Entertainment

We're Gonna Need More 'Orphan Black'

by Caitlin Gallagher

The reason for staying in on Saturday nights is back, Clone Club! Orphan Black's Season 3 premiere airs on Saturday, April 18, but almost as soon as it starts, I'm going to begging to know: Is Orphan Black renewed for Season 4? Unfortunately for worrywarts, the show's fourth season hasn't been officially announced, but BBC America didn't renew Orphan Black Season 3 until July (a few weeks after the Season 2 finale), so the Clone Club shouldn't freak out Helana-style just yet. Plus, anyone who watches Orphan Black knows it's one of the best shows on TV, so really, how could the sci-fi clone drama not be renewed?

Season 3 promises to show us another set of clones through Project Castor with creeptastic Mark, so fans are bound to go down a whole new rabbit hole of mystery and intrigue. And I 100 percent doubt that the show could be satisfyingly wrapped up after Season 3. (I still have so many questions about the female set of clones through Project Leda — let alone the male set!)

Plus, the Season 2 finale revealed that there are more of the female clones — with the young Charlotte Bowles (the daughter of Dyad Institute employee Marion Bowles) also being a clone. So now we have at least one child that shares the exact DNA that Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, and Tony have. And Helena may be potentially having some of her own babies, thanks to the radical religious group the Proletheans. I'm going to need at least a few more seasons to handle all of this human cloning.

And that's not even going into the plotlines of the non-clones. There's Sarah's family of Felix (the best!), Mrs. S., and Kira; Cosima's (ex?) girlfriend Delphine; detective Art; soldier Paul; escaped Prolethean Gracie, and Alison's bumbling hubby Donnie (Donnie!). Although actor Michiel Huisman has been keeping busy on Game of Thrones and in the new Blake Lively film The Age of Adaline, he's even returning as Kira's dad Cal. (But sorry Vic the Dick fans — doesn't look like Better Call Saul 's Michael Mando will be making an appearance in Season 3.) Then you've got the new villains of Season 3 with Dr. Coady (who eerily goes by the nickname "Mother") and Ferdinand. And you've got evil clone Rachel who is going to be seeking some revenge after getting impaled in the eye. The show ending with Season 3 would just be completely unacceptable.

Besides fans demanding more than three seasons of Orphan Black, another thing that has me pretty confident that Season 4 will happen is the way that the show is rolling out its Season 3. For the first time, the season premiere of Orphan Black will not only be on BBC America, but also on AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, and WE tv on Saturday, April 18. Although I do not encourage people who have not watched the series before to jump in at Season 3, five different networks showing Orphan Black simultaneously is sure to create some buzz — and hopefully, more fans. (I mean, once you watch the show, it's pretty hard not to become a devoted follower.)

AMC has been creating some of the best TV around with Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and Better Call Saul, so AMC teaming up with Orphan Black is a huge vote of confidence and will likely bring people who don't tune into BBC America on a regular basis into the show. But it's not like the show needs AMC's backing. Orphan Black has been a breakthrough series for BBC America, making its star Tatiana Maslany one of the most talked-about actresses — even if she is consistently snubbed by awards shows for her performance.

Clearly, Orphan Black fans have enough to worry about for Sarah and clones without having to be concerned that the show won't get renewed for Season 4. And I have an inkling that the Clone Club has enough power to make sure another season happens.

Images: Steve Wilkie/BBC AMERICA; delphinecosmier, thecloneclub, orphanblack/Tumblr