How 'Orphan Black' Hits the Ground Running with "Natural Selection"
"Natural Selection" introduces viewers to the series' fast-paced, thrilling world, as well as to the gift that keeps on giving: Tatiana Maslany's powerhouse performances.
BBC America
This essay is part of our series
Episodes, a column in which senior contributor Valerie Ettenhofer digs into the singular chapters of television that make the medium great. This entry revisits the pilot episode (“Natural Selection”) of BBC America’s award-winning sci-fi series Orphan Black.
You’re at a train station. It’s late. You’re almost out of money, and the last train of the night is moments away. After scrounging up some coins to make a call, you turn around and see them: someone who looks just like you. They’re dressed differently, and they seem upset. Then, before you know what’s happening, they jump in front of an oncoming train.