This is one of the most cohesive episodes of Orphan Black in a while; most of the plots in the episode are all happening in the same place at the same time. This season in particular has juggled the show's wide variety of characters in a manner similar to Game of Thrones. That's why it was nice to see an episode like this, where everything that's happening connects in a very tactile way to everything else that's happening (except the Sarah plot).
Sarah wants to spend a simple day with Kira, but she keeps getting interrupted by her complex life. Sarah's struggle as a mother is very well conveyed here. As a result of this stressful situation, she begins to lash out. She fights with Alison and attacks Felix' alleged sister. Sarah's arc this episode was quite good overall.
We check in with Krystal for the first time since last season. She has toughened up, but she's still got more than enough of the wacky character I loved last season in her, leading to some great hi-jinks. We also learn that she is applying for the Brightborn baby treatment.
Donnie goes undercover once again, this time with Cosima. They investigate the Brightborn facility, where they converge with Krystal and someone unexpected yet unsurprising. The episode's central set piece begins.
One thing that Orphan Black does perhaps better than any other show is juxtapose silly comically poor espionage with genuine tense pulse-pounding spy stuff within the same sequence. They are tonal opposites, but this show often does a great job blending them seamlessly. In this episode, for example, Donnie gives Krystal an hilariously awkward back massage to avoid giving away his cover while Cosima is on a knife's edge, about to be exposed and possibly murdered any moment. The comedy of the former does not detract from the tension of the latter, and vice-versa. It's a wonderful technique that could be easy to screw up. When done right, like this episode, it creates a nice sense of tonal variance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It had some nice reveals, some good laughs and tense moments, and a surprisingly unified plot for an episode of this show. It didn't blow me away, but it was good.
Sarah wants to spend a simple day with Kira, but she keeps getting interrupted by her complex life. Sarah's struggle as a mother is very well conveyed here. As a result of this stressful situation, she begins to lash out. She fights with Alison and attacks Felix' alleged sister. Sarah's arc this episode was quite good overall.
We check in with Krystal for the first time since last season. She has toughened up, but she's still got more than enough of the wacky character I loved last season in her, leading to some great hi-jinks. We also learn that she is applying for the Brightborn baby treatment.
Donnie goes undercover once again, this time with Cosima. They investigate the Brightborn facility, where they converge with Krystal and someone unexpected yet unsurprising. The episode's central set piece begins.
One thing that Orphan Black does perhaps better than any other show is juxtapose silly comically poor espionage with genuine tense pulse-pounding spy stuff within the same sequence. They are tonal opposites, but this show often does a great job blending them seamlessly. In this episode, for example, Donnie gives Krystal an hilariously awkward back massage to avoid giving away his cover while Cosima is on a knife's edge, about to be exposed and possibly murdered any moment. The comedy of the former does not detract from the tension of the latter, and vice-versa. It's a wonderful technique that could be easy to screw up. When done right, like this episode, it creates a nice sense of tonal variance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It had some nice reveals, some good laughs and tense moments, and a surprisingly unified plot for an episode of this show. It didn't blow me away, but it was good.