Poop on a stoop. The intense Orphan Black season 5 premiere left fans anxious about what’s to come for the final season.
When season 4 of Orphan Black ended last summer, fans were left to sit and wonder what happened to our beloved clones for an entire agonizing year. We asked ourselves if Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) would live. If Cophine (Tatiana Maslany and Evelyne Brochu) would actually finally be reunited, and if the clones would all unite to take down Rachel (Tatiana Maslany) and her army of Neolution worshipers. Most of all, we were left to wonder how this one in a million kind of show would wrap up all of the insane loose ends it’s accumulated thus far. Seriously, we still can’t wait to see what’s up with Kira and her special abilities.
RELATED | Orphan Black Season 5 Premiere, Synopsis, Photos & Promo
The season 5 premiere of Orphan Black didn’t disappoint as it dove in right where the previous season left off. Sarah managed to save herself from certain death after escaping Rachel whose attack left her beaten and bloody on the side of a cliff. Cosima woke up to realize that her dream was true. Delphine is very much alive and she’s doing everything in her power to save her life with the treatment Cosima created. Alison (Tatiana Maslany) and Donnie (Kristian Bruun) are still playing the role of survivalists in the woods while trying to keep Helena (Tatiana Maslany) and her babies safe. Then shit really hits the fan. Alison is kidnapped by Art’s (Kevin Hanchard) annoying new partner Maddie. Sarah fights off a crazy island mutant and tracker dogs to find Cosima in the medical trailer at the mysterious camp known as Revival. Helena is impaled in the stomach by a stick after trying to save Donnie from being killed. Cosima insists on staying on the island despite the danger to find the answers she needs. Sarah leaves Cosima as per her wishes and finds a boat to escape, but ultimately finds herself right back where she began… helpless at the hands of Rachel, this time with a tranquilizer dart in her neck.
Talk about an action packed hour of TV. With so much happening to our favorite clones in the Orphan Black season premiere, we thought it best to talk it over with fans round-table style to get their unique perspectives. Here are our guests:
Faith - (@FaithBek) TV nerd, Clone Club member, Writer for TV After Dark.
Kennedy - (@Lo_206) Kitten lover, adventure seeker, clone clubber.
Nic - (@Nicolachoi) Clone clubber. General nerd & daydreamer. TVAD writer and editor.
Eam - (@CloneClubGlobal) Music fan, Web Designer and founder at Clone Club Global.
Anny - (@clonepatronus) Artist, theorist, lifelong Beth Childs lover.
Ashlee - (@CloneClubAus) Aussie Clone Clubber, Orphan Black cast fist bumper.
1. Orphan Black kicked off right where it left off in season 4 with Sarah limping away from the beach. What were your initial thoughts of the episode?
Anny (@clonepatronus): I knew Sarah was going to survive based on the promo pictures and sneak peeks, yet I still felt the incredible need to clutch my chest and let out a long howl that I’m sure all my neighbours have heard (and it was 4 AM!). Sarah once again proved how tough she actually is. After having her leg stabbed and her back, fingers, and face broken in half, I didn’t really expect her to jump around with a DIY wooden stake just a few minutes later, fueled by the love for Kira and her sestras!
Kennedy (@Lo_206): Right off the bat, I wanted to know where Cosima ended up and if she was okay. Season 4 ended on such a high with her and Delphine reuniting, but Cosima’s health was and is still very much in jeopardy. I’m ready to get back into their story line and see how things would progress for them. With Sarah hiding in the woods, I was half expecting MK to be the one hiding in the bushes. Instead, it was a half-human beast inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau. So I’m really curious to see what other parallels they will use from Dr. Moreau.
Nic (@NicolaChoi): My initial thoughts-I really liked the fast pacing of it and the fact that we jumped straight into action. The gun is pointed pretty much at everyone’s heads now, so the stakes are super high.
Faith (@Faithbek): My initial thoughts were that someone needs to get Sarah a drink. Girl needs a cocktail and a vacation on a beach where she doesn’t have to fight Sloth from the Goonies or use a tampon as a tourniquet.
Eam (@CloneClubGlobal): That I want a phone that can make calls at 2% battery life and a service that has a reception in a far away, secluded island. And note to self to carry the following at all times- for when I get lost in the woods or trapped on an island: a pack of matches (even though neither Sarah nor I smoke!), tampons and a photo of a loved one.
Ashlee (@CloneClubAus): Having just watched 4×10, here in Toronto, in a theatre with a few hundred other Clone Clubbers, the fluidity of the transition between the two series was notable. I enjoyed the continuation in every aspect; colour pallets, wardrobe, music, tone etc. I felt like this premiere was particularly strong, perhaps more so than previous seasons; personally, I feel like it is on par with season 3’s premiere. I am very excited about what is to come.
