This episode, like the best instalments of Orphan Black, was tense, action packed, and character driven. It manages to take all the complex plots and merge them all at one location, setting the stage perfectly for the finale to be one big set piece. Up until now, really couldn't fathom how they would manage to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the narrative and characters. But after this episode, I can see the next episode doing it very easily, as all the loose characters and plot lines are all together in the same building at the end of the episode.
While I have had some problems with this season of Orphan Black, one thing that I have really appreciated is the way they have given each clone their own episode to shine. There has always been the annual Alison episode, but not until this season was there a single episode that took a deep dive into the character of Rachel like the episode before last, or into Helena like this one did. In both cases I appreciated the appropriate use of flashbacks, whereby they add an extra level to the exploration of the character without sidelining or slowing down the episode too much. The flashbacks in this episode felt warranted and filled in some logical gaps in Helena's season 1 psychology that always bothered me a little.
And, of course, the episode ended on a number of cliffhangers leading us into the final episode. I expected nothing less from the penultimate episode of this show. I was worried beforehand that the loose threads set up by this episode would be more than could be comfortably tied up by the next one, but now that I've seen it I feel confident that the finale will deliver. I both dread and look forward to it.
While I have had some problems with this season of Orphan Black, one thing that I have really appreciated is the way they have given each clone their own episode to shine. There has always been the annual Alison episode, but not until this season was there a single episode that took a deep dive into the character of Rachel like the episode before last, or into Helena like this one did. In both cases I appreciated the appropriate use of flashbacks, whereby they add an extra level to the exploration of the character without sidelining or slowing down the episode too much. The flashbacks in this episode felt warranted and filled in some logical gaps in Helena's season 1 psychology that always bothered me a little.
And, of course, the episode ended on a number of cliffhangers leading us into the final episode. I expected nothing less from the penultimate episode of this show. I was worried beforehand that the loose threads set up by this episode would be more than could be comfortably tied up by the next one, but now that I've seen it I feel confident that the finale will deliver. I both dread and look forward to it.
