Orphan Black Recap: “Entangled Bank”

by Kevin Ranson:

Orphan Black Recap: “Entangled Bank”
Original Air Date (BBC America): Saturday May 18, 2013
Season 1 Episode 8

Why are clones so nervous and high-strung around each other? They’re always beside themselves! I know, I know.

While Art and his new police partner Angela confer on why Sarah Manning and Beth Childs look like long lost twins, Sarah endures Paul’s post-coital paranoia stream-of-consciousness while shacked up at Fee’s place. A call from Alison reveals the couples counseling (due to events from Episode 6) has resulted in her seeking a divorce from Donnie. Suspected-watcher Aynesley is caught letting herself into Alison’s place; Alison demands her spare keys back from her neighbor.

Mrs. S and Kira get a visit from Art and Angela about the “recently deceased” Sarah Manning – oops! – but the time of death cues Mrs. S in on the truth of it all. Meanwhile, Sarah faces off with Cosima over who’s more of a threat – Helena or Dr. Leekie – and fears that Cosima has “drunk the Kool Aid.” Paul visits the tailless Olivier in the hospital and teaches him the blackmail version Paul has come up with to throw Leekie of Sarah’s scent.

Delphine meets with Leekie over Cosima; Leekie convinces Delphine to use Cosima’s clumsy pass at her to win her confidence in order to protect all the clones. Helena sifts through Sarah’s leather jacket to discover Kira’s letter, complete with pictures – and address. Back at Fee’s place, Mrs. S tells Fee and Sarah about her visit with the police and that Kira’s safety is paramount; she’ll “burn it all down” if she has to. Sounds like Mrs. S has done something similar before… hmm.

Art reveals to Angela that the deceased Sarah Manning found dismembered in a quarry has the same prints as the Sarah Manning who jumped in front of a train two days beforehand; now they’re up to “triplets” as an explanation… and that’s when “Beth” walks in. Art and Angela grill no-longer-a-cop “Beth” while Sarah tries her best to throw the cops off her trail, but it turns out to be a ruse to get Sarah’s fingerprints.

Furious over her neighbor, Alison throws herself at Aynesley’s husband Chad and snogs him in the back of their minivan. After Alison’s in-vehicle victory round of Meredith Brooks karaoke, Aynesley calls her out her adulterous neighbor only to receive an ass-whooping! Scrappy little clones, aren’t they? Not to be outdone, Delphine throws herself at Cosima; it’s only fair since Helena got a piece of tail for herself last week, right? While Cosima goes for ice cream, Delphine searches Cosima’s place and turns up everything: which clones she’s in contact with and everything they know – and yet she decides not to tell Dr. Leekie about all of it, specifically about Kira’s existence.

Fee gets a head’s up from Collin the mortician; the cops are on their way to talk to him about identifying “Sarah’s” body, and Sarah is still inside. Panicked by a knock at the door, Alison has arrived pre-sloshed with booze in hand over what she’s been doing all day. Fee lies to the police, but Art figures out that Fee is the person who called about “Beth.” At the hospital, Dr. Leekie arrives and meets with Paul in Olivier’s room. While Paul and Leekie get chummy, it becomes clear that Olivier is out, and the good doctor doesn’t like loose ends who fail him – bye, Olivier!

Sarah takes Alison to see Mrs. S, suggesting that maybe they should “come out” in order to protect themselves. Mrs. S meets Alison and finally starts to realize why all the secrets, but Alison goes to pieces, making Sarah look sane by comparison. While Mrs. S re-explaines what “in the black” means for everyone not listening last week, Kira is lured outside by Helena. By the time Sarah realizes Kira is gone, Helena has already become taken with “angel” Kira’s perceptive personality, letting her go to back to her mother. Running across the street to get to Sarah, Kira doesn’t see the car – and Helena looks a little more than affected when it hits the little girl.

Looks like no one saw that coming.

Only two more episodes – and bad clone jokes – to go this season. Oh, and a big congratulations to the makers and cast of “Orphan Black” for receiving a second season order; too bad we’ll have to wait until 2014 to watch it!

Are you watching? Have a theory? Just love or hate something? Leave a comment!

Kevin A. Ranson is the author of The Spooky Chronicles and the upcoming vampire thriller The Matriarch. He also the creator/critic for MovieCrypt.com and the “ghost writer” for its horror host Grim D. Reaper (often seen skulking around horror conventions). Find him on Facebook, on Twitter @KevinARanson, and his author blog at ThinkingSkull.com.