"Helena’s story is devastating, especially because if it feels so realistic. Women have always,..."

“Helena’s story is devastating, especially because if it feels so realistic. Women have always, always been reduced to their reproductive value, or more simply, to their bodies. Yes, leaps and bounds have been made in past years, but the default consideration of a woman’s worth is to consider her body. Is it good? Can it be useful, or at least controlled? If so, congratulations, woman—you’re worth something! For these reasons, there’s no doubt in my mind that if human cloning were to become a reality, it would start with a woman. So while Sarah, Alison, and Cosima’s stories are more immediately appealing, it’s Helena’s story that makes Orphan Black a fascinating series. It could have easily ramped up the villains, upped the quotient of high stakes chases, and introduced a love hexagon to become a perfectly fun slice of escapism for a Saturday afternoon. Instead, Orphan Black is tackling the already fraught issue of female agency and posing a chilling question: what would happen if we could create and own women?”

- The A.V. Club reviews Orphan Black: “Mingling Its Own Nature With It”