Spoilers for Season 1, Episode 5 of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed are ahead! You can stream it now with an Apple TV subscription and then catch new episodes every Wednesday.

Many of Tatiana Maslany’s best projects feature some big action or intense moments. Her show on the 2026 TV schedule, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, is no different. Specifically, in Episode 5 of the series, she has a standout fight involving a nail gun, and that’s what led me to ask the actress about how her past projects, like Orphan Black and She-Hulk, influenced her work on this great Apple TV series.

As a massive fan of Maslany’s Marvel show (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), I was very excited to see her have some action sequences in this new series. Plus, knowing how beloved Orphan Black is, it was exciting to see her take on some very intense moments. So, I asked the actress how those two projects helped and inspired her while working on Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed. In response, she said:

Well, the fight in Episode 5 of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed certainly fits this description. In it, Maslany’s Paula finds herself in quite the brawl with two people who were part of Trevor’s cam boy scam.

There is a nail gun involved, and Paula quite literally fights both characters. It’s a brawl in this motel room that’s under construction, and as Maslany’s character tries to get out of it, she uses a spray, a nail gun and her sheer will to get out of there. Ultimately, she nails the scamboy’s hand to the ground and is able to escape.

Overall, this sequence clearly shows off everything Tatiana Maslany told me about what she loves in an action sequence. It’s “sloppy,” and it did, indeed, make me say “Yikes!” That sloppiness was amazing too, because it’s what's realistic for this character. Paula is not a career criminal; she’s never been in a situation like the wild one she finds herself in in this show. So, when she winds up in a fight like this, of course it’s going to be visceral and messy.

I’m happy she learned that she loved action like this on her last projects too. It was epic then, and it’s epic here. Now, I can’t wait to see the action Tatiana Maslany’s Paula finds herself in as Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed continues to air every Wednesday on Apple TV.

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Recently, a Netflix miniseries has become one of the most popular shows to binge on the platform, and that is Clickbait, the drama series that looks at what happens when impulses are fueled by social media, and how dangerous lives can become because of it.

Clickbait is a miniseries - although there are ideas for how a Season 2 could happen - but this will likely be the last time we see these characters we’ve binged so quickly. However, there are plenty of other series to watch if you’re craving shows like Clickbait.

Behind Her Eyes (Netflix)

In this psychological thriller, Behind Her Eyes follows the story a single mother, named Louise, when her world changes as she begins an affair with her new boss, but ends up forming a friendship with his wife. This family has secrets - almost too many to count, and ones that are highly dangerous.

For fans of Clickbait, this show is perfect for you. Everything seemingly starts out like a normal love triangle, but soon, revelations are made, the truth comes out, and all of a sudden, this is an entirely different story. It’s full of strange moments, intensely dark scenes, and so much more that anyone will enjoy. If you’re into stories with twists, this is it.

Stream Behind Her Eyes on Netflix.

Orphan Black (AMC+)

The science fiction thriller, Orphan Black, takes place in a world where there are several genetically identical human clones, focusing in on one particulate woman, Sarah Manning, who assumes the identity of one of her fellow clones, Elizabeth Childs, after she commits suicide.

I think for fans of Clickbait, this is definitely a change of pace. While Clickbait was based in reality with the implications of social media, Orphan Black is an entirely different world. However, what Orphan Black does best is its social commentary about the morals and ethical complications of human cloning, showing the downsides of what could happen, and the drama that could ensue, something that Clickbait does very well with its topic of social media.

Stream Orphan Black on AMC+ through Amazon Prime.

Black Mirror (Netflix)

If you want a series that will really make you go, “Huh?”, then Black Mirror is for you. This Netflix original series is an anthology that takes the viewers into near-future dystopias, showing different outcomes and different worlds, and the consequences of certain pieces of future technology.

For fans of Clickbait, Black Mirror has so many awesome moments in its episodes. Each story is very different, creating these crazy-intense worlds that comment on technology and social issues. One of my favorite episodes, that I believe Clickbait viewers will enjoy, is “Nosedive,” starring Bryce Dallas Howard, an episode that fully focuses on the effects social media on society and on individuals in general. Such a fantastic show - now if we could only get another series of it.

Stream Black Mirror on Netflix.

Who Killed Sara? (Netflix)

In this international Netflix show, Who Killed Sara? focuses on exactly what the title says. Alex Guzman, who spent 18 years in prison after wrongly being accused of killing his sister, makes it his mission to figure out who killed her and get revenge on them for ruining his family.

What I love about Who Killed Sara? is the mystery behind all of this. I’ve always been down for a good murder mystery and this spares nothing in trying to provide a truly engrossing experience as you watch, something that I think Clickbait viewers would enjoy, as well. If you loved the thriller aspect of trying to figure out who it was behind the video in that series, then Who Killed Sara? is definitely for you.

Stream Who Killed Sara? on Netflix.

The Blacklist (Peacock)

The Blacklist, the popular NBC crime thriller, follows Raymond Reddington, otherwise known as Red. He is a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal, who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after avoiding capture for many years. When he does, he tells them that he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world and is willing to work with the FBI for immunity from prosecution.

The Blacklist is such a fun show. For Clickbait fans, you’ll get a kick out of the crime aspect of this, with plenty of enjoyable kick-ass moments, starring the amazing James Spader as Red. But, what really makes The Blacklist stand out from the rest is how deep these stories go of each of these criminals - they really add on so much, and make not only the hunt for them enjoyable, but the inevitable capture rewarding to viewers who have had to sit back and watch. With The Blacklist Season 9 coming out soon, now's the perfect time to binge.

Stream The Blacklist on Peacock.

True Detective (HBO Max)

True Detective is an HBO anthology crime drama that follows a set narrative through each season with different casts and in new settings, looking into new crimes that are causing serious issues across the United States, from serial killers to missing children.

True Detective is one of those anthologies that I love rewatching, because the stories never get old. For fans of Clickbait, you’ll really enjoy the mystery behind each of these crimes, and since the stories are contained to one season, they really waste no time getting into the nitty gritty of each crime. What really makes True Detective stand out, however, is the all-star cast that they get every season. With main stars like Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Mahershala Ali - there are so many amazing actors and actresses that sign on for this show that they themselves will keep you watching.

Stream True Detective on HBO Max.

Hit & Run (Netflix)

In this Netflix original series, Hit & Run is about a man searching for the truth behind his wife’s sudden death, who ends up becoming caught in a web of secrets that stretches all across the world, pushing him into a deadly situation.

Hit & Run is the perfect series for someone who wants to get into murder mysteries but wants it to be more than just the solving of a murder, sort of like how Clickbait focused in a lot more on social commentary mixed in with the mystery of Nick. While it starts out as a normal thriller where a man is trying to find justice for his wife, he starts to learn many secrets about her, ones that turn the tables drastically. Without giving much away, there’s only one season of this awesome show, and you should watch it if you haven’t already.

Stream Hit & Run on Netflix.

How To Get Away With Murder (Netflix)

In this popular legal thriller, How To Get Away With Murder tells the story of law students at a prestigious university and their talented professor, where all of them are swept up into an ongoing murder plot.

First off, Viola Davis, who stars as law professor Annalise Keating, is absolutely perfect in her role. She deserved all the awards she received for it. Secondly, for fans of Clickbait, if you thought that show was dramatic, wait until you watch How To Get Away With Murder. Shonda Rhimes, producer of the show and famed creator of Grey’s Anatomy, basically took the word “drama” and cranked it up to 1000% for this show, because it truly never slows down, not even from the first episode. Trust me, if you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor and watch now.

Stream How To Get Away With Murder on Netflix.

You (Netflix)

Based on the book series, You is a psychological thriller that centers on Joe Goldberg, a seemingly normal guy who falls in love too quick - and will do anything to get the girl and keep her as his, including murder.

You is, hands-down, one of my favorite thrillers from Netflix, and fans of Clickbait should love the story. You mainly follow Joe throughout the series, and you wonder if the girl he is with is ever going to find out what he does, and there’s so much suspense that you’ll have to keep watching. Penn Badgley, known for his big role in the Gossip Girl cast and several other roles, is awesome as the series’ star, and rest of the cast is fantastic as well. Season 2 was even better than Season 1 in my opinion, and with You Season 3 releasing on October 15, there's no better time than now to watch.

Stream You on Netflix.

Mare of Easttown (HBO Max)

The HBO original, Mare of Easttown, takes place in a suburb of Philadelphia, where police detective Mare Sheehan investigates a recent murder of a teenage mother, while trying to keep her own life from falling to pieces.

Starring the impeccable Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown is a great crime drama and deserves all the praise it has gotten. The Mare of Easttown cast is brilliant, with so many talented actors and actresses, and the story is engrossing and will pull you in like no other. While it’s not as quick-paced as Clickbait, in my opinion, I feel that fans of the series will enjoy this mystery just as much as any other.

Stream Mare of Easttown on HBO Max.

While you could spend a lot of your time watching the best shows on Netflix every day, why not check out some other crime dramas that will make you feel like you're actually a detective? Now, if you don’t mind me, I have to go binge You again before Season 3 comes out.

Tatiana Maslany was rumored to be the new She-Hulk, but that rumor has recently been debunked, at least for now. Like many, I was excited when I heard this news because I think Tatiana Maslany is a very talented actress and I wanted to see what she brought to the She-Hulk role. Though we may not get to see her take on the green superhero, there are many great Tatiana Maslany movies and TV shows available to watch.

These films and television shows highlight why Maslany is a fascinating character actor with the potential to become an even bigger Hollywood star. For this list, I tried to select as many movies where Maslany was the main character or a key supporting character.

Orphan Black (Sarah Manning And Other Clones)

Orphan Black is the story of a woman who discovers that she’s a clone. She then sets out to find out the story about her other sisters and the whole cloning process in general. It aired on BBC America from 2013 to 2017. The series earned Tatiana Maslany an Emmy award and other acting awards.

Tatiana Maslany is mesmerizing in Orphan Black. Constantly, she creates different personas for her characters. She’s played at least ten different characters on Orphan Black and each one felt distinct and different. Maslany manages to completely convince you that each character is unique, so much so that you forget that it’s the same actress playing each of these women. Even if you’re not a huge science fiction fan, Orphan Black is worth watching for the extremely impressive acting by Maslany.

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (Ghost)

The 2004 Canadian horror film Ginger Snaps 2 follows Brigitte Fitzgerald (Emily Perkins) as she tries to fight her werewolf transformation. She meets Ghost (Tatiana Maslany), a young girl very fascinated by werewolves and Brigitte’s possible transformation.

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed was Tatiana Maslany’s first major role and she creates such a memorable character with Ghost. Everything from Ghost’s pale skin and haunting blonde hair to her creepy nature makes this character stand out. Ghost is this seemingly innocent character who reveals that she’s far more sinister in nature than expected. Maslany really creates this unhinged little girl.

Grown Up Movie Star (Ruby Fry)

Grown Up Movie Star is an extremely Canadian movie-- hockey references and all. It’s about a 13-year-old named Ruby (Tatiana Maslany) who after her mother abandons the family, lives with her single father Ray (Shawn Doyle), and sister Rose (Julia Kennedy). Ruby dreams of joining her mother and living a glamorous life as a model or movie star in the United States.

Tatiana Maslany was much older than 13 when the movie was released in 2010, but her young looks and acting skills make it easy for you to believe that she is this young teen trying to understand her sexuality and embrace it. Sometimes Grown Up Movie Star is really funny and other times it’s quite tragic, and it keeps you engaged the entire film, mainly from the stellar acting job specifically by Maslany and Shawn Doyle.

Drunk History (Emmeline Pankhurst)

Tatiana Maslany appeared in Drunk History Season 5, Episode 5, “Civil Rights.” She plays real-life suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. The premise of Drunk History is that while drunk, comedians retell events in history. Actors then act out their story, and the comedians do the voice-overs. Kirby Howell-Baptiste retold the “Suffrajitsu” segment.

In it, she recounts how the suffragettes learned jiu-jitsu to be ready to protest. The story has a lot of little twists here and there, including a body double and a battle between the suffragettes and the police. The fun thing about this performance is that Tatiana Maslany has to use her facial expression, not voice, to act out this role. She gets to go very over-the-top in a really funny way.

The Other Half (Emily)

Tatiana Maslany and Tom Cullen starred in The Other Half as Emily and Nickie. The movie starts with their first meeting and then documents their emotional relationship. Emily is bipolar and Nickie is filled with rage as he continues to grieve the disappearance (and presumed death) of his brother. Cullen and Maslany both give top-notch performances, but Maslany’s portrayal of Emily as she goes through all her manic and depressive bipolar episodes once again shows Maslany’s incredible range as an actor.

She excels at creating complex characters who resonate with viewers. You rooted for Emily, but also became frustrated with her and felt sorry for her at other moments. Cullen and Maslany have great on-screen chemistry (as they used to date), which made it easy to invest in them and their story. You also understood why they might be too damaged for a healthy relationship right now.

Perry Mason (Sister Alice)

Perry Mason is HBO’s version of the iconic detective character from Erle Stanley Gardner’s books and short stories. The character eventually appeared in different TV series, one on CBS and NBC. The first season of HBO’s Perry Mason follows Perry (Matthew Rhys) and company as they investigate the kidnapping and murder of a child in 1932. Tatiana Maslany plays Sister Alice.

Alice is a preacher who is almost a cult-like figure. She is the leader of the Radiant Assembly of God. Tatiana Maslany’s character is all-consuming in her religious beliefs and how she preaches them. Maslany does a good job of creating this slightly eerie character who you aren’t 100 percent sure of her motives, but you can also see how she cumulated such a loyal group of followers.

Pink Wall (Jenna)

Tom Cullen directed Pink Wall, a movie starring Jay Duplass and Tatiana Maslany as Jenna and Leon. It shows different moments in their relationship, like when Jenna is preparing to leave for Japan, and when they have a talk about having children. Maslany gives an intense performance as Jenna, who isn’t exactly Polly Sunshine but also isn’t a cold-hearted witch.

