Orphan Black

Orphan Black
Genre
Created by
Starring
Theme music composerTwo Fingers
ComposerTrevor Yuile
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes50 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Ivan Schneeberg
  • David Fortier
  • Graeme Manson
  • John Fawcett
  • Kerry Appleyard
Producers
  • Russ Cochrane
  • Alex Levine
  • Claire Welland
  • Tatiana Maslany
  • Aubrey Nealon
  • Mackenzie Donaldson
  • Karen Walton
  • Jay Prychidny
Production locationToronto, Ontario
CinematographyAaron Morton
Editors
  • Jay Prychidny
  • D. Gillian Truster
  • Brett Sullivan
  • Reginald Harkema
  • Stephen Lawrence
Running time43 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
  • Space (Canada)
  • BBC America (United States)
ReleaseMarch 30, 2013 (2013-03-30) –
August 12, 2017 (2017-08-12)
Related
Orphan Black: Echoes
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Orphan Black is a Canadian science-fiction thriller television series created by screenwriter Graeme Manson and director John Fawcett and starring Tatiana Maslany. The series focuses on Sarah Manning, one of several genetically identical human clones, and later on some of the other clones. The series raises issues about the moral and ethical implications of human cloning and its effect on identity.[1]

The series was produced by Temple Street Productions in association with BBC America and Bell Media's Space.[2] The show premiered on March 30, 2013, on Space in Canada, and on BBC America in the United States.[3][4] On June 16, 2016, the series was renewed for a fifth and final ten-episode season,[5] which ran from June 10 to August 12, 2017.[6] An aftershow, After the Black, began airing in the third season on Space and was acquired by BBC America for the fourth season.[7][8] In April 2022, a spin-off titled Orphan Black: Echoes was announced,[9] which premiered in June 2024 on AMC.[10]

Orphan Black developed a loyal online fan base across social media platforms who identify as #CloneClub,[11] a reference to those who are in-the-know in the story. Throughout its run, the series received critical acclaim and various accolades, particularly for Maslany's performance, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards and two further nominations, one TCA Award and one further nomination, two Satellite Award nominations, and a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. The series won a Peabody Award in 2013[12] and has been nominated for, and won, several Canadian Screen Awards.[13]

  1. ^ "About the Show". BBC America. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  2. ^ "BBC AMERICA's Orphan Black Joins Lineup of Hit Shows Available Exclusively on Prime Instant Video". The Wall-Street Journal. March 7, 2014. Archived from the original on June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  3. ^ "Orphan Black". Space. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBCA-20120626 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Prudom, Laura (June 16, 2016). "'Orphan Black' Renewed for Fifth and Final Season". Variety. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  6. ^ Roots, Kimberly (February 7, 2017). "Orphan Black Final Season Premiere Date Set at BBC America". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  7. ^ "Space Celebrates the Return of its Original Canadian Series ORPHAN BLACK with Multi-Channel Roadblock Season Premiere April 18" (Press release). Bell Media. March 11, 2015. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  8. ^ Prudom, Laura; Zumberge, Marianne (March 27, 2016). "'Orphan Black' Gets After-Show, Cast Teases Season 4 Mysteries and Returning Favorites". Variety. Archived from the original on June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Echoes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Ingram, Hunter (June 23, 2024). "Orphan Black: Echoes Star Krysten Ritter on Her Character's Mysterious Past: 'She Is an Experiment Gone Wrong'". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).