Orphan Black: Knowledge Of Causes, And Secret Motion Of Things
June 1, 2014 8:10 AM - Season 2, Episode 7 - Subscribe
The situation at the rehab center reaches a new high. We learn about the source of the genetic material that Cosima received last episode. Mrs. S. comes into possession of valuable information which shakes up the DYAD Institute for good. Mysterious forces are on Cal's tail while the presence of Sarah is seemingly needed everywhere. And the episode ends with a big splash.
Oh man, Donny! You schmoe.
Actually, I looked away at the climactic moment--was it an accidental shooting?
I also love how Sarah is terrible at keeping her cover going. "Wait, am I being Alison being Donny?" and her accents slipping all over the place.
posted by leesh at 8:31 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
Actually, I looked away at the climactic moment--was it an accidental shooting?
I also love how Sarah is terrible at keeping her cover going. "Wait, am I being Alison being Donny?" and her accents slipping all over the place.
posted by leesh at 8:31 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
Yeah accidental, he bashed his hands in anger on the steering wheel...holding the gun in Leekie's direction.
posted by travelwithcats at 8:36 AM on June 1, 2014
posted by travelwithcats at 8:36 AM on June 1, 2014
That is kind of a hilarious way for Leekie to go out when he's expecting a polished hitman around every corner.
posted by leesh at 8:37 AM on June 1, 2014 [13 favorites]
posted by leesh at 8:37 AM on June 1, 2014 [13 favorites]
Also, as a knitter, I need to say--there's no way Alison knitted those gloves so quickly, especially with an injured arm.
posted by leesh at 8:40 AM on June 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by leesh at 8:40 AM on June 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
Clones impersonating other clones is one of my very favorite things. Felix also continues to be one of my very favorite things.
Donnie is just so...very, very Donnie.
posted by Stacey at 9:00 AM on June 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
Donnie is just so...very, very Donnie.
posted by Stacey at 9:00 AM on June 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
I actually like that Donnie is on the way to become more involved. He was being boring. The news about the clones was shocking to him but killing someone must be even more so. Will he cover it up with Alison's help? And then help the clones?
It was definitely unexpected that he'd be responsible for Leekie's death.
posted by travelwithcats at 9:05 AM on June 1, 2014
It was definitely unexpected that he'd be responsible for Leekie's death.
posted by travelwithcats at 9:05 AM on June 1, 2014
Poor Vic. He's always going to lose no matter how much he schemes. At least he didn't lose any body parts this time.
posted by octothorpe at 9:15 AM on June 1, 2014
posted by octothorpe at 9:15 AM on June 1, 2014
Oopsie Donnie.
posted by homunculus at 9:26 AM on June 1, 2014
posted by homunculus at 9:26 AM on June 1, 2014
"Ugh. It's like he was molested by elves."
posted by desjardins at 10:04 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 10:04 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't think there was a single moment in this episode that I didn't absolutely love. I love that the writers keep me on my toes.
I always say this, but Tatiana Maslany deserves every award out there for lead actress. I am so glad we got to see Sarah impersonating one of the others, it's been awhile.
posted by royalsong at 11:16 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
I always say this, but Tatiana Maslany deserves every award out there for lead actress. I am so glad we got to see Sarah impersonating one of the others, it's been awhile.
posted by royalsong at 11:16 AM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
I actually thought the pairing of Rachel with this new character, Marion Bowles, is just... weird. I'm not sure what Ms. Bowles has against Sarah or why Leekie had to die for it, but something about that whole scene seemed off to me.
posted by patheral at 11:54 AM on June 1, 2014
posted by patheral at 11:54 AM on June 1, 2014
Will he cover it up with Alison's help? And then help the clones?
It's good for couples to share a hobby. Maybe Donnie and Alison can repair their marriage through a shared love of accidental murder.
posted by Uncle Ira at 12:02 PM on June 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
It's good for couples to share a hobby. Maybe Donnie and Alison can repair their marriage through a shared love of accidental murder.
posted by Uncle Ira at 12:02 PM on June 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
Last Night's Orphan Black Made Us Actually Cheer For Donnie
posted by homunculus at 12:14 PM on June 1, 2014
posted by homunculus at 12:14 PM on June 1, 2014
Tatiana Maslany deserves every award out there for lead actress.
I think she's raised the bar to a whole new class. A week doesn't go by when I don't have a "Wow!" moment watching her in one of her incarnations. She's incredible.
posted by pjern at 12:16 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think she's raised the bar to a whole new class. A week doesn't go by when I don't have a "Wow!" moment watching her in one of her incarnations. She's incredible.
posted by pjern at 12:16 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Yes, there is a lot to be explained about Bowles' antipathy toward Sarah and Leekie's sudden expendability. On the other hand, it appears that Rachel has been more the protege of Bowles rather than Leekie and it is to the former that she owes her high-ranking position at Dyad.
posted by plastic_animals at 12:20 PM on June 1, 2014
posted by plastic_animals at 12:20 PM on June 1, 2014
I'm pleased that Marion Bowles is played by the always excellent Michelle Forbes, another Battlestar Galactica Alum.
posted by homunculus at 12:27 PM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by homunculus at 12:27 PM on June 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
That is kind of a hilarious way for Leekie to go out when he's expecting a polished hitman around every corner.
I know, right? I did not see that coming. And all because Donnie is so very unpolished.
I laughed when I noticed Allison didn't decorate Donnie's name tag but started to feel bad for him when he asked where his was and she just flat out ignored him. By the end of the episode, I was kinda rooting for the guy.