Pink Wall is on the same level as Marriage Story with highlighting all the bumps, bruises, and ugly moments between two people who have been together for a while and aren’t exactly heading down a blissful path. Pink Wall is not all doom and gloom as it also shows the happier moments in their relationship, which makes the story more complicated.

You see the ugly side of Jenna and Leon, but also moments that show a loving relationship. Pink Wall makes you also conflicted about whether this couple should try to make it work or move on, and that’s only possible because of the layered performances by Duplass and Maslany, who take the movie to live theater levels of intimacy.

Stronger (Erin Hurley)

Stronger follows Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he deals with the loss of his legs from the Boston Marathon bombings. It follows Bauman as he spirals downward while tackling the new obstacles that come with his amputation. Tatiana Maslany played Jeff’s ex-girlfriend Erin. Jeff goes to the marathon to support Erin, which causes her some guilt.

Stronger is a tear-jerker movie that showcases the emotional and physical barriers faced by Jeff. Erin also faces her own struggles as she’s riddled with guilt, and then tries to hold it together as Jeff falls more apart. You feel the raw emotions from both Jeff and Erin as they know that Jeff’s self-destructive behavior will bring them both down if he doesn’t change.

Most of these Tatiana Maslany movies and TV shows are available to stream on various platforms. Other Maslany movies and shows you may want to check out are Two Lovers And A Bear, Destroyer, Picture Day, Cas and Dylan, and World Without End.

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The Umbrella Academy released its second season in July, and it’s just as crazy as expected. The Umbrella Academy Season 2 brought us plenty of shocking moments, unexpected character reveals, and the groundwork for a potential Season 3. This new season of the show really upped the game of the series and gave us an exciting ten episodes.

Ten episodes are not nearly enough for the average fan, because of course, we binged all of them within a few days, and now we have to wait who knows how long for another season. But worry not Umbrella Academy enthusiasts, there are plenty of series and movies that might make the wait for a possible season three a lot more manageable.

Orphan Black (Amazon Prime Video)

Orphan Black ran for five seasons on BBC America and starred Tatiana Maslany in a variety of roles. This sci-fi series focused on a set of women who discover that they’re clones and that there is a much bigger conspiracy at work. Beyond being a great show, it was basically a way to showcase her incredible character acting skills.

Why It’s A Good Option for The Umbrella Academy Fans: Orphan Black is a lot more serious than The Umbrella Academy, but they both deal with a group of unconventional siblings. They explore how families develop, bond, socialize, and build an unbreakable foundation. Umbrella Academy and Orphan Black also are TV shows that live in a genre world between sci-fi and fantasy.

Stream it on Amazon Prime here.

Charmed (Netflix)

This Charmed suggestion applies to both series. The 1998 one that ran for 8 seasons and originally starred Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, and Shannen Doherty, later Rose McGowan replaces Doherty, and the reboot starring Sarah Jeffery, Madeleine Mantock, and Melonie Diaz. Both versions have the same premise: a trio of sisters discover that they’re witches and have powers.

Why It’s A Good Option for The Umbrella Academy Fans: In the original series, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) was a little estranged from her other sisters, but returned home, which set in motion the news about their powers. The 2018 Charmed girls discover that they have an older sister, Macy (Madeleine Mantock). The estranged dynamic is also one that runs through Umbrella Academy. Each series highlights that each sibling has their own unique power, but they’re most powerful when they’re working together.

Stream it on Netflix here (original, reboot).

Shazam! (HBO Max)

Shazam! is a DC Universe comic-book movie about an orphaned boy Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who is chosen by the ancient wizard Shazam to become his champion. His new powers allow him to transform into the powerful Shazam champion (Zachary Levi).

Why It’s a Good Option for The Umbrella Academy Fans: One of the major overall pieces of Shazam! is Billy learning to accept and embrace his new family. He tries not to bond with his new siblings and foster parents, but by the end of the film, he sees how necessary they are for him to succeed as a superhero.

Stream It on HBO Max here.

Legends of Tomorrow (Netflix)

Legends of Tomorrow is a DC Comics series that follows a various group of superheroes and villains as they travel through time to fight enemies and whatnot.

Why It’s A Good Option for The Umbrella Academy Fans: Legends of Tomorrow and Umbrella Academy have quite a bit in common, including their adventures throughout time, a rag-tag bunch of superheroes, and a blending of goofy comedy and serious drama. The Umbrella Academy gets away with a bit more graphic violence than Legends of Tomorrow, which may make Legends a good option if you want fewer fish murders.

Stream It on Netflix here.

Runaways (Hulu)

Runaways is a Marvel comic TV series about a group of friends who discover that their parents are part of an evil organization and that they all have superpowers. This Hulu original series ran for three seasons.

Why It’s a Good Option for the Umbrella Academy Fans: Despite various romantic entanglements, the children bond and become like siblings through all of this craziness with evil parents, secret societies, and powers. Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) isn’t technically a villain but he easily falls in line with the evil parent category, but he’s a lot brighter and more sophisticated than the Runaways parents.

Stream it on Hulu here.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (Disney+)

X-Men: Days of Future Past is a 2014 Bryan Singer film that brings together both versions of several X-Men movies. The X-Men must travel through time to change history, which leads to interactions with different versions of characters like Magneto and Professor X. X-Men: Days of Future Past cast includes Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen.

Why It’s a Good Option for the Umbrella Academy Fans: Technically, all X-Men movies are a good option if you like Umbrella Academy, because of the similar concept of people with powers. However, X-Men: Days of Future Past deals with time-traveling, which is a major theme of Umbrella Academy, especially in Season 2. They also both have Ellen Page in them, so if you’re a Page stan, this is your time to be alive.

Stream it on Disney+ here.

Supernatural (Netflix)

Supernatural is a CW series that ran for 15 seasons. It follows Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padelecki) as they investigate and hunt several demonic and supernatural beings. The Winchesters come from a long line of demon hunters.

Why It’s A Good Option for The Umbrella Academy Fans: The Umbrella Academy and Supernatural both have a nice blend of comedy and drama. These series try to be serious when necessary but have fun with the premise of crazy creatures. Supernatural and Umbrella Academy are also both series that have an array of fascinating recurring characters, though Umbrella Academy is still building that library. Each show has also dealt with at least one sibling losing his or her way and turning towards the dark side.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Boys (Amazon Prime)

The Boys is a superhero series about a group of vigilantes that work to destroy and kill Supes, a group of corrupt superheroes. The Boys cast includes Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, and Erin Moriarty.

Why It’s A Good Option for Umbrella Academy Fans: The Boys and Umbrella Academy are two shows about superheroes based on comics that don’t exist in the DC and Marvel worlds. This allows them to be bloodier, raunchier, and more critical of the idea of superheroes and superhero worship. Both series also use the superhero world to address questions and problems facing modern America.

Stream it on Amazon Prime here.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (Netflix)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is a Marvel TV series that focuses on the S.H.I.E.L.D department of the government. They focus on strange and paranormal related cases. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’s cast includes Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Clark Gregg, Iain De Caestecker, and Elizabeth Henstridge.

Why It’s A Good Option for Umbrella Academy Fans: Umbrella Academy and Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D are shows that deal with characters who are forced to work together, and things may start off rough, but they eventually find their groove and become a cohesive-ish unit. Both series also deal with extreme secret organizations that try to control lives.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Misfits (Hulu)

Misfits is a TV series about a group of young offenders sentenced to community service. They are struck by lightning and develop powers. Misfits’ original cast consists of Nathan Stewart Jarrett, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha, Antonia Thomas, and Robert Sheehan.

Why It’s A Good Option for The Umbrella Academy: Both series have Robert Sheehan playing wacky characters, and they have a similar tone. Misfits and Umbrella Academy are both strange, funny, have a ton of fascinating characters, and embrace the oddness of a world where people with powers exist.

Stream it on Hulu here.

Raising Dion (Netflix)

Raising Dion is a superhero show about a woman, Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) raising her son Dion (Ja’Siah Young) alone after the death of her husband Mark (Michael B. Jordan). Being a single mother becomes more complex when Dion starts to manifest and develop powers.

Why It’s A Good Option for Umbrella Academy Fans: The Umbrella Academy deals with a group of dysfunctional adults with powers, Raising Dion is about a child trying to make sense of his powers. The Umbrella Academy often flashes back to when the main characters were children trying to adjust to their powers and their bad parental figures. If the aspects of Umbrella Academy that deals with their younger selves interest you, then Raising Dion might be a show to add to your watchlist.

Stream it on Netflix here.

These eleven shows and movies should make the wait for the next Umbrella Academy’s potential next season a lot less long. However, there are plenty of other superhero TV shows and movies out there if you end up binging these ones quickly as well. And it’s never a bad idea to just rewatch both seasons of The Umbrella Academy again.

If you love sci-fi TV shows and subscribe to Amazon Prime Video, you probably already know it is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to for series that explore the strangest concepts the imagination can conjure, including a few great Amazon Prime original TV shows.

The question is, what are the absolute best sci-fi TV shows that you can binge with an Amazon Prime subscription right now? Well, you do not need to travel too far beyond the stars to find the answer as we have compiled our top picks regarding the matter for you.

Fallout (2024-Present)

After living her whole life in an underground bunker, a young woman (played by Ella Purnell) explores what is left of the world more than two centuries after a nuclear disaster.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: The previously announced Fallout Season 2 is already one of the most highly anticipated upcoming video game adaptations for how well the premiere season knocked it out of the park with its captivatingly unique execution of the game franchise’s concepts, which already subverted post-apocalypse genre tropes wonderfully.

Stream Fallout on Amazon Prime.

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

A spaceship crew must protect the last of humanity from a sinister enemy while searching for a long-lost planet known as Earth.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on one of the best sci-fi TV shows of the 1970s, developer Ronald D. Moore’s Battlestar Galactica is a reboot that many fans agree improves on its predecessor with thrilling writing and stellar performances.

Stream Battlestar Galactica on Amazon Prime.

Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams (2017-2018)

The stories in this anthology TV show involve a world where telepaths are the world’s sole form of long-distance communication, a woman whose husband appears to be much different upon return, a boy discovers that humans are being replaced with extraterrestrial duplicates, and more tales.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: A show Black Mirror fans might like is the Emmy-nominated Electric Dreams, which is a collection of thought-provoking tales based on the work of author Philip K. Dick.

Stream Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams on Amazon Prime.

Upload (2020-Present)

Facing his untimely death, Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) agrees to have a digital back-up of himself sent to an artificial afterlife where he and his handler from the real world (played by Andy Allo) investigate the details of his demise.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Another series Black Mirror fans might find familiar is creator Greg Daniel’s cleverly funny take on the concept of digital consciousness, Upload, which has a Season 4 in the works.

Stream Upload on Amazon Prime.

Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)

A specialized military crew uses a powerful artifact to travel to different worlds and help people in need.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on Roland Emmerich’s 1994 film, Stargate SG-1 is an adventure series that invokes the feelings of old-school Star Trek but with an exciting modern action flair.

Stream Stargate SG-1 on Amazon Prime.

Heroes (2006-2010)

A disparate group of people are brought together after discovering they possess extraordinary abilities that they are destined to save the world with.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: From creator Tim Kring, Heroes is a refreshingly unique take on superhero fiction starring the likes of Hayden Petierre, Zachary Quinto, and Milo Ventimiglia.

Stream Heroes on Amazon Prime.

The Expanse (2015-2022)

A ragtag crew led by Jim Holden (Steven Strait) become reluctant heroes after uncovering a conspiracy with grave consequences for their colonized Solar System.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on a popular series of novels by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pseudonym James S.A. Corey), The Expanse was lauded by fans and critics alike as one of the smartest series of its genre.

Stream The Expanse on Amazon Prime.

The Boys (2019-Present)

A group of powerless vigilantes work to expose corporate-sponsored costumed crime fighters for the morally bankrupt criminals they truly are.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on a comic book series by Garth Ennis, The Boys, which has a fifth season in the works (also its last), is also one of the best superhero TV shows on Amazon Prime for it brilliant and uncomfortably grounded satire of comic book tropes and celebrity influence.

Stream The Boys on Amazon Prime.

Tales From The Loop (2020)

A collection of loosely connected stories featuring residents of a remote scientific research facility in which the most bewildering things become possible.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on the retro-futuristic designs of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, developer Nathaniel Hawthorne's Tales from the Loop is a grounded sci-fi series unlike any other for its stunningly unique visual design.

Stream Tales from the Loop on Amazon Prime.

Eureka (2006-2012)

U.S. Marshall Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) must get used to not being the smartest guy in the room when he is transferred to become sheriff of a small town filled with some big brains.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: With its comedic overtones amid mysterious overarching storylines, SyFy’s Eureka is a fun, bizarre, and sometimes silly take on the crime procedural.

Stream Eureka on Amazon Prime.

Farscape (1999-2003)

Accidentally transported to a war-torn corner of the universe, astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) is forced to accept this hostile environment as his new home and becomes a member of a group of intergalactic fugitives.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: One of the Syfy Channel’s most celebrated original hits is creator Rockne S. O’Bannon’s Farscape for its complex adventurous storytelling, a colorful ensemble of characters, and puppetry by the Jim Henson Company.

Stream Farscape on Amazon Prime.

The Man In The High Castle (2015-2019)

In an alternate 1960s, the United States is under the control of the Nazis after the Allied Powers lost the Second World War.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: Based on Philip K. Dick’s Hugo Award-winning novel, The Man in the High Castle is an Amazon Prime original TV show similar to Fallout for its horrifying use of revisionist history.

Stream The Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime.

