New York – March 14, 2016 – If the only way forward is to go back, then ‘clone club’ is in for a wild ride. BBC AMERICA’s award-winning Orphan Black, starring Emmy® and Golden Globe nominated Tatiana Maslany, returns on a new night and time, Thursday, April 14th at 10/9c.
It all started on a train platform. A troubled woman, Beth Childs (Maslany), locked eyes with an unknown identical woman, Sarah Manning (Maslany), before jumping to her death. From that day on, they’ve been inextricably linked to a clone conspiracy that has come to rule Sarah’s life. Every twist and turn around the maze of this world has led to a new enemy, a new ally, a new clone and always, new questions. How many of us are out there? Who created us? Who is trying to kill us? Why are we sick and how do we survive? The search for these answers have sent Sarah and her newly-found sisters Alison (Maslany), Cosima (Maslany) and Helena (Maslany) crashing head first into some of the most nefarious foes and life revelations they could’ve ever imagined. Neutralizing enemies and gaining answers to some of these questions however hasn’t brought them any closer to solving the most important mystery of all – their survival.
Season three plunged the clone sisterhood into dangerous territory when they faced the threat of extermination by multiple forces, including a line of militaristic male clones. While it appeared their tactics left them clear to move forward with their lives, this season, revisiting the past is imperative in determining their future.
The sisters have finally settled into some sense of normalcy. Sarah, reunited with her foster mum Mrs S. (Maria Doyle Kennedy), daughter Kira (Skyler Wexler) and the clone original, Kendall Malone (Alison Steadman) at an Icelandic hideout; Alison, enjoying the spoils of the drug trade with husband Donnie (Kristian Bruun) and helping the once rabid Helena settle into domesticity; and Cosima, hard at work on a cure for her illness with lab partner Scott (Josh Vokey). We find Sarah’s battle-worn foster brother Felix (Jordan Gavaris) accepting that he’s been left behind, and trying to pick up the pieces of his life – post ‘clone gate’; and Rachel (Maslany), the clever self-aware clone reunited with her ‘mother,’ Susan Duncan (Rosemary Dunsmore) and attempting a reconciliation. But peace and calm seldom lasts long with this lot and Sarah’s hard won tranquility is disrupted when she receives a call that thrusts her right back in harm’s way. A mysterious ally tied to Beth leads Sarah back to where it all started. She’ll follow Beth’s footsteps into a dangerous relationship with a potent new enemy, heading in a horrifying but familiar direction.
Also returning this season is Kevin Hanchard as Detective Art Bell, Beth’s partner who’s pledged his allegiance to her sisters, Ari Millen as a mysterious new Castor clone, the likes of which we’ve never seen before and James Frain as Ferdinand, the intimidating assassin for shadowy organization, Topside. Joining this season is Joel Thomas Hynes as Dizzy, an edgy hacker who doesn’t conform to group mentality; Jessalyn Wanlim as Evie Cho, a powerful, bioengineer; Lauren Hammersley as Adele, a wickedly-intelligent lawyer with a bit of a drinking problem; Gord Rand as Detective Duko, a mysterious figure with ties to Neolution; and Ian Matthews and Miranda Edwards as Frank and Roxie, Neolution’s clean-up crew.
United in their mission to end the constant threats to their lives once and for all, the sisters are taking matters into their own hands. No more looking for guidance, permission or consensus on decisions – the clones are taking full ownership…no matter the cost to those around them. Retracing steps from the beginning will uncover revelations that had been there all along, and will ultimately shake their fragile world to the core.
Orphan Black is co-created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director; the series is executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg, David Fortier and Kerry Appleyard.
GET CAUGHT UP
Full episodes of Orphan Black are available to stream on Amazon Prime and www.BBCAMERICA.com as well as available for download to own on all major digital platforms.
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
EPISODE 401 – THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 10/9c
After two months of respite, Sarah’s hard-won refuge in Iceland is shattered by a Neolution attack. Once again forced to flee, she realizes no matter how far her family runs it will never be far enough.
EPISODE 402 – THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 10/9c
After evading a Neolution attack in Iceland, Sarah returns home to track down an elusive new ally. She follows breadcrumbs and uncovers the next facet of Neolution’s agenda – implanting dangerous technological devices in humans. However, those she left behind are wary about her return, not wanting to relinquish their semblance of normalcy. As Cosima struggles with Delphine’s disappearance, Alison and Donnie host a pregnant and ever-hungry Helena. Meanwhile Felix, feeling like an outsider, embarks on his own journey of self-discovery.
