We know we are joining the world of Helena, not just by the setting, as her eerie scenes tend to have a definitive style of musical tones or tinkles and shifty, intrusive cinematography. I am reminded by, and perhaps tempted to re-watch, a Saw movie, or more likely David Fincher’s Se7en. If I remember correctly, the music of Season One of Orphan Black reminded me of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ work on Fincher’s latter movies. Regardless, they are a long way from the television phenomenon that is Orphan Black in discourse, but they share the similar dark and unknown ballpark.
So, the scorpion is going to help Helena escape. What we also discover, by allowing the said scorpion to scuttle to the next cell, is that Sarah has now been captured at the military Castor base too. With Rudy and Mark teaming up like good old-fashioned loyal brothers, the ball appears to be in their twisted court now. Dumped into adjoinging cells (which mens they can handily communicate) it is an awful shame that Helena believes that Sarah put her there and is making a deal with these experimenting maniacs. A huge backward steps for the sisters, then, and there is much work to be done. My first thought was to wonder how they would actually get out of this pickle.
Dr Coady (or Psycho bitch as Sarah calls her) now wants to take stem cells from Sarah – and at the moment our heroine has little choice. Paul, the military major remember, arrives to visit Sarah, angry that he had warned her to stay out of this. Though his presence does a lot to build Helena’s trust of Sarah. Paul is a strange character, although now established as a major force (see what I did there?) he has always had a certain athority, but yet does not appear to be feared by many. It does not alter our suspicions that he still has a crucial part to play here.
Now their alliance seems to be aligned back into sisterhood, Helena and Sarah strategically plan and attempt their escape. It makes for nail-biting viewing, with Helena squeezing her body through a cell window hoping to avoid the view of the rotating security camera. Especially as when Helena gets herself out of her cell, she informs Sarah they are even and chooses to venture on without her. Even with her scorpion as the devil on her shoulder, Helena feels heavy twinges of guilt as she just about exits the perimeter. Abandonment is a huge part of Orphan Black, but my optimistic side strongly tells me Helena won’t leave Sarah for long.
There is no Alison this week (so in turn no Donnie). There is the enchanting Cosima though, and she is on a date, from the internet dating we now know Felix succeeded in pursuading her to do. And the usually composd, assured scientist is nervously babbling. While they get to know each other, and Cosima tries hard not to dissolve any lasting first impressions, someone is snapping away wih a camera from afar. Who could that be? Getting into the swing of things, Cosima invites her date back for, well, a massage it seems. Though her impulses of attraction are weighed down with the longing for Delphine, they soon share a kiss.
Gracie, meanwhile, seeks out the help of Art, the detective, as Sarah reqested were she ever in any kind of trouble. He takes her to Siobhan and Felix, while arranging his police contacts to help find out why Sarah seems to have disappeared. When asked why she is being so nice, Siobhan tells Gracie of her own young marriage to John before he was killed. Perhaps not aware of this, Felix overhears and asks his about it. Attempting to come out of her shell, Gracie dresses in Sarah’s skimpy old clothes, and Siobhan and Felix make cocktails and dance with her.
When Gracie starts feeling sharp pains, however, the house party comes to an aprupt halt and the medics arrive. There is a greater significance, then, as Art locates the woman Rudy and Seth attempted to seduce before taking a chunk of her hair – she and Gracie suffering severely bloodshot eyes. While at the military base, Paul discovers the “black books” were any of the Castor brothers must record any personal relations and gather strands of hair. That is some messed up little black book. And the intrigue of possibilities is building even more.