Printout Shenanigans
Orphan Black: Echoes 1.2 “Jules”
So, Lucy has abducted Jules and taken her to the AA safe house (because there’s an AA safe house, because of course there is). She tells Jules she’s a printout and goes to show her her bar code…but Jules doesn’t have one. Is she the original? She has no memory either, so that doesn’t make sense.
The expensive printout somebody bought and Lucy’s a backup? That doesn’t make sense either given Lucy’s older.
Felix also shows up. That beard does nothing for him. Kira is as competent as her mom, except when it comes to scoring drugs. Sarah could have scored the drugs.
Jules’ grandpa turns out to be fake. Another data point against her being the original (I still think it’s Sarah, but why?)
I still like replicant better than printout, but I suppose they couldn’t actually get away with that.
Oh, and if you have multiple copies of somebody, check your security system…and do something other than biometrics, maybe?
Best security minimum wage can buy…
It feels more like the old show, mostly because nobody is competent and that’s how it’s supposed to be!
Orphan Black: Echoes 1.3 “Pegasus Girl”
Jules is now starting to believe Lucy, although we’re no closer to knowing why one has the barcode and the other doesn’t.
Oh, and she’s a drug dealer, because of course she is (If these are not copies of Sarah…) She’s dealing study drugs at her school…study drugs that can cause weird dreams. She suggests she and Lucy take them.
Unfortunately, her “parents” are on to her and try to drug her…with what? She’s smart enough not to actually swallow the pill they make her take, but…I’m curious what it would have done to her.
Oh, and she’s randomly telling people. First rule of Clone Club, people. First rule of Clone Club.
While Orphan Black was about identity and genetics, Echoes so far seems to be about identity and memory. Who are we if we don’t remember anything? Who do we believe about our own past?
Kira, meanwhile, is getting quite stressed, and it appears it may be the government who tried to kill Lucy.
What is hidden in her memories? What does she not know?
Orphan Black: Echoes 1.4 “It’s All Coming Back”
So, some years ago I worked part time at the National Institutes of Health as a research admin. The building I worked in was the old hospital, which was converted to labs when they built a nice new hospital. It was built as a hospital and still, in many ways, set up as one.
It’s very difficult to evacuate a hospital in the event of a fire. So typically…you don’t. Next time you’re in one, make note of the heavy doors that are open and flush with the corridor. Those are fire doors. When the alarm goes off, those doors close. You don’t evacuate unless you are in the area with the fire. Otherwise, you shelter in place.
So, what does that have to do with this episode? In this episode, our “heroines,” term used very loosely, find a clue as to the identity of their original…in the memory of a woman who’s in assisted living. After finding out who their original is, they need to make a quick escape.
The assisted living facility has fire doors, which in this case are doubling as the security door to keep the memory care inmates in. You can’t get out without the code, and visitors don’t get the code.
Lucy pulls the fire alarm and the door opens.
Not how this would work! The door would only open if there was actual smoke in the memory care unit. Most of the time, they’re safer in there.
Sigh.
Otherwise, a very good episode, with all the usual yelling at the screen. No. Don’t. No, that won’t work…
They understand that it’s important that nobody be competent and I’m there for it!
(Also, the actor playing the old lady with Alzheimer’s did a good job).