2. Based on the premiere and what we know from previous seasons, are there any plot points you think the writers need to address before the series ends?
Nic: Helena’s baby is definitely one I think they’ll address. They’ll probably cruelly have her miscarriage or something. I think Delphine’s endgame, too. Every season she’s either being shady or leaving. Whatever happened to Tony, as well?!
Faith: Why did Delphine ever straighten her perfect hair?
Kennedy: I definitely want to learn more about MK and understand her backstory. She started off as a minor character but has developed into such an important member of the sestras. I would love for her to become a part of the group the same way Helena did, maybe throw in another clone dance party.
Anny: I think the series is turning back to the “We’re property” aspect that resonated through the whole show but hasn’t actually been addressed for a long time. The Neolution walls are closing in and we are getting this sense of no escape, just like we did at the end of season 1. I also would like to see some Euroclone flashbacks, find out what happened to Tony and get some more content on Beth (please).
Eam: I’m going to steer away from the obvious plots that for sure the writers are going to cover, like Kira’s “special” abilities. I’m interested to know what’s happened to Mark and Gracie Rollins? What about the Proletheans, where are they? Also, as much as I love Cophine, I still feel bad about Shay Davydov’s character. I love Ksenia Solo and wish she was never introduced in Orphan Black as Cosima’s ‘rebound relationship.’ We left off Shay on Season 3X10 face to face with Delphine telling Shay “be good to her” and that to tell Cosima, she can tell her everything should she choose to. And then nothing on Season 4! I want closure on Shay’s character if only to see Ksenia onscreen again. Wishful thinking.
Ashlee: There are several plot points that need to be addressed, none more so than Kira and her abilities. Though this plot line, in particular, is not high on my ‘list of things I need to see happen before the series ends’, I am curious to see just what they do with her. Obviously, the biggest plot point for me is uncovering just why Delphine is so damn important to Neolution and Westmoreland. Think about it, no other person has had such great lengths taken to find them, intercept their attempted murder, relocate them, heal them and then work with them. Something big is at play.
3. Do you trust Delphine? She was essentially kidnapped and now she’s working for camp Revival.. do you think she’s hiding anything?
Nic: Yeah, I trust Delphine. I think what she does is what’s best for Cosima. Ultimately, she’s being controlled and I think it must be some kind of bargain-Revival literally “revived” her and she owes them her life. They can wield that against her. But whatever she does, I think she will always come back to Cosima and be there for her, even if they’re not by moral means. That’s why I think she’s so interesting. She isn’t good, but she loves, very purely.
Eam: Ok. Let’s not question Delphine’s motivations and loyalty anymore. She’s the one who has to make sacrifices, make difficult decisions that on the surface may seem suspicious, but she’s proven her love for Cosima and the sisters in all four seasons. If it looks like she’s working for the other team, ultimately, she’s doing it to help the Leda sisters. It will be very disappointing if on this final season, the creators will still put Delphine in a situation where her loyalty is challenged. Delphine’s love for Cosima and all the sisters IS real. What the dickens?! Just give her a damn clone phone already and let her into Clone Club!
Anny: For me, Delphine has never gained my full trust. Much like Mrs. S or Paul, you never know where their true loyalties lie and the show really likes to play with us in regards to making us both love and hate those characters in a very short time span. I think Delphine
still, does have a lot to hide, but she still remains very Cosima-centered and in her own rebellious way, she’s going to make everything work.
Ashlee: Full disclosure, I am 100% on Team Delphine and what many people already know about me from my online personality, is that Delphine is a character of huuuuuuge importance to me. So, be prepared because a lot of my ramblings are gonna be about her. So, yeah, I do trust her. I think, like I’ve said above, she is a character of considerable significance and I feel like this season is gonna be a repeat of season 3 for her; i.e. it’s gonna be biiiiiiig.
Faith: Delphine could hide whatever she wanted and I’d be okay with it. I trust her. She’s complex and interesting. Ultimately, I think she’ll do anything for Cosima and her sisters.
Kennedy: Delphine has proved her love for Cosima time and time again. Unfortunately, it seems like she is being controlled by someone higher up, which has been the case since her introduction to OB. But in the season opener, making sure that Cosima got the treatment was her priority so I do trust her. Throughout the series, my trust in her faded, but I really believe she has the sestras, especially Cosima’s, best interests at heart.
