close menu

ORPHAN BLACK Recap: Sarah on the Verge

Hello, sestras, and welcome back to our weekly recaps of BBC America’s Orphan Black. If you’ve not seen the episode, “The Antisocialism of Sex,” note that there will be spoilers below. You’ve been warned! 

Things fall apart. It’s not just the title of a novel I read in high school by Chinua Achebe—it’s also, basically, what happened in tonight’s new episode of Orphan Black. And everyone’s been affected: Sarah and Mrs. S were on the outs, Cosima was willing to risk it all on a lark, and Evie Cho’s officially dismantled the Neolution Old Guard in favor of her new rule o’ crazy mad scientist nonsense. And there was even a brand new bit o’ mystery developed in the final few moments. What sort of ride are we embarking on now, Clone Club?!

The series opened up by opening up Rachel’s world on the curious Island of Dr. Moreau that Susan Duncan’s created atop the founder of Neolution’s original labs and homestead. “And now, Evie Cho builds on top of me,” the elder Duncan said ominously. And it seemed as though Evie may mean that literally, adding off-handedly that clones would be a part of the future of Neolution. Which *record scratch* say whaaaaaaat? I thought she wanted them all dead as dead could be. After all, she led Susan and Rachel to believe that the clones would all be murdered and/or “cut loose” (like Krystal). Sounds like Evie’s about to get even more evil, especially after she revealed—in conversation with her own doctor (also a BrightBorn lackey because of course)—that their maggotbots are going to be the first-ever affordable gene therapy implant available to the public. There’s a “new generation of bot” coming next month, too—sure to end the Shingles Evie’s apparently developed (old illnesses like SCID die hard, y’all).

Also, anyone else terrified that Rachel’s glitching now?

orphan-black-s4e7-susan-rachel

Speaking of that implant: Dizzy totally has one, too, doesn’t he? The way he got so aggro about Sarah having figured out the way to remove them safely.

Removal was the opposite notion on Cosima’s mind, though: she was hellbent on re-implanting Sarah’s maggotbot into her own body as a possible cure. Not a terrible idea (though far from fucking great, let’s be real), considering the damn thing healed itself and probably made it possible for Sarah and Helena to conceive (and possible be immune from the clone disease?), anyway. And, according to Cosima, the risk is more than worth it, because even if she died, “the reward is my death helps the sisters cure the disease.” Fuuuuuuuh. Desperate after Evie absconded with all her and Scott’s data, even before she tried to do self-surgery, Cosima spent most of the episode on the edge of her own sanity, devastated by the news that Delphine was dead and feeling responsible for Kendall Malone’s death. Only—wait a second/holy twist of all twists/could it be true? According to Krystal (by way of Felix, ever the lifesaver of Clone Club—tonight especially), Delphine was shot by someone, but she was taken away by someone else, still alive. Allegedly.

Which, I mean: really? I understand the fandom of Cophine ‘shippers are losing their gourd over this revelation—hope is not lost!—but I’d come to terms with Delphine’s death. I’m happy for Cosima, but this feels like a weird play …unless Delphine has a copy of the data and/or some sort of crazy insider information about them that’ll shuttle us towards whatever the main mystery will be in season five. Especially after Beth’s ominous “message” to Sarah in her lowest state: that “There’s more than biology between us—there’s something else. You can feel it, too.”

orphan-black-s4e7-peaches

The whole episode focused squarely on Sarah’s return to old habits: namely, going on a bender full of poor life decisions. She drank and fucked her way through a club—featuring queen badass of them all, Peaches, performing (I’m so mad they didn’t kiss you guys)—with only Dizzy and her hallucination of Beth to guide her. In a moment where it seemed certain that Sarah was going to end it all at the train station, though, Beth came to her, expounding upon Clone Club’s need of Sarah to keep them all together. (Though if she was a bit more astute she might’ve noted Felix’s importance in all of this, too. Homeboy saved not one but TWO lives tonight. FELIX FOR PRESIDENT OF CLONE CLUB! Get the man a plaque.)

So: does this mean they’re going to connect Kira’s abilities to the rest of the clones? We already saw it pop up between Helena and Allison earlier this season, and Kira’s extrasensory intuition (in addition to her ability to heal herself) has become more and more prominent since her car accident. Maybe that‘s why Evie wants to keep the clone stuff up in some capacity. After all: the babies of Brightborn are seemingly designer babies—not crying or being collick-y and “perfect” children for their parents—who’s to say they don’t have the same abilities as Kira? And maybe that’s why Sarah’s maggotbot was so valuable to Evie (though not enough for her to notice it’s missing yet). There are just so many questions about the science here which is, admittedly, one of my favorite parts of the series.

orphan-black-s4e7-sarah-krystal-felix

Side thought, but wait: what if these aren’t hallucinations Sarah’s experiencing, but actually Beth, who’s faked her own death/saved Delphine/infiltrated some sort of shadow-y Neolution takedown, and is using this connection to guide Sarah from afar? UGH MY HEART WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TAKE IT (in the best possible way). My love of tinfoil theories is so real, you guys.

My other favorite part? Team Hendrix. After a near-season getting away with their drug trade/Helena murder business, looks as though the Neolution-backed cops of Metropolitan PD are having the last laugh (sorry, Art. That ass-kicking of Duko must’ve felt cathartic though, at least, yes?). Fuckin’ DUKO! (The worst!) That’s right: Donnie Hendrix is going all Orphan is the New Black, being sent to jail for their drug trading. I, for one, cannot wait to see Donnie donning orange, joining a jail gang, and generally figuring out how to hack prison food for the better.

Donnie (KRISTIAN BRUUN), Det. Collier (JOE PINGUE), and Alison (TATIANA MASLANY)

BUT WE’RE REALLY GOING TO NEED HELENA TO COME BACK SOON, YOU GUYS.

We’re especially excited for next week’s episode—and not just because of the insane “next week” scenes bit. This is the episode for which we were on set and got to watch a bunch of filming happen. No spoilers until then, but based on the footage we saw? YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS. If for nothing more than the Mrs. S moments alone.

And now that he’s forced to languish in jail, let’s take a look back at our spoiler-free conversation with Kristian Bruun (a.k.a. Donnie Hendrix):

Images: BBC America


Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor of Nerdis, co-host of Fangirling, and president of our in-office Clone Club chapter. Find her on Twitter @alicialutes!

Tickling the Dragon’s Tail: The Story of the “Demon Core”

Tickling the Dragon’s Tail: The Story of the “Demon Core”

article
The GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Trailer is an Emotional Rollercoaster

The GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Trailer is an Emotional Rollercoaster

article
13 Mad Scientists Who Inspired Rick from RICK AND MORTY

13 Mad Scientists Who Inspired Rick from RICK AND MORTY

article