Orphan Black Season 1 recap – “Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner”

My introductory post

“Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner”

(Spoilers)

Olivier calls in Paul to discuss Beth.  They meet in Olivier’s office, which is in the basement of a club.  Olivier asks all sorts of questions, but Paul answers calmly.  Olivier eventually reveals that he has learned someone from Europe is killing their subjects.

Sarah calls Cosima worried that Paul might not be on their side and is selling them out.  Sarah tells Cosima to stay away from Delphine.  Cosima wants to get close to figure out the monitor situation, but Sarah points out what happened to Alison.  (Alison and Donnie are away at couples retreat.)

At the police station, they find out that the DNA of their Jane Doe (Katja) matches that of the shooter (Helena).  The Chief says to look things over with fresh eyes.  Art gets a little testy with Angie for thinking that Beth tampered with evidence.  They start going over the case from the beginning. 

Helena is feeling better.  She tries to explain to Tomas that she has a connection with Sarah.  But Tomas tells her that’s a lie.  Tomas suggests using Sarah to get to “a shepherd.”

Sarah knew that Paul was going to Olivier’s club, Neolution, so she and Felix go there and find Paul’s car.  Sarah is too recognizable, so Felix goes in and discovers it is a club of body modifying people, wannabe cyborgs, those types of people.  He also hears that Olivier has a tail.  He sees Paul come up from the basement and follows him outside.  Paul attacks him, but then Sarah shows up and explains who he is.

Sarah and Paul go home, and she says that she’s only met Alison.  He tells her about someone killing the clones, and she acts surprised.  He gives her his keys, in case someone is watching her car. 

But Helena is waiting for her.  She doesn’t want to fight, she just wants to talk, and eat.  They go to a diner and Helena eats and talks about growing up in an Ukrainian convent and how Tomas and Maggie found and saved her.  She says that she thinks she and Sarah will be friends.  She also says that she needs names, or else Tomas will have her kill Sarah.  She gives Sarah a phone number to call with the names of the clones.  She also says she wants her knife back.

Leekie calls Olivier telling him that Beth isn’t Beth.  Olivier asks who it is, but Leekie tells him that’s not his concern and to bring her in.

Sarah calls Cosima who suggests maybe they should contact Olivier to get protection from Helena.  Sarah doesn’t really like that idea, and they get a bit testy.  They also learn of the Leekie-Olivier connection though Neolution.

Cosima goes out to dinner with Delphine and Leekie “happens” to show up.  Delphine invites him over and they eat and discuss the Dyad Institute, and maybe Cosima working there.  Back at her place, Cosima kisses Delphine who hurriedly leaves.

Olivier shows up at Paul’s, wondering where “Beth” is.  Olivier tells him that “Beth” is an imposter, and that the killer looks like them.  They go back to Olivier’s office.

Sarah visits with Kira, and Mrs. S. gives her a scrapbook from the old days.  Mrs. S. tells her that she was part of a group that helped hide kids in the foster system.  There was a man named Carlton who brought Sarah in to hide.  Just before he was arrested for something, he called saying to take Sarah deeper.  That was when Mrs. S. moved out of England.  Mrs. S. tells Sarah that if something is going on, she can keep Kira safe.

Olivier has Paul call “Beth” to bring her in, and it will clear his debt to them and he can put Afghanistan behind him.  Instead, he tells her that they know she isn’t Beth and to run.  And they drug him.  Sarah and Felix show up at Neolution, trying to think of some way to get Paul out.  When Sarah goes in, she tells Felix to wait and if she isn’t back to call Art and tell him everything.

Helena breaks into Beth and Paul’s, and looks around, eating some food, and waiting for Sarah to call.  When Sarah does call, instead of giving her names of other clones, she gives him Olivier.

Sarah is found sneaking around the basement and is taken to Olivier’s office.  Paul is there, having been beaten.  She tries to explain that the one killing the clones is Helena, but Olivier doesn’t believe her.  He calls Leekie who asks to have her ready for travel.  One of Olivier’s goons puts a bag on her head and leads her out.  They run into Helena, who knocks out the goon.  She and Sarah switch coats, and she puts the bag on her head.  When Olivier sees “Sarah” on one of the security cameras, he runs out to her, only to find out it’s Helena.  Sarah had brought the winged-fish knife, and Olivier had it.  Helena takes it from him and cuts off his tail.  She then takes it to the dancefloor and dances.

Sarah frees Paul.  Felix had just called Art to talk about Beth, but quickly hangs up.  They all go to Felix’s, but Felix leaves so Sarah and Paul can have sex.

The police do new fingerprints, and find a match, Sarah.  Art and Angie are confused when she looks like Beth.

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By this point, when I first watched the series, I was completely hooked.  Part of it is that I had no idea where it was going.  Most shows you know that the good guys will win, you may even be able to figure out how they will win.  But Orphan Black is not like that at all.  If I went back in time to my younger self just having watched this episode for the first time, he would not believe the direction the show went.  The pieces are there, but the show goes off in unexpected directions.