‘Orphan Black’ is Breaking Down Walls and Stereotypes on TV

Orphan Black has been on the air since 2013 has lived up to the hype that began three years ago. The show currently holds a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.4 out of 10 on IMDB. So what gives this show such high ratings? No doubt Tatiana Maslany is an amazing actress. So far on screen Maslany appeared as 16 of the 24 clones. But Maslany’s acting chops aren’t the only thing that make the show so good.

The show is groundbreaking in its portrayal of the female character on television. The rest of the cast, not including Maslany, is mostly female. And they are playing serious, main plot roles. They are the bad guys trying to destroy Sarah and her sisters. Or they play the one who can help them find their cure. There has also been some representation of the LGBT community with Maslany’s on screen foster brother being gay and one of her clones being transgender and the other a lesbian.

Orphan Black is not only a good show, but an important one. It shows that women can play three-dimensional characters. That there is more to acting than the role of “hot girl” or “next door neighbor.” It gives depth to LGBT characters, that they are more than the sassy gay best friend. It is breaking those stereotypes. Orphan Black is doing what shows in 2016 still aren’t doing.