Published by Mason Oldridge, 3 June 2024
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Human cloning is happening again in this next gen sequel to the original Canadian sci-fi thriller.
Set in 2052 in the Orphan Black universe, a woman awakes with no memory of who she is. Two years later, as Lucy, she has built a life for herself with boyfriend Jack and his daughter Charlie, before her past comes back to haunt her.
We learn she was printed by a now adult Kira Manning, who is working as a scientist. Viewers of the original series will know that Kira should know better than anyone the unethicality of human clothing, which begs the question: why has Kira printed someone? The answer comes in the fifth episode as we are given the backstory of Kira and her wife Eleanor, who eventually succumbs to dementia. Heartbroken over her death, a desperate Kira uses her scientific equipment to print a younger copy of Eleanor to allow her time to find a cure. The younger copy, Lucy, has no long-term memory, though Kira is able to print a same-age copy who lives unaware she is a print-out. Horrified at the distress caused to Lucy, Kira dismantles the machine, though later learns her evil billionaire employer Paul Darros had the machine rebuilt and printed a teenage copy of Eleanor called Jules, as well as a younger copy of himself called Xander. Kira, Eleanor, Lucy and Jules then fight against Paul as his team attempts to capture the printed duo to live in his compound.
In the final episode, we discover Paul’s wider plan. He has in fact printed copies of twelve exceptionally gifted children to unleash their full potential free of outside influence, one of them being Jules. In the final minutes, Paul shoots Jules dead in front of Lucy and introduces her to a more polite and submissive copy of the teenager. The open-ended close suggests a second season as so much is left unresolved.
Krysten Ritter excels in her heroic role of Lucy and rising star Amanda Fix is perfect as the rebellious yet goodhearted Jules, yet we are ultimately left with just another series focusing on human clothing and its immorality in which the clones, this time called print-outs, must fight against corporate evil, this time without elements of religion and suburbia.
In conclusion, the series feels somewhat unnecessary and isn’t as compelling or thrilling as the original. Lacking in originality, perhaps a series as brilliant as Orphan Black should be left alone?
6/10