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Spoilers Orphan Black Season 4 Discussion

Another week, another fantastic episode of this fantastic season. Man the last two weeks, the writers have tugged at the heartstrings of the audience, and this week we had to deal with the aftermath of last week. Sarah's journey made me uncomfortable, until she got to the bridge on top of the tracks, and then I was basically on the edge of my seat that entire scene. Last week Art warned Sarah about this being how Beth was killed, and this week we go back to the trains and we almost see Sarah do the same thing. It was a wonderful call back too to last season's episode 6 where Sarah and Beth seem to be connected, and Tatiana Maslany, once again, was magical this week, especially during that scene. Cosima and Alison's stories were really well done too, but man I hope Donnie makes it out of jail alive. I knew their crimes had to catch up with them, but that was cold having the cops come in like that. Speaking of cold, Mrs. S's "You are an Orphan, and that who you will ever be" line towards Sarah was a gut punch. I mean for as busy as this season has been, this was a great episode to really explore the consequences of everything, thus leading us to the end of the season and Sarah maybe even being stronger than ever before. I still miss Helena though.

With everything that was going on, this felt like Felix's episode, and Jordan Gavaris finally got a chance to shine this season. When he joined Sarah on the bridge, and they embraced, I almost teared up again. Man these last two weeks have gone for the emotional jugular and it's been some really captivating television. Also, MK is back. I'm so happy about that.

Also, I saw a Tatiana Maslany movie tonight so I got double dose of Tat. The movie was just your average teen angst movie, but she was amazing of course. And this Peaches song that was featured in the episode was catchy as hell, in a hard rock wake me up kind of way.
 
Sarah's journey made me uncomfortable, until she got to the bridge on top of the tracks, and then I was basically on the edge of my seat that entire scene.

Sarah making out with a girl made me feel something, but it sure wasn't "uncomfortable." :D Although that was the one part of her binge that I didn't have a problem with. The drinking, the drugs, the self-destructive behavior when others need her strength the most... I've gotten so used to seeing Sarah as the most stalwart of the sisters that I forgot she had a history of being more like this, of running from her problems. It was discovering her clone family that gave her a sense of responsibility and focus, but now she's lost the progenitor of that family and blames herself for it, so I guess she broke.


man I hope Donnie makes it out of jail alive. I knew their crimes had to catch up with them, but that was cold having the cops come in like that.

I saw that coming, though. Given how the Hendrixes' affairs always go pear-shaped in the worst possible ways, and given the setup with Evil Beard Cop telling Art about how the police knew about the Hendrixes' drug operation, I anticipated that the arrest would come in the middle of the slumber party. Although I was surprised that only Donnie was arrested for it. (And I wonder if the cops are going to search the garage and notice that patch that's been excavated and paved over twice...)


With everything that was going on, this felt like Felix's episode, and Jordan Gavaris finally got a chance to shine this season.

Yeah, Felix was awesome here, single-handedly saving two sisters at once. It occurs to me that Sarah would never have felt so alone and lost if she hadn't had her falling-out with Felix. Thank goodness we're past that now.


I'm so, so tired of Magic Psychic Kira. I used to like Kira so much, but now she's just a cliched plot device. I'm desperately hoping there's some reasonable, scientific explanation for her alleged ability to sense the Ledas' thoughts, but I can't think of one.

At least Rachel's swan hallucination (as in the myth of Leda and the Swan, as seen in the illustration in that Neolution book she was reading) appears to be technologically generated by her bionic eye. Although if she's only seeing it in one eye, it should appear translucent, since there's nothing to "matte out" the background seen by the other eye. (Try holding a finger in front of just one eye while focusing in the distance, and you'll see what I mean.)
 
I've gotten so used to seeing Sarah as the most stalwart of the sisters that I forgot she had a history of being more like this, of running from her problems. It was discovering her clone family that gave her a sense of responsibility and focus, but now she's lost the progenitor of that family and blames herself for it, so I guess she broke.

