Catching Ducks

When I originally saw the commercials for Orphan Black, I was intrigued and set my DVR to record the premiere. Unfortunately, it premiered on March 30, 2013, and I was very distracted by the UConn women advancing through the tournament on route to their eighth championship. I watched the first few minutes of the pilot, and decided I didn't want to spend time with the main character. She seemed to be a thief and a grifter and a drug dealer and a bad mother, and I lost interest. I'm pretty sure I deleted the episode without even finishing it. (I needed the room on my DVR for basketball!)

A few months later, I started hearing about how great it was, so I decided to give it another try. I got season 1 DVDs from the library, and tried again. By the end of the second episode, I loved it. But it really did take me until then to get hooked.

By the end of the second episode, you've met the other two main characters, and gotten to know one of them a little bit. In addition, you've learned a little more about the first main character. She still makes bad life choices and can be difficult to like, but she's not the loathsome person she first appeared to be.

Season one is fantastic. It's got drama and action and romance, and a twisty-turny plot. And lots and lots of female characters. So many shows throw in a female character and call it a day (ahem... Elementary), but Orphan Black is fairly bursting with women. And a they each have a distinctive personality. (It's almost as if women can be individuals, and not generalized into one representative!)


Spoilers:

Snibevgr zbzragf...

Jura Fnenu & Nyvfba svefg zrrg. Obgu Orgu naq Xngwn ner bayl bafperra sbe n srj zbzragf orsber qlvat, fb Nyvfba vf gur svefg arj pybar jr ernyyl trg gb xabj. Gur qvssreraprf orgjrra Fnenu naq Nyvfba ner fgevxvat.

Jura Fnenu zrrgf Pbfvzn. Gung jubyr frdhrapr bs Fnenu qenttvat Sryvk gb gur fhoheof, naq Nyvfba guerngravat Sryvk jvgu ure tha, gura Pbfvzn cbccvat bhg naq qbvat ure pnfhny yvggyr "uryyb" jnir.

Fnenu qevaxvat gur fbnc va onguebbz gb trg bhg bs grfgvslvat. Pyrire naq onqnff. (Naq tebff.)

Sryvk grnpuvat Nyvfba ubj gb cergraq gb or Fnenu.

Nalgvzr Fnenu-nf-Orgu vf fgnegyrq, naq gnxrf n srj frpbaqf gb svaq ure Pnanqvna npprag.

Uryran gnyxvat gb Cnhy'f cvpgher, cergraqvat fur vf Fnenu.

Gur fprar va gur svanyr jvgu Fnenu, Nyvfba, naq Pbfvzn ng Sryvk'f ncnegzrag.

Sryvk. Whfg va trareny, Sryvk.

Labels: Orphan Black, review: TV