4. Speaking of, what are your thoughts about camp Revival and what their goal is?
Nic: I mean, they’re controlled by Neolution, right? I think Delphine says they’re at the heart of it. So all these ethnically diverse, sick people come to Revival, living off solar power and growing their own veggies, etc. It’s just one giant experiment: what if the world ran out of fuel? People in Revival sure as hell would survive. All these treatments for the sick kids and people who’ve come from all over the world…it’s not because they can’t go to England or any of the EU countries for treatment (like Dutch treatment, which is often revolutionary). It’s one step further here in Revival: they’re pushing the boundaries. Some stuff’s probably not even knocked on Phase II/III’s door. It seems like a giant ant farm, to be honest.
Eam: Camp Revival doesn’t look like a vacation spot and sure sounds and looks like a cultish community. Cosima is staying there to ‘follow the science’ - just hope she doesn’t drink from the fountain. Their goal seems to be perfecting the human race and achieve longevity even immortality? Not plausible but this is a science fiction futuristic show…
Kennedy: Revival seems shadyyyyy. If Rachel is P. T. Westmoreland’s spokeswoman, I don’t trust it at all. I assume their goal is immortality or choosing your own genetic makeup. I’m ready for Cosima to get some answers though.
Faith: They remind me of Negan and the survivors in The Walking Dead. Join or be killed mentality. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat.
Ashlee: Revival, to me, is a control group. A select group of individuals prepared to give themselves to Neolution, and sharing a similar goal in mind; to perfect the human race. I believe that once they achieve their first goal, ‘life extension’ AKA, ‘pro-longevity’, their next step will be to disperse into the wider population and spread their genetic superiority. It’ll be a twisted game of Survival of the Fittest.
Anny: It’s pretty much like the Fishpeople’s Ranch, but science style. A closed off society that has got a dodgy ideology going on, a slightly hipster feeling to it, the great big leader and they like kidnapping people, too. Also, I cannot help myself but after watching Rachel being extremely nice, Delphine interested in the business and Cosima refusing to leave, the thought of mind control of some sort is creeping on my mind. As for their goals, I can’t wait to see another sestra call it bullshit! In all seriousness, though, I’m probably going to need a re-watch to wrap my head around what they’re trying to do.
5. Helena has become an incredibly beloved character. When she said “stick in babies” we almost teared up. Where would you like to see her story go?
Nic: Helena’s probably one of the only clones who’s not fully clued in. She knows there’s a bad side and a good side, but the science and the people behind it all…like, she probably doesn’t even know who Delphine is. Minor players. I think I’d like her to keep that ignorance and live her life out peacefully. I’m really not convinced her babies are gonna make it (guhh) but I really loved, way back when, when Sarah, Helena, Felix and Kira were together. Sarah and Helena are basically ying and yang…but I think Sarah might be the one to eventually go, by the end, and Helena will be devastated but I’m hoping she survives and has that family to go to.
Ashlee: For me, Helena has to die. Sorry, not sorry guys. I am not here for the pregnancy plot line and I am not here for the idea of her being a mother. I get that it’s cute and I get that she deserves happiness, but let’s not forget how damaged she is and how developmentally behind she is in many aspects of her life. I just can’t see her bringing up infants. For me, the best possible outcome for Helena is death.I want to see her come full circle, the poetry of such an arc would be so fitting to Orphan Black; she began by killing her copies, but now she ends dying for her sestras. That to me is way more impacting.
Anny: Honestly, Helena should just get what she deserves. A family. As much as I doubt her babies are going to survive, I just really want Helena somewhere at home, surrounded by her sestras, raising her babies and being a good mum and indulging in a massive amount of peculiar cuisine. Actually, I want happiness for all the sestras. Why is that such a hard concept for anyone to understand? Realistically though, I hope at least one of her babies survive and that she reunites with Sarah and that together they manage to overcome their past and come to terms with their lives.
Faith: Give birth to twins. Raise them with the help of the rest of the clones.
Eam: If she and her twins survive, we can’t really picture her independently taking care of her own kids- she is a child herself after all. We’d hope she can live with Mrs. S, Sarah or Alison so she will have someone guiding her and her kids will have proper nutrition, schooling and live ‘normal lives.’ Or maybe she and Jesse could end up together and raise the twins in a quiet neighborhood with the sestras just close by.
Kennedy: I want to see Helena settled down in a little cottage with her baby sestras, knitting, drinking tea, and watching Wheel of Fortune. Living a typical and simple life. She can retire from killing and being a medical experiment and just raise her babies.
6. Delphine and Cosima seem to be very much in love in the premiere(Yay!) What do you hope will happen between them?
Kennedy: What every clonesbian hopes happen, I hope they get to fill the rest of their lives with crazy science. I hope they get to live in a beautiful home together, get married if they want to, open their own lab where they can cure diseases and be brilliant.
