Orphan Black Season 4 Episode 1 Review: Clone Club & The Way Back Machine (Season Premiere)

"Orphan Black" is FINALLY back. Clone Club has anxiously awaited it's return for some ten months. Hopefully the move from Saturdays to Thursdays will garner more fans for this seriously underrated show.

"The Collapse Of Nature" opens with a woman in the woods. She wears a sheep mask. Is this a reference to Dolly the Sheep (the world's first cloned creature)? The woman (her name is M.K) witnesses someone being buried in a body bag. She calls Beth Childs.

This episode is a PREQUEL to the first episode of "Orphan Black". Beth is still very much alive and working as a detective. Her life is a mess though. She has a serious drug habit (thanks Allison!). She has a volatile relationship with Paul. She thinks he's spying on her. We know he's her "monitor".

The Neolutionists are again the BIG BAD. They may hold the keys to all the show's mysteries-- Leda, Castor and who knows what else. There are several scenes of Dr Leekie and his body morphing weirdos. I get the magnetic fingers and maybe even the white eyeballs... but would a bifurcated (forked) penis really be in demand? Yes, I get WHERE it would go but I'm not sure of the exact logistics. Any ideas?

Again with the worms! Remember Dr Nealon tried to spit one into poor Delphine's mouth. Do the implanted cheek worms take control of their hosts? Are they aliens? I have no idea. PS I still REFUSE to believe Delphine is dead until I see her cold lifeless body!

Beth attempts to crack the clone code with the help of M.K. Sarah and the other seestras later build on her findings. Beth doesnt seem to like being a clone. I personally think it would be great. My clones and I could take over the world.

We always suspected Art had romantic feelings for Beth and now we're sure. No wonder Art was so willing to help Sarah when they met. Brief appearances are also made by Cosima (Allison is supposed to pay her tuition) and Felix (who is arrested for something).

Beth's life is even more of a disaster upon accidentally shooting Maggie Chen (after seeing the neos with their worms). We previously knew Maggie was dead but we never suspected Beth killed her.

At the end of the episode, Art puts M.K. on the phone with Sarah in Iceland. M.K. says the Neolutionists know where Sarah, Keira, Mrs S and Kendall Malone are hiding. They must flee immediately.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). An interesting episode. All we knew about Beth previously was she: was a cop, had Paul for a monitor, had Art as a partner and jumped in front of a subway car (with Sarah looked on). Learning more about how the Neolutionists fit into this conspiracy should be interesting. It was also a hoot to see many of the dead characters return-- such as Paul, Dr Leekie, Maggie Chen and Olivier and his little tail. I'm jived and ready for another kick ass, clone-filled season of "Orphan Black". How bout you?