Orphan Black

A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.

Orphan Black (2013-2017) is a Canadian-American science fiction thriller created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett for Space and BBC America. Tatiana Maslany carries the entire series, playing a streetwise hustler named Sarah Manning who discovers that the woman she saw die on a train platform is a clone, and that she is one of many identical women created by a secret biotech experiment. Maslany also plays Cosima, Alison, Helena and Rachel, each distinct in voice and posture. Sarah, pursued by a shadowy organization, must protect the sisters she is learning about while navigating the suspicions of a determined police detective, Art Bell (Kevin Hanchard), and her foster brother Felix (Jordan Gavaris). Across five seasons of ten episodes each, the show is a serialized conspiracy saga in which each episode reveals a new layer of the experiment, unfolding through hidden lab files, safe houses, and tense confrontations. Its register is paranoid and propulsive, but it stays intensely human, grounded in found family and the question of who owns a body. Fans of The X-Files, Dark and Severance will find resonance in its mix of genetic mystery, corporate menace and emotional intimacy. The tone shifts from breathless thriller to tender sisterhood, making it a showcase of performance and suspense.

Critics and audiences broadly acclaim Tatiana Maslany's multi-role performance and the paranoid, propulsive clone conspiracy thriller, though the middle seasons draw more mixed responses.

• The X-Filesparanoid conspiracy thriller, identity and bodily autonomy, serialized mystery with a strong lead performance
• Darkscience fiction conspiracy, genetic experimentation, a lead playing multiple distinct characters
• Severancecorporate conspiracy, clone and identity themes, propulsive serialized thriller
• Person of Interestfemale-led sci-fi thriller about surveillance, identity and institutional power

Created by

Graeme Manson, John Fawcett

Release Date

2013-03-30

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

8.3 / 10 (1506)

What is Orphan Black about?

A streetwise hustler discovers she is one of many identical clones and is drawn into a conspiracy after witnessing a stranger's suicide.

What is Orphan Black like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Orphan Black as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.

Is Orphan Black violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Orphan Black as moderate.

What did critics think of Orphan Black?

Critics and audiences broadly acclaim Tatiana Maslany's multi-role performance and the paranoid, propulsive clone conspiracy thriller, though the middle seasons draw more mixed responses.

Which shows are like Orphan Black?

Shows with a similar feel include The X-Files, Dark, Severance, and Person of Interest.

How long is Orphan Black?

Orphan Black: 5 seasons, 50 episodes.

Is Orphan Black still running?

No, Orphan Black has ended.

Where can I watch Orphan Black?

In United States, Orphan Black streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Hoopla, HBO Max, Peacock Premium Plus.