Monday, April 22, 2013

Orphan Black: Season One, Episode Four: Effects of External Conditions

The clone who attacked Sarah in the last episode is covered in blood and is busy stitching up her wounds. She mumbles, "I'm not Beth."A little boy makes his way downstairs and steps in a trail of blood. When he goes into the bathroom, he sees the clone and she motions for him to be quiet.

Sarah heads over to Allison's and tells her about the clone she met. Allison starts freaking out and wants to know if the clone knows about her or her kids and is worried that Sarah led the new clone to her door.  Sarah assures Allison that the clone has been impaled with rebar and that she wouldn't do that have lead her to Allison's door. Allison says that she has been living the nightmare much longer than Sarah and that she provides financially and has a family to protect. Sarah hands over the 75K and admits that she was going to steal it but she has a family she is concerned about as well.  Allison is surprised to learn that Sarah has a biological daughter.  Allison wants to know why Sarah didn't tell her before.  Sarah says that she didn't and asks Allison to be available because she might need her.

Sarah is over at Felix's and is skyping with Cosima, who is talking about the blade that Sarah found.  Felix asks what Cosima is talking about and Cosima says that if the clone is not dead yet, they need to find out who she is.  Felix suggests that Cosima is mad because he considers the new clone to be a homicidal maniac. Cosima replies that they need to find her because she's got answers.  Sarah adds that the only way she is going to do that is to go back to being a cop. Felix tells Sarah no because impersonating a dead officer is like a whole new crime.  Sarah says that she feels safer with the cops and that Art is already looking for the murderer and going back will allow her to keep an eye on the investigation.  Felix goes through the list of clones and says of all of them, Sarah is the most normal.

Allison is packing a bag for the kids because she is sending them to her parents.  Her husband is not impressed and wants to know why she cancelled all of their activities.  Allison says that she wants some time to herself.

Sarah meets Art where the clone left her bike. Art tells Sarah that her kids, his wife and his ex wife thank her for what she did.  When they go inside the apartment, Sarah learns that the killer wore gloves and that there are no prints. They walk in and find the mess in the bathroom where the clone had cleaned up and stitched up the wounds.  A woman tells Art about her child seeing the killer and that Trevor said that it was an angry angel.  Art asks Trevor what the angry angel looked like and he points to Sarah.  Art is surprised to know that the perpetrator they after is a woman.  Sarah asks to speak to Trevor. She assures him that she is not the clone and Trevor says, "she said you would come." Trevor pulls out a fortune teller clearly made by the clone because it is covered with blood and shows different methods of killing.  Sarah asks to see it but Art sees it in her hand and bags it as evidence.

Sarah is on the phone with Mrs. S to confirm that she will there before 8 PM. Kira asks if Mrs. S is talking to her mom but Mrs. S lies and says no.  Mrs.S then tells Sarah that if she lets Kira down that she will not allow Sarah to see her again. Kira continues with her painting of her mother.

Back at the station, they go over the facts of the case and the fact that Katja was killed by a woman.  They begin by trying to set up a profile of the new clone. They are waiting for DNA evidence and Sarah lies when Hardcastle asks if they got a match on the fingerprints. The meeting is interrupted when Sarah is told she has a phone call.  She answers the call saying "detective Childs" and is told that she is not Beth because Beth is dead. Sarah asks what she wants and the clone says that they have a connection and Sarah brings up the rebar.  The clone suggests that they need to meet again, so Sarah asks for her name and is told Helena. When Sarah asks for a last name, Helena is not forthcoming and points out that though Sarah is doing police work, it cannot last and that it would not be good for her if the cops should find her. Helena hangs up saying that she already gave her directions.

Art and Angela come rushing out to find a map believing that there is a secret address in the fortune teller.  Sure enough, they find one and want to head straight to the site but Hardcastle tells them to wait for emergency services and tactical. Sarah stands up and Art tells her not to worry. They head outside and Sarah tries to take a different car but Art says that after last night they need to stick together.  What they don't know is that they are being watched by the clone.  As soon as Sarah leaves, the Helena sneaks into the station pretending to be Beth and looks over the evidence the police have gathered thus far.

When Sarah and Art arrive at the scene, tactical takes them in for a closer look. They head into the basement where they find a mattress and evidence of more self surgery.  When they flick on the lights, they find that the same symbols all over the walls that they found on the fortune teller. Art wonders if the perpetrator is saying that she is a serial killer and Angela says that it could be the same victim over and over again.  Sarah quips that the suspect just draws like a third grader. One figure has a question mark and Art wonders whether it's the perp or the the next victim. 

At the station, Helena has made her way to Beth's old desk and she reads through the messages and looks at the picture of Beth and Paul. The phone rings and it's Paul and so Helena claims to have been beaten up and asks him to come and get her.