Anny: HAPPINESS FOR ALL THE SESTRAS. I’m personally not a fan of the Cophine wedding idea, but I just really hope that they manage to stick together through these difficult times and, just like everyone else, find a way to live their life. Also, why would you reunite them just to separate them again? And why Sardinia, of all places? That just makes no sense to me! #BringBackDelphine(again)
Nic: I hope they reunite, first of all! Enough leaving! I think Delphine will find her way back to Cosima. Cosima, for now, has to find herself and whether or not this island is legit. Either way, I hope they’ll find their way back to each other, and we know they love each other. I just want them to spend more actual on-screen time together.
Ashlee: Happiness. I hope happiness happens for them, and I think it will. I kinda got those vibes from John and Graeme last night when they answered my question about writing and about Cophine. This is the first time all series I have had confidence in them achieving happiness. At first, I liked the idea of an engagement or a wedding, something to signify ‘forever’. But now I’m also liking the idea of a cure taking effect and a baby coming into play. I dunno, I just feel like it could go that way. Yes, I get infertility is an issue but let’s not forget we’re dealing with a 170-year-old dude on an island. Anything is possible.
Faith: I hope they get married and adopt Scott.. and his cat.
Eam: They sure do! But before we could even savor their reunion, brief as it was- Delphine had to leave… again. (Why does this keep happening?! They better have one episode that is at least 60% focused on them with no one leaving the other!) I always believed their love will survive against all odds. If anyone is the ‘safest’ among the clones, I can boldly predict that Cosima is. Ergo, Delphine too. Nine episodes to go, it will be a bumpy ride for the two of course! I am hopeful nonetheless that Cophine is the endgame.
7. Lastly, we thought the premiere was eventful and interesting. What was your overall impression of the season 5 premiere when it was over?
Faith: I’m sad that Orphan Black is ending this season, but the premiere was a great set up the remaining episodes.
Anny: Three things I didn’t get to say! I was happy to see Charlotte alive and well, because she got lost in the season finale and I was
worried about her. Second, probably unpopular opinion - I actually quite like Mud. And third - what is up with the Neo detective and Art?
My little heart cried when Hardcastle said she was going to be his new partner. I won’t be able to deal with that for a long time. In
general, I loved the episode. There was one thing that really caught my attention and that was its uniformity. Orphan Black is known for
the diversity of the characters, even beyond their own personas. Each of them has their own world, their associated colours, and their
heartbeat. Together, we are one. What a way to symbolize that. All of the characters’ worlds came together into one entity.
Kennedy: It was a solid start to the season. I like that we got to delve into a lot of characters and see what they’re going through right now. I loved getting to see Felix and Arthur together, the Allison, Donnie, Helena trio, and Cophine. I have high hopes for season 5.
Nic: Really good. I don’t think any of Orphan Black’s premieres have let me down, and this one is certainly the same. It has a tendency to often branch off and go a bit nuts when it starts introducing new people, but I think it’s quite clear now. The factions, I mean. It had it all, really. Action, romance, new questions, some questions answered…Rachel is the one I really wanna know the dealio with. And I want to slap Donnie over the head.
Eam: The season 5 premiere was everything we hoped for and more! Fast-paced, funny, thrilling, provocative- all the elements of a strong episode were there. Considering how the OB team’s been building up Clone Club for almost a year, teasing us with clips, gifs and photos- they sure delivered. We at CloneClub.Global are 100% satisfied. We want Episode 2 pronto!
Ashlee: I was lucky enough to see the premiere twice this week with the cast; first in NYC and then again in Toronto, so I think that definitely heightened my impressions of the episode haha. I think watching it with them and then getting a sense of where they’re going/what they aimed to achieve/their heartache in saying ‘goodbye’ through the Q&A’s was really exciting (and sometimes worrying). But overall, the episode stuck with me. It was fast paced, hard hitting, plot driven and totally entertaining.
Orphan Black 5×01 Final Verdict: sound the loon alarm call. The season 5 premiere of Orphan Black punched us in the gut, kicked us in the feels, and left us anxiously anticipating the final season.
While we’re ecstatic that Delphine is back in the fold (if she ever stops leaving), and Cosima seems to be getting the help she needs to get better, the premiere left us to worry about the outcome of our favorite clones. Helena, Sarah, and Alison seem like they’re anything but safe heading into the next episode, but that’s just what Orphan Black does. It leads you to think certain things until it pulls the wool over your eyes and leaves you completely enamored and questioning everything you thought you knew. We can’t wait to buckle up for more of Orphan Black’s final trip.
Make sure you catch Orphan Black every Saturday at 10 pm on BBC America.