Helena next week please.
posted by futureisunwritten at 12:28 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
I know, right? I did not see that coming. And all because Donnie is so very unpolished.
I laughed when I noticed Allison didn't decorate Donnie's name tag but started to feel bad for him when he asked where his was and she just flat out ignored him. By the end of the episode, I was kinda rooting for the guy.
Helena next week please.
posted by futureisunwritten at 12:28 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Really hoping Aldous Leekie will be replaced by a scientist name Louis Huxley.
posted by plastic_animals at 12:39 PM on June 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
posted by plastic_animals at 12:39 PM on June 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
> It's good for couples to share a hobby. Maybe Donnie and Alison can repair their marriage through a shared love of accidental murder.
I'm seriously stanning for a "Donnie comes to rehab to beg Alison to forgive him, then accidentally kills Vic by defenestration" plot next week.
After that, they can totally give the rest of the ep over to the "WTF, HELENA????" subplot.
And can I say how excited I am to finally see a Quiverfull/animal husbandry storyline being covered on a BBC show? One of the things I loved (and miss) about Big Love was how plausible and reasonable alternative lifestyles like plural marriage in small-town America can look if you're raised in a semi-rural or farm-based economy.
Human cloning done surreptitiously without government regulation or intervention is FAR more plausible in a rural, libertarian (in this case, apparently Canadian) and somewhat geographically isolated community.
The science, acting, pacing, casting, wardrobe and lighting on Orphan Black -- along with the incomparably perfect Felix Fucking Dawkins, best brother ever -- better make it crush the Emmys this year. I can forgive the occasionally wooden dialogue and Saw-like approach to devout religion because everything else about this show is goddamned perfect.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm seriously stanning for a "Donnie comes to rehab to beg Alison to forgive him, then accidentally kills Vic by defenestration" plot next week.
After that, they can totally give the rest of the ep over to the "WTF, HELENA????" subplot.
And can I say how excited I am to finally see a Quiverfull/animal husbandry storyline being covered on a BBC show? One of the things I loved (and miss) about Big Love was how plausible and reasonable alternative lifestyles like plural marriage in small-town America can look if you're raised in a semi-rural or farm-based economy.
Human cloning done surreptitiously without government regulation or intervention is FAR more plausible in a rural, libertarian (in this case, apparently Canadian) and somewhat geographically isolated community.
The science, acting, pacing, casting, wardrobe and lighting on Orphan Black -- along with the incomparably perfect Felix Fucking Dawkins, best brother ever -- better make it crush the Emmys this year. I can forgive the occasionally wooden dialogue and Saw-like approach to devout religion because everything else about this show is goddamned perfect.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
I thought Marion was going to be the female detective but I guess I was way off and have no idea who she is. I also now realize I have no idea who the Prolethians are or what their deal is besides impregating cows and being creepy religious scientific farmers.
posted by bleep at 4:48 PM on June 1, 2014
posted by bleep at 4:48 PM on June 1, 2014
'Orphan Black' Clone Club: Kristian Bruun ranks the clones
posted by plastic_animals at 5:16 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by plastic_animals at 5:16 PM on June 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Only thing wrong with this episode was no Helena.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:44 PM on June 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by mudpuppie at 6:44 PM on June 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
When Donnie killed Leekie, we just sat there going "holy shit".
Seconding a lot of the stuff about Rachel, Felix, Bowles, etc. And so much love for the clones as other clones. Also, I adore Kira and her effort to help Cosima, and Mrs S being a badass of badasses, and Donnie finally cluing in that he's been a tool and a schmuck, even with the tragic outcome. And Vic is such a sleazebag, with his ongoing efforts to get back with Sarah, still. She's the drug he needs detox from.
More Helena next week, please.
posted by immlass at 8:02 PM on June 1, 2014
Seconding a lot of the stuff about Rachel, Felix, Bowles, etc. And so much love for the clones as other clones. Also, I adore Kira and her effort to help Cosima, and Mrs S being a badass of badasses, and Donnie finally cluing in that he's been a tool and a schmuck, even with the tragic outcome. And Vic is such a sleazebag, with his ongoing efforts to get back with Sarah, still. She's the drug he needs detox from.
More Helena next week, please.
posted by immlass at 8:02 PM on June 1, 2014
I decided that Alison took existing mittens and cut off the finger and neatly darned it for him, something that was plausible.
I got sick this weekend and my husband said oh let's watch that first episode of Orphan Black. At some point on Sunday, my toddler was playing with scissors and covered in chocolate to keep her distracted while we finished catching up to the second season. We never do binges like that. It was awesome. Orphan Black doesn't do the episode cycle thing, just races through and is brilliant for binging.
I have some difficulty telling people apart by their faces and I had absolutely no problem distinguishing the clones, while I got other people confused. I thought that the new Miriam was Det Ann Maria for about five minutes! White ladies with cheekbones and curly dark hair.
Detective Ann Maria is pretty awesome because both she and Art are competent. Your colleague dies, gets replaced by an identical stranger with weird murders and more identical strangers, and your boss pulls you off the case and your partner is all doom and gloom about it - of course you're going to investigate! And Alison is a solid lead. Art has more info so he takes a different approach, but both of them are intelligent and competent cops in a TV show. I love it so much.
posted by viggorlijah at 8:25 PM on June 1, 2014
I got sick this weekend and my husband said oh let's watch that first episode of Orphan Black. At some point on Sunday, my toddler was playing with scissors and covered in chocolate to keep her distracted while we finished catching up to the second season. We never do binges like that. It was awesome. Orphan Black doesn't do the episode cycle thing, just races through and is brilliant for binging.