Back at the house, Art says that the perp led them there and that she wanted the cops to see this. Sarah steps aside calls Felix and says that there is no way that she can see Kira tonight because she is stuck with Art and Helena is right on top of her.  Sarah is worried about leading Helena back to Kira. Felix reminds Sarah about the ultimatum and Sarah tells him that she needs to be in two places at once and says that if anyone can do that they can. Felix then heads over to see Allison to tell her that Sarah needs help with her daughter.

When Sarah returns to the police station, Raj tells Sarah that she cleaned right up and changed quickly.  He of course saw Helena and assumed it was Sarah. While she was in the backroom, Helena had rearranged the evidence and Art is not impressed when he finds this.  When Sarah returns to her desk, she finds picture of crime scene of Maggie Chen.

Felix is sitting down with Allison and says that Sarah misses tonight then she might never get Kira back.  Allison is incredulous and comments on what she believes is Sarah's bad parenting.  She suggests that Kira might be better off with Mrs. S and Felix reminds Allison that Sarah is out there playing cat and mouse with a killer clone so that her children don't end up orphans. Felix adds that she needs to step up.  Allison begins to practice being Sarah and it's not good.

Sarah pulls out the knife and notices that the mark on Chen's neck is the same as on the knife.  Sarah is forced to hide the knife when Angela comes over and says that a woman on woman murder had to be personal, so they have to find the link between Jane Doe (Katja) and the perpetrator. When Angela leaves, Sarah goes back to the file.

Felix is going through Allison's clothing and is not happy with what he is finding.  Allison says that she does not shop second hand. Felix then gets a pair of scissors and starts cutting Allison's clothing.

At the station, Paul shows up and is concerned about Beth/Sarah because of the phone call.  Paul says that he took the rest of the day off and starts to escort her out.  Art runs into them and asks if everything is okay and Paul says it's Beth's first day back she and she beat up, so it's no wonder she wants to leave. Art asks what Paul is talking about Sarah quickly jumps between to the two men and tells Art that she will handle it.  Outside, Sarah explains to Paul that she didn't mean for him to come and get her right now and that she called because the case she is working on is so upsetting. Paul tells her that they need to spend some together to figure out what is going on between them because most of it he likes a lot.  The two kiss and Paul leaves, telling her to think about it.  Sarah's phone goes off and its Cosima, who says that Maggie Chen and Beth are connected and that Beth never told them about it.  Sarah confirms that Beth didn't tell Art either. Sarah adds that Helena was at the cop shop and that unless they meet alone, that Helena is going to get them both busted. Cosima asks what the cops know and Sarah says that Helena is a churchy psychopath, a loner and was probably abused as a child. Cosima says that the fish on a weapon reads as a personal crusade.  Cosima believes that to extreme religious creation types that the clones would be abominations and if someone told Helena that this was the way to redeem yourself in the eyes of God that it makes sense that she became an angry angel.


Sarah comes back to the station and Art wants to know about Paul.  She tells Art that Paul doesn't know what he is talking about and that things are just messy right now. Art reminds Sarah that they don't bring that shit in there and Sarah promises it won't happen again.  Art brings up the fact that Sarah and Paul were calling it quits and Sarah tells him that they are working it out.  Art asks if Sarah can remember anything new about the killer and if she said something and Sarah answers, "if she had said anything, I would have known she was a woman." Art leaves saying that he is going to check with Bagwell because they should have facial reconstruction soon.

As soon as Art leaves, Helena calls and Sarah tells her that she is forgetting about her friend Maggie Chen.  Helena is using a razor to make cuts on her back and says that Sarah is a terrible detective and that Beth had figured them out. Sarah tells her that Beth shot Maggie not her, in case Helena is looking for revenge but Helena replies, "it's not about revenge, it's about you." Sarah asks about the connection and Helena agrees to tell her about it in person and says that Sarah has the invitation.  A video comes up on the screen with an address on the bottom. The video contains Helena  confessing to the murder of Margaret Chen.

Felix and Allison arrive at Mrs. S' in a cab and Felix is still coaching Allison on how to act like Sarah. 

At the station, Art is looking over the evidence and Angela enters the room. Art asks Angela if she has ever fought a woman and adds that women look different, fight different and smell different. Art is not convinced that Beth took the perp for a man and adds that the whole time it feels like Beth has something else on her mind. Angela says that a civilian shooting is hard to shake and wonders if Beth came back too soon. Art says he doesn't know if that is it.  Angela notices that Beth is missing from the station and suggests that maybe she is off working it out with her boyfriend.  Art starts to search Beth's desk and finds the pad that Sarah wrote on with an address.

Sarah has gone to the address which happens to be the same address where Maggie Chen used to live.

