Orphan Black 4x1 'The Collapse of Nature': To Knit and Unravel

Orphan Black 4x1 goes back to the beginning to give Beth her time in the light in a beautifully operatic episode of tragedy.

Reviewed while watching classic Premier League title race action, and while listening to a Royksopp oldie. Though perhaps Forss fits this episode's tone better.

It’s easy to assume that Orphan Black, a show about clones, is primarily about being ‘unique,’ in some basic tropy sci-fi sense. Perhaps just as easy to assume it’s primarily a champion of modern sci-fi feminism. Both are undoubtedly major parts of the show’s identity and appeal. But at its barest and arguably most transcendent level, It’s about the universal experience of simply existing. Of occupying a space in the world around us, and trying to understand that space and our role in it. Especially when the premise is based on characters who were engineered into that space and fight against being controlled. From there, the concept of individuality and uniqueness comes into play, since that role is never really pre-determined or rigid, despite how varying aspects of society try to convince us otherwise. From the moment we first breathe, we begin making decisions, however consciously or unconsciously, and determine that role for ourselves. The difficulty is understanding it and fighting against the pressures of society, the attempts of limiting or entirely removing our choices. The harder the Neolutionists and Proletheans and whoever else try to dictate and control the paths of the Leda clones (and to a lesser extent the Castors), the more each clone carves out a space for themselves.

But for Beth, the first clone, the beginning of the whole story, her space was always about just trying to exist, to barely keep it together and validate her existence in the eyes of those she loves (and the show, really, since she gets killed off immediately). She never had a chance to stamp her individuality, because she was too busy being a badass cop with the natural drug problem and a slew of secrets to keep, even from her own ‘sisters.’ She was too busy juggling all the things others gave her or forced her into. Remember in the pilot when Sarah assumed, as anyone would, that Beth had everything? Well, this season premiere is about viscerally showing that Beth really had nothing. In her case the pressures of society were successful of making her space rigid, boxed in, and ultimately untenable, until all she could do was jump in front of a train, and open up a world of choices for someone else, our main clone, Sarah (let’s be real, she is Clone 1).

I can only describe ‘The Collapse of Nature’ as palpable. Thoroughly, beautifully, tragically palpable. The episode is **SPOILER ALERT** a flashback exploring Beth’s struggles that led up to that fateful opening scene of the series. And it works masterfully to hone its narrative on Beth feeling trapped in her space, making us feel every ounce of anguish as she’s ripped apart by a shit boss, a traumatic vocation, an unrequited love in conflict with the reveal of betrayal by said love, and the absence of posterity. Perhaps the most subtle moment in ‘Collapse’ is when Beth, spurned by the man she loves and acutely aware of her infertility, visits Art’s apartment while he’s watching tv with his child. Beth brushes it off with a simple ‘Hey Maya’ to the daughter, but if you look closely you can see Tatiana Maslany’s brilliance in evoking the pain Beth is feeling in that moment. Children are such a strong analogue for the idea of family that the writers can present it simply to reveal the heart of what Beth needs and seemingly can’t have: family. Or as she herself puts it, to be seen.

After all, no one sees us or knows us better than family (not just blood, but those most intimate of friends). Beth loves Paul, and she wants Paul to be family, which leads to a wonderfully operatic scene of domestic destruction when she throws herself on a ‘hollow’ Paul (The music here flowed so naturally from being diegetic mood setting for the romantic dinner to an intense non-diegetic mirroring of Beth’s pain). But Paul isn’t family. Paul is a monitor, and now Beth knows it thanks to her source/friend, the show’s new clone, MK. So she seeks comfort in Art, who loves Beth, but their impulsive hookup is really just that. There’s nothing truly there. Even her relationship with Alison and Cosima seems mainly pragmatic and distant. It isn’t until the final moments of ‘Collapse’ after we see Beth fatefully shoot down Maggie Chen (remember THAT plot thread?), that we see Beth get the comfort, love, and belonging she needs, when she goes to see MK.

As for our newest clone, we don’t learn much. But we don't need much. It’s all in the subtext obviously. The thing is, MK is the polar opposite of Beth. Whereas Beth is completely immersed in society and forced to assume a façade of being put together as the beautiful capable cop with a hot boyfriend and a fair amount of money, MK has had to fake her own death. Her ‘space’ is what she makes in the shadows. Outwardly, she would be seen as a recluse with no social life who would envy someone of Beth’s ‘status.’ But there’s a sense of freedom we get from MK, even if she is lonely with few friends. She has her tea, and her all-night thoughts. And she’s bound by nothing. It’s that freedom and seclusion MK enjoys in her underground life that Beth needs to escape the heavy burdens pressed upon her in the big bad world. What’s more, MK, in said loneliness with few friends, values Beth’s loyalty and keeping her secret safe (not even the other clones know about her), and truly loves Beth. We see that so clearly in that last scene of the flashback. Maslany, of course, is flawless as both the tormented Beth and the sheltered but strangely and quietly positive MK. There’s an odd happiness to that. Even though we all know Beth’s demise, we see that, at the very worst, she had a moment of being loved, and seen. MK puts no pressure on Beth. MK just takes care of her and gives her tea. For this alone, I’m already ranking MK high on my clone list (she seems fascinating anyway). It’s a glimmer of peace Beth is always seeking but can never have in the open society. It’s where she can carve out her own space, and exist.

It’ll be interesting to see where we go from here, now that the last scene shows we’re returning to the present day with Sarah once again in danger and running. Orphan Black has had its share of convoluted problems, but if ‘Collapse’ is anything to go on, the writers are learning to focus again on the clone characters and their individual experiences of being clones, similar but so very different. Different stories to tell, different wants and needs and pains. ‘Collapse’ is about stamping Beth’s place, and making us feel every bit of her pain as she’s torn apart. Others tried to knit her life together and drive the weave, and in her fight against that all she could do, in the end, was collapse. But I’ll remember this episode primarily for the one scene in the middle, where she breaks down with Paul from all the pressure, and for the moment at the end. The moment when she existed in peace with MK. ‘Collapse’ is nothing short of beautiful. One of the best episodes Orphan Black has ever produced. And a good sign of things to come.

Grade: A

When I got sidetracked

-Did you really think the MK rabbit mask for going down the rabbit hole metaphor was lost on me? Really?

-Let's also give props to the make-up and costume departments. MK could've just looked like Helena-lite. But NOOOO. They make sure she's got her own look. It really is just a marvel to watch.

-I know there are some hardcore Dylan Bruce/Tatiana Maslany fans out there, still shipping a Sarah/Paul relationship. Well, this was your episode, guys!

-MK's got a serious Lisbeth Salander thing going, physically and vocationally, except friendly. In case we forgot about the Dragon Tattoo influences.

#TV #review #OrphanBlack