I have some difficulty telling people apart by their faces and I had absolutely no problem distinguishing the clones, while I got other people confused. I thought that the new Miriam was Det Ann Maria for about five minutes! White ladies with cheekbones and curly dark hair.
Detective Ann Maria is pretty awesome because both she and Art are competent. Your colleague dies, gets replaced by an identical stranger with weird murders and more identical strangers, and your boss pulls you off the case and your partner is all doom and gloom about it - of course you're going to investigate! And Alison is a solid lead. Art has more info so he takes a different approach, but both of them are intelligent and competent cops in a TV show. I love it so much.
posted by viggorlijah at 8:25 PM on June 1, 2014
I was not expecting Donnie to kill Leekie! (My husband, who doesn't really watch the show -- I know!! -- had seen a spoiler about Leekie's death, and was in another room while I was watching the episode. He was highly amused to overhear me say to the TV "Oh, just shoot him already, Donnie" followed immediately by the gunshot and a "HOLY SHIT!" from me.)
posted by sarcasticah at 10:16 PM on June 1, 2014
posted by sarcasticah at 10:16 PM on June 1, 2014
Only thing wrong with this episode was no Helena
Agreed, but it was a nice break from the creepy Proletheans.
posted by futureisunwritten at 4:53 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
Agreed, but it was a nice break from the creepy Proletheans.
posted by futureisunwritten at 4:53 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think my favorite quote from this episode is: "This is my lab. My body. I am the science. Get out!"
For me it was "Don't get in your car. Don't go home. You might survive." Rachel's winning me over, guys.
I'm pleased that Marion Bowles is played by the always excellent Michelle Forbes
When I saw "and guest starring Michelle Forbes" at the top of the episode, I knew it was gonna be good. (Her performance on True Blood is still one of my most favorite things about that show.) I hope we see a lot more of her--and I'm glad the show keeps slowly introducing characters worth caring about as the presumed Big Bads keep getting killed off.
posted by psoas at 7:05 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
For me it was "Don't get in your car. Don't go home. You might survive." Rachel's winning me over, guys.
I'm pleased that Marion Bowles is played by the always excellent Michelle Forbes
When I saw "and guest starring Michelle Forbes" at the top of the episode, I knew it was gonna be good. (Her performance on True Blood is still one of my most favorite things about that show.) I hope we see a lot more of her--and I'm glad the show keeps slowly introducing characters worth caring about as the presumed Big Bads keep getting killed off.
posted by psoas at 7:05 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also: Gallup now finds cloning humans more acceptable to the American public than having an extramarital affair.
posted by psoas at 9:24 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by psoas at 9:24 AM on June 2, 2014
Why not both? Is it really an affair if your spouse is sleeping with your clone?
posted by desjardins at 9:26 AM on June 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 9:26 AM on June 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
Only if your clone has the ability to reproduce and you don't, duh.
posted by travelwithcats at 9:36 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by travelwithcats at 9:36 AM on June 2, 2014
Just here to post a reminder, in case you forgot that in this episode Alison used the word "fuzz" to describe the police and "doo-doo" to describe a mess in the same conversation.
Yet still she remains pretty badass. I understand the idea of her knitting 9 fingered gloves with one handed is prettty unrealistic, but if anyone has crafting-superpowers, it is Alison Hendricks.
I know this isn't how the process works but I wish, because she plays so many roles, Tatiana Maslany could be nominated for best dramatic and comedic actress for the same show.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:03 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yet still she remains pretty badass. I understand the idea of her knitting 9 fingered gloves with one handed is prettty unrealistic, but if anyone has crafting-superpowers, it is Alison Hendricks.
I know this isn't how the process works but I wish, because she plays so many roles, Tatiana Maslany could be nominated for best dramatic and comedic actress for the same show.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:03 AM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
Is it me, or does the show seem to have more comedic moments and less drama/mystery this season? I mean, we had the hilarious craft dungeon scene last season, but overall it seemed darker.
posted by desjardins at 10:10 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by desjardins at 10:10 AM on June 2, 2014
I think there's more comedy this time but even if the balance is shifted, there's plenty of srs bzns with the Proletheans and the illness and such. One of the things I've been thinking about a lot is an article I read--I think through one of the Fanfare discussions--that talked about how the women, mostly the clones but also others like Mrs S, are trying to get things done and the men are these kind of laughable obstacles, reduced to comedy figures.
There are definitely guys in the series (and not just Felix) who get taken seriously by the show as allies and adversaries: Art, Paul, and Cal, for sure. Leekie was for a long time until he went a bit comedically weak of late (before his demise). Also the Prolethean guys, and Rachel's original bodyguard whose name escapes me. But a lot of the dudes, Donnie and Vic being the worst-case examples in the last episode, are also comedy relief as much as they are obstacles this season. But they were both sort of black humor comedy in S1. The difference is that now the show is more openly laughing with us, maybe because things are so dangerous that what looked scary before is now kind of pathetic with the stakes being that much higher.
posted by immlass at 12:38 PM on June 2, 2014
There are definitely guys in the series (and not just Felix) who get taken seriously by the show as allies and adversaries: Art, Paul, and Cal, for sure. Leekie was for a long time until he went a bit comedically weak of late (before his demise). Also the Prolethean guys, and Rachel's original bodyguard whose name escapes me. But a lot of the dudes, Donnie and Vic being the worst-case examples in the last episode, are also comedy relief as much as they are obstacles this season. But they were both sort of black humor comedy in S1. The difference is that now the show is more openly laughing with us, maybe because things are so dangerous that what looked scary before is now kind of pathetic with the stakes being that much higher.
posted by immlass at 12:38 PM on June 2, 2014
If Tatiana Maslany doesn't get at least a nomination this year, then the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences deserves to be burned down.
posted by Etrigan at 12:43 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Etrigan at 12:43 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
immlass: "The difference is that now the show is more openly laughing with us, maybe because things are so dangerous that what looked scary before is now kind of pathetic with the stakes being that much higher."
