In “Orphan Black,” Are Project Castor’s Male Clones Stealing the Limelight?
The last episode of Orphan Black’s second season made it clear that the male Castor clones (Ari Millen) were going to be a bigger part of the show’s third season. In Season 3, the male clones do receive a lot of attention, whether it’s at their military base, firmly under Dr. Virginia Coady’s (Kyra Harper) command, or hunting Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) in hopes of getting their hands on the Castor original so they can remedy their life-threatening defect.
Many welcome the addition of the male clones, like Andrea Towers in Entertainment Weekly, claiming it’s “the answer to getting the show back on track” from its muddled moments in the second season. While others, like Jonathon Dornbush in the same Entertainment Weekly debate, raising concerns that “the show [is] spreading itself too thin. The male clones will undoubtedly inject some new personality, but that could also make it an even more unwieldy series to follow.”
Both sides of the male clone debate are valid, but another worry is plaguing some fans: will the male clones unjustly rob Orphan Black of its female-driven narrative? This seems unlikely. While the male clones are indeed threatening; they lack the charm, personality and emotional grab that Sarah and her sisters have. Blindly following Dr. Coady doesn’t seem to have the power or immediacy to steal our interest away from the girls who’ve already won our hearts.
Even Mark, the one male clone who stands out amongst his malicious soldier brethren and dares to love ex-Prolethean Gracie (Zoe De Grand Maison), isn’t strong or commanding enough of a presence on his own to steal the show from Sarah and her sisters. IIn an article for Slate, Jessica Roake goes so far as to chastise all hetero men when compared to the indomitable female presence in the series: “The straight men of Orphan Black are stupid, weak, simple, unethical, violent, buffoonish, and easily manipulated. They are purposefully one-dimensional sketches denied the layers and complex motivations given to the female characters.”
It’s not necessary to take it as far as Roake, but the male presence displayed in Orphan Black Season 3 is far too emotionally, morally and strategically weak to pose a threat to Sarah and her sisters. While the Castor clones may keep the girls on their toes, they won’t topple them from their pedestal any time soon.