Watch It Wednesday - Orphan Black

I was originally going to make this TV Tuesdays, but then I realized that today was Wednesday. Oops. But I watch a lot of TV shows, and I figure people will be looking for new things to marathon during the summer. So Watch It Wednesdays will feature a TV show that either I've started watching or a show that I love that I want you to love, too.

For my inaugural "Watch It Wednesday" post, I'll be talking about a show that I'm actually in the middle of watching right now, a show that basically everyone on the internet is talking about: Orphan Black. (minor spoilers through the first four episodes, but really nothing more than is revealed in the trailer.)

Orphan Black is a drama/thriller that stars Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning...and Beth Childs...and Alison Hendrix...and Cosima Niehaus...and more. In the premiere, Sarah sees a girl who looks exactly like her walk in front of a train. To deal with her own problems, she decides to assume the identity of the now-dead Beth Childs and pretend she was the one who died, with the help of her foster brother Felix. Sarah soon finds out that Beth was not just a cop, but a clone. She becomes embroiled in Beth's police life as well as trying to deal with her clones - Alison, Cosima, and Katja - and the fact that someone is trying to kill them off.

The plot is fantastic and you're able to get caught up in it very quickly. I've been trying to limit myself to two episodes at a time so that some of the suspense that goes along with the show is still there, but it's difficult to not keep watching the next episode. There's drama and humor but above all that, Maslany's flawless acting makes the show what it is.

Playing a bunch of different clones could be a cheesy ploy, but Maslany does it perfectly. Each member of the "Clone Club" as Cosima calls them has their own personality that Maslany plays out amazingly. Soccer mom Alison knits patiently in her laundry room with her phone and gun on the table. Scientist Cosima has dreadlocks and talks with her hands. Sarah lies and steals so that she can get her daughter out of foster care and run away with her and Felix to start a new life. The clones are so individual that sometimes it's hard to remember that one actress is playing all of them.

If you like shows about ladies, then Orphan Black is definitely the show for you, because it is all about the ladies. The Clone Club is taking control of their situation on their own and in their own way, and it's awesome. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Orphan Black can be found on BBC America On Demand.