EPISODE 403 – THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 10/9c
As Sarah reels from the shocking discovery of Neolution’s biotech, she’s desperate to find answers. Always impulsive, she follows a lead into a harrowing encounter that requires the help of a reluctant new player. Eager to assist, Mrs. S strikes an alliance with an old nemesis. Rachel receives a visit from her keeper and takes a fraught step forward towards recovery. Meanwhile, Helena is mistaken for “Mrs. Hendrix” when she answers a visit from suspicious visitors.
Episodes 4-10 synopses will be released at a later date.
CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Sarah/Alison/Cosima/Helena/
Rachel/Krystal/M.K. Tatiana Maslany
Felix Jordan Gavaris
Mrs. S Maria Doyle Kennedy
Detective Art Bell Kevin Hanchard
Kira Skyler Wexler
Donnie Hendrix Kristian Bruun
Scott Josh Vokey
Ira Ari Millen
Susan Duncan Rosemary Dunsmore
Guest stars
Ferdinand James Frain
Kendall Malone Alison Steadman
Evie Cho Jessalyn Wanlim
Detective Duko Gord Rand
Dizzy Joel Thomas Hynes
Adele Lauren Hammersley
Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Director John Fawcett
Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Graeme Manson
Directors Ken Girotti
Peter Stebbings
David Wellington
Grant Harvey
David Frazee
Aaron Morton
Executive Producers Ivan Schneeberg
David Fortier
Kerry Appleyard
Co-Executive Producers Aubrey Nealon
Alex Levine
Russ Cochrane
Producer Claire Welland
Orphan Black is produced by Temple Street, a division of Boat Rocker Studios, in association with BBC AMERICA and Space.
CHARACTER BIOS
SARAH MANNING (Tatiana Maslany) is the street-smart chameleon that grew up in the foster system. We first met the scrappy con artist as she was attempting to pull her life back together in order to reunite with her eight-year-old daughter, Kira. But witnessing her doppelganger, Beth, jump in front of a train changed everything for her. After assuming Beth’s life, she was plunged deep into a clone conspiracy run by the shadowy figures behind Neolution. She inherited a motley band of sisters that she’s bravely led through a maze of fierce enemies. This season, Sarah’s old habits begin resurfacing as pressure mounts to protect everyone. Reactive and hot-tempered, she regresses to old ways as she struggles to navigate the fight for the survival of her sisters and family.
HELENA (Tatiana Maslany), Sarah’s identical twin estranged at birth and raised by nuns in an oppressive and harsh Ukrainian convent, is feral, aggressive and quick to anger. Her abusive and neglected upbringing made her easy prey for the clone-hating Prolethean cult, who plucked her from the convent and reprogrammed her to kill her sister clones. But when Helena comes face-to-face with Sarah, she gradually loses faith in the Prolethean’s teachings. After she’s invasively impregnated by a leader of the cult, she escapes and seeks a new life with Sarah and her other clone sisters…but not before blowing the Prolethean’s to pieces. Now with a noticeable baby bump, Helena will struggle to leave her murderous impulses behind and adjust to domestic life.
ALISON HENDRIX (Tatiana Maslany), the soccer mom that married young and sought out domesticity, is wife to Donnie Hendrix and adoptive mother of Gemma and Oscar. On the surface she appears as the epitome of control, but in truth, she is a pill-popping addict, a recovering alcoholic and former drug dealer. When you add adulterer and accidental murderer to the mix, you have a recipe for an epic meltdown. But Alison is hell bent on keeping up domestic appearances, all while suspicions around her extracurricular activities arise. As judgment mounts from her community, Alison battles to make the right decisions for her sisters and family under the pressure.
COSIMA NIEHAUS (Tatiana Maslany) is the laid-back geeky stoner with west coast roots who is delightfully genuine. Once a PhD student in Experimental Evolutionary Developmental Biology, she dropped out to study the female clones’ biology. But the congenital respiratory illness that has killed other clones continues to threaten her life. Her former lover and lab partner, Delphine Cormier, sought to protect and help Cosima and her sisters, but her abrupt disappearance has Cosima in a constant state of anguish. With her health in decline, and her fear increasing, she becomes obsessively driven to discover a cure and save her sisters from what appears to be their collective fate.