I think this is right on, and I am very curious to see know much of it is a concious choice of the creators. Because though I agree that last season overall might have been darker, like desjardins says, when Season 2 goes dark , it's like super-rapey-cult-sewing-young-women's-mouth-shit dark. Without the things like Helena on her first road trip and Alison's adventures in 12 step, it would be a very different show, probably sill a very good show, but one that would be a lot harder to take, I think. For all that it seems to have a "message", it's getting it across but still managing to do it with a deft touch.
(If you can't tell, I really respect how this show is constructed... as in it speaks to what a golden age of television we are living in that I don't just watch Orphan Black episodes over and over again in all my TV time.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:14 PM on June 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think this is right on, and I am very curious to see know much of it is a concious choice of the creators. Because though I agree that last season overall might have been darker, like desjardins says, when Season 2 goes dark , it's like super-rapey-cult-sewing-young-women's-mouth-shit dark. Without the things like Helena on her first road trip and Alison's adventures in 12 step, it would be a very different show, probably sill a very good show, but one that would be a lot harder to take, I think. For all that it seems to have a "message", it's getting it across but still managing to do it with a deft touch.
(If you can't tell, I really respect how this show is constructed... as in it speaks to what a golden age of television we are living in that I don't just watch Orphan Black episodes over and over again in all my TV time.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:14 PM on June 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
lol Donnie you n00b. Also enjoyed the really crappy nametag that Alison made for him.
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:55 PM on June 2, 2014
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:55 PM on June 2, 2014
Only thing wrong with this episode was no Helena
I always forget her name. I call her Nine Inch Nails because of the industrial music that plays whenever she's around.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:12 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I always forget her name. I call her Nine Inch Nails because of the industrial music that plays whenever she's around.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:12 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I just want to know where they're gonna find a disk drive to read those 5 1/4" floppies.
posted by scalefree at 3:19 PM on June 2, 2014 [13 favorites]
posted by scalefree at 3:19 PM on June 2, 2014 [13 favorites]
They have a new hidden cache of information or junk drawer every episode right now, and I bet Cal has all sorts of equipment stowed away in various places from his secret past.
posted by immlass at 3:39 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by immlass at 3:39 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
More funny timeline business (or just careless continuity for the small details) this week. The Meta link homunculus posted has a screenshot of Angela's phone when she is looking at Vic's text message. The time and date is 12:26 p.m. Wed. Jan 29, 2014. That's more than a year after Aynsley died (though 2014 was carved on her headstone and the trees were full of green leaves during that scene).
posted by plastic_animals at 3:49 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by plastic_animals at 3:49 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I thought Allison just cut the finger off an existing pair of gloves and sewed up the hole. Otherwise, yeah, there's no way she knit those gloves in such a short time, even if she had the use of both hands, and even as tightly-wound as she is.
posted by sarcasticah at 4:14 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by sarcasticah at 4:14 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I call her Nine Inch Nails because of the industrial music that plays whenever she's around.
The good people at Pop Culture Happy Hour have remarked that Helena's leitmotif sounds verrrrry much like the first two notes of the riff from Toxic. Cracks me up every time.
posted by psoas at 4:39 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
The good people at Pop Culture Happy Hour have remarked that Helena's leitmotif sounds verrrrry much like the first two notes of the riff from Toxic. Cracks me up every time.
posted by psoas at 4:39 PM on June 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
That's more than a year after Aynsley died (though 2014 was carved on her headstone and the trees were full of green leaves during that scene
plastic_animals, I see that the OB wiki shows Aynsley's death as happening on 12/16/12, which fits with what you are saying here. But do you know where that date comes from? (It is odd that that date would not match the tombstone.)
posted by torticat at 5:43 PM on June 2, 2014
plastic_animals, I see that the OB wiki shows Aynsley's death as happening on 12/16/12, which fits with what you are saying here. But do you know where that date comes from? (It is odd that that date would not match the tombstone.)
posted by torticat at 5:43 PM on June 2, 2014
I do enjoy that this season -- as kind of all over the place as it has been -- has gone to pretty funny places. I enjoy seeing these actors' comedic chops. I think we all knew Jordan Gavaris is hilarious, but I like that we get to see Tatiana Maslany be funny. She's so awesome as Alison. I think Alison could be a really stereotypical suburban housewife, but the intensity and intelligence Maslany gives her is wonderful. So much fun.
I also loved that this episode continued to show how much the male characters (other than Felix -- so maybe it's more accurate to say, straight male characters) think they're in control when they're really not. I mean, no one is actually in control here, but I think all the women understand that. I think men just expect to always have the upper hand. I think the whole scene with Donnie and Leekie showed that really well (even at the very end!). Both thought they were on top of things but neither had any idea what was actually happening. Same with Vic.
