Orphan Black continued its amazing third season last night with an all new episode titled "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations". It was a great episode, focused on Sarah and Helena relationship, now that they were both locked up at the Castor base. I was really looking forward watching them together, so Helena’s reaction to Sarah surprised me and I didn’t really understand and like it. It was convenient for the story but it felt kinda out of character. Helena from season 1 was back and it was to watch her like that. Only four weeks ago she was dreaming of her sisters and her baby and now she let Sarah alone in her cell.
Anyways, Helena and Sarah weren’t the main focus of "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations". For once, Mrs S and Felix were a huge part of the episode. As Allison didn’t appear, we had more time to focus and them and their newcomers at Mrs S’ : Gracie. I was very surprised she showed up, honestly I thought after the boss of her clone baby, her story was over. I was surprisingly glad she came back, it led to some great scenes with Felix and Mrs S. And finally, Cosima had her very first internet date and it went actually very good.. But something is definitely off with that girl right ?
So, Sarah was taken by Mark and Rudy back to the Castor camp. Mark was treated while Rudy was given a 45 hours permission, as Major Dirty Paul was coming back and won’t be happy about Sarah Manning being prisoner, it was best for Rudy to go. His kiss to Dr Coady was super cute.
Sarah and Helena’s reunion wasn’t as sweet as I’ve expected. I really thought it’d be warmer between them. When Helena was told Sarah gave her up to Castor, I was convinced first Helena wouldn’t believe them just right away (but she did) and then I assumed she knew Sarah had a reason and she’d first hear it before making her mind. But apparently, being locked up, tortured brought the old Helena back. She didn’t trust Sarah, she only listened to her scorpion friend. I wasn’t such a big fan of it this week. I was disappointed in Helena. I expected better than her, and it really didn’t feel right. It was convenient for the story, but otherwise, I didn’t feel like the Helena from last season. Sarah shot her to death and she forgave her.
Anyways, Sarah was having a rough time in the Castor base. Helena wasn’t her ally anymore, and she got to meet Dr Coady. That scene was one of my favorite of the episode. It totally made me think of the premiere with Allison palying Sarah at Dyad. Sarah was agitated and rude with the Castor doctors. I love badass Sarah Manning. Dr Coady wasn’t nice with Sarah. She revealed why she was so interested in her and Helena, it wasn’t a big surprise, they’re the only fertile clone so their biology need to be studied. And, she didn’t have the original DNA sequence from the baby yet, it’ll take time.
Paul visited Sarah in her cell and he tried to explain her why he was doing all this. It was a good scene, but they needed to be alone and closer… It was cold and Paul justifying he was protecting the brothers just like Sarah was protecting her sisters was bad. They never hurt Castor clones for their own protection.
But I liked Paul and Helena’s interaction about Parsons. Helena saved him from horrible tests, that could have helped the other clones but she couldn’t bear to watch him in so much pain. She showed empathy to him, because of what happened to her.. So I still don’t understand why she could do it with Sarah ! Sarah opened to Helena, about Kira and what she did when she was younger, abandoning her for a year to Mrs S just because she was stubborn. It was really touching, and Helena was touched but still she couldn’t trust Sarah. Well, she trusted her for the first parts of her exit plan.
Of course, last week first attempt, Helena had a new plan to go free and leave the base. And she actually needed Sarah’s help. Their plan was great, Sarah playing the stubborn and arrogant girl, so that was easy and then being beaten up a little so she could steal from the infirmary. Sarah executed her part very well.
But the best part was Helena getting out of her cell. She pulled off one of the door's bar and with the help of some butter, she sneaked out by that little hole. That woman is amazing. I really enjoyed the whole tension of the scene, with the camera turning towards them, so they had to hide and Sarah guiding and helping Helena. It was so thrilling. What I didn’t like was the end of Helena’s plan.
After getting out and killing off one the guard, she just left Sarah there and went out. Seriously… I was so surprised and shocked. I didn't believe it at first. I really didn’t expect it from Helena, she was always very protective of Sarah and she just left her there, at the hands of Castor and Dr Coady. She knows Coady is ruthless and will test Sarah’s body, just like she did with Parsons. So I really didn’t understand why Helena would help Parsons but she didn’t help her sister. I really hope they will get Helena back to the base so next time she will escape with Sarah.
