Orphan Black is a Canadian science fiction thriller show that ran for five seasons on BBC-America from 2013 to 2017. It was created by writer Graeme Manson (Flashpoint, Being Erica) and director John Fawcett (Ginger Snaps). It stars Tatiana Maslany in multiple roles.

Sarah Manning (Maslany) is a con artist and petty criminal who grew up in foster care. She ran off with her drug-dealing boyfriend Vic (Michael Mando), leaving her young daughter Kira with her foster mother Siobhan (Maria Doyle Kennedy). When she and Vic have a falling out, Sarah returns to Toronto with the intention of grabbing Kira and running away somewhere. She gets off the train in Toronto and witnesses a suicide. A woman who looks exactly like her jumps in front of a train.

Thus begins the mystery of Sarah and her duplicates. The woman under the train is not the only one. Sarah meets two others: Cosima, a brilliant scientist, and Alison, a soccer mom. A third clone (yes, they are clones) from Germany gets shot and killed in front of Sarah. The shooter is another clone, the mentally unstable Helena who was abusively raised by a religious fanatic who tells Helena that she is the original and the others are abominations.

Tatiana Maslany plays all the clones and she is brilliant. She deserves all the acting awards she received for this show. Sarah, Cosima, Alison, Helena — they all have distinct personalities. You quickly forget they are all played by the same actress. Over the course of the show we meet more clones. Rachel, the evil head of the Dyad Institute who created the clones. Krystal, a manicurist who somehow blunders into the right answers to the wrong questions. Tony, a transgender thief. MK, who knows enough about their origins to remain in hiding.

The clones have a big problem. They are prone to an autoimmune condition that is fatal. Cosima is already sick. But Sarah seems to be immune. She is also fertile, unlike the others. The origin of the clones is a science movement called Neolution headed by Dr. Aldous Leekie (Matt Frewer), the (apparent) head of the Dyad Institute. The institute’s interest in Kira is alarming to Sarah. The clones have another enemy, the religious group the Proletheans.

But the clones have allies. Sarah’s foster mother Siobhan, her foster brother Felix (Jordan Gavaris), Alison’s husband Donnie (Kristian Bruun), Beth’s former partner Art (Kevin Hanchard), Cosima’s girlfriend Delphine (Evelyne Brochu).

Orphan Black is totally bingeworthy, with a great performance (performances?) by the lead actress. The supporting cast is also great. All five seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, AMC+, Hoopla.