M.K. (Tatiana Maslany), the newly discovered clone that lives off the grid, is hiding from Neolution. Having retreated from society, she sought out an online community among other hackers. She rarely meets face-to-face and on the off chance she does, she prefers to hide behind a sheep mask. But M.K. knows a lot more than her clone sisters and may hold pertinent information that could reveal answers to their burning questions.
RACHEL (Tatiana Maslany) was the first female clone raised self-aware of her origin. Susan and Ethan Duncan are her parents, however, they faked their deaths when Rachel was six-years-old and turned her over to the DYAD Institute to be reared by Neolution. Raised as a corporate cutthroat, Rachel learned to make ruthless decisions toward Neolution’s end goal of creating a ‘better human,’ but growing up this way only served to bolster her desire for power and harden her against her sisters. Stripped of family, Rachel’s one weakness is her blinding hatred of Sarah and jealousy of her motherhood. After suffering brain damage at Sarah’s hands, Rachel was brought to a mysterious headquarters where she was reunited with her mother. As much as Rachel longed for this possibility, she loathes Susan for abandoning her. As she recovers, she makes gradual steps in repairing their relationship.
FELIX DAWKINS (Jordan Gavaris) is Sarah’s younger foster brother and most trusted confidante. A struggling artist with a store of sugar daddies at his beck and call, Felix has been a pillar of strength for Sarah and her new found sisters. Caustic, dramatic and quick-witted, his tongue often lands him in hot water. Felix’s heart is in the right place – firmly planted with his sister – but as the conspiracy unravels, he finds himself struggling to understand his true place in this new dynamic. Learning that Sarah is literally related to everyone, including their foster mum, leaves Felix desperate to individuate from his family.
MRS. S (Maria Doyle Kennedy) is Sarah and Felix’s adoptive mother who brought them to North America in the late 90’s. A mother hen figure whose compassion is matched only by the hard love she dishes out, S has also been the on-again off-again caretaker of Sarah’s daughter Kira – keeping her safe from the wild ways and questionable acquaintances of her rebellious mother. But S isn’t as scrupulous as she may seem; she remains connected to an underground organization of activists who don’t shy away from violence if necessary. An unlikely reunion with her mother Kendall reawakens S’ protective instincts, and her fierce desire to take matters into her own hands.
DONNIE HENDRIX (Kristian Bruun) is Alison’s bumbling, ‘barely’ overweight, but generally harmless husband who spent most of their marriage doubling as her monitor. Often emasculated and kept under Alison’s thumb, Donnie discovered a new side of himself after accidentally offing DYAD scientist, Dr. Leekie, and taking an active yet ineffectual role in Alison’s drug business. His new cojones has reignited his wife’s passion for him and Donnie loves it! But because their shady dealings in the drug trade somehow resulted in a disastrous triple homicide, their Bonnie and Clyde act will eventually catch up with them, and Donnie’s loyalty to Alison and her sisters will be tested.
ART BELL (Kevin Hanchard) is a veteran detective and former partner to the late Beth Childs, who’s become unwittingly enfolded in the clone conspiracy. Unable to leave a mystery unsolved, Art was suspended from the force after pursuing the Sarah/Beth case despite repeated warnings to drop it. Now back on the force, Art remains haunted and heartbroken by the sudden and tragic loss of his partner and thus loyal to her ragtag band of sisters. As tensions mount, Art is placed at odds with what he’ll discover is an ever-increasing corrupt police department.
KIRA (Skyler Wexler) is an anomaly in the clone world, born of the should-be sterile Sarah Manning. Though well-loved, Kira’s upbringing has been a rocky one. Left behind by her rebellious young mother, Kira was often on the sidelines; reared instead by the compassionate Mrs. S. But when Sarah found herself at the center of the clone conspiracy, she recommitted to her daughter, showing a fierce and unstoppable love. And though Kira’s world is a turbulent mess, she possesses an eerie calm for a child her age. After recent experiences of loss and violence, Kira grows distrustful of her mom’s promise that everything will be okay.
SCOTT (Josh Vokey) is Cosima’s lab partner. The two met at the University of Minnesota where she gradually learned to trust him and ultimately hired him as her assistant. He’s an adorable nerd that’s wonderfully sincere and often awkward. Loyal to the clones, he’s given up all his life’s ambition and has instead dedicated himself to finding a cure for the congenital disease that threatens their existence.