That's why it make me feel uncomfortable. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. In fact, that's great writing in terms of character development that we have a character who is supposed to be the strongest of the sisters, but she could be volatile at any time.
 
I think the three main Sestras all broke in their own ways, trying to avoid facing their grief by retreating into old habits -- Sarah running away and overindulging to hide from her problems, Alison taking refuge in normal family stuff and making everything as controlled and perfect as possible, Cosima trying to find an answer in science.

It's interesting, though, that Alison broke down and started praying in private, confessing her sins to God (I never noticed that she wore a cross before), and yet when Donnie invited their reverend to the party, Alison just kept up her "Everything's fine" facade and hid her problems from him. Her need to avoid appearing less than perfect in other people's eyes made her close herself up to possible sources of help (Donnie, the reverend) even though she privately admits she needs help.

I have been wondering what happened to Michelle Forbes's Marian Bowles, although I think MK's computer had a graphic implying that she'd been killed (her photo had a red X over it). Weird that they set her up as a major character and then she disappeared. I assume it's because Forbes was unavailable, probably due to getting a regular gig in season 1 of Powers. But I wonder if she was meant to play the role that Susan Duncan has ended up playing. It was a bit weird that Susan just returned from the dead at the end of last season. Maybe she was originally meant to stay dead.
 
I have been wondering what happened to Michelle Forbes's Marian Bowles, although I think MK's computer had a graphic implying that she'd been killed (her photo had a red X over it). Weird that they set her up as a major character and then she disappeared. I assume it's because Forbes was unavailable, probably due to getting a regular gig in season 1 of Powers. But I wonder if she was meant to play the role that Susan Duncan has ended up playing. It was a bit weird that Susan just returned from the dead at the end of last season. Maybe she was originally meant to stay dead.

Marion was killed. It is a shame they couldn't have Forbes on a regular because I thought she was going to be a major character. Oh well. I'm glad they addressed it and didn't completely abandon her.
 
Felix claimed Sarah is the glue that holds the group together, but it's obvious that it's actually him. I said that out loud just after he said it and then he went and proved it yet again later in the episode. :cool:
 
Felix claimed Sarah is the glue that holds the group together, but it's obvious that it's actually him. I said that out loud just after he said it and then he went and proved it yet again later in the episode. :cool:

It's both of them. She's the head, he's the heart.
 
Season 1, you've just been displaced as the best season of the show.

This entire episode was amazing. You had Alison being coerced by Duko, Sarah kind of taking a back seat but still being fully in the picture, and MK comes back because she's as desperate for a cure as Cosima is. Alison was the star tonight though. You could see the fear Maslany portrayed as Duko pretty much used her to the point where you understood why Alison had to do what she did. Then when Duko comes to the shop and you realize it was all a planned set up, you knew shit was about to go down, and boy did it ever. I honestly didn't think S was going to pull the trigger, but when she did, I was like, 'Ok, Orphan Black you are having the best season of the entire series and I'm so freaking happy I'm a fan of this show'. That's how you build tension in a show. It kept building and building and then boom. I also really liked the use of Jesus Christ Superstar intermangled with what was going on with Donnie. You know what that scene reminded me of (And I hope there's some babylon 5 fans who read this)? The climax of the episode "And the Rock Cried Out...No Hiding Place", or the episode where Refa dies.

Also, I loved the ending where after two weeks of ultimate depression, we are getting hope. We are heading towards the season finale and the ultimate showdown with Evie Cho, and the scene where Cosima was flying to the Island (How did she get that chopper, I guess maybe it was a Cop thing?) reminded me of Jurassic Park. Also, in the preview for next week, HELENA COMES BACK. Oh these final episodes are going to be so fun. Can't wait.
 
^I'd assume that Susan arranged for the helicopter. My question is how Cosima got Sarah's eggs. I mean, I assume there's some kind of surgical extraction involved there. Fertility clinics can no doubt do it pretty routinely, but is it simple enough that Cosima would be qualified to do it in that basement lab of hers?