The Prisoner (1967-1968)

The savvy “Number Six” (Patrick McGoohan) desperately tries to escape a mysterious and seemingly idyllic village.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime: In 17 one-hour chapters, the British cult classic The Prisoner conjures a discussion of genuine and enduringly relevant topics facing society (such as individuality and liberty) through a uniquely fantastic lens.

Stream The Prisoner on Amazon Prime.

What do you think? Are my recommendations for the sci-fi obsessive Amazon Prime member out of this world, or does all of this feel very alien to you?

Viewers may be on the verge of getting a new Orphan Black series on AMC. No, the cult hit is not getting a revival. Nor is it getting cloned for a reboot or getting the spinoff treatment. Yes, you are reading this right. It's something else, sestras.

With those particular options off the table, that may lead fans to ask how on earth a new Orphan Black project is going to happen. Here’s the answer: the potential new show would be set in the same universe as Orphan Black, per The Wrap. But despite sharing the same world and same production company in Temple Street Productions, the new drama will not be a spinoff.

Could a completely new character find themselves learning that they have a clone that somehow isn't related to the experiments done to Tatiana Maslany's characters and others? That could be one way to approach the same universe without having to include the original cast, though it would be hard to tie those elements together without being a spinoff.

One positive potential aspect of sharing the same world would be this new project's ability to add characters from Orphan Black. Having them participate would not be an absolute must, though, and the connections would likely need to be fairly minor.

It is also worth noting that the potential Orphan Black follow-up is reportedly in the super-early stages of development, although no official confirmation has been provided by either the production company or AMC, which owns Orphan Black's original home of BBC America. So at this point, O.B. 2.0 may or may not make it to the small screen.

The original series is a tough act to follow, as are the footsteps of star Tatiana Maslany, whose eventual awards cred came later than it should have. Carving out a separate show about clones would sound slightly counter-intuitive, so perhaps there are other conspiratorial experiments to discover. A fresh start for a new series.

Orphan Black garnered critical acclaim and a cult following quickly after it premiered in 2013. The performance of its lead actress Tatiana Maslany gained considerable recognition. The twisting and turning drama ran for five ten-episodes seasons before concluding in 2017. Fans have not had to endure a extensive time away from the series’ universe, which might mean a healthy interest in seeing the universe return to television.

Considering that this new Orphan Black-related series is in the very early stages of development, it may take a while to manifest on-screen. Since it is set to unravel in the same world as the original series, it stands to reason that a few familiar faces could pop in, especially if some of the same creative minds are behind the second show.

Why is the distinction that the new Orphan Black series will not be a spinoff so important? Spinoffs typically feature at least one character from the previous show, along with various locations, events and more. This detached approach implies that the universe will likely be the only thing the two dramas share in common.

This proposed take on things sounds somewhat reminiscent of the Game of Thrones prequels. Same world, but a different cast of characters. There is a critical difference, of course. There is no evidence that this new Orphan Black series is set in a time frame before the original series took place. In fact, the report does refer to it as a follow-up.

For fans, who feel like there is more to explore in the world of Orphan Black, this is undoubtedly exciting news. A premiere date for the potential series has not gotten announced yet, nor has it been picked up to series, so stay tuned. The original show is currently streaming on Amazon Prime for anyone who needs a binge-worthy catch-up.

It's no secret that producer Ryan Murphy is one of the busiest guys in show business. His various shows always book A-list talent for the cast, and he's currently got four shows on the air, and he's producing an upcoming Broadway show. And now he's made his contributions to FX and Fox to five shows, as his new show Pose been ordered to series. While this is exciting news for a variety of reasons, it looks like one cast member has had to depart the project. Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany will no longer be in the cast, and her corresponding role is being reworked to fit another type of actress.

This news comes to us from EW, which reports that Tatiana Maslany's role in Pose is now being "reconceived and rewritten to be a 50-year-old African-American woman." Law & Order: SVU actress Charlayne Woodard will be joining the cast in this role, which was originally going to be a modern dance teacher. While this plot point may be consistent with the new character, the love story between she and Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain) will likely end up scrapped.

Tatiana Maslany's departure is sure to be disappointing for the many TV fans who appreciated her work on Orphan Black. Leading the series, Maslany showed a stunning range as an actress. She played Sarah Manning and her various clones in the series, having to pivot between multiple personalities and their quirks in each episode. With Orphan Black now finished after five seasons, the 32 year actress' schedule seemingly opened up to include Pose, although that's no longer in the cards.

Pose will be set in New York City in the 1980's, and focus on the different types of societies co-existing within the city. This includes the upper class luxury of the Trump-era New York, as well as the downtown art and gay communities.

There will be a great deal of focus on the ballroom scene, an underground modeling competition within the queer community, made famous by the documentary Paris is Burning. Pose will be a groundbreaking series in television history, featuring the largest cast of series regular transgender actors ever. The first season will feature a total of over 50 LBGT characters, which be another new record in TV history.

Overall, this deal cements what a great working relationship producer/director Ryan Murphy has with the folks over at Fox. He's been working with the network since back in his Nip/Tuck days, with shows like Glee, Scream Queens, and newcomer 9-1-1 on the main network. Additionally, FX has been the home of Murphy's anthology series like American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and Feud.

It's currently unclear when Pose will arrive on FX, since the order to series has just been made. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite shows got the chop this year.

As unfortunate as it may be, science fiction usually doesn't get the good breaks on TV that family comedies and cop/hospital dramas do, and there are relatively few examples of series that make it past a couple of seasons before getting canceled. Thankfully, BBC America not only had enough faith in the twisty clone drama Orphan Black to put it on the air in the first place, but the network also listened to the critics and the fans and kept the renewals coming. The last renewal has been handed down now, as Orphan Black will return for Season 5 which will be the seestras final hurrah.

Just like each of its previous seasons, Orphan Black will bring ten episodes to Season 5, and I can't help but think that these could be ten of the most exciting episodes of the entire series, as the series has completely opened its story up once more for Season 4, which has been a big step up from the male clone-driven narrative of Season 3, at least to me. Maybe I'm just greedy for all the Tatiana Maslany performances I can get without having to worry about other clones mucking things up.

No reason was given as to why BBC America decided to set an ending for Orphan Black, though it appears to be a completely amicable situation between the network and the creative team. The drama's best numbers are nowhere near indicative of the show being a ratings hit, even accounting for the lowered curve of cable series, and Season 4 has been the lowest rated season of them all, never reaching more than 300,000 pairs of eyes for live airings. Perhaps there is more happening on the DVR side of things, but BBC America couldn't have been extremely pleased to see the ratings drop like that.

Orphan Black started off with one woman's discovery that she was part of a small "family" of clones, and Sarah's journey over the past four years has put her in company with religious lunatics, evolution-based cults, cops, criminals and everything in between as she attempts to figure her origin story out while also keeping her daughter Kira and foster brother Felix safe. Season 4 changed things up a bit for viewers, kicking off by heading back to the past to uncover the events that preceded what happened in the first episode, and then things took off from there. No reason to get into spoilers here.

Check out the trailer for tonight's episode, the last one of Season 4, below.

Orphan Black will put Season 4 to pasture Thursday, June 16, on BBC America. We can probably expect to see the fifth and final season making its way to audiences in April of 2017, unless things don't go according to the usual plans.

Once you spend years complaining about something, it’s almost hard to accept it whenever changes actually happen. This morning, the nominations were announced for this year’s Emmy awards, and the mainstream waters have parted to allow Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany her first nod for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. I’d almost thought human cloning would become an everyday occurrence before this well-deserved recognition would ever be applied.

For the past three seasons, the Canada-born Maslany has put her acting chops out there as not just one or two Orphan Black characters, but at least ten of them. Card-carrying Clone Club members know her as the rebellious leader Sarah, the dirty-dealing homemaker Alison, the brainy lesbian Cosima, the slightly insane Helena, and the one-eyed Rachel, along with her shorter stints as the trans clone Tony, the sick Jennifer, and the ditzy Krystal. And for the past two years, we missed hearing Maslany’s name – as well as that of Orphan Black itself – whenever the Emmy nominations were announced, blaming all things professional for ignoring the show’s extensive quality. Now things have changed, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

In fact, I’m game to “borrow” everything inside the nearest bank just so I can put together the amount of money needed to recreate this scene in celebration.

Before today, the Emmys were one of the only major awards ceremonies to completely shun Orphan Black and Maslany. The actress was nominated for Best Performance at last year’s Golden Globes, losing to Robin Wright in House of Cards. If we’re being completely realistic, her chances of winning this Emmy aren’t towering, as she’s up against Wright, Empire’s Taraji P. Henson, Homeland’s Claire Danes, Mad Men’s Elizabeth Moss and How to Get Away with Murder’s Viola Davis. Quality everywhere you look.

But maybe Season 3 delivered just the right amount of drama and character development to get the Emmy voters on Maslany’s side. After all, her characters’ troubles this year involved falling in and out of love, in and out of violent confrontations, and in and out of drug dealing life changes, not to mention having to act as if she’d lost part of her brain capabilities after taking a pencil to the eye socket. And only in the rarest instance does it ever feel like Maslany is actually acting opposite herself. She’s just that damned good.

As far as building blocks towards award victories go, “genre programming airing on BBC America” isn’t the most promising descriptor, but things might change now that this shocking achievement finally happened. Maybe for Season 4, Orphan Black will take all the awards home. It’s definitely funny enough to get a comedy nomination.

While some may believe cinema to be far superior to television by default, anyone who's been paying attention to what's happening on the small screen in recent years likely knows that television has raised its game in many respects, including the talent it showcases and good storytelling in general. Patton Oswalt has been paying attention, and the comedian/writer/actor recently went on an epic Twitter rant to express his appreciation for what the small screen has to offer, dropping more than a few titles in the process. Among them, Broad City, Bob's Burgers, Hannibal, Better Call Saul and more...

Uproxx caught wind of Oswalt's excellent TV-themed tirade, which began -- and could have easily ended -- last night with the following statement...

Oswalt may have been watching AMC's Better Call Saul at the time, as he followed this up with some praise for Michael McKean.

And from there, it was a nod to Comedy Central's Broad City...

Followed by love for John Oliver's excellent weekly HBO news series Last Week Tonight...

And then HBO's Togetherness...

And then he jumps around, moving from Comedy Central to some of TV's promising superhero offerings, to basic cable's darker shows, and the back to network TV for more humor...

It's at this point that Oswalt declares TV's current phase as "American cinema in the early 70s"...

He actually apologizes for the "feed-choking" rant after that, but then remembers he has a ton of other great shows lined up and waiting for him in his DVR...

He also shows some love for some kids programming (and True Detective)...

Not to be forgotten is Hannibal...

It's that remark that strikes me as particularly interesting, not only because I'm sure Hannibal fans will appreciate the high praise, but also because it points out what's been staring us in the face for some time now. TV is doing great things. What's more, the lines between the big and small screen seem to be getting a bit blurrier. We have networks like HBO distributing feature-quality films, and Netflix lining up big deals with the likes of Adam Sandler to bring movies directly to the small screen. And then, we have only to look at any of the shows Patton Oswalt listed among his favorites to note that TV has raised its game dramatically, and the medium isn't likely to be done evolving anytime soon.

Beyond loving that Oswalt shared some love for some of TV's best offerings, these tweets are a reminder of why I'm a fan of Oswalt - because he's a fan. Though he's found his own success as an actor, it's evident that he remains an enthusiastic spectator of the arts as well, and he's not above sharing his thoughts on the things that work (and sometimes the things that don't).

And now I'd like to see him show up in every one of the shows he's listed (a couple of which he actually has shown up in, come to think of it).

This has been an awesome year for women on TV with some truly awesome characters, and thankfully, the ladies aren't beholden to any one specific network or even format. From premium cable to network television to basic cable, these ladies are different ages and different nationalities, but all of them kick some serious ass. Give them a problem, they'll solve it. Give them a fight, they won't back down.

Here are 2014's 10 most badass women...

Claire (Outlander)

I feel like anyone who can be trapped in a completely different time period, manage to (mostly) keep their cool, and even start a life in this different era deserves to be on the list of badass women. Claire has taken a scary, crappy situation, and she’s managed to find the good in it. And, of course, by “the good” I mean her sexy Scottish soul mate, Jamie Fraser.

Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)

I’ll be honest. Sansa was not always my favorite character. While I don’t know if I’d necessarily call her a favorite character of mine now, this year Sansa definitely came into her own on Game of Thrones. She has managed to take all of the horrible injustices she’s suffered and now uses them to make herself stronger. I’m sure we’ve all seen the “Sansa Stark Has Entered The Game” memes floating around. They're fitting too because the Stark daughter has finally become a real force that could completely change Game Of Thrones.

Leslie Knope (Parks and Rec)

Leslie Knope is kind of a goofball. She’s a bit awkward at times, she overdoes it on gift-giving occasions, and she probably has a bit of a problem when it comes to waffles. However, Leslie is absolutely amazing. She is one of the most driven women out there, and she manages to be incredibly career-minded while still having a life and meaningful relationships. Leslie is the most loyal, loving friend a person could ever ask for, and she is never too busy to take time to help out or shower crazy amounts of love on a friend. She’s also an awesomely supportive partner to her husband, Ben, and a pretty amazing boss. Sure, she gets overwhelmed at times, but she always manages to remember what is most important, and realize her dreams. Leslie Knope for President.

Melinda May (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Melinda is amazing. She has some killer martial arts skills, a take-no-prisoners attitude, and she’s a pilot. All of this would be amazing in its own right, but since Melinda works for S.H.I.E.L.D., the stakes of her daily life are certainly more elevated than your average 9-5 job. She manages to keep her cool and hold her own in the face of Hydra and other superhuman threats to her, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the earth in general. More than that, she still manages to have (somewhat) of a life in the face of all of that. If that doesn’t make a person badass, I don’t know what does.

