Entertainment

Where 'Orphan Black's Ladies Are Going This Season

by Alanna Bennett

Watching Orphan Black last season, audiences founds themselves pulled along for what proved to be a wild, hilarious, suspense-filled ride. Going into Season 2, which premieres April 19 on BBC America, that experience will likely be heightened by the fact that, whereas last season we were just getting to know our core clones, now we're more invested than ever in their well-being. And given the contents of this new inside look into Orphan Black Season 2, that's an even more intense place to be.

Where we left off last season, new "pro" clone Rachel Duncan, working through the Neolutionists, had tried to get our leading ladies to sign themselves over to her and her bosses/creators. Instead, two out of three found out something big: Their DNA is patented. In other words: Legally, they don't own themselves. In the macro, the show became a discussion of female autonomy, as Bustle's own Alicia Lutes discussed previously. On the micro, Rachel's imperative and the Clone Club's discovery spiraled into a few plot lines that we have the feeling will become all the more urgent come April 19.

Once again, our core cast of clones — Sarah, Alison, and Cosima, all played by Tatiana Maslany — will be on separate but intertwined paths. Here's what this new inside look tells us about those paths:

Alison

Alison will, of course, continue to be hilarious. "Every time Graeme [Manson] and I get together and talk about Alison's storylines for Season 2, we laugh hysterically," says co-executive producer John Fawcett. Cue shot of Alison once again having to hide Felix from her husband:

This would be what the executive producers call "suburban shenanigans."

But remember: Last season Alison did sign herself over to the Neolutionists, in exchange for what she believes will be a life nearly free of their interruption. But her husband still seems to secretly be her monitor, and, well, those guys trying to kidnap her don't seem to be playing by the rules. Luckily, Alison's got some feist in her, so it's only a matter of time before she re-ups with the rest of the Club.

Cosima

"Cosima's in a really tough place," says Manson. "She's sick." And, obviously, suffering from a mysterious clone illness is going to up her stakes a little: No one knows how this is going to end, and the scientist and human in her must be sprinting to find out.

She's still the voice of reason in Clone Club, though: As she says to Sarah (and probably a little to herself), "right now is the time to resist our predisposition to impulsive behavior. We need a plan."

Felix and Sarah seem to agree, but c'mon, it's not gonna be that easy.

Sarah

Especially considering that Sarah's stakes heavily revolve around the kidnapping of her daughter, almost certainly by the Neolutionists. This apparently puts Sarah on the run — likely to someplace where Michael Huisman is — and Manson teases she will "bring the heat, and bring the pain."

The world's expanded and, as Manson notes, there's a lot left to cover.

Images: BBC America