Because, ultimately, it's about women trying to control their own fates (Cosima even fought back against Delphine's manipulations). It's so much fun to see that on a TV show.
posted by darksong at 7:32 PM on June 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
I also loved that this episode continued to show how much the male characters (other than Felix -- so maybe it's more accurate to say, straight male characters) think they're in control when they're really not. I mean, no one is actually in control here, but I think all the women understand that. I think men just expect to always have the upper hand. I think the whole scene with Donnie and Leekie showed that really well (even at the very end!). Both thought they were on top of things but neither had any idea what was actually happening. Same with Vic.
Because, ultimately, it's about women trying to control their own fates (Cosima even fought back against Delphine's manipulations). It's so much fun to see that on a TV show.
posted by darksong at 7:32 PM on June 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
One of the things I've been thinking about a lot is an article I read--I think through one of the Fanfare discussions--that talked about how the women, mostly the clones but also others like Mrs S, are trying to get things done and the men are these kind of laughable obstacles, reduced to comedy figures.
Yeah I thought of that, too, immlass, when Leekie died. Relinking to the article here.
Leekie is not a flat character nor a dolt, the main things posited about OB's men in that article. But his ultimate impotence and the absurdist nature of his death are exactly in line with its overall argument.
posted by torticat at 8:52 PM on June 2, 2014
Yeah I thought of that, too, immlass, when Leekie died. Relinking to the article here.
Leekie is not a flat character nor a dolt, the main things posited about OB's men in that article. But his ultimate impotence and the absurdist nature of his death are exactly in line with its overall argument.
posted by torticat at 8:52 PM on June 2, 2014
It does feel that the comedic elements of the show are being brought forward, just as the show itself is getting darker.
That said, I almost did a spit take at Leekie's comment to Donnie: "Listen to me, you Turnip..."
For insults around intellect, that's much pithier than my previous favorite: "I have neither the time, nor the crayons to explain it to you."
posted by drfu at 10:04 PM on June 2, 2014
That said, I almost did a spit take at Leekie's comment to Donnie: "Listen to me, you Turnip..."
For insults around intellect, that's much pithier than my previous favorite: "I have neither the time, nor the crayons to explain it to you."
posted by drfu at 10:04 PM on June 2, 2014
Does anyone else think that Mrs. S looks a bit like jessamyn?
posted by desjardins at 7:31 AM on June 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 7:31 AM on June 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
Here's what bothered me about Leekie's death sentence. Paul came to him about where Sarah went, flat out lied to him about Sarah finding Rachel's father (who's name escapes me at the moment). Leekie knew Paul was lying and called the new big bad (Ms. Bowles) to let her know that the man was still alive which shows his loyalty to her at the very least, and he still dies for it.
This means Ms. Bowles knew all about the two scientists' demise... it implies that she was involved in how and why they died with Leekie, but somehow Leekie was the fall guy. Why? Because the father is still alive? And yet his death is somehow about his feelings or blindness toward Sarah? I dunno, it just niggles me.
I also think that Alison just cut a finger off a pair of gloves and mended the cut finger. There's no way she could have knit a pair with a broken arm. Esp in that short of time. Not even Alison.
posted by patheral at 8:27 AM on June 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
This means Ms. Bowles knew all about the two scientists' demise... it implies that she was involved in how and why they died with Leekie, but somehow Leekie was the fall guy. Why? Because the father is still alive? And yet his death is somehow about his feelings or blindness toward Sarah? I dunno, it just niggles me.
I also think that Alison just cut a finger off a pair of gloves and mended the cut finger. There's no way she could have knit a pair with a broken arm. Esp in that short of time. Not even Alison.
posted by patheral at 8:27 AM on June 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
desjardins, yep, I noticed that too.
posted by futureisunwritten at 8:50 AM on June 3, 2014
posted by futureisunwritten at 8:50 AM on June 3, 2014
I love that the bad guys don't suck this season. That's what pushed this show from "good" to "great" for me, that they realized that a generic evil priest and a dude with a weird tail in the back of a 90's techno club do not a good set of antagonists make.
posted by jason_steakums at 9:39 AM on June 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jason_steakums at 9:39 AM on June 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
torticat, that wiki is where I found Aynsley's death date. There was a scene in one of the early episodes showing that Cosima had written down when one of the clones had died (November 2012 IIRC). I've seen discussions elsewhere where people have used that date as a benchmark to determine when subsequent events happened. The date on the headstone threw off any realistic timeline. I've just assumed the show's budget doesn't allow for careful continuity for the little details.
posted by plastic_animals at 10:15 AM on June 3, 2014
posted by plastic_animals at 10:15 AM on June 3, 2014
I understood the whole Leekie/Bowles/Sarah triad as the following:
Rachel is the Head of Dyad (in Leekie's brain, this was supposed to be just on paper)
Leekie is the Techincal/Science Head of Dyad (in his head, the real power behind the throne of Rachel)
Bowles is the scary shadow figure that is possibly on the military side that backs the whole kit and kaboodle.
Leekie showed over and over again that he can't handle the drama that Sarah keeps bringing. Despite his attempts to get the situation back in line and wrangle in the rogue scientists, he's just plain unable to deal with it. Even when Ms. S hands him Duncan on a silver platter, he has to compromise and allow Kira to remain at large.
Bowles told him he needed to deal with the beast that is Sarah, and then apparently chose to back Rachel as the real head of Dyad. I think Bowles is totally from the military side of the thing and her decision to remove Leekie was solely due to his inability to bring in Sarah and control the situation. He just screwed up too many times.
posted by teleri025 at 1:04 PM on June 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Rachel is the Head of Dyad (in Leekie's brain, this was supposed to be just on paper)
Leekie is the Techincal/Science Head of Dyad (in his head, the real power behind the throne of Rachel)
Bowles is the scary shadow figure that is possibly on the military side that backs the whole kit and kaboodle.
