Orphan Black: Season 3/ Episode 3 “Formalized, Complex, and Costly” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

As we learn more and more about how desperate the Castor clones are, it is also revealed how much alike they are to the Leda clones.

Review (with Spoilers) – Below

Characters & Story (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Herb Soap – Allison

With Allison taking over Ramon’s business comes a renewed interest in her campaign, and Marci focusing on her. To the point that, with her being a threat, she offers her a cheap house. Thing is, it is out of district, so Allison isn’t going for it. Thus leaving Marci reminding Allison of the uphill battle she has of going from infamous alcoholic to someone people would trust the future of their kids with.

Topic 2: We Don’t Kill Our Brothers – Helena and Rudy

After Rudy killing Seth, he is in much trouble with both Paul and Dr. Cody. Especially considering the condition of the Castor clones and how their government sponsors seemingly are considering pulling the program. Thus leading to them talking about getting Mark back, Gracie’s husband, and seeing if he finished his mission.

As for Helena? Well, she continues to be cooped up and bored out of her mind. Luckily, though, against Paul’s wishes, it seems Rudy maybe back in the field soon. Though, before that happens, he taunts Helena a little bit to try to push the idea of her being sold out into her mind. Something which she still refuses to accept.

Topic 3: Secrets and Lies – Sarah, Cosima, Mark, and Art

As Sarah continues to pursue a way to get Helena back, she finds herself with Seth’s body to be taken care of. However, with Art making an impromptu visit to Felix’s apartment, and seeing the body, comes a change of plans. First, Cosima takes over handling the body, in order to study the Castor brain, and then Sarah finds herself back to being Art’s partner.

Leading them to cross paths with Mark who is in pursuit of finally completing his mission. Of which started with the task of infiltrating the Prolethean farm to find Henrik’s sample of the Castor original. Something which has alluded Mark thus far since, assumingly, a man named Willard Finch held the sample. The truth is, though, all Finch had was documents, perhaps similar to what Duncan wrote and is now within Felix’s home.

Though with Finch back in Mark’s life, as well as Gracie’s, naturally comes some of Gracie’s old family returning as well. For whether it is Alexis, the midwife, or Gracie’s mom Mrs. Johanssen, it seems many things hidden away come to light. Thus leaving to two shockers. The first being, thanks to Cosima’s research, that the Castor and Leda projects are both sourced by biological siblings. As for the 2^nd shocker? Well, that deals with another Castor clone dying. For with Alexis snitching on Gracie’s location, perhaps to rejoin the parish, comes Mrs. Johanssen hunting down Mark and killing him. All the while, Sarah watches as she comes too late to meet, and perhaps save, Mr. Finch, and strangely avoids being killed by Mark.

 

Praise

With the reveal of the Castor and Leda clones being family leads to new mysteries and questions, which certainly bring increased intrigue to a story which seemingly is trying to expand its universe without collapsing on itself. Though what is most interesting right now, to me, is the Proletheans returning to the show for with Dyad being an uneasy ally, Rachel’s existence being erased by Delphine, and the Castor legion trying to keep their men alive, and funding pumping, we are in need of some sort of villain for the show.

Criticism

Mostly because, as much as I love seeing Art, especially in light of him confessing his love for Beth, perhaps leading to him loving Sarah; seeing Helena, even in a small capacity; and still genuinely loving how Sarah and Felix seem like the only people who aren’t complacent to the madness, I feel like the show is slowly losing itself. If just because the whole Castor angle seems like a ploy to increase the show’s audience and appeal vs. it genuinely being good for the story.

Also, I’m slightly lost as to where the show plans to take Allison’s character. For whether she is supposed to represent some sort of suburban normalcy, or perhaps the hopes of the clones, sometimes it does feel like she is just thrown in random stories to stay busy while the others actually handle clone matters. Take this drug dealing and school trustee storyline. To me, it feels almost inspired by other shows out there and is just busy work to remind us she still exists vs. trying to make anything interesting, appealing, or at the very least comical, for her.

But despite a slew of minor issues, I do feel the show can bounce back. After all, Rachel is recovering; the Proletheans are going to make a grand return; the Castor project cast members are getting desperate, and Helena is still alive. Making for a combination which can make hopefully, by the second half of the season, valid reasons for all the hype, and disappointment, this show will get around award season.

Things To Note

Dr. Nealon shows Rachel, while doing a test with her, the Castor emblem. Leading to the idea he may know more than he lets on. As for Rachel, she is without an identity, thanks to Delphine having her “die” in a plane crash, and is now a bit lost. Dr. Nealon believes she has a purpose, though.