I’m a huge “Orphan Black” fan (and was an early adopter of the BBC show), so the chance to talk to “Black” creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson was one I wasn’t about to miss. Even though we only had a few minutes, they managed to hint a bit at what’s ahead for season 2, as well as one tactic they’re taking to keep hardworking star Tatiana Maslany intact — even as they promise there might be more clones on the horizon.
We discussed the recent U.S. Supreme Court judgment about whether or not DNA can be patented, which seems like a natural storyline extension of what’s already happened on the show. “What that ruling means in terms of ownership and agency is really rich territory for us,” Manson said. “It’s the pond we wade in… That it makes allowances for synthetic DNA, it’s full of holes.”
As for the show’s fleet of clones, I asked what they were doing to protect star Tatiana Maslany from burnout. “We have big plans for her, we’d love to potentially introduce a new clone,” Fawcett hinted, before mentioning that the “cool” cast of supporting actors will be getting more to do. “Mainly just so we don’t kill Tatiana,” Fawcett said. “We don’t want to kill her.”
After the two suggested we’ll be seeing more of Mrs. S. and Felix, they delivered what some will likely see as a threat more than a promise, at least as to how it’s likely to affect the clones. “We may even see Vic again,” Fawcett said of Sarah’s bumbling ex-boyfriend. Noooooo!