Orphan Black 4x10 'From Dancing Mice to Psychopaths

Orphan Black 4x10 puts Rachel back in center stage, revving up the anxiety and giving the illusion of freedom and power.

Reviewed while listening to 'Never' by Terranova.

Are we meant to believe that Krystal accidentally saved Delphine, and it was all merely a coincidence of salvation? That her absurd ringtone going off just as Duko was preparing the cue de grace was only chance? Or would that imply a measure of control? An illusion of freedom?

‘Psychopaths’ instead makes a much stronger argument that this is all manifest. Which seems only natural (Pun!) for a clone show. What we see are our protagonists fighting against the roaring tides of a directed narrative. Even Rachel has been played on strings by, of course, corporate baddies who mask the Man behind the Curtain. She believes so heavily in her self-importance that she only strengthens her seeming inherent psychopathy, but she does not understand that such psychopathy was likely expected, counted on, and nurtured by the Man in Charge. This is the power of science in its worst forms, natural selection used as an excuse to make the mice eat each other, Skyfall-style. Until two of them face off.

And FINALLY Orphan Black can make good on the raw intensity of Sarah and Rachel in a room together. The build-up to their bloody confrontation was mainly ill-done. Boring, it was actually boring. But that can be forgiven now, because putting Rachel in her true element, unapologetically and quite literally slaying all in her path to power, heightens both her will and Sarah’s. The Punk Rock Clone is merely reacting to the malicious actions of scientists and businessmen. She's trying to save Cosima, so she has to face her nemesis and do what she can. And ‘Psychopaths’ builds on that, putting everyone in a state of near hopelessness. Similar to where they were in episode six, after Evie Cho’s power play. But it’s pulled off much better here, because the villains are just that much more compelling. And possibly, for the first time in the show, consistent. Think about it. Rachel was revealed to be the mistress-mind behind the first season. Then the second season, which one could easily argue is the show’s best, only built on Rachel being the antagonistic force, and one to truly be reckoned with. Yes, that season also introduced the Proletheans, thus following the Orphan Black tradition of not sticking to one central villain at a time. But really they were just a sidekick to the shroud Rachel cast over her sisters. Then she more or less took a backseat in season 3, and seemed irrelevant for most of this season. But ‘Psychopaths’ once again gives hope that the writers have a centralized path and conflict, at least for its fifth and final season. By propelling Rachel to near the top (we’ll get to that later) the show is able to rally the audience together once again behind opposition to the Neo-clone.

It also makes it effortlessly more personal. Because, as Susan viciously points out to Rachel, Rachel ­is a sister. She is Leda. And all she is doing now betrays them and herself. That last part is Rachel’s Achilles heel. She misses the purpose of her supposed freedom to fuck everyone else over. This ‘Board’ of theirs know who and what they’re dealing with. And what Rachel doesn’t realize is that, to them, she is exactly like Sarah in her own eyes: a cockroach. Something fascinating in its self-preservation, and the theories of species survival, but still below them. It makes her violent ignorance to continue forward more frustrating. The literal pain she causes Susan, the literal and emotional pain she causes Cosima, and the almost existential pain she causes Sarah by having Ferdinand hold Siobhan and Kira hostage… would it even amount to anything if Rachel wins? Or does winning only mean winning against her sisters, the corrupted mouse that ate its brethren, only to be still trapped in a cage by greater powers? Rachel is possibly the architect of her own demise, borne by this ever forceful desire to be apart and better than the other Ledas. She proclaims that the future of cloning technology, for whole generations, is best served by giving them the illusion of freedom. Never once considering that the Board may be putting her in that same cage with the others, with invisible control. That makes her a great villain. That gives her a side that pulls tension back into the show. Not only are we so familiar with Rachel’s malice, but she wears the metaphorical and literal mask of the twisted clone. The one Susan regrets. The villain with the face we have an emotional reaction to. Possibly the true villain.