Cosima (Orphan Black)

Oh, Cosima. I just want to give her a hug. Cosima is the one clone who has managed to do All of the Things for the Clone Club. She is using her crazy science skills to run tests on herself to learn more about her clone biology and cure whatever is slowly killing her (and several clones before her), she manages to be a crazy supportive sister to the other clones--even Helena, an awesome aunt to Kira, and a supportive girlfriend, all while maintaining her cheery attitude. She’s brave, she’s smart, she’s loving, and to top it all off, girlfriend’s got some killer style.

Missy (Doctor Who)

I don’t know what I liked better about Missy. Her Mary Poppins get up, her sassy attitude, or the fact that she had the entire Whovian fandom guessing for an entire season. Missy was clever, charming, and incredibly cunning. Don’t worry if you’re not caught up on Doctor Who, no spoilers here, but the reveal of Missy’s actual identity just made her that much more awesome to me. I loved seeing her up against Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. The two played brilliantly off of one another. I don’t know if it is possible, but I would love to see a LOT more of Missy in the future.

Abaddon (Supernatural)

So Abaddon maybe isn’t a “good guy”, but you have to admit that she was quite a force to be reckoned with this year. A Knight of Hell, Abaddon managed to infiltrate the Men of Letters and usurp the throne of Hell right from under Crowley’s nose. She gathered an army of demons to keep her role as Queen of Hell, and she did all of this after literally reattaching her head to her body after the boys chopped it off. She was such a force to be reckoned with that she drove Dean Winchester to take on the volatile and dangerous Mark of Cain just so he could slay her.

Sara Lance (Arrow)

Sara has been through a lot. Much like Oliver Queen, she has grown up a ton since Oliver’s father’s yacht was sunk. Sara managed to survive in impossible situations on the island, and she managed to somewhat thrive in her life with the League of Assassins. Okay, so maybe she hated life in the League. However, while she was a part of the League she did learn some amazing fighting skills, and she even found love with the Nyssa al Ghul. When she finally had enough of her life as an assassin, she escaped the League and returned to Starling City to protect the city, ultimately teaming up with Team Arrow. Sara has been tossed tons of curve balls in her day, and she’s suffered greatly. She may have encountered some problems this season, but that won't affect her place in the hearts of fans.

Carol (The Walking Dead)

Carol has changed so much since we met her in the first season of The Walking Dead. Carol has gone from a quivering victim of spousal abuse to the no-nonsense walker killer that literally managed to dismantle an entire camp of baddies by herself. She isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty if it means saving her friends, and she is somehow able to take the immense tragedies that she has suffered since the zombie apocalypse and use them to make her stronger. While Carol has made it very clear that she is done with any form of motherhood, she is still very keen to teach others--even kids--and she makes sure that anyone in her care is as well-equipped as possible for the craziness outside.

Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones)

Brienne gets extra points for being awesome and thriving in a field dominated by dudes. She is a knight who can hold her own, and beat just about anyone who comes against her. More than that, she’s also incredibly loyal. She named her sword Oathkeeper, which is perfect for a woman who takes nothing more seriously than those causes to which she pledges herself. Brienne is the true embodiment of a knight. She is brave, she is strong, and she will give her life to defend a worthy cause. The fact that she continues to hold herself to such high standards when she is consistently faced down by those who doubt and belittle her just gives her extra points.

We finally have a clone-filled trailer for Season 3 of Orphan Black! Check it out below!

I’m going to get a bit spoiler-y here regarding last season, so if you aren’t caught up on Orphan Black, consider yourself warned!

It would seem we still have a ways to go before we hit the April 18 Season 3 premiere, but after the noticeably clone-lacking, premiere date-absent Season 3 teaser trailer, this trailer is practically stuffed with some spine-tingly awesomeness. Seriously, if you didn't get chills down your spine when Sarah said, "this is war," you clearly weren't paying attention. Some other great stuff in the trailer? We got a glimpse at Helena (doesn’t look like things are going too hot for her), we got to see a bit of the male clones from Project Castor, and we also got to see Marian’s young clone-daughter as well.

I have so many questions. The theme of the entire trailer seems to be war, as well as the clones coming together to fight back against those who created them. Of course, a big question I have is what side the Project Castor clones are on. Last season we spent the largest amount of time with Mark, the ex-Prolethean. Mark seems to be fairly stable, and a nice enough guy. However, we also saw the giant ranks of the militarized Castor clones, and that one crazy clone that Marian was keeping locked up in a Dyad prison cell (though I prefer to call him Crazy Eyes Castor Clone, his name is Rudy). Are the Project Castor clones (who, at this point, seem to have much greater numbers than our girls in the Clone Club) going to be on the side of the Project Leda clones, or are they going to be the bad guys this season?

Also, is Rudy a good guy or a bad guy? Marian has him locked up, but we don’t know if we can trust Marian yet. Is he being locked up because he’s nuts and dangerous, or is he just a Dyad captive? Crazy or not, if Helena has taught us anything, being a total nutter doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a bad guy in the story. You might be horribly unhinged, you might eat too much sugar, and you might have a habit of horrifically murdering those who hurt you, but you aren’t necessarily a bad guy.

I’ll be interested to see Rudy, Mark, and the other Castor clones’ place in the story, especially in light of this tense picture released by BBC America:

It looks like Sarah and Rudy are going to have some sort of a face-to-face showdown. I cannot wait to see what Sarah and Rudy have to say to each other. This show is arguably one of the best shows on television, and last season brought us a ton of bombshells like Mrs. S working with Paul, Marian’s young girl clone, and Mark and Gracie with the Proletheans, but I think the introduction of the guy clones was truly a game-changer. The introduction of an entirely new group of clones is going to shake the show to its core, in the best way possible.

For now, we'll have to wait for the season premiere to get our questions answered. Be sure to tune into Orphan Black on BBC America to see what unfolds when Season 3 premiers on April 18.

Whether you needed a good laugh, a good cry, a good scare or a good reminder that your relationships will probably never be as hectic as Hannah and Adam’s, then 2014 TV was here to deliver it for you. (For anyone wanting to see just how far network comedies have fallen, it was a good year for that, too.) This month, the awesome CinemaBlend staff is putting together the lists of the shows we feel have really stood out from the pack in 2014. Everyone’s list is different, so if you don’t see you favorites here, be sure to check back in and take a look at our other TV best of lists that will be hitting the homepage over the next few weeks.

Without further ado, here is Nick’s list of the best shows of 2014. You can also check out Jessica's picks when you’re done.

10. The Missing

Truth be told, I feel like a dick for kicking off a Best Of list with a series that hasn’t even come to completion yet – the final episode airs tonight in the U.K. – but Starz’s mystery drama The Missing is currently enrapturing me as much as anything else did in 2014. Recent years have seen more shows using “missing and/or dead children” as the catalyst, so choosing these series wisely helps to avoid unwanted emotional drainage. James Nesbitt is superb as the emotionally unpredictable father Tony Hughes, who returns to his obsessive optimism that his son Oliver is still alive, several years after the boy first went missing while the family was on vacation. Created by Harry and Jack Williams, the series draws compelling drama out of Tony’s relationship with ex-wife Emily (Frances O’Connor) and the retired-but-invigorated French detective Julien Baptiste. Never revealing all the facts at once, The Missing is solid drama any way you look at it.

9. Sons of Anarchy

The body count alone on Sons of Anarchy over the past seven seasons is enough to start a small country, but it’s the corpses in this final season that mean the most. Jax spends most of his time on the warpath to avenge Tara’s murder, allowing nothing (especially not common sense) to stand in his way. Featuring Marilyn Manson in quite an uncomfortable supporting role, this season was stretched a bit thin with the constantly increasing runtimes and a plotline devoted to Abel “Marblemouth” Teller. But with a couple of series-best episodes and a healthy helping of the insanely vicious SAMCRO mayhem we all know and love, this is a series-capping season that largely managed to live up to my expectations.

8. BoJack Horseman

At first glance, Netflix appeared to be shooting for the Adult Swim crowd with the raunchy animated comedy BoJack Horseman, but this surreal look at a sitcom star-turned-has-been was seriously one of the most well-balanced character studies of any medium in 2014. While the presumably sordid upcoming second season is most certainly welcome, this star-studded first season stands alone as a clockwork-peek into self-obsession, repression, substance abuse, the creative process, identity, nostalgia and a lot more, all told through the prism of Will Arnett’s perma-drunk titular talking horse trying to write his autobiography with the help of a ghostwriter (Alison Brie). Plus, all the animal puns and Paul F. Tompkins that you can handle.

7. Justified

When Justified hangs up its hat and holster next year after its sixth and final season, TV will lose a truly fantastic hero/villain tandem in Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder. There are several reasons why Season 5 could have fallen off the path to greatness – new villains, a new love interest and a fracture in Raylan and Art’s relationship – but it’s impossible for Justified to disappoint. Though the necessity of their presence is arguable, the Crowe clan was definitely memorable for the clownishly backwoods performance from Michael Rapaport, as well as another fine piece of early work for Mud breakout actor Jacob Lofland. Add to that the buddy criminal story between Boyd and Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns) and Raylan’s increasing displeasure with his station in life, and you’ve got yourself another excellent season of this southern-fried neo-western.

6. Silicon Valley

Is it just me, or is the world a more dismal place to be whenever there isn’t a Mike Judge project on TV or in theaters? Along with John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, Judge aimed his satirical laser beam on the tech world with Silicon Valley to much acclaim and nasal laughter. With its first eight episodes, the HBO comedy followd programmer Richard (Thomas Middleditch) and his friends/co-workers attempting to turn their music app Pied Piper into a large-scale success, taking jabs at the ridiculously impulse-driven tech world around them. Anchored by the genius of its cast, including Kumail Nanjiani and late actor Christopher Evan Welch, Silicon Valley utilizes equal parts nerdy bro-humor and venture capital silliness. If you only ever get to see one whiteboard equation devoted entirely to jerking dicks off, make it this one.

Bonus Entry: Too Many Cooks

Not quite a TV show, the imaginatively frightening Adult Swim one-off Too Many Cooks began life in a late-night slot and almost immediately grew into an Internet phenomenon. Created by Casper Kelly, the short cleverly extends a terrible 1980s sitcom theme song soundalike to include an exceedingly large cast, a bearded maniac, the personification of words and much, much more. There’s nothing else quite like it, and I can sleep better at night because of that, inside my closet, where no one can see my character name font.

5. Orphan Black

It seemed impossible for BBC America’s Orphan Black to deliver a second season able to avoid the creative downfall that fuels high-concept series’ sophomore slumps. Well, it happened in full, thanks to an ever-expanding look at the world of the Dyad Institute, a branched-off story for Mrs. S. (Maria Doyle Kennedy), and some insight into just how many clones are actually out there. Tatiana Maslany shines brightly in the million or so roles that she plays here, as does new cast member Michiel Huisman as Sarah’s former lover. And as enjoyable as all of the danger-filled twists and turns were, this season also notably got deeper into the mechanics of identity and ownership (clone-ership), and what these things mean for the future of Clone Club. I’m still hoping for Alison and Donnie (Kristian Bruun) to get their own spinoff.

4. True Detective

A series with an initial airing hampered by social media’s surgical invasiveness, True Detective is much more satisfying when no one is there to tell you what the color of that one picture frame means about a character’s emotional state. In a story that flips back and forth across timelines, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are spotless as two polar opposite detectives trying to track down a killer with a particularly showy style. The case itself isn’t as complex as the themes therein, but True Detective works best as the study of Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, and the bonds that can bind together people who are otherwise unconnected. Regardless of the intent behind creator Nic Pizzolatto’s dialogue-lifting, I thought the writing was largely impeccable, complemented perfectly by director Cary Fukunaga and the stark Louisiana setting. Sometimes it’s nice to be bummed out for a while.

3. Olive Kitteridge

I’m pretty sure if HBO’s miniseries Olive Kitteridge would have been ten episodes instead of four, it would have taken top honors by a mile. Based on Elizabeth Strout’s novel, this dark and intelligently dour drama centers on many characters beyond its hard-nosed titular matriarch, but it’s Frances McDormand’s expertly crafted performance that brings it all together. A stubborn “my way” perfectionist, Olive brings turmoil to her ill-retained marriage to Henry (Richard Jenkins) and quasi-militant relationship with son Chris (John Gallagher Jr.), and earns her reputation as a snooty, no-nonsense woman. But by taking audiences back and forth between different points in her life, and gluing it all together with a potential suicide attempt, Olive Kitteridge truly gives audiences the rhyme and reason behind her ways, filling itself with well-rounded character studies for nearly everyone we spend time with. Even Bill Murray.

2. Transparent

Still in its infancy, Amazon Studios didn’t seem likely to produce an instant classic with the Jill Soloway-created dramedy Transparent, but as the show teaches us very eloquently, you just never know. Featuring Jeffrey Tambor in a career-best performance as an aging father embracing his feminine identity, Transparent is a series about all kinds of transitions and coping mechanisms. Mort/Maura’s emotional journey is center-stage here, but we’re also privy to daughter Sarah’s (Amy Landecker) marriage crumbling beneath her bisexuality, other daughter Ali’s (Gaby Hoffmann) inability to embrace adulthood, and son Josh’s (Jay Duplass) luxury-based ideals impeding his emotional maturation. Neither exploiting nor glorifying its transgender characters (or any of the other people, for that matter), Transparent can revert from hilarity to awkward misery to quaint tenderness, all in a single scene.

1. Veep

Though sadness and empathy are powerful emotions, and ones that many of the previous entries in this list have provided me, I enjoy nothing more than laughing so hard I have to pause a show as not to miss the next seven rapid-fire jokes. And that is what happens every time I sit down to watch the Armando Iannucci-created Veep. For Season 3, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ path towards presidential candidacy as the twitchy-eyed Selina Meyer was decorated with substitute campaign aide Richard (Sam Richardson), sexed-up personal trainer Ray (Christopher Meloni) and a couple of new political opponents. (The addition of Kathy Najimi as Wendy, Mike’s wife, was also a stroke of genius.) The apex of this season, which also saw Jonah hilariously head out on his own for a trashy blog, was the episode “Debate,” which I’d argue is the funniest episode of 2014 TV, and also features the silliest debate I’ve ever seen. It’s the best ensemble cast on TV, the best American political comedy, and features the most professionally adept fuck-bombs you’ll ever hear. Will Season 4 keep Veep in my top slot next year?