Kira is brought out with Mrs. S to spend time with the woman Mrs. S believes is Sarah. When Felix and Mrs. S leaves the room, Kira tells Allison that she is not her mother. Allison says that I'm your mom and so Kira tests Allison.  When Allison fails, Kira asks where her mother is.  Finally, Allison admits the truth and tells Kira that her mother couldn't make it because she is out there making sure everything is safe for them to be together.

In the hallway, Sarah leaves a just in case message to Art on her phone in case she doesn't make it.  When Sarah gets to apartment 304, she finds the door open and Helena inside. Helena she says that she is unarmed.  Sarah orders her to turn around and kneel and Helena says that it's not necessary and that Sarah is different from the others.  Sarah punches Helena in the stomach, grabs a chair and says lets talk. Helena tells Sarah that God sent her and then Sarah asks if it's the same God that branded Maggie Chen.   Helena tells Sarah that Maggie helped make her and then she saw the light and then came to her side.  Sarah realises that Beth killed Maggie to protect the clones.  Helena says that she can see a light inside of Sarah but Sarah says that there is a light in all of them.  Helena yells no they are four copies of Gods image of human beings.   Sarah then realises that they told Helena that she is the original.  Someone is ringing the buzzer downstairs and it's Art.  Helena is crawling towards Sarah asking to save her and Sarah says that everything is a lie and that they are genetic identicals and are all made the same. Helena gets up and says that Sarah is wrong and so Sarah asks her what happened to her, as Art makes his way up the stairs.  Sarah tells Helena to stay back and Helena presses the muzzle of the gun against her forehead.

Art is knocking on the door calling for Beth.  He pulls out his gun and Sarah tells Helena to run. Art kicks in the door and Sarah says that there is no one there.  Art points out that she is there and wants to know what she is doing in the apartment of the woman that she killed.

Kira is drawing and she asks how Allison can be Sarah's sister because her Sarah doesn't have any sisters or a mom. Allison tells Kira that it's complicated and that it's important Kira keep it a secret.  Mrs. S comes over and tells Kira that it's time for bed and Kira hugs Allison goodbye.  Sarah and Felix are leaving and she thanks Mrs. S for taking such good care of Kira. Allison says that she will drop by tomorrow to walk Kira home from school.  Felix congratulates Allison but she tells him that Kira knew right away.

Art and Sarah are in Hardcastle's office and they want to know why she was at the home of Maggie Chen. Sarah says that she was taking a walk to clear her head and just found herself there. Art does not believe it.  Hardcastle asks if there is a connection between the Maggie Chen death and the Jane Doe homicide and Sarah says none. Art points out that she called the meeting and wants to know what she has to say.  Sarah puts the gun on the desk and says that its not working out. Art wants to know how she could bail after everything they have done for her.  Hardcastle tells Sarah that it is not the answer but Sarah puts the badge on the desk and walks out.

Helena collapses in an alley and she is retrieved by a man.

The more this mystery grows, the more I am drawn in. I absolutely love the concept of Orphan Black.  Which one of them is the original?  Why were these clone created?  Who picked up Helena at the end of the episode and where were they taking her? Is Kira special in some way as well and how did she know that Allison was not her mother? Each week more and more questions are created and I can only hope that Orphan Black can answer them all in the end.

I continue to be fascinated just how very different the clones are.  Am I the only one who got the impression that Allison believed the clones could not have biological children?  I also think that we are going to see a crack in her soccer mom persona.  What exactly does her husband do? They barely interact and he seems uninvested in their family.  I would love to learn more about Cosima other than the fact that she is geek. What was her childhood like? 

We still have Felix in the role of gay BFF and servant.  This week we saw him painting and stop immediately he moment Sarah needed help with something.  They need to start to give Felix something to do other than to jump the moment Sarah calls.  I know that Felix was trying to help Allison be more like Sarah but considering he is the trope laden gay BFF, I was not pleased to have him going through Allison's clothing to find something suitable for her to wear and then pronouncing are clothing not up to par.

I also have a problem with the treatment of Helena.  Clearly she has a mental illness and once again, we have a character who is neurologically atypical and violent. The media really needs to stop with this ableist trope.  She's "pyscho' and "crazy" therefore she's a danger stigmatizes disabled people. It was mitigated to some degree by Sarah telling Helena that she was told things which were untrue.

I was worried about Art last episode because every man seemed to fawn over Sarah and so I was pleased to see that he was continuing to question her every step of the way.  Art it seems is the one man immune to her charms and determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.  Though Sarah quit the force, I don't think it will be long term. I love his no nonsense character.

I can see that this building to an interesting climax and the more I see, the more I want some answers.  What drove Beth to kill herself.  Was it something that she learned from Chen? Are the clone all doomed in someway.  What about the illness Katja was suffering from?  If you think about, for four episodes in Orphan Black has really done a lot and I am loving the ride thus far.