During the churnier middle episodes, it makes you want to lock everyone in a room and force them to talk it all out, if only to get things moving along. The show is at its best when all of its characters are pinging off each other, Ritter’s jabs moving against Fix’s sullen walls and Hawes’ desperate pleas for everyone to just have a little sense while they navigate the twisty, emotional core of the show’s action.
Ritter and Fix infuse enough charm in their characters for the audience to remain mostly engaged until the end. Although some revelations are gasp-worthy, other plot points — including Darros’ secret plan — feel rather uninspired for the “Orphan Black” universe.
The new show does a decent job threading the needle in terms of providing a connection to its namesake while establishing a separate set of stakes and characters that stand on their own. That said, Ritter’s role isn’t as conspicuously showy as Maslany’s was, which largely defined that series.
If you make it through the clumsy series introductions and weather the pointless linkages to Orphan Black, Echoes has its pleasures — starting with Fix, Liao, Hawes and Kihlstedt. What it lacks is that thrill of discovery. Compared to Orphan Black, it’s but a distant echo.
None of the acting shines the way Maslany did the first time around. “Echoes” offers fan service at best but too often it’s just a degraded copy of the original “Orphan Black” series.
Echoes doesn’t have anything unique to add to the wonderful world Orphan Black built. Even the color palette is paler here. And the few reminders that this is indeed a sequel (with the help of some cameos and references) either feel forced or random.
Echoes is at its best when it focuses on the ramifications of the revolutionary science that has entangled the lead characters played by Krysten Ritter, Amanda Fix, and Keeley Hawes. Some information is withheld for too long, but once the series hits its fourth episode, it gains momentum, and the second half of the season is much stronger.
At the end of the day, Orphan Black: Echoes is perfectly serviceable science fiction. Its pace is brisk, its twists are generally exciting, and its story is not quite as convoluted as its predecessor’s. (Which, let’s be honest, is a good thing in some ways!) But is it the spinoff that OG Clone Club members were likely hoping for? Probably not.
A disappointingly mediocre follow-up that lacks the unique spark of the original and isn’t interesting enough to justify how convoluted it is.
"Orphan Black: Echoes" (Nov 2023 (Aus), 10 eps, 42-min, Stan (Aus)) Spoilers enclosed. This series was introduced in Australia late last year on Stan. It made it to the US this summer via AMC. Like many, many others I was predisposed to LIKING this series, I wanted to, I was ready to but alas. Turns out it's for women, written by women, mostly produced and directed by women, and promotes LGBT values, so if that's your thing, you're going to enjoy this more than the other 95% of us. The plot, the storyline is decent regarding the 3D (they call it 4D) printing of human bodies which presents a modern techno-slant on cloning which used to take a **** time, but 3D printing - a few days maybe and you have a fully grown kid, teen, or adult depending on the reference scan being used. However, the whole story takes a long time to play out across ten excruciating episodes, and doesn't even conclude decisively as if it's guaranteed a second season because the rest of the story is hanging on that. But I, like 98% of everyone else, won't return for a sophomore season since this whole production is more about social value influencing than sci-fi plot enjoyment, insert vomit emoji.
Why did they have to spoil serviceable SF with the Uncle character and the cliche nightclub crap?
Ok Let's be honest, orphan black ended marvelously seven years ago. Making a spin off of a series ended seven years ago is not simple, is ambitious and desperate at the same time, in my opinion, but the result is not bad. The time jumb 30years in the future is made in a realistic way, the world building show in the first season is solid and , i may be bias because i love her, Kristen Ritter is as always amazing. The rest of the cast is also good especially the young Lucy/Jules portrayed by Amanda Fix. for A fan of Orphan black is a must see, i hope it's get renew and not ending up in the "Shows with one season and a cliffhanger"
Sign in to write reviews, reply to threads, and like content.