Clone Club, if you’re looking for some answers after the second episode of Orphan Black season 3, look no further because BuddyTV has them.
A lot happened over the course of the first two episodes of the season, which introduced Project Castor and their own problems. Just like the Leda clones have been dying of an illness, Castor clones have a glitching problem, and it’s one that took a life.
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Read on for the final part of my chat with the show’s co-creators, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, as they discuss episode 2’s crazy threesome and “mercy killing,” Alison and Donnie’s new business venture and more.
What went into the decision to have Seth’s death happen the way it did and to start the episode off with that crazy threesome?
Manson: “First on the crazy threesome. The crazy threesome was just something that we – you know…I guess what it was was when we looked at those characters, it seemed like they would potentially, because they grew up together, that they share, because they’re brothers. They share and I think that they’re of a very different kind of upbringing than our girls, and so that because they’re brothers and they share…I don’t know, it just seemed like there was a natural kind of sharing, that sexual exploits would be part of that.
But the further answer to that question is that we just thought it was kind of something that we hadn’t seen before, but it would be kind of a really terrifying way to begin the episode, to discover actually there’s a second person in the room with you. From this woman’s point of view, it’s very scary to realize that the other person in the room is a twin.”
Fawcett: “It’s also a transgression and a crime that we do not take lightly throughout the season.”
Manson: “And then in regards to the termination of Seth at the end, what’s different about this is that that is very much a mercy killing, and it is meant to be a very emotional moment. The fact that these boys have this potential terminal illness is a really horrifying kind of thing that they all have to come to grips with, and I think it’s an emotional moment between Rudy and Seth there that we wanted to explore.”
Is the glitching from the Castor clones equivalent to the illness we see with the Leda clones?
Manson: “It’s part of our scientific mystery, and discovering what ails them, it sort of parallels our Ledas searching for what their own disease is, so that is indeed part of the story, part of the mystery we’re unfolding and part of our scientific mystery.”
Is that what Project Castor is testing for, with the questions Paul asks Seth and Rudy and Helena’s being asked?
Manson: “Again, as part of the mystery of what is biologically with the Castor clones, that’s just kind of the tip of the iceberg to some degree. The thing that we do know after watching episode 2 is we do know that the Castor clones, whatever’s wrong with them, whatever’s potentially causing this, is neurological, and so I think that that’s where these tests come from, and it’s our little tip-of-the-hat homage to Blade Runner.”
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Art’s back at work, so what does that mean for his involvement with the clones? We already see that tested when Sarah introduces herself as Beth.
Manson: “We really wanted to get Art back on the job in season 3. It’s important that he’s back on the job for us. He’s more useful if he’s back on the job for us, and you know, he’s a cop at heart. He’s just back on the job, and Sarah’s doing something really risky. Sarah’s still very bull-headed and will take risks. It’s not easy for Art to help us.”
I love Team Hendrix this season and I love their new business. Is that where Justin Chatwin’s character is going to come in?
Manson: “You’ll have to wait and see.”
But I imagine it’s going to be fun to see them selling drugs and all this various stuff to the neighborhood and Alison trying to campaign.
Manson: “Historically in our show, it’s not like [Alison] doesn’t have one foot in that side of things to begin with, and two, historically has kind of struggled with her own issues regarding alcohol and drugs. I think that this character that Justin plays comes from her past.”
Fawcett: “And there’s a lot of fun watching Team Hendrix going forward, watching Donnie and Alison go forward into the suburban madness together.”
We see Mrs. S pretty defeated after these first two episodes, but Felix does give her a bit of a boost. How much is her decision to hand over Helena going to affect the decisions she makes for the rest of the season?
Manson: “I think it’s critical. We love Maria Doyle Kennedy and we love that character of Mrs. S. She brings such strength to it. Despite the choices that she makes for other people, you feel that she’s doing them for moral reasons, or she’s trying very hard, which is what a lot of characters do on the show, and just that terrible situation that Mrs. S finds herself in, how’s she going to dig herself out, that’s a pretty fun question, a pretty fun line for Maria this year.”
Fawcett: “Always when you can put pressure on a character by having them make a really, really painfully difficult decision, I think you only get really good drama from the answers to that.”
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Orphan Black season 3 airs Saturdays at 9pm on BBC America.
(Image courtesy of BBC America)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
If it’s on TV — especially if it’s a procedural or superhero show — chances are Meredith watches it. She has a love for all things fiction, starting from a young age with ER and The X-Files on the small screen and the Nancy Drew books. Arrow kicked off the Arrowverse and her true passion for all things heroes. She’s enjoyed getting into the minds of serial killers since Criminal Minds, so it should be no surprise that her latest obsession is Prodigal Son.
