Orphan Black - Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate

Orphan Black put the brakes on the heavy drama with the light hearted, "Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate." Not that this episode didn't have its brush with tragedy, that came near the end.

After last week's harrowing rescue of Sarah by Helena and the stunning loss of Paul, OB pulled out the comedy and there is no greater comedic character than the do goodie Alison and her pill pushing profession.

I was beginning to wonder how Alison and "Mr. Chubbs" were going to be wrapped into the greater plot line of season three.  Thankfully, the need for speed pee came to the rescue.  Cosima was tasked by "stalkerish" Delphine into collecting urine samples to better help unfold the mystery of the defective protiens.  This, in turn, gave Cosima some needed screen time as this was almost as much her episode as Alison's.

For the most part, our episode centered around Alison's efforts to close the deal on the "Bubbles" soap emporium to use as a money laundering (pun!) front and also open a channel with the drug lord "Pouchy." (There's only one Pouchy.)

Naturally, hijinks ensue when the bumbling Donnie (the aforementioned Mr. Chubbs as derisively noted by Alison's Mum) took the wrong envelope and presented some campaign material to Pouchy.

Donnie got perilously close to losing his schnoz as time wore down but as Cosima needed Alison, Alison needed Cosima just as badly.  Orphan Black got to pull its favorite character switcheroo as Cosima had to stand in for Alsion and give an impromptu campaign speech.

"Bangs that say unhappy sexless marriage."

Tatiana Maslany excelled in the character crossover playing the frail but courageous Cosima acting as the spriteful Alsion.  The high point of which was "Alison" coming out as a lesbian and supporting LGBT issues of all stripe.

Cosima was being true to herself and in turn Alison was emboldened by this act to reveal to her quarrelsome mother that she was really a clone.  This was very much a family episode again as the lines between the clone sisters pulled ever tighter.  

We could go all the way back to the beginning of the episode to see these lines (heart strings?) close as Sarah and Helena redefined their relationship with the addition of Mrs. S as the much needed mother figure instead of that ill suited Virginia Coady.

Sarah turned to Siobhan for help pulling them closer together and after a few jabs Helena got that much needed hug.

As a counterpoint, Alsion's "real" mother proceeded with maximum density and managed to dismiss Ali's reveal and clinged to hope Alison, in due time, would find a way to dump Donnie.

Groan.

I should add my, some-what-of-a-crack-pot theory is.  The money laundering Bubbles will come into play as the font for much needed cash for the clone sisters.  As a bribe perhaps or much needed funding that Dyad doesn't need to know about.  We'll see.  Either way, the money will need to be diverted and Pouchy will not be happy therein opening more drama for the clone club.

And speaking of drama.

As Cosima has her own moment of honesty with Shay she begins to bleed.

Cosima is a fan favorite and no one likes to see her suffer.  OB did need to get back to the clone defect though and despite Cosima's protestations that all was well (she was coughing more than usual also) things were not well at all.

This will return us to the urgency of fixing the clone crisis and wouldn't you know who will  hold the key to all of this.

Rachel is getting pretty sharp again and kudos to Scott for getting over his fears of her.  Rachel can decipher the code within the Moreau book she claims is hers.  Scott pointed out the book was given to Kira and she needs to "learn how play the game" if she pencil in any future with the rest of the clones and find a cure for her own problems.

There are only three episodes left in the season so it is not a surprise all the clone stories will have to dovetail together.  This episode was an effective launching point for that.  Will we see the cure before the season ends?  Or will Delphine's jealously, Coady's evil machinations or Pouchy's interruption of the much needed Bubbles funding come into play?

Odds and Ends

 
Ooh, la, la, take that Delphine.  OB says kiss off to the critics who think things are getting a little racy.  Do we really trust Shay though?  After Cosima opens up to her, Shay may be in bed with the clone crisis in more way than one. 

I'm mad I didn't recognize "Shay" actress Ksenia Solo from AMC's "Turn" fame.

I'm catching up with "Gotham" and picked out Willa Fitzgerald from "Royal Pains" but Ksenia snuck by me.  Maybe it was the hair.

Michelle Arvizu got a  lot of face time in this episode.  It makes me thinks we'll see more of her in the future.  She only gets one OB listing on her IMDB page but they have been more curcumspect in the spoiler casting.

Jesse reference!

After the departure of Paul last episode, I had wondered to myself if we ever were going to see Helena's tow trucking beau again.

Hopefully, these two will get a chance to "hook" up again.

Yep, you can pencil me in for one last pun.