Honorable Mentions: House of Cards, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Bob’s Burgers, Game of Thrones, Spoils of Babylon, The Comeback

With the release of this year’s Golden Globes nominations, there were several surprises to be found in all categories. But there were a few names that didn’t make the list – namely Orphan Black and actress Tatiana Maslany – that probably won’t surprise anyone. Why isn’t it more shocking? Because awards shows maddeningly tend to dismiss sci-fi series that aren’t Lost, and that’s a huge problem.

BBC America’s Orphan Black came out of nowhere last year to become a cult phenomenon, based on wicked clever writing, a plotline that TV hasn’t seen before, and gloriously delivered performances from Maslany and her fellow cast. And though the Globes stepped out of the box and nominated her last year for Best Performance in a Drama, Maslany and the show as a whole have been mostly shunned by non-critics-based awards shows, and the only possible reason for it is genre bias.

If we’re being completely frank with one another, I understand that Orphan Black doesn’t immediately seem comparable to prestige-wallowing hits like Game of Thrones and The Good Wife. (Although I can’t figure out for the life of me why Downton Abbey has retained its spot.) I think TV is at a point where the drama race is just too tight, even without Breaking Bad and Mad Men pulling rank. Seeing Orphan Black get nominated would almost be more shocking than seeing it get left out the past two years, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t deserve it. I’ll champion these twists and turns way more than I will House of Cards’ further descent into political soap opera. (I do like that show though.)

But there is NO REASON why Tatiana Maslany should have been ignored this year. Not only has the actress’ performances remained as solid and complex as they were last year, she actually further developed one character, Rachel, while also introducing two new ones, the terminally ill Jennifer and the transgender clone Tony. (The latter was laughable, but still.) And all of her distinctively portrayed main characters are vitally important to the plot itself, so Maslany could feasibly take over the Best Performance category all by her lonesome.

This isn’t to take away from any of the women currently nominated or anything, as I can’t readily call out House of Cards’ Robin Wright or The Affair’s Ruth Wilson as poor choices. But I’d even accept Maslany getting nominated in the Supporting Actress Performance category for her portrayal of the tightly wound Alison, if no one is willing to allow the Sarah role to shine brightest. There are ways to get Maslany involved here, but no one is giving her a clear shot. Except, you know, the SAG awards.

Will Orphan Black and its cast get recognized next year for its increasingly clone-filled Season 3 coming next spring? Probably only if enough people are actually watching the thing. So get on it, America!

If last season of Orphan Black has taught us anything, it is that Mrs. S is certainly not one to be messed with. In case you need convincing of Mrs. S’s total badassery, this latest promo for Orphan Black Season 3 should be all the convincing you need.

If you aren’t caught up on Orphan Black, you might not want to read any further. There will be some spoilers ahead.

Can we all just take a moment to truly appreciate how much of a badass Mrs. S (also known as Siobhan Sadler) truly is? Though Orphan Black obviously centers around the four main clones( Sarah, Cosima, Allison, and Helena, all played by the amazingly perfect Tatiana Maslany), Mrs. S is an integral part of the story. More than that, Sarah wouldn’t be the woman she is if it wasn’t for Mrs. S’s influence.

Sure, Sarah has had some bumps along the road as she grew up, as has Sarah’s foster brother, Felix, but ultimately Mrs. S raised two kids who love one another, are smart, brave, and don’t let weird religious cults or creepy geneticists push them around. What more could a foster mother ask from her foster son and a foster daughter who happens to be the product of some highly illegal genetic experimentation? She has certainly fared better than the other clone foster parent, Duncan (foster dad of pro-clone Rachel). In this face of his own daughter’s evil pro-cloneness, Duncan ended his own life. So big thumbs up to Mrs. S there.

Of course, there are big questions on whether or not Mrs. S is good or bad. She may be a badass, but she is still super sketchy. Season 2 ended with the weapon-friendly matriarch turning Helena over to Paul. As Paul’s men took Helena away, Mrs. S said, “She’ll never forgive me for this,” to which Paul responds, “You did what you had to.” It’s not entirely clear what she “had” to do, but it’s safe to assume it had something to do with maintaining Kira’s safety, as that is often priority one for Mrs. S. Even if she turns out to be a bad guy, you cannot ever doubt her devotion to Kira.

I cannot wait to see what Season 3 holds in store for Mrs. S and the rest of the Clone Club. Last season left us with some pretty giant questions. The biggest question is, of course, what the heck is going on with the male clones (products of Project CASTOR)? We’ve got the militarized male clones, the one guy that the is-she-evil-or-isn’t-she Marian has locked away, and Marian is also raising one of the female clones as her daughter, so that’s weird. Then there's ex-Prolethean Mark, who is now married to Gracie, another ex-Prolethean (who happens to be carrying Helena’s baby...things are messy).

Beyond the Mrs. S and Paul team up, the male clones, and the questions of what exactly is up with the creepy Marian, we’ve also got to worry about poor Cosima. Proclone Rachel destroyed the first vial of Kira’s bone marrow, and though they can harvest another sample, and Cosima was able to crack Duncan’s genetic code, I’m still really concerned for Cosima’s well being, but it will be some time before we figure out how that storyline pans out. Given our favorite surrogate mother is getting her own promo devoted to kicking ass and taking names, you can bet she'll be a major part of Season 3. There is no official release date, but Season 3 of the BBC America drama should hit the schedule in the Spring of 2015.

We’re sadly still quite a few months away from the highly anticipated Season 3 return of BBC America’s Orphan Black, but now we’ve got our very first teaser for the ridiculously exciting clone drama. Check it out below.

I’d apologize to anyone hoping to see the amazing Tatiana Maslany in the teaser, but I didn’t make it. Had I made it, she would have been singing “You Don’t Own Me,” instead of it being the original Lesley Gore version. Also, each one of those dividing cells would have had her face on them, as each one of her fabulous characters.

It’s a wonderfully on-the-nose teaser. “You Don’t Own Me” is an obvious reference to the clones all containing patented DNA strands, and the fight that Cosima and Delphine want to bring to the Dyad Institute. And then of course there are all those cell divisions, calling back not just to the central squad of female clones that we’ve gotten to know so well, but the massive heap of male clones that were revealed at the end of Season 2. We still don’t really have a grasp on how that militant group is going to fit into the story, or how many of them there are, but this teaser makes it seem like a never-ending amount. I’m all for it.

Beyond all the regular cast members, we can definitely expect to find Ari Millen back as Prolethean Mark, the source of all those clones, as well as Michiel Huisman’s Cal and Zoé De Grand Maison’s escaped Prolethean Gracie. Here’s what we’ll get from the expanding saga that is Orphan Black next season, per a BBC America press release.

Production for Orphan Black Season 3 is now in session and is expected to continue until March 2015, which is right around when the series will be returning to BBC America. I don’t know if Donnie can hold on to his shit for that long.

BBC America is cloning another season of Orphan Back! The network made the official announcement at the Television Critics Association press tour today that they've ordered a third season of their excellently thrilling clone-focused drama series. Along with Broadchurch, Orphan Black will return for its new season in 2015.

BBC America's announcement says Season 3 of Oprhan Black will consist of ten episodes, which is the same amount of installments as the previous two seasons. Given the success of the series at BBC America, it's less surprising that they've given it the green light for Season 3 as it is that they waited weeks following the Season 2 finale to make the announcement. Of course, it's the perfect kind of news to break at the TCA press tour, and it comes along with word that they're moving forward with two new drama series, Tatau (from the producers of Being Human) and The Last Kingdom, which is an adaptation of a popular series of novels.

Co-created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, Orphan Black premiered on BBC America in March of 2013 and stars Tatiana Maslany as multiple characters, all of whom are clones, each born to different women in 1984. The story centers mainly around Sarah, a woman who finds herself caught up in a major mystery when she assumes the identity of a suicidal woman who looks strikingly like her. When Sarah discovers she's one of numerous clones, her life collides with a few of them -- primarily the brainy Cossima and uptight suburban soccer mom Alison.

The series' cast is brimming with talent, with Tatiana Maslany delivering multiple fantastic performances as her various characters, and Jordan Gavaris offering a bit of humor and some necessary perspective as Sarah's foster brother Fee. Orphan Black was recognized with a Golden Globe nomination for Tatiana Maslany, and we really wouldn't hate it if her name -- and/or any of the supporting cast, writers, directors producers -- showed up on tomorrow's list of Emmy nominations. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, BBC America tooted Orphan Black's horn in their renewal announcement, noting that the series was the #1 television show on Twitter and Tumblr for the day of premiere and was the #1 ad-supported cable drama on Twitter for the week. The series has had over 750,000 Tumblr notes from almost 140,000 fans during Season 2. While social networking surely counts for a lot in this day and age of television, the ratings count too, and in Orphan Black's case, the series' Season 2 finale earned series highs in Live+8 among total viewers. It's also the first ever ad-supported drama series to double its ratings from Season 1 to Season 2 in A25-54 and 18-49 in Live+7. Hopefully Orphan Black's audience will grow even more between now and Season 3 Being available streaming certainly helps. While it's not on Netflix, the first season is available streaming on Amazon Prime.

My life is ten times more lonely without BBC America’s Orphan Black, which ended its second season on Saturday night, though I can’t tell if it’s just one massive chunk of loneliness or ten types of lonely with different personalities and hairstyles. One of our favorite new shows of 2013, Orphan Black deftly twines genres together like DNA strands, mixing a science fiction concept with a conspiracy thriller and imbuing it with dark comedy, suspense, action and every different kind of a romance you can think of. And holy Tilda Swinton, the shocking twists!

Anyone who thought that Orphan Black might suffer in Season 2 by bringing in more characters and clones was almost undeniably proven wrong by creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson, along with their talented team of writers. They dove deeper into the Dyad Institute and its various employees, and simultaneously upped the ante on the antagonistic religious sect. We learn more about Cosima’s illness, Alison’s marriage and Sarah’s gigantic clusterfuck of a family life, with the stellar Tatiana Maslany pulling off even more astounding transformations than the first time around. And during all that, Orphan Black gave its fans some truly delicious and ridiculous shocks, so we’ve gathered up five of the most memorable reveals. I really hope I don’t have to tell you that there are major spoilers from here on out.

Enjoy this lovely picture of Alison and that numbskull Donnie and head to the next page.

Helena Lives!

If Season 1 had a real downer moment, it was when the wildly random Helena took a bullet and appeared to be killed off of the show. Sure, anyone in their right mind knew that the fan-favorite character would probably make a surprise return in Season 2, but for it to happen in the very first episode was a delight. My pessimism allowed me to assume she would be kept sectioned off from the rest of the plot until she was needed for something big, but she was completely enveloped in everything from the beginning, as the teacher’s pet test subject of the somewhat modernized Prolethean sect.

A Helena-free season of Orphan Black may not be the worst thing in the world, but the show would lose so much charm, humor and madness. Her scenes with Peter Outerbridge’s Henrik Johanssen were filled with bizarre complexities, and few sequences gave me more awkward joy than her bar hookup with Suits star Patrick J. Adams. Her adorably cringe-worthy approach to slow dancing was only beaten out by her violent moves during the season finale’s slumber party dance session. And just so the producers know, Cinema Blend is fully behind a web series that consists of nothing but Helena and Sarah on an oldie-singing road trip. Somehow, the Cosima fake-out death didn't bother me quite as much. I love Helena.

Tony Also Lives!

Fans of actress Tatiana Maslany have made assertions that she could play any kind of character written for her, and the eighth episode “Variable and Full of Perturbation” certainly tested those claims. Viewers were immediately introduced to Tony Sawicki, a post-op transgender clone that basically amounted to “Maslany wearing a mullet wig on her head and pubes on her chin.” The concept of male clones had of course crossed everyone’s minds, but I don’t think this is what anyone was expecting. Tonyyyy!

It’s a shame, too, since Orphan Black is so interesting when it tackles gender issues. But instead of exploring the ins and outs of what it means to be a trans-clone, Tony is used mainly to give Felix (Jordan Gavaris) a chance to live out some strange fantasies by making out with someone who is essentially his non-blood sister. And instead of building upon the muddled "Paul/Beth" connection that Tony has to this plot, he's completely left out of the last two episodes, making me wonder if they should have just waited to introduce him next season when he can be fleshed out as a character. Still, rarely have I “whooped” out as loudly as I did after first seeing that goofy little goatee on Maslany’s face.

Mark, the Male Clone Warrior

Tony’s introduction actually forced me to reconsider the inclusion of a separate strain of male clones showing up this season, but leave it to Orphan Black to try anything and everything. Luckily, this shocker had more layers than just someone looking into a manila folder and then hollering out, “They done made some men clones, too, y’all!” right before the credits. While the whole clone experiment started with females, whose intended barrenness seemingly undercut the use of women in the first place, the male clones were introduced as a military tactic, fitting into a more defined stereotype. I believe the second Star Wars trilogy taught us something about using clones to fight wars.

The twist-within-a-twist here is that we’d been watching one of these male clones all season: Mark Rollins (Ari Millen), the smarmy-looking underling within Henrik’s new Prolethean squad. His main professional goal involved bringing Helena to Henrik for fertilization process, while his personal goal was trying to win the attraction of Gracie, the girl whose mouth was sewn shut. Gracie may possibly be carrying Helena’s clone babies, and I’m not even sure whether or not Mark knows that he’s a clone; suffice to say, their running off to get married makes this one of the wackiest relationships on TV, and will no doubt be a major starting point when Season 3 begins.