SUSAN DUNCAN (Rosemary Dunsmore) is a prominent scientist involved in Neolution’s clandestine cloning projects. She and her late husband, Ethan Duncan, are considered the parent figures of the clones, having discovered the science that made cloning possible. They originally planned to raise Sarah Manning, but their surrogate ran away and hid what turned out to be identical twins. They later came to raise one of the other clones, Rachel Duncan. Foremost a curious scientist, Susan struggled to intimately connect with her daughter. Lacking a mother’s innate compassion, Susan chose the experiment over Rachel and abandoned her to be raised by the DYAD Institute. Reuniting with her daughter after almost 20 years, Susan hopes to make amends.
IRA (Ari Millen) is a male clone from the Castor project who is a far cry from his brothers. Slick to the naked eye, he’s cut entirely from a different cloth.
GUEST STARS
FERDINAND (James Frain) Well-educated, cool to the touch, charming and intimidating, Ferdinand is a powerful player in the secretive, multi-national cabal known as Topside – the financiers of the clone experiment. He’s worked as their cleaner and was instrumental in carrying out Helsinki – an operation that murdered six self-aware clones and their families. He operates on a shameless moral code of power and greed, but this season reveals his one weakness – love.
KENDALL MALONE (Alison Steadman) Kendall is Mrs. S’ estranged mother who spent half her life in prison for murdering S’ husband in a heated fight. Mrs. S had no intention of making amends, but her investigation into the clones’ origins led her to none other than her mum – a chimera with unique clone-able biology. She is the genetic original for both the female and male clone experiments which made her the key to finding the cure for the clone diseases. Upon finding her at the end of last season, Sarah and S went into hiding with Kendall, hoping to keep her safe from Neolution’s insidious agenda.
ADELE (Lauren Hammersley) Shameless, brazen, and spontaneous, Adele is a wickedly intelligent lawyer that outwits even when heavily intoxicated – and that’s often. She made her way through law school relying on the laurels of her IQ. With her practice suspended, her benders have grown to epic proportions. Regardless of her activities, she presents in high-fashion corporate wear – a somewhat jarring juxtaposition to her crude brand of humor.
EVIE CHO (Jessalyn Wanlim) Evie is Neolution’s new corporate face selling their vision to the public. A powerful, seductively articulate bioengineer that preaches empowerment to those oppressed by sexism and physical ailments, she believes in eugenics – bettering the human race through intervention. Born with a genetic disorder, Evie’s uncompromising will led her to cure herself through gene therapy. A fierce fighter, Evie despises the current bioethical laws that constrain her research. As a result, Evie believes great discoveries require casualties; a belief she’s prepared to viciously defend.
DIZZY (Joel Thomas Hynes) Edgy, tattooed, an air of self-reliance that lends to a distinctive sex appeal, Dizzy is a hacker that doesn’t conform to group mentality. Intrinsically skeptical, he never believes things are as they appear. He lives half his life online – scouring forums for secretive data only disclosed anonymously – and skirts around the edges of underground movements, gleaning information from within. Obsessed with uncovering current conspiracies, Dizzy is about to slam head first into the most confounding one of all.
DETECTIVE DUKO (Gord Rand) Unassuming and slightly nebbish, Detective Duko has the underlying angst of someone who spent their childhood getting pushed around and has since nastily clawed his way to the top. He’s a perfect mole – slightly timid, a nervous air, yet efficient. Less the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and more the rat in gerbil’s, he’s a mid-level player in Neolution who takes orders from Evie Cho. Responsible for giving them cover from the police, Neolution’s recent technological developments has him covering up more bodies than ever, which is raising suspicions with more than just the police force.
FRANK (Ian Matthews) Extremely pale with a playful yet sinister vibe, Frank and his girlfriend Roxie work for Evie Cho as her cleanup crew. They are EMTs by day, recruited by Neolution for their effective lethal measures in silencing dissenting Neolutionists. His preferred use of anesthetic is lethal gas, giving his victims the impression that he’s helping. Frank isn’t averse to using messier methods, but the game of deception is a sensual layer he and his girlfriend enjoy.
ROXIE (Miranda Edwards) Aloof and extremely private, Roxie gave up on having friends a long time ago. Her one confidant is her boyfriend, Frank, who she works with as Evie Cho’s cleanup crew. Recruited from their daytime jobs as EMTs, they’re responsible for retrieving Neolution’s new technological device and making sure those dissenting are silenced. Roxie is contemptuous of feebleminded individuals who break commitments. Her love for her partner is entrenched in admiration for his unwavering will, no matter the personal cost.
