Orphan Black: Echoes
By Sioph W. Leal
Orphan Black: Echoes allows fans of Orphan Black to return to the world of cloning, but this time it is taking place in 2052, thirty-seven years since the original series ended. Instead of self-aware clones, we are introduced to the mysterious Lucy (Krysten Ritter), a woman who has no memory of who she is or her life; the series follows her as she tries to piece together the pieces of her mysterious life.
Helping to tie Orphan Black: Echoes link to the original series is the return of Kira Manning (now played by Keeley Hawes). Hawes expertly makes Kira Manning her own character within this futuristic world. Similarly to the original series, Kira is a key figure in Lucy’s mystery by being both a support and a curse for Lucy’s dilemma. Orphan Black: Echoes shows multiple sides to Kira, which emphasises the heart of the series.
When making a spin-off of a successful series, comparisons will be made, and given Tatiana Maslany’s fantastic performance as multiple clones, it is a hard act to follow. Ritter, though she isn’t playing multiple different characters, delivers an impressive performance as the amnesiac Lucy. Fans of Ritter’s past work (more with the superhero genre) will feel some familiarity with Lucy, but Ritter manages to still make the character feel new. Though Lucy is in the dark, she doesn’t let this hinder her, especially when it comes to forging a connection with Jules Lee (Amanda Fix), another character who is experiencing the downsides of the futuristic world of Orphan Black: Echoes.
Instead of clones, we are introduced to characters that become Lucy's makeshift family, but unlike the original series, these relationships almost feel like they are distracting from the main plot rather than enhancing it. It is unfortunate that these relationships, which were fundamental to the original series, hinder the sequel series.
Orphan Black: Echoes explores a multitude of things, such as identity, family dynamics, and bioethics, all topics that were used to paint the dynamic world of Orphan Black. Although the basic themes may be similar, Orphan Black: Echoes manages to make them feel fresh and familiar at the same time, which is due to Lucy's character.
Though it can feel that the twists and turns take a little longer to get there, the latter part of the season is when Orphan Black: Echoes excels. It would have been simple if the series followed the same clone storyline, but thankfully the series decided to do something different. Orphan Black: Echoes has a stronger storyline when it focuses on the consequences of revolutionary science and the ethics that come with it.
Orphan Black: Echoes is not as strong as its predecessor, but it’s not without its potential. The mystery of Lucy is enough to keep fans entertained, and there is enough tension and intrigue to keep fans engaged for the entire season. Some fans may judge it too much in comparison to Tatiana Maslany, but that should not hinder people’s views on Ritter’s excellent performance.
Orphan Black: Echoes premieres June 23 on AMC, AMC+, and BBC America.