Orphan Black Review: “The Stigmata of Progress”

The fourth season delivers an excellent, if queasy, third episode.

Title: “The Stigmata of Progress”

Cast and Crew
Director: Ken Girotti
Writer: Aubrey Nealon

Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning/ Rachel Duncan / Beth Childs / Cosima Niehaus / Alison Hendrix / Helena
Jordan Gavaris as Felix Dawkins
Maria Doyle Kennedy as Siobhan Sadler
Skyler Wexler as Kira
Kevin Hanchard as Detective Art Bell
Kristian Bruun as Donnie Hendrix
James Frain as Ferdinand
Rosemary Dunsmore as Professor Duncan
Cynthia Galant as Charlotte
Josh Vokey as Scott
Lauren Hammersley as Adele
Ari Millen as Castor Clone
Joel Thomas Hynes as Dizzy
Kirsten Alter as Detective Lindstein
Ian Matthews as Frank
Miranda Edwards as Roxie
Gord Rand as Detective Duko
Calwyn Shurgold as Hell-Wizard
Molly Flood as Receptionist
Siobhan Murphy as Leslie
Dylan Bruce as Paul Dierden
Kathryn Alexandre as Tatiana Maslany’s double.

Premises

Donnie and Allison dig up Dr. Leekie in order to get the bot in his cheek—just as the police turn up investigating a certain triple homicide.

We say “hello” to Felix’s biological half-sister, a disbarred lawyer with drug habits.

Rachel encounters family problems—- Professor Duncan and a Castor are keeping an eye on her– but she finds an ally in Charlotte, the child-clone with the Wednesday Addams style.

Sarah tries to have her cheek-bot removed1; a familiar face intervenes.

We’re seeing the effects of events, finally, on the seemingly-composed and often-overlooked Kira.

High Points

Donnie: Anyway, one thing led to another, and I did shoot Doctor Leekie and bury him in the garage, but… It looks like he has one of those Neolutionist things in his face, so sometimes, stuff works out.

Cosima: You killed Aldous Leekie?

Donnie: Boy, did I ever. Yeah.

This week features an excellent dark-comic segment in suburbia, and Donnie gets the best lines.

Low Point

The composite parts all work, but it would be fair to say the show’s shifts of tone and mood happen with jarring abruptness at times.

The Scores:

Originality: 3/6

Effects: 6/6 The effects involving a decomposing corpse and body horror look creepily convincing.

Story: 5/6

Acting: 6/6

Emotional Response: 6/6

Production: 6/6 This week’s episode features some fascinating locations, and a features a kind of mad scientist lab motif.

Overall: 5/6

In total, “The Stigmata of Progress” receives 37/42

Note

1. We get an actual Toronto address this week given for the dental clinic. I wonder if that’s a shout-out to the noted pub at that locale.