I was relieved that Alison's betrayal turned out to be part of a plan, but at the same time I think it might've been more dramatically interesting if she'd really chosen Donnie over her sisters.

You know, it occurs to me that we've hardly seen any clone impersonations this season, besides Sarah falling back into her Beth persona once or twice, and that bit where Sarah had to pretend to be MK despite not knowing anything about her, which barely even qualifies as an impersonation. That's a part of the show I miss -- seeing the differences between how Maslany plays one clone and how she plays another clone impersonating that clone.
 
I wasn't too worried that Allison would betray her sisters, but I do agree it would've been dramatically interesting if she had. I'm not at all surprised S killed Duko, although I was surprised how sloppy she was about it, i.e. doing it in the middle of the comic book store without any plastic covering the walls and such, or not moving him downstairs before the interrogation.

Any thoughts on who the guy Rachel glimpsed in her eye? Working for Evie or yet another villain? At first glance, I thought it was Ethan, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't him (I know he's dead).
 
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Any thoughts on who the guy Rachel glimpsed in her eye? Working for Evie or yet another villain? I first glance, I thought it was Ethan, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't him (I know he's dead).

I think it was Ethan, but I figure it's some kind of pre-recorded secret message encoded in her eye, not a live communication.

Or maybe there's something wrong with the eye's neural interface that's making Rachel hallucinate. Or maybe she's just straight-up hallucinating and imagining it has something to do with the eye -- psychologically rejecting the eye as something alien and unwanted.
 
You know, it occurs to me that we've hardly seen any clone impersonations this season, besides Sarah falling back into her Beth persona once or twice, and that bit where Sarah had to pretend to be MK despite not knowing anything about her, which barely even qualifies as an impersonation. That's a part of the show I miss -- seeing the differences between how Maslany plays one clone and how she plays another clone impersonating that clone.

I think I've appreciated the lack of clone impersonations this year for the reason of there just isn't enough time. We've had it the other seasons and if they did it again, it would feel more fan servic-y than actually advancing the story. In fact, with all the emotional highs and lows of the past couple episodes, I haven't noticed we didn't have any clones acting like other clones.

As for the older guy, I keep thinking about Swan Man who was Ethan, but we do see him die.
 
I love that Ali was playing Judas in their play. :lol:

Sn all-female Superstar, eh? Interesting.
 
I though S would have more experience than to blast a guy with a hi-powered rifle in a small storefront. Nothing but a door between a rifle shot and the public street? No ear protection (she probably just gave herself tinnitis)? The power of the rifle at close range certainly vaporized his heart and blew it all over the room.

The poor guy who owns the store was having a rough night. Gets his face smashed, gets hundreds of valuable comic books ruined with blood...
 
So not only did Art condone the willful execution of his fellow Toronto cop Duko, he actively participated in it, and showed no remorse as he walked out the door. If he wasn't a full-fledged member of Clone Club before, he certainly is now. I felt his part was greatly reduced in seasons 2 and 3. I'm glad he's back among the front guard.
 
So not only did Art condone the willful execution of his fellow Toronto cop Duko, he actively participated in it, and showed no remorse as he walked out the door. If he wasn't a full-fledged member of Clone Club before, he certainly is now. I felt his part was greatly reduced in seasons 2 and 3. I'm glad he's back among the front guard.
Like Mrs. S said, Duko is a corrupt cop, who went off the grid from the police department.
 
Like Mrs. S said, Duko is a corrupt cop, who went off the grid from the police department.

Even so, that calls for arrest and trial, not torture and summary execution. If Art is okay with that, then he's just as corrupt as Duko was, just for a different team.
 
Even so, that calls for arrest and trial, not torture and summary execution. If Art is okay with that, then he's just as corrupt as Duko was, just for a different team.

Well, he was the same guy that falsified evidence to protect his partner so it wouldn't surprise me if he was just as if not more corrupt.
 
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