Orphan Black returns for its fifth and final season. Tatiana Maslany remains in fine form as various clones; whether the labyrinthine plotting and byzantine backstory can maintain the season until the end remains a mystery.
Title: “The Few Who Dare”
Cast and Crew
Director: John Fawcett
Writer: Graeme Manson (with Renée St. Cyr, Natalia Guled, and Aisha Porter-Christie)
Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning/ Cosima Niehaus / Alison Hendrix / Helena / Rachel Duncan
Jordan Gavaris as Felix Dawkins
Kristian Bruun as Donnie Hendrix
Evelyne Brochu as Delphine Cormier
Dylan Bru Kevin Hanchard as Art Bell
Ari Milen as Ira
Ron Lea as Lieutenant Gavin Hardcastle
Jenessa Grant as Mud
Elyse Levesque as Detective Maddie Enger
Géza Kovács as the Messenger
Andrew Moodie as Mr. Frontenac
Cynthia Galant as Charlotte Bowles
Calwyn Shurgold as Hell Wizard
Stuart Hughes as Cooper
Victor Gomez as Salvador
Sirena Gulamgaus as Aisha
Homa Kameh as Aisha’s Mother
Vas Saranga as Amar
Andrew Musselman as the Creature
Millie Davis as Gemma Hendrix
Premise
An injured Sarah discovers several characters living on the island. Cosima takes a possible cure, Rachel and the elusive Dr. Westmoreland appear to have consolidated the various factions, Felix and company reach out to MK, Art Bell finds himself with a Neolutionist partner, Alison gets captured, Helena gets injured, and several mysteries stalk the island.
High Points
The scene between Cosima and Rachel reminds us again how much this series owes to its principal actor. We have a powerful, nuanced encounter that makes even a seasoned viewer forget that the same person plays both parts.
Low Points
As the show extends beyond its original premise, the mysteries and backstory grow more convoluted. The show has come through before, so I am hopeful, but they have a lot to explain, and I don’t now that the new characters will help matters.
Bell and Enger really feel like a sideshow, despite their obvious connection to the main plot.
The Scores:
Originality: 3/6
Effects: 5/6
Story: 5/6
Acting: 5/6 Maslany remains in fine form, and other series regulars do well in their brief appearances. The supporting actors vary in their performances.
Emotional Response: 5/6
Production: 6/6
Overall: 5/6 I remain cautious but hopeful for the final season.
In total, “The Few Who Dare” receives 34/42
Lingering Questions
Does Dr. Westmoreland continue to live, or is this some kind of Oz-some charade? And if it is, who lurks behind the metaphoric curtain?
Revival has sophisticated science, a greenhouse, a fish farm, and a children’s book explaining its history. Apparently, it has existed since 1908. Why, then, does the village look like someone threw it together last week?
I’m hopeful on the plotting too. It was announced that this was going to be the final season far enough back that should have been factored into the story line development, so presumably the new characters this season actually have a purpose. As noted though, there are also lots of loose ends to wrap up so I’m not going to be surprised if some of them are left for the viewer to speculate on when all is said and done.
Not sure about Revival either – you’d definitely expect a progression of more permanent structures, prefabs, tents to accommodate how long ago the inhabitants that built them arrived as it’s clearly a still on-going process. I guess it ‘s either just a function of having to create the set, or some yet to be revealled event resulted in the destruction of older structures. Not something I’m going to be losing sleep over though.
Another lingering question (or two): Have Helena’s babies been harmed by that stick and, if so, just how nuclear is she going to go once she’s back on her feet? :)
High point: The show is back!
But yeah, the technical aspects of this show alone are amazing. Remember when you had one actor play merely two characters, and they had to be on the opposite ends of the room from each other and talk with real awkward pauses? Now they’re firggin handing each other stuff on-screen and giving each other shots!
I had the distinct impression that what we’ve seen in this episode isn’t quite exactly what it appears. That would be par for the course this early in the season.
I’m going to go out on a limb and make a prediction. I think the series finale is going to be a tragedy. It fits with the overall tone. If it isn’t a classic tragedy where the heroes die (which seems a bit to “pat”), it will be one of those metaphoric ones where surviving isn’t any sort of picnic and it isn’t clear whether they won or not once the events are examined in depth – the sort of end that leaves the survivors (and the viewers) somewhat shellshocked.