Leekie showed over and over again that he can't handle the drama that Sarah keeps bringing. Despite his attempts to get the situation back in line and wrangle in the rogue scientists, he's just plain unable to deal with it. Even when Ms. S hands him Duncan on a silver platter, he has to compromise and allow Kira to remain at large.
Bowles told him he needed to deal with the beast that is Sarah, and then apparently chose to back Rachel as the real head of Dyad. I think Bowles is totally from the military side of the thing and her decision to remove Leekie was solely due to his inability to bring in Sarah and control the situation. He just screwed up too many times.
posted by teleri025 at 1:04 PM on June 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
I just want to know where they're gonna find a disk drive to read those 5 1/4" floppies
I bet that wouldn't be a problem in a huge organization like that, which makes a point of saving its old buildings mostly intact and probably has a ton of weird half-forgotten storage rooms. One of those probably has some old tower with a drive in it. Or hell, they have all the money in the world. They can just order the proper drive and one of these.
The real problem is, would the disks even still be good? see this thread, and specifically this writeup.
Those disks don't last forever, and they're almost all starting to go if they haven't gone completely bad now. I hope that becomes a plotpoint, and they don't just automagically work.
I felt like i was overnerding or beanplating, but as soon as i saw those disks i was like "oh for fucks sake those are going to be totally corrupted and unreadable".
posted by emptythought at 2:17 AM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
I bet that wouldn't be a problem in a huge organization like that, which makes a point of saving its old buildings mostly intact and probably has a ton of weird half-forgotten storage rooms. One of those probably has some old tower with a drive in it. Or hell, they have all the money in the world. They can just order the proper drive and one of these.
The real problem is, would the disks even still be good? see this thread, and specifically this writeup.
Those disks don't last forever, and they're almost all starting to go if they haven't gone completely bad now. I hope that becomes a plotpoint, and they don't just automagically work.
I felt like i was overnerding or beanplating, but as soon as i saw those disks i was like "oh for fucks sake those are going to be totally corrupted and unreadable".
posted by emptythought at 2:17 AM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
MetaFilter: Listen to me, you Turnip.
posted by scalefree at 3:35 PM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by scalefree at 3:35 PM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
I wondered where before I'd heard the song used in this episode, decided that it was an invented-inside-the-world-of-the-film purposely cheesy song meant to reinforce Hugh Grant's appeal by forcing him to awkwardly sing it on stage in his charmingly self-deprecating way* and then wondered how many layers of reference I needed to understand before I got the joke here.
Moments in this show are amusing, and I like trying to pick out the Toronto locations, but having just dropped in after the start of the second season I'm finding it difficult to stay interested without knowing all the back story. Too much intrigue.
* think I combined scenes in About a Boy, Love Actually, Music & Lyrics (or whatever that one with Drew Barrymore is called), Four Weddings and a Funeral and maybe a couple others to come up with this.
posted by TimTypeZed at 4:35 PM on June 4, 2014
Moments in this show are amusing, and I like trying to pick out the Toronto locations, but having just dropped in after the start of the second season I'm finding it difficult to stay interested without knowing all the back story. Too much intrigue.
* think I combined scenes in About a Boy, Love Actually, Music & Lyrics (or whatever that one with Drew Barrymore is called), Four Weddings and a Funeral and maybe a couple others to come up with this.
posted by TimTypeZed at 4:35 PM on June 4, 2014
The softly muttered "Sweet Jesus, I'm done with glitter" was one of my favorite lines of this episode. Hee.
posted by schnee at 7:25 PM on June 4, 2014
posted by schnee at 7:25 PM on June 4, 2014
Fucking Donnie. What a schmuck.
Why did overachieving Alison even marry him?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:58 PM on June 4, 2014
Why did overachieving Alison even marry him?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:58 PM on June 4, 2014
They were high school sweethearts.
posted by desjardins at 9:09 PM on June 4, 2014
posted by desjardins at 9:09 PM on June 4, 2014
They were high school sweethearts.
Ugh. Well, I suppose all the clones exhibit poor taste in lovers. Even Cosima's well meaning gf is pretty sneaky.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:20 PM on June 4, 2014
Ugh. Well, I suppose all the clones exhibit poor taste in lovers. Even Cosima's well meaning gf is pretty sneaky.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:20 PM on June 4, 2014
Dude. Would you willingly marry Allison, given what you know about her? Because I don't think she's any more marriageable than Donnie.
(Huh. Who among them IS marriageable, except Cosima? Yay gay marriage.)
posted by mudpuppie at 9:29 PM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
(Huh. Who among them IS marriageable, except Cosima? Yay gay marriage.)
posted by mudpuppie at 9:29 PM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Dude. Would you willingly marry Allison, given what you know about her? Because I don't think she's any more marriageable than Donnie.
Touche.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:29 PM on June 4, 2014
Touche.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:29 PM on June 4, 2014
Vic is the worst of them. It's hard to believe that anyone would ever want to date that dirtbag.
posted by travelwithcats at 11:11 PM on June 4, 2014
posted by travelwithcats at 11:11 PM on June 4, 2014
Vic is the worst of them. It's hard to believe that anyone would ever want to date that dirtbag.
