned since the end of season two, and needs a new identity.
Isn’t it lucky that another clone has turned up in yet another useful coincidence for the ongoing story? As mentioned in the last review, coincidence appears to be the crutch of the writers of season three, and it doesn’t make for brilliant viewing.
Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Donnie is perturbed. Felix (Jordan Gavaris) has arrived with Helena and Gracie (Zoe de Grand Maison) in tow and insists they stay as it’s their turn to look after members of the extended family. Sure, one is an ex assassin and the other an excommunicated religious fanatic, but fair’s fair, Donnie and Alison are drug dealers, so they can suck it up.
Donnie is also in a fighting mood thanks to the aforementioned kiss from Jason, their drug supplier (and Alison’s ex-boyfriend). In the confrontation that follows, it’s no surprise that Donnie comes off second best.
There’s a bit more caper in this episode while trying to get Rachel out of her locked room, and Scott has somehow finagled a gaming buddy onto Dyad security to help get her out. Despite what appears to be barely a week passing, his buddy has access to all sorts of useful doors, like the one that connects the lift to the basement (where Rachel has been hidden) all the way up to the carpark where a van is waiting to whisk her and her wheelchair away.
The escape seems bizarrely easy, and no-one thinks to ask why. In fact, the heroes have been set-up. This leaves Cosima and Delphine’s potential reconciliation in tatters because they’ve both been lying; Cosima about the book and Delphine about the escape.
And it’s all very melodramatic. Fine, let the characters have real feelings for one another, but honestly, this episode seemed like a soap opera of coincidence and villainous betrayal. Delphine’s transformation from scientist to political animal is complete with the firing of Scott and Cosima, and the revelation she’s hidden the fact that Cosima’s new girlfriend Shay (Ksenia Solo) is yet another military type. Why not a tabloid journalist hunting for info on the identical twins or simply a hippy with designs on Cosima’s bod? With all this manipulation, Cosima would be well within her rights to take the first plane to Africa and get lost in the jungles for the remainder of her life.
Maybe next week things will be brighter? Sarah, Felix and Siobhan (Maria Doyle Kennedy) are off to London to find the original Castor. Who knows what’ll happen in old Blighty?
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