Our favorite prints have finally seen the light of day and are ready to get some answers in Orphan Black: Echoes Season 1 Episode 4, “It’s All Back.”
The characters and the writers as a whole definitely made questionable choices.
You probably already know which scene I’m referring to, but this episode moved the story forward in unexpected ways, hinting at both good and bad developments.
Luckily, the show has always weaved a great story with its amazing cast and writers, and now we’re breaking down the crazy ride this episode took!
Orphan Black: Echoes is non-stop science fiction, but does it avoid its pitfalls?
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After so much world-building and established stakes around characters old and new, Orphan Black: Echoes could be heading for a terrible downfall.
It’s not uncommon for TV series, especially science fiction, to start off with a story, but they run the risk of losing pace and interest.
The unspoken rule of Hollywood about crafting stories is that the audience only cares about the premise for the first fifteen minutes.
After that, the only thing the audience cares about is the characters and where their journey is going.
Thankfully, the series has very lovable characters to accompany some of the characters from the original Orphan Black series.
Specifically, Krysten Ritter is able to convey Lucy’s inner and outer turmoil in a way that makes every look, reaction, and expression feel organic and natural.
So far, the show’s versatility has worked, as it can easily change tone to better serve the story, rather than feeling like a one-tone wonder.
If there’s any criticism of the series so far, it’s that there haven’t been enough answers to the mounting questions.
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As a fan of the show, I can tell you that there are only so many issues that can be addressed before it’s hard to prioritize.
‘Orphan Black’: ‘Echoes’ has a ton of bad guys, but not all apples are rotten
Before we talk about the lovable heroines of this sensational sci-fi series, we need to talk about the show’s more or less bad guys, who are basically hunting down Lucy and Jules.
First there is Tom, the absolute embodiment of the “basic brother” who is caught up in some delusion that he is the pinnacle of masculine perfection.
While he didn’t explicitly say those exact words, the vibe he gave off was one of privilege and entitlement that was on another cringe-worthy level.
It’s a testament to Reed Damon’s acting ability, because while we don’t know the man, we can’t imagine anyone really being that insufferable.
On the other hand, Emily, a corporate security agent and former CIA agent, is the person who appears most frequently around Tom.
The Dalos Foundation agent is played by Tattiawna Jones, best known for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, who provides a stark contrast to her goofy co-star.
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How she doesn’t hesitate to help Lucy shows that she may play a key role as an ally later in the season.
As for the actual bad guys, you’ll always find them being the first to utter that infamous line, “for the greater good,” as Paul D’Aros said it with as much sincerity as Thanos.
Black Orphans: Echoes knows how to blend taboo topics into total entertainment
Now, let’s talk about the technological “orphans” of the series, Lucy and Jules, as they certainly have a pretty close experience this time around.
Right off the bat, we have to address one of the more interesting scenes from, say, the aptly named episode “Everything Comes Back.”
You know I’m talking about the crazy scene where Jules and Lucy take a special drug together to stimulate the memory chambers of their brains.
While the girls mean well, considering this is a drug concocted by teenage Jules, it’s worth noting that a good portion of it takes them to be, well, just high.
Eventually, they get down to business, but AMC sure knows how to push the proverbial boundaries with necessary plot devices, like teen-made narcotics.
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However, while Jules and Lucy are able to correctly picture the vision they’ve always dreamed of, both characters miss what could be important clues to their pasts.
The initials on the knife read “SRM,” and we’d be silly not to see its connection to Sarah Manning, the main character in the original Orphan Black.
While it’s nice that they learned some details about their past, including their possible names and mothers, the missed clues are an Easter egg at best and an oversight at worst.
Lucy and Jules have almost nowhere to escape and even fewer people to trust
At the heart of Orphan Black: Echoes are themes of paranoia and trust, as the protagonists don’t even know if they can trust themselves.
More importantly, how can they trust anyone around them, let alone Kiera Manning, who clearly only wants to help two girls, especially Lucy?
She’s most likely feeling guilty that Lucy had to run away, but Kira is at the center of the whole mess and doesn’t give the audience any clues as to how or why.
Motherhood and guardianship appear to be a central concept, one that has been explored so far with a variety of characters, from Craig caring for Lucy to Neva raising Jules.
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So far, Neva, played by “Under the Flag”‘s Alessandra Castillo, has sent out a lot of mixed signals about where her loyalties lie.
While she protects and helps Jules by the end of the episode, that doesn’t completely clear her of any possible hidden agenda.
Speaking of the ending, it was a terrible mistake for the writers to end Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 4 on such a heavy cliffhanger.
We really thought we were about to get all the answers to everything and everything would fade to black.
Despite the rude ending, we’ll still be on the edge of our seats to see how it all unfolds.
Are you excited to finally get some answers in the next episode?
Can Neva or the other characters in Jules’ life be trusted?
Let us know in the comments below, and join us again as we review the next episode of Orphan Black: Echoes!