Donnie Blew Leekie’s Head Off

One of the most pleasant aspects of Orphan Black’s Season 2 was watching Alison and Donnie’s relationship roller coaster. Though Donnie is largely played for buffoonish laughs, the show swiftly handles the character’s opaque moral values, keeping everyone at bay from his true intentions. That is, until he finally revealed that he has indeed been monitoring Alison since they met, only under the impression that it was this long-lasting social experiment, and he had no prior knowledge of the clones at all. It was admittedly a clumsy and unbelievable admission, but his overall confusion was genuine enough, and it wasn’t too out of the ordinary for him to cross the line and demand answers from Leekie at gunpoint.

It also wasn’t out of the ordinary for this bumbling bastard to accidentally blow the head off of one of the few people who actually know what’s happening in this show. Leekie’s death doesn’t pose a threat to the Dyad storyline, because now Michelle Forbes’ Dr. Marion Bowles can stand in as the morally-wavering science-based baddie. Plus, Orphan Black is rarely as good with character work as it is during Donnie and Alison’s garage burial. Nothing says matrimonial reconnection than having sex on top of a freezer that until recently contained a bagged corpse. Everyone has their own ideas about what actually happened to Leekie, but only two people know the truth.

Kira has a Dad and an Aunt

For all of last season, I kept expecting Orphan Black to rely on some kind of loopy sci-fi logic when revealing the identity of Kira’s father. Never did I expect Cal Morrison (Michiel Huisman), a hunky tech guru whom Sarah used to con and have sex with. She reconnects with him in desperation, but he flows into the story so naturally that it’s nowhere near gut-punch territory when it’s made clear that he is, in fact, Kira’s father. What’s more, he’s comfortable not being told the giant conspiracy, and only wants to keep Sarah and Kira safe. It seems a little too cookie-cutter and drama-free to be just that, but Huisman sells the compassion.

On the opposite end of controversial family members, it’s a big old slice of WTF pie whenever Dr. Bowles brings out her adopted eight-year-old daughter Charlotte, the lone survivor of around 400 attempts to reclone Sarah & Co.’s DNA. She has a disabled leg, but otherwise looks just like the other childhood-era clones that we’ve seen in the show so far. I think the bigger jaw-dropper here isn’t that Charlotte exists, but that there were 399-ish experiments that didn’t work out and had to be disposed of in some way. I wonder if we’ll get to see that massive graveyard in Season 3, or if we find out that the Dyad Institute has a crematorium on site.

Let us know in the comments which Orphan Black scenes shocked you the most, and don't spare the puns.

Sci fi dramas often have it tough in the ratings, especially if they don’t benefit from being on network TV or the channel Syfy. So, when Orphan Black hit BBC America’s schedule a little over a week ago, I don’t think anyone was expecting ratings greatness. However, I do think fans were a little bit disappointed by the paltry numbers for the show’s opening episode. The good news is that Orphan Black actually did pretty well in the ratings once you factor in the horde of people watching the series via DVR.

When Orphan Black’s premiere ratings came in, only 620,000 viewers sat in front of their TVs on Saturday night to watch the critically acclaimed show launch its new season. Like a fine wine, those numbers have become more impressive with age. Recently, BBC America released the three-day figures for the Season 2 opener, noting that the show was able to nearly double its ratings with a few extra days. Additionally, the show increased by a whopping 91% in the coveted 18-49 demographic, which is a pretty impressive feat.

Saturday night is a tough slot for any series, but especially a series that is trying to garner interest from younger viewers, who still spend plenty of time out and about. Clearly it seems that audiences are digging the clone-oriented drama, just maybe not while they are out to dinner or bar hopping. BBC America seems to want to own Saturday nights, but maybe if the show switched to a more reasonable TV-viewing night, it could do better during its live airing.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Orphan Black happens to be BBC America’s second-highest ranked program, following the network’s airings of the program Doctor Who. Last year, the series had the British import as a lead-in, which made it much easier to garner ratings. Sure, the Season 1 premiere of Orphan Black did do better than this year’s by a margin of about 50,000 viewers, but without the popular lead-in, it’s nice to see the female-powered drama still manage to pack a ratings punch.

At some point, BBC America is going to come to a fork in the road, and executives will need to decide whether they’re fine with the program achieving very impressive DVR numbers and whether they will want to move it to a more competitive timeslot to see if more live eyeballs can be found. For a cable network, there’s not just one game in play. Sure, advertisers might be the most obvious way money is generated, and advertisers greatly prefer when audiences watch something live and can’t fast forward, but beyond that, it’s also important for a network like BBC America to have certified hits so they can demand more money per user from cable companies. So, very good DVR numbers are more profitable (long-term) than you would think.

Regardless, Orphan Black almost certainly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and that’s a huge victory for the fans.

We're now past the one-month mark in the countdown to the return of BBC America's Orphan Black. Some artsy new posters for Season 2 have made their way online and they show off Tatiana Maslany in her various characters. The one above is Sarah, and the one below reveals the (partial) face of new character Rachel:

The profile is the same in each poster, but the faces are different, which is a nice nod to the DNA similarities of each member of the "Clone Club" while also recognizing how different each version is. The tagline "One. Of a Kind" is another great nod to that. You can check out the posters for Alison and Cosima over at TVLine.

Orphan Black comes from Graem Manson and John Fawcett and centers mainly on Sarah (Maslany), a woman who comes face to face with another woman who looks just like her and decides to assume her identity when the woman kills herself. From there, Sarah's thrust into a mysterious but dangerous world involving cloning. The first season has her befriending two other clones -- Alison and Cosima -- one of whom is a housewife while the other is a scientist. The plot continues to thicken throughout the first season as these three identical (in appearance anyway) women try to uncover the truth about their existence. (We get into more Season 1 spoilers ahead when we discuss the pictures so consider yourself spoiler warned if you're not caught up!)

BBC America says Season 2 of Orphan Black will hit the ground running with Sarah in a desperate race to find her missing daughter Kira (Skyler Wexler). This leads her to face off with ruthless pro-clone Rachel, whom we met at the end of last season...

Meanwhile, fellow Clones Alison and Cosima have their own problems to deal with as they attempt to recover from the events of Season 1. For Alison, that might involve... a funeral?

I'm actually guessing that's a funeral. Possibly Aynsley, Alison's frenemy, who died "mysteriously" from being choked to death by her garbage disposal. It's a fate Lionel Luther nearly suffered in similar fashion when his necktie met a paper shredder in Gremlins 2:

Except in Ainsley's case, Alison was there to watch her friend slowly suffocate as the disposal tugged at her scarf. My guess is she's playing the grief-stricken friend in that photo, while her husband Donnie pretends as well, for his own motives.

And then there's Cosima and Delphine (Evelyne Brochu), looking cozy...

I'd say it'll be interesting to see where their relationship picks up, but it seems like things are just fine for them there, no? Cosima does seem a little caught off guard by that kiss.

Last, but never least, we have Felix (Jordan Gavaris) and Sarah having what appears to be a wood-set picnic while Sarah looks at a map.

Or they're playing Hunger Games in the woods.

Orphan Black returns Saturday, April 19 at 9:00 p.m. Et on BBC America.

Spoilers in the videos below if you aren't caught up on Orphan Black through Season 1!

Orphan Black returns for its second season on BBC America in about a month. We've already seen quite a few promotional videos for the second season, and the latest serves as a look back on the first season, offering snippets of highlights to refresh fans on everything that took place over the first season's 10-episode run, from Sarah's first introduction to the Clone Club through the mayhem that ensued as she, Alison and Cosima attempt to unravel the mystery that is their existence.

I just got caught up on the first season, which is now available on Amazon Prime. Admittedly, I'd watched the pilot twice since it premiered and couldn't drum up the interest to watch more until recently, but the hype finally sold me on giving the series another chance and sure enough, it's a great show and well worth binge-watching. It just takes an episode or two to warm up. What impressed me most was how I had to remind myself that Tatiana Maslany is actually just one person. Not only is the series edited so well that it's easy to forget that there's more than one of the same human being on screen during many of the scenes, but Maslany's performances are so well crafted and consistent from one character to the next that it genuinely feels like we're looking at a handful of actors instead of just one. She's incredible. But if you watch the show already, you know that.

This is a series that seemed to expand continuously from one episode to the next during its first season. I'll be interested to see how it handles that expansion (including New characters!) as the second season resumes. Orphan Black Season 2 is set to premiere April 19 on BBC America. Here are some of the previously released videos for Season 2.

No cops...

Casima's sick...

Sarah's on the run... and kissing!

It’s been a very busy few days for the folks over at BBC America. The network has made announcements regarding two of its biggest properties in the past 24 hours: a new clone on Orphan Black and a new baddie set to wibble-wobble through time and space on Doctor Who. Our favorite imports are expanding!

First up was the announcement that the Tatiana Maslany-fronted series, Orphan Black would debut a new clone in its upcoming second season. If that sounds weird to you, it shouldn’t. The sci-fi series tells the story of Sarah Manning and the discovery that she — along with several other identical women — are actually clones in an illegal experiment. Maslany plays all of the clones (and if you haven’t seen it, you’re seriously missing out), and will continue to do so with Jennifer Fitzsimmons, a 28-year-old teacher and swim instructor that, like clone Cosima Niehaus, has a very bad respiratory illness.

According to one of the show’s co-creators, Graeme Manson, “Jennifer is a bright-eyed Midwestern pure of heart girl.” But, as other co-creator John Fawcett explains, Jennifer was naïve, “she didn’t know she was a clone, and was being monitored by her boyfriend. She gets sick, and with a kind of the version of the illness that [now-dead clone] Katja had. And of course, a version of the illness that Cosima has. Just that discovery alone is the kind of discovery that shakes Cosima. It really rattles her.” Watch the video below to meet the new clone:

Next up on the announcement tip was the announcement that Keeley Hawes, currently starring in the critically acclaimed BBC police drama Line Of Duty, will play a new villain on Doctor Who’s upcoming eighth season — the first for Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor. This is after the recent announcement that Samuel Anderson would play a new companion named Danny Pink. Ms. Delphox, a powerful out-of-this-world character with a dark secret. (Ominous enough for you?) The Doctor and his companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), come face to face with the mysterious Ms Delphox when they arrive on a strange and puzzling planet. There’s not much to go off of besides that. But we do have a photo!

One thing worth getting excited about is the note that her episode was written by Steve Thompson, who just so happens to have written THE BEST episodes of Who showrunner Steven Moffat’s other popular series, Sherlock.

Of the role, Hawes said: “I am delighted to join Doctor Who and to be working with this incredible team. Ms. Delphox is a great character and someone I’ve had a lot of fun playing.”

Anyone watching Jed Mercurio’s amazing Line Of Duty will know that Keeley Hawes is having one hell of year,” stated Moffat. “And now it’s about to get even better as she achieves the greatest villainy yet attempted on Doctor Who: she plays a banker.”

Orphan Black returns to BBC America on April 19th, while Doctor Who is slated for a late summer/early fall return.

The BBC America series Orphan Black is about to return, and from the looks of things, the show should be better than ever. The breakout series has been heavily promoted by BBC America over the last several months, and with Season 2 looming just over the horizon, we’ve finally gotten a full trailer. If you haven’t watched it yet, you are certainly missing out on a brand new look at our not-so-merry band of clones.

During the minute-long preview, we get brief updates and reminders of where each of the main characters are at the end of Season 1. Kira was missing when the series left off and Cosima was dealing with an illness that left her bleeding at inopportune moments. The latter still seems to be getting some action of a sexual nature in the new trailer. Addtionally, prim and proper soccer mom Alison has turned into a betrayed and therefore hardened criminal—one who might be boozing a little too much in the new season. Additionally, between shots of the show’s main protagonist, Sarah vociferously states that there is only one of her as information about the clone program is revealed.

Sarah’s always been the biggest badass in the series, and the new trailer shows her brooding while walking through the rain and putting a gun to pro-clone Rachel’s head. At one point, the clones seem to be in the middle of a debate when Cosima simply asks Sarah, “What are you going to do, just start shooting people?” Because Sarah is pretty epic, she simply responds with the word, “Yeah.” There’s a reason she is so intense. Her daughter has been missing since the end of last season—just when things began heating up with Rachel. Still, Sarah seems as if she might be getting into plenty of unwanted trouble during Season 2. There’s a shot where it looks like she might be kidnapped and dumped into a car and another where she is pressed against a bathroom wall, startled and holding a knife defensively.

As noted prior, BBC America knows when it has a hit, and the cable network has been heavily promoting its sophomore series via teaser trailers and plenty of news items. So far, we know that the first episode of Season 2 will be called the ““Nature Under Constraint and Vexed,” coming from Sir Francis Bacon’s Plan of The Work. We’ve also seen several other teasers, each showing the war that seems to be brewing between Sarah and Rachel and the status of the clones at the beginning of the season. It’s not a lot to go on, but it’s a lot to get excited about.

Season 2 of Orphan Black is set to hit BBC America’s schedule on April 19 at 9 p.m. ET.

For fans of the breakout BBC America series Orphan Black, the wait for a new season has felt particularly painful, given the world’s recent realization that the series is amazing and Tatiana Maslany is the shit. Every couple of weeks we’re bombarded by a new friend who’s finally taken the plunge into the depths of the Clone Club and come out an avid fan of the sci-fi drama series. And though the series has given us visual hints and clues into the machinations of next season, today we’ve been given some verbal insight into season two, and it comes by the way of Sir Francis Bacon.

And going the canonical text route isn’t a new thing for the series. For those that are unaware, last season’s episode titles were all taken from the evolutionary text On the Origin of Species by none other than Charles Darwin. Now that the origins have been explained — albeit roughly — it’s time to get to work. The Plan of The Work, in fact: the Bacon text from which the season two episodes will get their title dues.

