Orphan Black - Season 3 Discussion

[Aldo]

So I'm almost done going back through the series, and I suppose I have a few questions just to clear some things up:

-When Duncan and his wife were first working on Project Leeda, he say Dyad came in as an independent contractor, and the implications was they took over. How did Dyad come to be aware of the project? And how did the Military?

Actually, I suppose it was just one question. This shows really not that hard to follow, but man season 2 does start laying on the revelations quickly, whereas season 1 only had a few revelations and was mostly setting up the OB world.

Even though I've said this countless times before (as have others) there are times where I have to remind myself that Tatiana is playing all the clones more or less by herself (I know she has a stand in to play off of...who must be pretty good, to get these performances out of her):

Of notable interest to me is the scene where Rachel confronts Cosima at Dyad. The scene is oozing with tension, it's not only wonderfully written but really well acted.

 

[Christopher]

Even though I've said this countless times before (as have others) there are times where I have to remind myself that Tatiana is playing all the clones more or less by herself (I know she has a stand in to play off of...who must be pretty good, to get these performances out of her):

Yeah, Kathryn Alexandre is the unsung heroine of the show (although she has been, err, sung on occasion). She helps create the performances alongside Maslany, but we don't get to see or hear her half except as interpreted through Maslany.

And of course there are scenes where there need to be additional stand-ins as well, like in Helena's four-sestra dream sequence in the season 3 opening. I saw a photo of Maslany and three doubles in costume for that scene... ahh, here it is (second photo in the article).

 

[Aldo]

I love that picture, thanks for finding it.

Also, just while we're musing right now, I hope Rachel gets a bit to do this season despite her circumstances. For whatever reason I thought after the end of Season 2 that Rachel would be out of the picture, but I've been proven wrong (just like I thought Helena was really dead at the end of Season 1...you know, this show is proving me wrong a lot now).

 

[tomalak301]

I love that picture, thanks for finding it.

Also, just while we're musing right now, I hope Rachel gets a bit to do this season despite her circumstances. For whatever reason I thought after the end of Season 2 that Rachel would be out of the picture, but I've been proven wrong (just like I thought Helena was really dead at the end of Season 1...you know, this show is proving me wrong a lot now).

I'm hoping Season 3 does for Rachel what Season 2 did for Helena, give them some redemption. I would love to see Rachel as a protagonist.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I don't know, Helena was brainwashed & probably tortured. Rachel is self aware and self made.

 

[Christopher]

I don't know, Helena was brainwashed & probably tortured.

More than probably. Tomas taught her to practice self-mutilation to punish herself for her sins. That's definitely torture, even if he made her do it to herself.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Is that from one of the comics? I've read the scorpion is, but I haven't seen the comics.

 

[Christopher]

^No, it was in the show. We saw Helena cutting herself in a few episodes, and if I'm not mistaken, we saw Tomas telling her that she needed to cut herself to purify the intrinsic evil of her cloniness.

 

[Aldo]

So I finished my run through of the series, up to and including last week's Season 3 premiere.

I'm glad I did too, because last week's episode plays a bit stronger now that I have all the information in front of me again. Quick question regarding the episode though, how long after the end of Season 2 does it take place? I gathered two days based on the Castor clone at the end mentioning she (Helena) was in the box for nearly 48 hours. When I first watched the episode I'm not sure why I thought it was a few weeks.

I still really want Rachel to be a presence in this season, and I'm sure she will (I also echo sjsharksfan39's comment above about hoping she reforms somewhat).

Also, I wouldn't mind seeing more of Krystal (or Crystal), I hope she's not just a one-off like Tony apparently is, saying that, I completely realize they could bring him back this season and make him a regular.

One thing's for certain, this is going to be a fun ride, I can't wait till tomorrow!

 

[bigdaddy]

I'm not sure why I thought it was a few weeks.

Because in the episode I'm pretty sure Sarah said it was three weeks after finding out about the male clones.

 

[Forbin]

The extras on the DVD sets show Tat's stand-in and how they film some scenes with multiple cloneage. Also how they digitally combine body parts! Like when Sarah has Rachel on the floor with a gun to her head - the heads are obviously both Tatyana, but the hand holding the gun is the stand-in's, oulled from when she was Sarah on top.

 

[Aldo]

I'm not sure why I thought it was a few weeks.

Because in the episode I'm pretty sure Sarah said it was three weeks after finding out about the male clones.

They did say that Marion was holding the Castor clone for three weeks, but I don't think Sarah ever made any mention of that. But you're right, that's exactly why I was thinking it was a few weeks after Season 2.

