Clones, an Assassin, And, Yes, Conspiracy

Imagine you’re at a train station and you see someone who looks exactly like you commit suicide by jumping in front of the oncoming train. What would you do? Go to Ancestry.com and start tracing your family tree?Con artist Sarah Manning decides to impersonate her dead doppelganger in an attempt to drain her bank account, and quickly realizes she’s stolen the identity of a cop. That event kicks off “Orphan Black,” a conspiracy-filled television series that just entered its second season on BBC America.“Orphan Black” has appeared on almost every “best show you’re not watching” list since its debut in March 2013. I’ve been hooked since day one and can attest that the series lives up to the hype, mainly due to Tatiana Maslany’s portrayal of multiple clones.Oh, yes, the show is about clones. Did I forget to mention that?This fast-paced series keeps the surprises coming as Sarah comes face to face with a group of women who look exactly like her — in fact, they formed a group called the “clone club” to protect each other, since someone is assassinating clones. Cosima, a scientist, is studying the origin of the clones. Alison, a soccer mom, just wants to maintain a normal life with her husband and two adopted children.And then there’s Helena, a crazy clone who, well, I don’t want to give away any spoilers.Maslany is such a good actress that it’s easy to believe the show’s creators, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, actually cloned her for “Orphan Black.” Each character has completely different mannerisms, and it truly seems like three different actresses are performing when they’re all on-screen at the same time.In fact, without giving anything away, there are a couple of scenes in which Maslany portrays one clone acting as another clone. My brain hurts just thinking about it.Of course, the clone conspiracy grows with every episode. An institute is secretly monitoring the clones, and a religious group is somehow involved in this whole mess. Can anyone be trusted? Actually, one person — Jordan Gavaris brings some much-needed comedic relief to the show as Felix, Sarah’s foster brother.We’re only two episodes into the second season of “Orphan Black,” making it the perfect time to binge-watch season one and catch up to the new stuff. The first season is available on demand through various cable providers and can be purchased on DVD or digitally through iTunes and Amazon. For more information on the show, go to www.bbcamerica.com.“Orphan Black” airs on Saturdays at 9 p.m. on BBC America.