And Huffington Post has reported that the first episode of the upcoming new season’s title will be “Nature Under Constraint and Vexed,” pulled directly from the aforementioned work of Bacon. Published in 1620, Plan of The Work broke down the plans for The Great Instauration, laying out the framework for his own methodology. It is in the third part of the Plan that the phrase is found, in a section dedicated to natural and experimental history. The section reads as follows — and note that when he says “she” he’s referring to nature:

The title makes sense given where we left things off at the end of season one: to say the clones are vexed and under constraints is an understatement: Kira's gone missing, Cosima's sick and perhaps deathly so, and Alison has gone ahead and killed someone with a scarf, all while pro-clone Rachel Duncan is touting some contract as a way to give the women their freedom, which, ha. Obviously, April 19th cannot come soon enough. Hurry up, time!

With each new year comes a new set of TV shows to love or loathe. Between cable, network television and Netflix, which falls into its own budding small screen category, 2013 offered us some spectacular TV entertainment. Our favorite new TV shows of 2013 includes robots, clones, informants, politicians and more.

Here they are in no particular order!

Almost Human

Fox has developed a knack for merging procedural-type shows with a more serialized format, which offer a satisfying conclusion to each episode but also involves larger story arcs that allow us to get more invested with the characters each week. We’ve seen it with shows like House and Bones, and we’re seeing it again with Sleepy Hollow and Almost Human. The latter series edged out the former as my pick for best new TV show of 2013, but not by much. Both dramas feature interesting partnerships -- both of which, incidentally, occasionally offer great car ride banter -- but J.H. Wyman’s Almost Human takes the prize for me, due in part to my adoration of Michael Ealy’s humanoid robot character Dorian, and the budding bromance between him and his human cop partner John Kennex (Karl Urban). I also appreciate how well the futuristic backdrop is used, not only with the robot cops that are patrolling the streets, but also within the nature of the crimes committed and how they’re solved.

We’ve seen plenty of police procedurals before, but Almost Human is a perfect example of the evolution of the format, which demands a little something extra to keep viewers’ interests piqued and imaginations tickled. Almost Human is also a prime example of a sci-fi series that stands a decent chance to succeed on network television, because it's swimming with the current of a trending TV format, which allows the series to be accessible to both sci-fi fanatics and cop drama/procedural fans alike. Each episode is thrilling, engaging and just the right amount of funny. Let’s hope Almost Human continues to deliver when it returns with new episodes Monday, January 8 at 8:00 p.m. on Fox. (By Kelly West)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Awards show recognition isn’t always a true mark of quality (not naming any names, The Big Bang Theory) but Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Best Comedy nomination at the Golden Globes makes its inclusion in a list of the Best New Shows kind of a no brainer. And let’s hope the full season order is just the first of many with (Parks and Recreation’s) Michael Schur and Dan Goor’s new comedy only getting better with each episode. To be fair, B99 has been solid since the premiere (directed by 21 Jump Street’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller) but chemistry amongst the cast and crew is a crucial component for any sitcom’s success and it obviously only improves over time.

Speaking of the cast, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has assembled an incredible group of actors and comedians with Andy Samberg front and center as the goofy yet effective Detective Jake Peralta. While Samberg is solid as the semi-insubordinate lead, it’s the supporting members of the ‘department’ that elevate the cop-comedy to another level. Melissa Fumero, Terry Crews, Joe Lo Truglio, Stephanie Beatriz and Chelsea Peretti are all great in their respective roles (square, sensitive-hulk, schmuck, tough and crazy) with Andre Braugher stealing scenes as the ultimate straight man. Well, except that this stoic African-American police captain is gay. Did I mention the impeccable writing? If you’re not watching, start. Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns with Episode 12, “Pontiac Bandit,” on Tuesday, January 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox. (By Jesse Carp)

The Blacklist

Off-kilter procedurals are quite on trend. Audiences currently love the idea of seeing a bad guy caught in his or her deceit and treachery each week, but they don’t want to see the bad guys caught in the same format that police procedurals have offered for many years. Enter The Blacklist, NBC’s latest foray in the genre, which pairs an emotionally exhausted young FBI agent with a calculating criminal to catch some of the baddest baddies in the world.

The premise is simple, but clever. Fugitive Red Reddington (James Spader) turns himself in to the FBI, enlisting himself as a man the FBI needs to take down dangerous criminals. Under Reddington’s terms, his day-to-day business need not change and he would like to work alongside a young agent named Lizzie Keene (Meghan Boone). Playing the collected criminal seems to come naturally to Spader, who eclipses everyone else anytime he’s onscreen. Still, part of the reason The Blacklist works is because its talented cast and premise gel seamlessly onscreen. More importantly, The Blacklist has grabbed our attention hook, line and sinker, ending each episode on some cliffhanger or another. The Blacklist may in some ways offer a procedural format, but it’s more importantly a thriller, and its like nothing else on TV. (By Jessica Rawden)

The Blacklist returns with new episodes Monday, January 13 at 10:00 p.m. on NBC.

Orphan Black

Considering I already put Masters of Sex on my year-end list, it seemed only fair to highlight my other favorite new show on television: BBC America's Orphan Black. And before you brush past this science fiction series, hear me out. Because I was once like you — I once hated the idea of science fiction, all camp and circumstance — but Orphan Black is different. Half crime drama, half scientific morality play, the intriguing and unique premise of OB follows several identical women (all played by Tatiana Maslany) upon the realization that they're clones in a shady and probably illegal top-secret science project. Coupling crazy science with the social, moral, and biologic ramifications of human clones certainly feels far-fetched in premise, but it's actually not all that far off in reality.

This personal framework punches up the show's emotional quotient by a mile, elevating the stakes in a very human way. By the end of season one, three clones were the focal point of the series: soccer mom Alison Hendrix, science geek Cosima Niehaus, and punk rock rat, Sarah Manning with the promise of others — including pro-clone Rachel Duncan — to appear in season two, Maslany undertakes the Herculean to keep every clone a true individual with brilliance and finesse: you literally forget that it's one actor playing many parts. Each woman is a fully realized and unique individual with her own set of problems, ideas, morals, and desires: made distinct and different by Maslany's cut-up chops. It's the best acting on television today. (By Alicia Lutes)

Orphan Black returns for Season 2 on Saturday, April 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Hannibal

When you think about the fact that Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had to sleep in separate beds in episodes of I Love Lucy in the late 1950s, and that the first episode of Leave It To Beaver was delayed because it required multiple shots of a toilet, you realize how far television has come in terms of what’s actually allowed to be on the air. Primetime programming is now regularly filled with all variations of sex, violence and bad language – albeit still within limits. Cable shows have always had a bit more freedom in this respect, being a subscription service, but network is starting to catch up. It’s for that reason that Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal deserves to be celebrated, not just for pushing boundaries, but for doing so in bold and intensely effective ways.

I admit that I didn’t catch the series as it first aired. Instead, I chose to marathon the entire first season this past October to get into the Halloween spirit. And I can’t even begin to tell you about the nightmares I had as a result. The show is a stunning mix of psychological horror and both implied and graphic violence that is paired with thrilling and scary drama and backed by some truly phenomenal performances. The last episode ended on a delicious cliffhanger and I am hungry for the show’s return (February 28 at 10:00 p.m. on NBC). (By Eric Eisenberg)

House of Cards

American television has always been a step behind the Brits when it comes to successfully taking the piss out of our politicians, and the streaming goliath Netflix looked to the BBC’s past for its first foray into dramatic original programming, the exceedingly drama-filled world of House of Cards. Against all odds, Netflix simultaneously unleashed all 13 episodes of its dark vision of Congressional politics, and gained millions of new subscribers in the process. Led by the droll and devious antics of Democratic House Majority Whip Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), the Emmy-nominated House of Cards delves deep into the inner workings of the seemingly impenetrable machine that is “getting shit done in Washington D.C.” And it’s a truly scary vision, filled with sex-for-power, morals flimsier than wet spaghetti, and characters whose backs have no room left for stabbing.

Frank’s bloodthirsty revenge on the system that screwed him out of a Secretary of State position is led by Spacey’s magnificent performance, and is backed by a wealth of supporting characters, including his equally self-serving wife Claire (Robin Wright), his young journalist go-between Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), and the drunken patsy Peter Russo (Corey Stoll). No one wants to believe that these are the people running the people that are running the country, but it makes for abundantly provocative TV viewing, with all the text message reading one could hope for from a series.

Orange is the New Black was a good, if too loosely plotted original series, but House of Cards is the densely dramatic web that Netflix can stick its hat in at the end of the day. Plus, it features one of the greatest lines of 2013, in restaurant owner Freddy’s (Reg E. Cathey) wise words: “But you know that’s why God gave us reflexes, so we can move the fuck out of the way when a fridge come out of nowhere.” (By Nick Venable)

House of Cards Season 2 debuts February 14, 2014.

Da Vinci’s Demons

Da Vinci’s Demons is a weird show that vaguely plays within historical timelines and with real historical figures but frequently takes license to amend and abridge for the sake of entertainment value. It offers viewers a pompous and selfish main character who is extremely difficult to root for. It has an odd obsession with birds, and despite is willingness to get sexual and violent, it’s probably a little too science and invention-driven to ever draw a large audience. It’s just an odd duck, but for those willing to walk out on a ledge and fixate on the mind of a virtuoso, there’s a canvas of joy and insight to be found here.

Like Sherlock, Da Vinci’s Demons spends much of its time fixating on how its hero’s mind works. It releases birds into the wild in slow motion as a way of conveying the angles he’s seeing. It leaves viewers completely in the dark as to how Da Vinci will solve problems of imminent importance, and it turns up the volume for dozens and dozens of strategy sessions that plot with the best of ‘em.

Leonardo Da Vinci was a true original with a wide variety of interests and a brain that rivals the smartest who ever lived. It only makes sense his show would be scatter-brained, chaotic and ultimately, really, really good. (By Mack Rawden)

Da Vinci’s Demons Season 2 is expected to air on Starz this Spring.

Check out our other 2013 Top TV lists here!

There’s a new teaser out for the second season of BBC America’s breakout hit, Orphan Black, though one would be hard-pressed to suss out any sort of clues from it. The Tatiana Maslany-fronted series about a set of human clones has had a rapid ascension up the Buzz Ladder, making it one of the most anticipated returning series of the year.

The swirling face-in-a-test-tube image from the teaser is accompanied by a few simple lines spoken simultaneously by all of the clones: “I’m part of a sisterhood like no other. A piece of a puzzle I can barely comprehend. My life is someone else’s experiment. My name is … and I’m one of a kind.” So many vague things, so little time; what to do, what to do? And more importantly: what will it all mean regarding the fates of the clones we've come to know and love thus far?

In the new, word-heavy clip, the many faces of Maslany are seen briefly and heard quite clearly: they’re a bunch of self-aware little snowflakes this season, and they’re not going down without a fight. No doubt the pressure is on — amplified by that teeny, tiny little Golden Globe nomination the actress scooped up earlier this month.

And it’s not just about Cosima Niehaus, Alison Hendrix, or Sarah Manning anymore. Making another appearance in season two propaganda (a previously released photo also featured her) is Rachel Duncan, the pro-clone who was raised aware of the details of how her existence came to be, leading us to assume we’re to see — and hear — a lot more of the latest clone in season two. Do you really need any more reasons to be excited about this show?

We may have to wait until Saturday, April 19, 2014 to get our answers, but at least we know promotional materials won’t be in short supply — thanks to your veracity, Clone Club. Just think: if they’re already giving us this much this early, imagine what’s in store as we inch closer to April. The hardest part is always the patience, young squirrel.

If you’re a fan of BBC America’s original series Orphan Black, the wait for season two has felt like an especially torturous one. Because while you were summer vacationing, the rest of the world got hip to the show’s radacity and cranked anticipation levels up to eleven. Perhaps it’s because the wonderful way that the sci-fi-ish series tells the story of a series of genetic clones (all played in by the so-good-it’s-stupid Tatiana Maslany, whom you may know from a guest-starring stint on Parks and Recreation) through discussions of the many issues and struggles of our modern world: autonomy, control, nature versus nurture, evolution, and family. Regardless, we're buzzing with anticipation for what's to come.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the show's creators and executive producers, John Fawcett and Graeme Manson, we’re given the first glimpse into what’s in store for our clones. And it seems as though a war’s a-brewin’. Specifically between pro-clone, neolutionist-raised Rachel Duncan, and protagonist clone-with-an-attitude Sarah Manning, given that whole gun-in-the-face aspect of the image above. You're damn right Sarah Manning's on top of things!

But there is a ton more to get excited about, and we’ve broken down the biggest takeaways from the interview, below.

1.) The (Self-Directed?) Evolution of Rachel Duncan

With the loss of fan-favorite, the angriest little feral clone that ever was Helena, there’s room for more Maslany clone-acting, and we will see that in the unfolding history of Rachel Duncan. Explained Manson, the series has “Right off the bat we’ve really hit the ground running. … As for Rachel, we did leave last season knowing that Rachel was a child of Neolution, therefore much connected to the origins of the experiment. So I think Rachel is going to help to open a window for us and we ’re going to begin to understand a lot more about the conspiracy.”

“I think you could probably tell from the end of season one that Rachel’s got a little bit of heavy to her,” added Fawcett. “And I think what’s interesting to us is that we’re having fun creating a new character this season who isn’t just a heavy. There’s other aspects to her. And that’s been a really fun developing a new girl.”

But it's not just a one — or even two — dimensional thing, “No one is just who they seem on Orphan Black. That’s the most important thing,” stated Manson. “Maybe things get set up as kind of a cliché or as one thing, but we’re always trying to bend it and find the layers to keep it fresh and original.”

Still, there's one thing for certain: homegirl is a baddie. With a twist? “Even as a villain, Rachel is going to hold a lot of surprises for us. She’s been a really fun nemesis for Sarah,” stated Fawcett.

