‘Orphan Black’ Recap: Clones Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts
(Photo: BBC America)
Warning: This recap for the “The Antisocialism of Sex” episode of Orphan Black contains spoilers.
Welcome to Orphan Black’s version of a ghost story, one that’s been promised since the very first shot of the very first episode. Never forget that Sarah Manning’s introduction to the Clone Club occurred because of her brief encounter with Beth Childs on that train station platform. The shock of seeing her exact doppelganger in the flesh — followed by the even bigger shock of seeing said doppelganger leaping to her death — immediately imprinted that moment on Sarah’s brain, at the same time that Beth’s sad eyes pierced her soul. Beth’s death has haunted Sarah for the subsequent four seasons, and “The Antisocialism of Sex” makes that metaphorical haunting literal.
In the wake of Kendall’s brutal murder in the last episode, which effectively doomed her clone “children” to a death sentence since her genes theoretically held the cure to the disease that’s wiping out both the Castor and Leda lines, the once-mighty Manning has gone off the rails. She’s snapping at her foster mother, Mrs. S, neglecting her daughter, Kira, and running away from her problems through that reliably potent cocktail of drugs, alcohol, and casual threesomes. But when she looks in the mirror during these escapades, she sees Beth’s face staring back at her. That’s because she’s entered the same self-destructive spiral that led Detective Childs to take her own life. A part of her even recognizes that, but she simply doesn’t care; at this point, oblivion seems preferable to waiting for the clone disease to kick in. It isn’t long before she’s following in Beth’s literal footsteps, standing on a bridge overlooking a train yard preparing to jump.
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And that’s precisely the moment that Beth appears in front of her, allowing them to have their first — and probably last — conversation since the series began. (In a nice touch, this entire sequence is preceded by Donnie regaling the kids at Gemma’s birthday with a classic campfire ghost story that’s only slightly less horrific than the sight of him being arrested on drug charges.) “I didn’t want this,” Sarah protests to the phantom standing in front of her. “We would have been better off if we’d never crossed paths.” Ghost Beth isn’t about to be goaded, keeping a cool she’d lost in the last days of her life. “There’s more than biology between us, Sarah,” she replies, teasing this season’s endgame and, perhaps, next year’s storyline as well. “There’s something else. You can feel it, too. Bring us together, Sarah. We need you.” Those words, coupled with the just-arrived Felix’s gentle urgings, talk Sarah back from the ledge… though not yet into complete control of the situation.
(Photo: BBC America)
As Sarah and Beth were having their tête-à-tête, Cosima was confronted with a ghost from her past, one she thought she had buried for good last week. Right after reducing Kendall to ashes, Evie Cho coldly informed her that Delphine had perished from her parking lot encounter with a mystery gunman. But just as he’s rushing to rescue Sarah, Felix also comes to Cosima’s aid, informing her that Krystal observed a still-alive Delphine being transported to an as-yet undisclosed location. Just like that, Cosima puts down the Neolutionist-made maggot she was about to insert in her own cheek, and looks hopefully ahead to a potential reunion with her lady love. Be forewarned, Cosima: The Delphine you remember may not be the Delphine you meet again.
Continuing the ghost theme, Kira has one in her machine! After a three-episode absence, M.K. paid Sarah’s daughter a visit via the kid’s laptop (interrupting her Minecraft session, a definite no-no for the under-10 set). “You’re the girl in the shadows,” Kira said, knowingly, which also sounds like the title for Stephen King’s next bestseller. Last but not least, a still-housebound Rachel catches sight of a glitchy ghost swan waddling through the house she’s forcibly sharing with an increasingly depressed Susan Duncan, her skulking manservant Ira, and fellow prisoner, Charlotte. Swans, of course, are the symbol of the “Leda” myth that gave Susan’s clone project its name. Furthermore, “Swan Man” happens to be Helena’s nickname for Susan’s husband and clone collaborator, Ethan Duncan, who killed himself in front of Rachel in the Season 2 finale. Does this apparition mean that some small part of Ethan’s consciousness lives on? Orphan Black may just as well be taking place on the Iron Islands, because this episode got me thinking, “What is dead, may never die.”
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Now let’s get to the week’s Clone Power Rankings. ‘Cause I ain’t afraid of no ghosts either.
1. Rachel
Everyone is currently underestimating Rachel thanks to her missing eye, limited mobility, and impaired brain function. But the former Dyad employee has been a sponge for information during her confinement, this week learning details about the origins of Neolutionism and witnessing Evie’s disdain for Susan firsthand. The swan sighting may be the spark that ignites her escape plan.
2. Beth
It was good to see the in-control Beth again, even if she was just a figment of Sarah’s imagination.
3. Alison
Say what you will about her drug dealing skills — Gemma’s birthday party was on point! Too bad Donnie wasn’t able to stay for the cupcakes.
4. Cosima
You’d think that a scientist of Cosima’s caliber would know better than to make herself her own guinea pig. (That’s how we ended up with the Green Goblin, after all.) Then again, grief drives you to do crazy things, like willingly sticking a poisonous bug in our mouth.
5. Sarah
Sarah was a big ol’ mess this episode, so consider her exiled to the Clone Club basement for now. You can come out when you start being nice to Kira again.
Non-Clone MVP: Felix
Lest you doubt his devotion to his clone sisters now that he’s hanging with his awesome biological sister, Adele, Felix was an important lifeline for both Cosima and Sarah this week. Just another reason why he earns the World’s Best Brother mug we presume is hanging in his kitchen.
Orphan Black airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on BBC America.