However there's a lot of evidence to say it's only been about two days or so:

-Helena: I think Sarah would be more concerned about her if she was missing for three weeks as opposed to two days.

-Rachel: We see her having surgery for the eye, not something that would be happening a few weeks later. They'd want to take care of it right away.

Also, the biggest clue, is Helena being in that box for 48 hours.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^No, it was in the show. We saw Helena cutting herself in a few episodes, and if I'm not mistaken, we saw Tomas telling her that she needed to cut herself to purify the intrinsic evil of her cloniness.

Jeez, 3 time through and there's something I missed.

I mean, I know she was self-mutilating for "the cause" but missed the part where Tomas told her to do it.

 

[Aldo]

He also did it himself in season 2, whipping himself with his belt, not cutting. When Gracie saw him do it he puts the belt away and says: "Forgive me, old custom." So it's not surprising that it'd be something that Helena was taught to do as well.

 

[Christopher]

So there's a Voight-Kampff test for clones?

Not sure I like the story direction so far. The Castors aren't all that interesting yet. Alison's latest venture into criminality doesn't appeal to me. (Although I am wondering, is she planning to win votes by selling people drugs, or by blackmailing them with the fact that they buy drugs?) And I don't like it that Kira's being sent away. She's one of my favorite characters.

 

[Aldo]

So there's a Voight-Kampff test for clones?

Not sure I like the story direction so far. The Castors aren't all that interesting yet. Alison's latest venture into criminality doesn't appeal to me. (Although I am wondering, is she planning to win votes by selling people drugs, or by blackmailing them with the fact that they buy drugs?) And I don't like it that Kira's being sent away. She's one of my favorite characters.

I actually like this season so far, a lot of stuff is coming together now. Especially Paul. I remember last season his motivations seemed murky and then he kind of disappeared near the end of the season only to show up again.

Now we know this is because he was placed into Dyad by Project Castor to locate the original genome. When he wasn't successful the Military brought in the Castor clones to assist.

I don't quite agree with you on the Castor's not being interesting. I find them decent as antagonists so far. I think they'll be more appealing when Mark comes back into the picture next week. I picture him as being the Sarah Manning of the Castor Boys, even though she has more support from her sisters than I'm sure he will from his brothers.

I like that they're giving the Clones a new threat to deal with this season. I think it'd be kind of same old same old if they made Dyad the Big Bad again.

I also like how Dyad is this ambiguous entity right now. They could still become a thread for Sarah, but at the moment it seems their interests are aligning.

 

[auntiehill]

^ Me, too. Things are really happening here but there's a lot more ambiguity about where--and what--the threat is. Roles are changing, new players are coming in. I'm finding that these last two episodes have just flown by for me, so it's obviously holding my attention.

I LOVE Alison and her new-found badassery; I want to see more of the Castor Boys and find out what happens to Helena.

I can't wait to see more!

 

[Aldo]

It's clear why Helena was kidnapped now (for story reasons, at least). It keeps Sarah around, with Dyad loosening it's grip on her, she could very well have booked it out of town when the Castor boys showed up. But it's that love for Helena that's keeping her around, unlike last season where she had no trouble leaving, this time she has a reason to stay.

And yes, I really love what they're doing with Alison. She puts on the facet of a suburban house wife/soccer mom, and in many ways she is. But she's also probably the worst character on the show, moral wise, and I love it!

 

[tomalak301]

Great episode tonight. The writers did a hell of a job further developing the Castor storyling as well as simplifying the rest of the stories. That scene in Felix's loft was insane and probably the best moment of the series so far.

I'm liking that now we have a face for Helena to talk to in that military base. There is a lot to digest that I am still kind of wrapping my thoughts around the episode, but I would say this was much better than the premiere. Way to keep that momentum going.

Tonight that Castor Clones became interesting to me. They are in the same predicament as Leda are, and it does make me think they aren't the villains we thought they were. I wonder if the Ledas and Castors will team up later in the season.

 

[Christopher]

And yes, I really love what they're doing with Alison. She puts on the facet of a suburban house wife/soccer mom, and in many ways she is. But she's also probably the worst character on the show, moral wise, and I love it!

I guess I'm old-fashioned -- I prefer my protagonists to stay on the pro- side. It's one thing to sympathize with Helena; she's a killer, sure, but she's that way because she was tortured and brainwashed and put through hell by the Proletheans. Alison doesn't really have an excuse. I find her the least sympathetic sister. Her stuff can be funny, but in a disquieting way.

Still, it could be worse. I was afraid that she and Donnie would decide to murder her rival for the school board, since it gets easier after the first couple of times. Although I'm still worrying it might escalate to that.