A couple weekends ago I dove into Orphan Black. I watched the entire first season from Friday to Sunday. I’m usually not one to marathon a single show like that, but Orphan Black sucked me in and I couldn’t get enough.
The show ran its first season in Canada a year ago, then came to BBC America after that. I had never heard of it until a couple months ago. It became available on Amazon Prime streaming so I decided to check it out. I had absolutely no clue what it was about going in. After the pilot episode I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep going, but I went on to episode 2 anyway… then the story took a turn and I was hooked. I didn’t stop until I had finished the 10th episode.
I think Orphan Black was improved by the fact that I watched it so quickly I didn’t have time to stop and think about what was going on. The premise of the series is very good… but at times things got pretty goofy. It isn’t as gritty and hard-boiled as most popular dramas today. It has its fair share of violence and murder, but there is also this light heartedness about it. It is tough to explain. Sometimes it pulled it off, and sometimes it felt strange and uneven.
The main actress did an amazing job, and in general the show is very well made. There are a few performances that feel out of place and detract from the overall tone, but they were easy for me to forgive considering how interesting the plot was. If you have Amazon Prime Orphan Black is worth checking out for sure.
The second season is starting today and I’d be watching it if I had access to BBC America. I definitely want to see it, but I am willing to wait for it to come onto Amazon Prime, assuming it does. If not I will pony up the dough to see if the second season remains as strong, or even improves upon, the first.
Filed Under: BBC America, Drama, Sci Fi, Television