Sarah’s disappearance got Art and Mrs S worried but not enough to start really looking for and they got someone else to deal with : Gracie. After being cast out of her family, she went to see Art, as Sarah told her to do so if anything happened and he sent her to Mrs I was glad to see Art back and mostly to spend more time with Mrs S and Felix. I have always been a huge fan of Mrs S's relationship with Felix and Sarah. She’s like the perfect mother, strict and caring, she lied but she wanted to protect them. Of course, things are more complicated with Sarah, so it was nice to watch her with Felix in a more fun and light atmosphere.
Adding Gracie to their duo was a great idea. Felix was at the top of his game with Gracie, I think he made me laugh with each lines he said. It was really good for Gracie to stay in a regular loving home for a moment. She was surprised by Sarah looking so happy and normal on the pictures Mrs S had. She believed she was an abomination, not a real person. Mrs S’s speech was very moving and emotional. She revealed her husband died and how she took care of Sarah and Felix, and he overheard. So, he confronted her and she told him the truth about her past, and her husband being killed in a bar fight. I was glad Mrs S shed some light on her past and what made her who she is now.
The best part was of course the dance scene. First, Gracie appeared dressed like a prostitute, she was really trying to be different. It was hilarious. She wanted to be Sarah, a modern and badass young lady, everything she wasn't with her family.
Mrs S and Felix calmed her and they stayed home to party. Gracie had her first cocktail and she danced with Mrs S and Felix. It was so good to watch them dancing and having fun. I’m loving those fun and regular scenes in each episodes this season, it really takes off the tension for some minutes and it feels really good.
Unfortunately for Gracie, her happiness didn’t last long as she collapsed on the floor. Her eyes were all bloody and she was hurting. Apparently, it wasn't from her pregnancy, it looks like a sickness is coming for the Proletheans girls. What hell did they do to them again ?
Finally, "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations" focused on Cosima on her first internet date. She was stressed at first, anything could come from those kind of dates. I was glad Felix hooked up her on the dating app. Cosima has been too solitary since the start of the season. She only spent time with Scoot or Felix. Delphine broke her heart to keep her promise to love each sisters equally, so she needed to forget about her and have some fun.
Her date went very well, Cosima even brought her back home so she really had fun. But something weird happened at the bar, someone was taking pictures of Cosima and her date... So, maybe it wasn’t all by chance she met with Cosima. Our Cosima needs to be more careful, anyone could be after her and pretending to be interested in her wouldn't be a first (that's how she feel for Delphine). Who do you think she really is ? I think we can’t rule out Castor and the Proletheans….I’m guessing it’ll have to do with her recovery or maybe someone interested in Duncan’s book, but who ?
"Scarred by Many Past Frustrations"was another great episode of Orphan Black. It was my least favorite episode of the season. I love Sarah and Helena’s relationship, they had some great scenes especially when Sarah talked about her past but Helena screwing over Sarah disappointed me a lot. I expected better of Helena, she should have been smarter. I relaly wanted to see both them escaping the base and dealing their problems in the desert... And no Allison made the episode less funny than usual. I can’t wait to see her back next week !
What did you think of "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations" ? Did you understand Helena's choice What do you think is wrong with Gracie ? And is Cosima in danger with her new date ? Hit the comments !
About the Author - Romain Ossust
I'm a 29 TV addict. Here is a non exhaustive list of my favorite shows : 12 Monkeys, Ab Fab, 24, Alias, American Horror Story, Banhsee, Bates Motel, Black Sails, Carnivale, Daredevil, Daria, Dead Like Me, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, ER, Fargo, Fringe, Game of Thrones, Girls, Grey’s, Hannibal, Homeland, HIMYM, HTGAWM, Looking, Lost, Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Medium, OUAT, OUAT Wonderland, Orange is the New Black, Orphan Black, Pan Am, Penny Dreadful, Person of Interest, Power, Pushing Daisies, Raising Hope, Rectify, Reign, Scandal, Sex & The City, Six Feet Under, Sleepy Hollow, Spartacus, The 100, The Affair, The Americans, The Big C, The Fall, The Killing, The Leftovers, The Missing, The Strain, The Tudors, The Walking Dead, Transparent, True Blood, True Detective, Tyrant, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara, Utopia, V, Veronica Mars, Weeds.
For SpoilerTV, I'm reviewing The Walking Dead, Banshee, American Horror Story, Bates Motel, Girls, & Orphan Black
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