***Contains Spoilers***

Today Serial Box releases part two of the first episode of Orphan Black: The Next Chapter. I was really impressed by the first part of the episode, though it was mostly introduction and fairly short. The second part is a bit longer and is when the real meat of the story begins.

I love how with Tatiana Maslany reading the story, even though it isn’t on television, you can still feel each clone’s personality. It's great to hear about the original clones, and I am especially eager to hear about Sarah and Allison as the season continues. Plus, I think it will be even more fun when multiple clones are together in the same scene interacting. Still, it's really appealing that there is a new clone as a main character, and Vivi is very likable and a lot different from the others we know.


More than that though, I really am enjoying the main action of the story. The idea of a genetically engineered bioweapon is something that definitely feels like it could be a part of the original show, and the science behind it is interesting to me.

The part that really surprised me though, was about the new clone we have yet to meet: I knew there would probably be more clones in the story, but how is she a different age? There could be so many more of them, and it’s so exciting. Keep the surprises coming!

There may have only been one episode so far, but I’m already hooked. I can’t wait to see what episode two will bring.
RECAP

In part two of episode one, fans will get more about Cosima and Delphine’s relationship and learn about what they’ve been up to the past eight years, including getting married and their differing stances on having children, which Delphine wants. Cosima can’t accept the process of creating a viable embryo from the DNA from two eggs: it’s too much like what was done to create her and her sisters.

We also learn more about what has been going on with the young clone Charlotte and Kira, Sarah’s daughter. Kira phones Charlotte to say that her mother is being way too protective over her. She’s had enough and is leaving rather than coming to stay at the house as planned.

As for the main action in the story, the one big chunk of the plot again revolves around Cosima and Delphine. The two discuss what happened with Cosima’s meeting with Dr. Sturgis and what they should do about it. Cosima thinks that maybe she should have agreed to work with him, just to find out what’s going on there.

She also struggles with the question of whether they should have at least told the other clones why they were being vaccinated and what they really are, or if it’s better to let them live in ignorance so they don’t have to face what she and her sisters did. She at times thinks they should have revealed to the world the truth about clones. Delphine says that it might have made some things easier, but it’s dangerous, and they can’t control what would happen. Finding out about the clones could make people angry, scared, and greedy. Cosima also reveals that she misses not getting the recognition she deserves for her work by keeping her secrets.

Meanwhile, Vivi sneaks into Sturgis’s office, where she finds some information on genome targeting and that it looks like it’s being used for a bioweapon.

Her thoughts stray when she wonders about Cosima, who she doesn’t think is in cahoots with Sturgis. She also thinks about the memories she’s had growing up that she was told was all in her mind: she remembers other girls who looked just like her.

Distracted, she doesn’t hear Sturgis enter the office until it’s too late. She thinks fast and slips into Cosima’s voice and personality, hoping she can trick him. It doesn’t take him long to realize it isn’t her, but he does realize what she is. He claims he didn’t think the project was actually put in practice and was lied to by whoever he’s been working for. Of course, Vivi is completely confused, as she should be, when he says that she is “one of them.” He doesn’t give her much to go on, but he does admit that he thought the technology they were developing was meant to heal, but he didn’t trust his bosses, so he tested it on the agents’ families. Before she can find out much more, he gets away and Vivi runs out of the facility.

Meanwhile, back at the house, while the adults are talking, Charlotte interrupts them after she makes a big discovery while researching her school project about crowdfunding healthcare in America. She’s read about an ill woman and stopped when she saw her photo. You guessed it; she’s a clone, and she’s one who wasn’t one of the (249!) clones they helped on Rachel’s Leda list! The weirdest part is that she is twenty-eight years old: younger than the sisters, but older than Charlotte. Did someone create a clone outside of Leda?

The couple agree that they will do what they can to help the woman. Charlotte comes up with the idea of using facial recognition software so they can try to find any more clones they don’t yet know about.

They also discuss Kira and whether to tell Sarah, when Cosima gets an alert from the university: GRIT is in flames, and Dr. Sturgis is presumed dead.