I don't mind if the show keeps him around, as long as people keep doing awful things to him. Fuck that guy. Lop off another piece.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:13 PM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
I don't mind if the show keeps him around, as long as people keep doing awful things to him. Fuck that guy. Lop off another piece.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:13 PM on June 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
The scene with Vic trying to get Sarah back just reminds me of bad relationship AskMes, where the asker is all "but I'm in looooooooooovvvvve, why won't this person love me" and the responses are all "Dude. Not happening."
Vic'll probably try to give her a banjo next.
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 7:42 AM on June 5, 2014 [16 favorites]
Vic'll probably try to give her a banjo next.
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 7:42 AM on June 5, 2014 [16 favorites]
The contrast with how Vic and Sarah handle change is quite entertaining. Before we met them they were a couple and both were small-time criminals going nowhere. Sarah gets confronted with a completely changed environment, adapts and survives. While Vic may have gotten sober he otherwise hasn't shown much ability to adapt to his changed circumstances. Had they been around when that asteroid hit 65 million years ago Sarah would have been the scrawny mammal and Vic the lumbering dinosaur.
posted by plastic_animals at 9:23 AM on June 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by plastic_animals at 9:23 AM on June 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
This episode in particular highlighted exactly how far Sarah (and Felix, for that matter) have come compared to Vic. Sarah has had to become a mover and a shaker to stay alive. Vic, on the other hand, is still a chump and a tool. His best hope is to fall out of this story completely so he doesn't end up absurdly dead.
The scene where he wanted to speak to Sarah and it was really all about him getting her back, with all the romcom details short of a boombox with Peter Gabriel, was so hilariously painful I'm still thinking about it--and that in an episode with the crazy black humor of the accidental death of Aldous Leekie.
posted by immlass at 6:07 PM on June 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
The scene where he wanted to speak to Sarah and it was really all about him getting her back, with all the romcom details short of a boombox with Peter Gabriel, was so hilariously painful I'm still thinking about it--and that in an episode with the crazy black humor of the accidental death of Aldous Leekie.
posted by immlass at 6:07 PM on June 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
"Donnie, you're out of your element. Donnie, you're out of your element! Donnie-- [BANG] HOLY SHIT, DONNIE!" - Me, in my mind, during that scene. Though I think the last part was out loud.
posted by doctornecessiter at 4:38 AM on June 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by doctornecessiter at 4:38 AM on June 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Vic is the worst of them. It's hard to believe that anyone would ever want to date that dirtbag.
I think you're forgetting that before he got the shave-and-a-polo-shirt makeover, he was really hot. But yes, they've desexed him remarkably well.
posted by psoas at 7:08 AM on June 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think you're forgetting that before he got the shave-and-a-polo-shirt makeover, he was really hot. But yes, they've desexed him remarkably well.
posted by psoas at 7:08 AM on June 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Here's an absurdly long tumblr post speculating that Beth isn't really dead. The tl;dr, directly from the post:
tl;dr: There’s a lot of unanswered questions regarding Beth’s death that make me question the validity of it. Why didn’t Alison believe Sarah? Why did Beth commit suicide by train? Why not overdose on any number of lethal drug combinations she had access to? Why did she not shoot herself instead? Why was she at the train station in the first place? How did she get there without a car or a ride? Why did she lay her identity on the train platform instead of jumping with all of it? Why did she jump in front of Sarah? Why did she jump where Sarah got off of the train? Why did she look at Sarah and why did she seem so unphased by another clone? Why as she dressed so nicely with nowhere to be? Why is her scar not visible at any point then and in the morgue? The plotholes keep growing and even if it’s just a theory at this stage, the fact is that it is entirely possible that Beth Childs is alive. If they were to change the first fact we were ever given about Beth Childs that would be incredibly shocking. Nobody would see it coming, the basis of the show, the first thing we’re ever told wouldn’t be true, it would be a tremendous plot twist and Tatiana Maslany would get to flawlessy explore another character (and one she’s already expressed interest in exploring)posted by desjardins at 7:39 AM on June 6, 2014 [5 favorites]
Mrs. Fish and I have been watching Orphan Black at every opportunity since we discovered the show two weeks so, and we are finally caught up. And yet now, when I can finally participate in the discussion about this fascinating show (and its freaking awesome lead actor) all I can think of to say is "oh, man, I just shot Leekie in the face!"
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:52 PM on June 7, 2014
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:52 PM on June 7, 2014
psoas: "Vic is the worst of them. It's hard to believe that anyone would ever want to date that dirtbag.
I think you're forgetting that before he got the shave-and-a-polo-shirt makeover, he was really hot. But yes, they've desexed him remarkably well."
Sexiness and access to drugs make some folks forgive a lot from stupid dirtbags.
Or so I've heard
posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:17 PM on June 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think you're forgetting that before he got the shave-and-a-polo-shirt makeover, he was really hot. But yes, they've desexed him remarkably well."
Sexiness and access to drugs make some folks forgive a lot from stupid dirtbags.
Or so I've heard
posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:17 PM on June 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
I think that tumblr misses a few things - I mean, Beth was awesome, apparently, sure, but people don't seem entirely surprised that she killed herself when they finally find out, and Sarah is able to put one over on them largely because... Beth was apparently a huge pill head, terribly messed up sometimes, distant from everybody and nervous all the time.
I've been thinking that Beth is a (the?) nice option for tying up loose ends, if and when they wish to, though. The thing is that Beth clearly knew almost everything we know now, even at this stage of the game.
