Introducing ORPHAN BLACK

The new sci-fi laced series Orphan Black will debut on BBC America this Saturday, March 30 at 9 PM and I, for one, am anxious to learn more about this intriguing show.

First, let’s take a look at the premise behind this series as well as the cast of characters:

Tatiana Maslany, who has appeared in Being Erica, Heartland and the mini-series World Without End, stars as Sarah, a streetwise hustler on the run from a lifetime of bad decisions, who witnesses the suicide of a stranger who looks just like her.

Sarah assumes her identity, hoping that cleaning out the dead woman’s bank account will solve all of her problems. Instead, the street smart chameleon is thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. After taking on the new identity, Sarah quickly finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy and must race to find answers.

That conspiracy is that Sarah is a clone. And that stranger who committed suicide is named Beth. She is Sarah’s entry point into this deep mystery. Beth’s story is revealed backwards from her death, as Sarah takes on her identity, reconstructing her last days. By literally becoming Beth, part of Sarah’s journey lies in understanding her. Sarah comes to deeply respect the valiant, damaged cop she so rashly switched places with.

Then there is Alison, an uptight suburban soccer mom and conservative control freak. Alison has a strained marriage, two adopted children, and a single-minded drive to maintain the status quo. She is the least prepared to have her self-perception turned inside out as the clone story unfurls. Alison leans on prescription pills and conspiracy theories, but when she hits rock bottom, Alison forges herself a new path, mining the reserves of strength and bravery that seem genetically hardwired into all the Orphans (what the clones become known as).

Next up is Cosima, an eccentric, tattooed geek girl with a scientific mind verging on genius. Cosima is completing her PHD in experimental evolutionary biology. She can discuss Darwin, mono-cropping and medical ethics in the same breath. She’s dependable, driven to find answers and, like Sarah, adaptable to extreme circumstances.

Then there is Felix (to be played by Jordan Gavaris from Unnatural History), Sarah’s thorny foster brother and her one true confidante. He is a struggling artist, worldly beyond his young age. But Felix is a stray cat and hustler, keeping more than one sugar daddy to fund his artistic ambitions. He is caustic and dramatic, constantly complicating things for Sarah; but they’re the closest thing either of them has to family.

With Sarah taking over Beth’s live, she quickly encounters Paul (played by Dylan Bruce from As the World Turns), who is Beth’s boyfriend. He is a decent guy who Sarah falls into bed with against her better judgment. Despite the fact that she is deceiving him, she takes solace in Paul, who is a lot more complicated than he appears.

Then there is Mrs. S (played by Maria Doyle Kennedy from The Tudors and Downton Abbey), Sarah’s hard-nosed working class foster mother from across the pond. She has given up a lot to raise Sarah, who, until now, has never shown an ounce of respect or appreciation for her sacrifices.

Art (played by Kevin Hanchard from Republic of Doyle) is a veteran detective who works alongside Beth, who’s beginning to suspect not everything is as it seems. Out of loyalty, he helped clear Beth of a civilian shooting; and now with Sarah posing as Beth, Art grows suspicious of her uncharacteristic and erratic behavior. One thing becomes clear; he is not a man who likes a mystery to go unsolved.

Vic (played by Michael Mando from The Border) is Sarah’s ex, a volatile ball of male insecurity and exactly the kind of bad energy Sarah is trying to rid her life of. He is lovelorn, betrayed, and sporadically violent, but no matter what he learns about Sarah, he keeps coming back for more, screwing things up for her in the process.

The series debut episode called “Natural Selection” will premiere on BBC America this Saturday, March 30 at 9/8c. Don’t miss out on Orphan Black!