… Maybe. It’ll be interesting to see in the final season how Rachel as the baddie plays out, what with this new wrinkle and all. Orphan Black is still a conspiracy thriller, and thus must have its starkly black decorated boardroom of cold utilitarian business science people. And it must have the megalomaniacal scientist who really, REALLY, wants to be God. So here we have the undying, 150+ year old founder of Neolution itself. P.T. Westmorland. We don’t see him in ‘Psychopaths.’ They go the Mr. Robot route of us hearing a doorbell ring then cutting to black. But his presence is already felt, and he may overshadow Rachel. And end the Ledas. He’s already got Cosima so close to that precipice, and physically under his guard. A very much alive Delphine, too. With them behind Westmorland’s bars, and Siobhan and Kira behind Rachel’s, a gravely injured Sarah is alone and left deflated. Alison and Helena have now bonded, but they’re too far away to help. What power do they truly have to get their sestras out of this mess? They may be free to chill in a hut. But they are not free to take care of the ones they love. Sinister foes have created a façade. And ‘Psychopaths’ effectively nails that on the head, that this final season will be about Leda fully asserting itself, to turn illusion into reality.

The show as always been about autonomy against the attempted control over one’s body and life. But Rachel makes it explicit here, and now with the crazy Godfather Neolutionist showing up, the vying for independence from the directed narrative can only make that struggle more explicit. That also revs up the tension, and makes for a more solid episode serving as the finale. ‘Psychopaths’ had unsteady footing from its season getting here, but it stands on its own two feet. It keeps its narrative eye on Rachel and all her terrible decisions, on Sarah focusing on one struggle for once, here being to save Cosima. It reduces Cosima to the label she has always been trying to fight. The dying test subject, the one against whom the scientists can measure their heuristics and disregard her humanity and her life. Fearing for Cosima’s fate is always a good way to draw the audience in again. It wasn’t perfect, and it still feels the shadow of the show’s weakest season thus far, but it sheds a light for the final stretch. Much better than Evie’s betrayal plot did. ‘Psychopaths’ trims fat and lets Rachel pull the audience in. In truth, she probably should’ve been the main villain for the entire second half of season 4, after her brief stint under Susan’s thumb. It most likely would have given them more time to flush out this idea of Rachel’s ignorance. But that’s in the past. Where we are now will have to do. And it’s enough for the time being. Everyone’s lost and/or trapped. And the pieces are then set for the last game, the last conspiracy threads. It could be Rachel, it could be Westmorland. It’ll probably be a blending of both who will serve as the greatest obstacle to the sisters’ true freedom. The one beyond the science.

So we end this season with a glimmer of hope, in Cosima and Delphine reuniting, and a whole LOT of despair. If season five does its job, its slower predecessor will be remembered more as a blip. ‘Psychopaths’ gives us hope enough that it’s up to the task. It better be. Good television will be the only way to distract ourselves from the sadness that Orphan Black is leaving us. But that’s for next year. Must not dwell on the past, or what's unavoidable. But look to the bold future. Whoever’s it will be, Rachel, Westmorland, or the Leda’s independence. Look to the future.

Grade: A-

After the Review (since everyone has a post-show show now)

-Rachel elitism: ‘Mother!! Why didn’t anyone fetch me?’ AND WHERE’S THAT KID WITH MY LATTE?!!!

-Krystal is still a gem: ‘I’m sorry, who are you again?’ ‘I’m Sarah. I’m your clone.’ ‘… Right, whatever.’

-Yet somehow: ‘How does Krystal figure this shit out?’ ‘I have no idea. She’s doggedly wrong. But she gets results.’

-So that's it for this season!! An older Orphan Black episode 'Certain Agony of the Battlefield' is what gave me the idea to start this blog in the first place. So it'll be even sadder next year. For now, just a break! And I will try to review the new show Thirteen.

#TV #Review #OrphanBlack