The premise of 'Orphan Black' probably wouldn't even have to be half as intriguing as it is - and yet the show would still be fun to watch. Some TV-shows have such a great cast, you'd keep watching simply for the joy of seeing an outstanding ensemble act. To get those kinds of actors is a rare privilege for any show, and 'Orphan Black' is very privileged, indeed. Thankfully, it also has a fascinating story to tell, and that combination makes for one of the most entertaining and most original shows on recent TV.

This review won't contain any spoilers, so I'm not going into plot details - just know that 'Orphan Black' delivers a perfect blend of mystery, sci-fi, thriller, drama and comedy elements - and many wonderfully colourful characters - that will make you want to binge-watch entire seasons. And while everybody in the cast does an outstanding job, one thing can't be stressed enough: Tatiana Maslany, the lead actress, is a revelation. It's hard not to spoil anything for those who still have the joy of watching 'Orphan Black' ahead of the them (and I think the first few episodes are enjoyed best without knowing what the show is about), but let me just say: you're not likely to see so many different aspects of one actress' amazing acting capabilities in any other show or film.

So my verdict: Worth watching for the quality of the acting alone, 'Orphan Black' offers dark thrills, edge-of-your-seat suspense - and more than a few laughs along the way. Perfect entertainment from Canada - 9 stars out of 10.

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Her acting skills are phenomenal and anyone who loves acting should watch this series for that reason alone. But the story is also fascinating and even if your not into sci-fi, it's still very entertaining and a original show to watch.

I thoroughly enjoyed Seasons 1 & 2. The premise, acting, settings and character interactions were well done.

Seasons 3 & 4 were OK but were on a downward slide.

Season 5 I struggled to watch and had to force myself just so I could satisfy my curiosity on how the show ends.

From Season 3 onwards, the show became more of a soap opera, with lots of love interests, characters re-appearing, hurt feelings, etc. There were too many sudden plot twists that made little sense. The stories in subsequent seasons, were the same stories from the previous seasons, but used new characters and new corporations.

My favourite character- Helena.

As this series aired on BBC America, it seems to me it should have been part of the Emmy candidates. However I wonder about that since it received no mention and as a minimum, Tatiana Maslany's performance in the lead character role is one of the best ever in any media. Tatiana plays the multiple clones effortlessly. Whether American, British, Eastern European, anti-social, nonconformist, conformist, straight, LGBTQ I am never questioning the character. I was a fan and regular viewer of United States of Tara, but Tatiana's performance eclipses Toni Collette's. As I watched each week of the first season, I went from mildly entertained by her transformation to completely believing there were multiple actresses in the show. I would watch the opening credits thinking there were missing actresses! Jordan Gavaris is also great as Tatiana's brother. He brings just the right level of doubt yet support to the character. The story lines, settings, direction are also very good. As video science fiction, I think this is one of the best shows I have seen. It explores many different ethic and moral views - personal, scientific and social - with just enough creepiness to both entertain and make me think.

FIRST SEASON : 8,2/10

SECOND SEASON : 8/10

THIRD SEASON : 7/10

FOURTH SEASON : 7,5/10

FIFTH SEASON : 7,2/10.

ORPHAN BLACK is a very good sci fi tv show, overall. Yes, it dropped in quality after those two great first seasons but still, it is a tv show that every fan of this genre will enjoy.

The biggest positive here is of course is Tatiana Maslany. Maslany did the unthinkable : She was totally convincing playing all those characters, different to each other. I can't imagine any other actress who could possibly pull this off. I could recognize Sarah/Rachel/ Koshima etc EVERY SINGLE TIME without even doubt. Not gonna lie though, Maslany as Helena was not so successful, that was overacting and not that convincing. Yet, "Helena" was so likeable and interesting character that i was glad to watch her, even more than the other characters.

Acting is a strong quality here overall, there was not even one actor who didn't do a good job.

I won't say much in order to not give a spoiler. This is definitely worth of investing. Third season was kinda confusing, chaotic and messy but it got back on track in the 4th season which was very good. Fifth season has a weak start but the second half was good. Ending could have been better, still satisfying though.

Nice soundtrack. In general a pretty enjoyable even exciting tv show. A very good sci fi drama, with many intense moments, thriller at times with a successful comedic relief.