Top 10 Moments in 'Orphan Black'

Orphan Black, a show that I really got to love, just ended after five seasons.  I already offered my final thoughts on it.  But, as a way of further paying tribute to such a great show, let me enumerate my most favorite moments.

10.) WHEN SARAH WITNESSED BETH’S SUICIDE

In Helena’s own words during the finale, “my sestra Sarah… stepped of a train one day and met herself.”

This riveting moment was what kicked off the show for everyone.  It was what sucked Sarah into an unknown world of clones and conspiracy, and it was what gripped the audience.  It didn’t let go ever since.

9.) WHEN DONNIE AND ALISON CELEBRATED THEIR SUCCESSFUL DRUG-DEALING VENTURE

It one of the show’s funniest moments, the Hendrix couple danced on top of their bed, in their underwear, with piles of cash everywhere.

8.) WHEN THE CLONE CLUB UNLEASHED HELENA ON CASTOR

During their war against Project Castor, the Clone Club needed to neutralize the murderous Rudy.  Assigned to tail Alison, he was lured into the Hendrixes’ garage where Helena was waiting for him.  The two fought, but Helena kicked his butt with ease and killed him.

Ever since Helena had a heel-face turn, I always thought she would serve as the Clone Club’s “black ops” arm of sorts.  This was the scene that carried out that notion.

7.) WHEN SARAH AND HELENA WENT ON A ROAD TRIP

I got LSS with The Archie’s “Sugar, Sugar” for days after that.

6.) WHEN HELENA MASSACRED SOME DRUG DEALERS

So a bunch of drug dealers decided to antagonize Donnie and Alison.  Helena, who was staying with the Hendrixes at that time, tagged along with Donnie when he proceeded to meet these thugs in their hideout.  She was surprisingly calm and tolerant, even when they refused to return Donnie’s money and became insolent.  But when they were about to leave, someone foolishly threatened the Hendrixes’ children.  Helena snapped, pushed and locked Donnie out of the hideout, and returned to face them.  An offscreen bloodbath ensued.

5.) WHEN IT WAS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE ALSO MALE CLONES AROUND

The second season had the series’ strongest season finale.  A major reason was the mindblowing cliffhanger ending.   Apparently, the Project Leda clones weren’t alone.  All this time, there was also a Project Castor, which was made up of male clones.  And, during the entire season, the viewers had been actually seeing one of them without realizing it – the Prolethean Mark Rollins.

4.) WHEN THE CLONE CLUB – CLONES, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS – HAD DINNER TOGETHER

This was an attempt to replicate the thoroughly feel-good effect that the number one of this list delivered.  It didn’t quite get there, but it was still heartwarming.

3.) WHEN DONNIE ACCIDENTALLY KILLED DR. LEEKIE

There were countless times Orphan Black made me burst out laughing.  But this one takes the cake.  It was perfectly executed dark humor.

2.) WHEN HELENA SAVED SARAH FROM BEING TORTURED TO DEATH

Helena was a villain in season one, a psychopathic assassin that killed other Leda clones after being deceived by the Prolethean Tomas that she was the original.  Her heel-face turn happened in season two, and it started when she saved a tied-up Sarah from being slowly and painfully murdered by Rachel’s cruel henchman/monitor/lover, Daniel.

The whole scene was so well-acted, well-directed, and played out like a horror film.  It was brimming with tension, terror, and surprises.  Until the very last second, you really couldn’t tell what Helena would do with Sarah.  I love how it started out as suspenseful, then becoming terrifying, and eventually concluding with a somewhat tender moment.

1.) CLONE DANCE PARTY

This was the first time four clones were in one scene together.  And the creators did it in such a whimsical but definitive manner.  As they extemporaneously danced together to the rasta remix of “Water Prayer”, it embodied what the show was about in a couple of ways.  Firstly, by the manner the clones danced, their different personalities were reflected, showcasing Tatiana Maslany’s incredible versatility in portraying each of them uniquely down to the finest, most subtle details of their characterizations.  Secondly, the chemistry between them was as electric and genuine as if they weren’t being played by one person, establishing the ultimate form of the “sestra-hood” dynamic that the show had become most beloved for.  Thirdly, seeing all these Tatiana characters impeccably assembled together in one scene was a testament of how demanding and impressive the camerawork and other technical aspects of making such magic happen.  And, fourthly, just as Felix’s presence was what made it possible to bring this scene together, his character was sort of the one that kept the “sestra-hood” bound, always on hand to fix whatever needed to be fixed in the Clone Club, whether collectively or individually.

This scene happened in the season two finale, but no other scene since then came near to how delightful and brilliant it was.