Why did she kill Maggie Chen? Last season we assumed it was because Chen was working with Thomas to send Helena on her clone-killing jaunts. That is still possible; it may be that Beth was merely trying to neutralize the threat to herself and her fellow clones, as Cosima and Alison believed she was. Up to the end of last season, I think that was pretty much how things stood.
But now we know that Maggie had her fingers into other things, and had tracked down Duncan. Why had she tracked him down? Now it's clear (I think) that she wasn't aiming to kill him - since he was one of the ones "salting the Petri dishes," a rogue like herself, and seemingly every other scientist at Dyad except Leekie.
Did Beth know this about Maggie Chen? What passed between them before Beth shot Maggie?
I guess what I mean to say is that I find Maggie Chen an interesting and intriguing figure, and I feel like we have to find out more about her since she links so many events together. I get the feeling Thomas was the insane religious weirdo goon in the equation; as far as we know, he was never a scientist, just a enthusiast of torture with a specialty in twisting young women into killing machines. But Maggie Chen was apparently smart, and apparently capable of research and planning.
Not sure why she associated with Thomas and Helena. I'd sure like to know. The story we've been presented in snippets is: scientist leaves cloning project because she believes it's unethical, and then immediately takes up with psychotic murderous cultish weirdo and the young woman he's tortured into killing people who look just like her. That seems... Far-fetched? I feel like that's a discrepancy that'll have to get solved with the Beth mystery.
posted by koeselitz at 10:07 PM on June 7, 2014 [5 favorites]
I've been thinking that Beth is a (the?) nice option for tying up loose ends, if and when they wish to, though. The thing is that Beth clearly knew almost everything we know now, even at this stage of the game.
Why did she kill Maggie Chen? Last season we assumed it was because Chen was working with Thomas to send Helena on her clone-killing jaunts. That is still possible; it may be that Beth was merely trying to neutralize the threat to herself and her fellow clones, as Cosima and Alison believed she was. Up to the end of last season, I think that was pretty much how things stood.
But now we know that Maggie had her fingers into other things, and had tracked down Duncan. Why had she tracked him down? Now it's clear (I think) that she wasn't aiming to kill him - since he was one of the ones "salting the Petri dishes," a rogue like herself, and seemingly every other scientist at Dyad except Leekie.
Did Beth know this about Maggie Chen? What passed between them before Beth shot Maggie?
I guess what I mean to say is that I find Maggie Chen an interesting and intriguing figure, and I feel like we have to find out more about her since she links so many events together. I get the feeling Thomas was the insane religious weirdo goon in the equation; as far as we know, he was never a scientist, just a enthusiast of torture with a specialty in twisting young women into killing machines. But Maggie Chen was apparently smart, and apparently capable of research and planning.
Not sure why she associated with Thomas and Helena. I'd sure like to know. The story we've been presented in snippets is: scientist leaves cloning project because she believes it's unethical, and then immediately takes up with psychotic murderous cultish weirdo and the young woman he's tortured into killing people who look just like her. That seems... Far-fetched? I feel like that's a discrepancy that'll have to get solved with the Beth mystery.
posted by koeselitz at 10:07 PM on June 7, 2014 [5 favorites]
Does anyone else think Beth didn't shoot Maggie but was covering up for another clone who did? I can't remember whether Art actually witnessed the shooting or just the aftermath.
posted by fullerine at 4:08 AM on June 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by fullerine at 4:08 AM on June 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just the aftermath. He said he got there and found Beth standing over the body, and Beth told him she was tweaking and thought the woman had a gun or something, so he put the cell phone in Maggie's hand to make that more plausible.
posted by koeselitz at 7:39 AM on June 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by koeselitz at 7:39 AM on June 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING.
Also: I really liked the reveal that Ethan's confused-hoarder act was just camouflage: at the critical moment, when he has to commit to going with Mrs. S., he drops the act and becomes all OK-here's-my-data business.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:58 AM on April 26, 2015
Also: I really liked the reveal that Ethan's confused-hoarder act was just camouflage: at the critical moment, when he has to commit to going with Mrs. S., he drops the act and becomes all OK-here's-my-data business.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:58 AM on April 26, 2015
It's hilarious to me how this thread makes zero sense to me now. This show really does pack in the details.
posted by bleep at 12:20 PM on April 26, 2015
posted by bleep at 12:20 PM on April 26, 2015
The production design on this show is really phenomenal. Ethan's hoarder house, Maggie Chen's locker, even the archive in the church basement. Someone spent a lot of time putting that all together.
My favorite laugh this episode is when Felix was carrying Vic, covered in glitter and pink feathers, down the hallway and clunks his head on a doorway.
When Cal decides that his laptop had been hacked, he sets it up outside and covers it with a board and somehow that is supposed to fool the hackers while he drives off?
Introduction of the new character was heavy handed: "Tell Marion Bowles I need to see her immediately" intoned with great portent. Followed by a meeting consisting of a brief vague conversation. I guess she's the new villain but I really don't care at this point.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:46 PM on June 4, 2018
My favorite laugh this episode is when Felix was carrying Vic, covered in glitter and pink feathers, down the hallway and clunks his head on a doorway.
When Cal decides that his laptop had been hacked, he sets it up outside and covers it with a board and somehow that is supposed to fool the hackers while he drives off?
Introduction of the new character was heavy handed: "Tell Marion Bowles I need to see her immediately" intoned with great portent. Followed by a meeting consisting of a brief vague conversation. I guess she's the new villain but I really don't care at this point.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:46 PM on June 4, 2018
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posted by travelwithcats at 8:31 AM on June 1, 2014 [5 favorites]