2.) Rachel and Sarah Will Be at Odds

No surprise there, eh? Especially considering how things ended — Rachel Duncan does not seem like one to take “no” for an answer and Sarah Manning certainly doesn’t answer to anyone. Turns out you won’t have to wait long to see the tension mount between these two. “Our launching framework for season 2 is really the war between Sarah and Rachel,” explained Fawcett.

3.) Yes, Cosima is Still Sick

Fans were heartbroken to see that the scientifically minded Cosima Niehaus was very ill at the end of season one, finally admitting the fact to monitor-turned-lover-turned-confidant, Delphine. And apparently there’s much more to come from that storyline than merely a prognosis.

“One of the big things we’re going to have to deal with in season 2, which is finding its own twists and turns, is Cosima’s illness,” said Fawcett. “And that is a very pressing bit of drama that is not just straight ahead. It’s got a lot of mystery to it. It’s got a lot of twists and turns to it and it is thematically a big part of season 2 also.

It’s not just biology that comes into play, though: there’s mystery afoot, as well, as explained by Manson: “It’s a genetic mystery. It’s a genetic biological mystery and it feeds into some of our body horror and it feeds into our science mystery.” (Personally I think it's going to involve Kira and her seemingly magical immune system/body, because how is it possible that girl could've survived that car accident?)

4.) There Will Be More Clones

Of course the biggest question on everyone’s mind is: will we see more clones? The show lives and dies on the very talented, extremely hard-working shoulders of its star, Maslany, and half of the excitement of the show comes from seeing her embody and define these fully realized characters that are, at the same time, different and unique from one another, despite initial physical similarities. So, will we be getting more clones from around the world? Hell to the yes. “I think of course it’s safe to assume that. We are really excited about doing that."

But don't expect them to come easy. "We want to do it in a way that is unexpected. We want to do it at a time that’s unexpected. But it is obviously something that we talk about a lot. And it’s part of the fun of making Orphan Black and making a show about clones is that we can be having those discussions. We have some surprises in store.

Needless to say, the mystery and excitement of the upcoming season is just about the only thing keeping us sated as we wait the long, cold, cruel months before season two hits our screens. Hurry back — we can’t wait much longer for Felix and Alison’s buddy-comedy work. Or Cosima’s geeky tirades. Or Sarah’s angry determination. Or pretty much anything that has to do with our beloved Clone Club.

Orphan Black returns to BBC America on April 19, 2014.

If you were watching the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special The Day of the Doctor this past weekend, there’s a good chance you saw BBC America’s announcement of the second season premiere of Orphan Black. If not, go ahead and watch it above in all its teasy glory. While the video shows us no actual footage from the new season of the sci-fi series, it does offer a date. Orphan Black will be back for Season 2 on Saturday, April 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Orphan Black stars Tatiana Maslany as multiple clones all born during the same year to different women. The first season introduces us to Sarah Manning, one of the clones who doesn’t realize there are other versions of herself until she assumes the identity of one of them on a whim when she witnesses the woman throw herself in front of a train. Seeing the opportunity to start over, Sarah takes the girl’s identity and a lot of the drama along with it. The second season is currently shooting on location and in studio in Toronto and production will be ongoing through February 2014, so it may be a bit too early for BBC America to have any finished footage to show us. In the meantime, the in addition to the date, the teaser above did include these numbers:

324b21 is the tag number for Cosima Niehaus, one of the clones who befriends Sarah in the first season.

Any guesses as to why her tag is singled out in the teaser? Admittedly, I’m behind on Season 1, so it’s hard to speculate, but the number is about the only thing the teaser gives us to work with beyond the date. Is it just there for effect, or will Season 2 be centered around Cosima? Feel free to toss some guesses into the comment section if you're a fan of the show!

In the meantime, hopefully BBC America makes the first season available streaming either on Netflix, Amazon Prime or On Demand. I was originally watching it On Demand (via Verizon), but it looks like they took it down for now, which puts me out of luck unless they put it back between now and April. The other option would be to purchase the first season via Amazon Instant Video, DVD or iTunes.

Tatiana Maslany may have multiple characters in her BBC America series Orphan Black, but she'll have just one in Parks and Recreation. We're assuming, anyway. Details on Maslany's character are pretty slim right now, but we do know that she's set to play the love interest to one of Pawnee's best dressed citizens. If that doesn't clue you in, you haven't been watching enough Parks and Recreation! Get on that.

THR posted the news, stating that Maslany has booked a two-episode arc on Parks and Rec, playing a live interest for Azis Ansari's Tom Haverford. Beyond that, details about her role are being kept under wraps. Given how beautiful she is, it's not hard to see how she might catch Tom's eye, but it'll still be interesting to see how she fits into the show and what becomes of the relationship, which we can assume is short-lived, if it ever even takes off at all. Maybe she's just a girl he falls for and pursues. We can only guess until her episodes air. She's set to appear in episodes 5 and 6 of the upcoming sixth season, so we won't have to wait very long to see her.

THR notes that this is the most high-profile comedic role for Maslany, who's making a name for herself on the American-Canadian series Orphan Black, which is a sci-fi drama. But the actor apparently has some training in comedy and improv, which may serve her well in this role. Her other credits include The Vow, Diary of the Dead and the TV miniseries World Without End.

There've been a number of exciting guest star updates for Parks and Recreation, which is headed into its sixth season and also happens to be the only comedy returning to NBC's Thursday night line-up (new series The Michael J. Fox Show, Sean Saves the World and Welcome to the Family will fill the other three 30-minute spots). Among those set to guest star on Parks & Rec, in addition to Maslany, are Kristen Bell and Henry Winkler, as well as Heidi Kium, Sam Elliott and Lucy Lawless, the latter of whom will presumably return to her role as Ron Swanson's girlfriend Diane. We also have the departure of Ann and Chris to anticipate, as stars Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe prepare to depart the series partway through Season 6. There are big things ahead and big guest stars, Maslany included!

Parks and Recreation returns Thursday, September 26.If you haven't seen Orphan Black, last I checked it was available on BBC America's OnDemand. The series has been renewed for a second season, which is expected to air Spring 2014.

We're close enough to Comic-Con that those of us planning to attend are likely getting anxious awaiting the finalized schedule of panels and events set to take place at SDCC this year. In the meantime, networks and studios continue to make individual announcements for panels to be featured. Among the recent announcements are BBC America's Orphan Black, History's Vikings, A&E's Bates Motel and Yahoo!'s comedy Ghost Ghirls.

TVLine announced the news about Orphan Black this week, stating that the series will be featured in a panel at SDCC on Friday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 7AB. star Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris and Dylan Bruce will be in attendance, along with series co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, who will participate in an hour-long Q&A and discussion about the thriller's first season. As to what fans might see from Season 2, as TVLine points out, the series doesn't resume production for a couple of months, so it might be too much to hope for some new footage, but fans might get some clues about what's ahead. An autograph signing is scheduled for Saturday, July 20 at 4:30 p.m. at the BBC America booth.

Next up, we have Bates Motel, which checks in for a panel at Comic-Con on Saturday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m. Set to be in attendance are the Bates themselves, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, as well as Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke and Nestor Carbonell. Executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin will join them on the panel to talk about the drama and hopefully what's ahead in the series' second season. There's no confirmation on where the panel will take place yet.

And then there's Vikings. History has a few things planned for their scripted series, which is making its Comic-Con debut this year. In addition to a panel, History is featuring a "Vikings Interactive Waterway" experience, which will offer a keepsake photo and an opportunity for fans to race miniature Vikings. As for the panel, stars Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen, Gustaf Skarsgard, George Blagden and Jessalyn Gilsig will be there, along with writer/creator Michael Hirst and History's Dirk Hoogstra. More details below:

History also has the first-ever VIkings comic book to unveil. It's written by series creator/writer Michael Hirst and will be given out to select fans attending the Vikings events. Check out the cover below!

And finally, there's Yahoo!'s Comedy series Ghost Ghirls. Yahoo! and Shine America promise the "ultimate paranormal experience" at SDCC this year. Jack Black will be returning to Comic-Con for the first time since 2005 for the panel for Ghost Ghirls, a comedy webseries that's coming to Yahoo! this fall and guest-stars Black. The series will follow the antics of two best friends, Heidi (Amanda Lund) and Angelica (Maria Blasucci), who work as paranormal investigators. Created by Jeremy Konner (Drunk History), each episode will focus on their misadventures as they try to solve otherworldly cases. That is, if they can manage to do that without getting in their own way. In addition to Black, the series will feature cameos by celebrities like Dave Grohl, Val Kilmer, Jack Johnson, Molly Shannon and Chason Schwartzman.

Here's the information for the panel, which will take place on Thursday, July 18.

BBC America’s Orphan Black has been bringing in decent numbers for the cable network, pulling in roughly a million total viewers when counting Live+ numbers. That may not seem like a ton of viewers when compared to other networks, but for a branch of the BBC with a fledgling original programming schedule, BBC America doesn’t see those numbers as half bad. In fact, the network has just announced its second original series, Orphan Black, has been renewed for Season 2.

I’m generally rooting for BBC America’s programming and Orphan Black has been an interesting, although not particularly well-produced, program. If you haven’t been following the series, it stars Tatiana Masley as a street smart young woman who, through an unusual set of circumstances, takes over the identity of a woman who looks exactly like her. As she assumes her new identity she becomes embroiled in a larger mystery that revolves around a set of clones. The premise has a lot going for it and the acting, thus far, has been interesting, with Masley playing a variety of characters throughout the series.

According to Deadline, Orphan Black will return for Season 2 in 2014. The program has earned a 10-episode renewal order at the network. BBC America has another original program, Copper, which was also renewed for 13 Season 2 episodes in the fall. Unlike Copper, Orphan Black is still airing new episodes as part of the network’s Supernatural Saturday lineup. New episodes air Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET, with the Season 1 finale set for June 1.

In addition to the return of Doctor Who, BBC America watchers also have the debut of Orphan Black to look forward to. The thriller is set to premiere next week, and above is the first three minutes, which give us a very brief but jarring introduction to Tatiana Maslany's Sarah, an outsider who's said to be living on the fringes and surviving by her wits as an English orphan.

As the first three minutes of the series - which come courtesy of EW - indicate, Sarah's dealing with her own problems when she comes face to face with a woman who looks exactly like herself. And after sparing her shoes from total distruction, this mysterious twin throws herself in front of a train, leaving Sarah to quickly snatch up her identity amidst the chaos. Or that's what we're left to assume as the clip cuts off, and it certainly would fit in with the whole "living by her wits" thing. While other people panic, she's the kind of gal who grabs the shoes and purse and takes off.

As you might surmise, there's more to this story than merely a case of borrowed (inherited?) identity. Taking over this stranger's life, which includes her boyfriend and her bank account, leads the character into a huge mystery that involves cloning. Sarah's problems may get even more complicated. We'll have to wait and see how the story unfolds when Orphan Black debuts Saturday, March 30 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on BBC America.

Orphan Black has been gearing up to air on BBC America for a while now. The new science fiction-based program signed on Tatiana Maslany as a woman who takes on the identity of another woman who looks just like her, as well as Maria Doyle Kennedy, Dylan Bruce, and Jordan Gavaris, getting production for the series underway in October. Now, BBC America has announced a release date of March 30 for the new series and has also put out the very first teaser trailer, which takes a look at Sarah and some cloned variations of her.

As the trailer shows, clones will be a predominant part of the series, and should fit pretty well into BBC America’s Supernatural Saturday lineup, which also boasts the sci fi program Doctor Who. In the trailer we get to see the many faces of Sarah, the aforementioned woman who takes on a new identity, only to unravel a cloning mystery that will have larger ramifications. The short teaser is thrilling and a little frightening, with many versions of the same clone asking questions, leaving us with the note, “When did I become us?”

Executive producer David Fortier recently spoke out about the project, stating he has been excited to create a project that touches on self-identity. If the strange mystery and thriller sound up your alley, you’ll be able to catch Orphan Black when it premieres on BBC America beginning on March 30 at 9 p.m. ET.

Today, BBC America announced the start of production for their new original series Orphan Black. They've also made a number of casting additions to the project, which stars Tatiana Maslany as a woman who assumes the identity of a woman who commits suicide, and who happens to look just like her.

BBC America made the announcement about the start of production for Orphan Black, stating that shooting will take place on location and in studio in Toronto, Ontario through February 2013. They added that Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Tudors, Downton Abbey), Dylan Bruce (As the World Turns, The Bay), and Jordan Gavaris (Degrassi, Unnatural History) have joined Tatiana Maslany among the cast. Also set to star are Kevin Hanchard, Michael Mando, Elizabeth Saunders and Ron Lea.

Is there some kind of conspiracy or big secret set to be unraveled here? From the mentioned premise, it sounds like a mystery and thriller combined, with a bit of sci-fi worked in as well when factoring in the cloning. The sci-fi element may help Orphan Black fit in well at BBC America, which also airs Doctor Who. There's also the topic of "self-identity," which is mentioned by executive producer David Fortier…

Also executive producing Orphan Black are Ivan Schneeberg, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett. Manson and Fawcett co-created the series, which is set to premiere in early 2013 as part of BBC America's Supernatural Saturday.

A couple of weeks ago, Canadian Bell Media’s SPACE announced it was picking up Orphan Black, a new science fiction series with a unique premise. The upcoming show is set to follow, Sarah, an urban orphan with skills on the streets. After taking over a stranger’s identity, Sarah is confronted with a strange and convoluted mystery involving assassins and clones. The good news? John Fawcett of Spartacus fame is behind the production, along with Flashpoint’s Graeme Manson. The bad news? Orphan Black seemed to be headed to Canada only, which does not help those of us who live elsewhere.

Now, the show has garnered enough interest to head to other places in the world. According to Deadline, BBC Worldwide has also picked up Orphan Black, with the intent to distribute elsewhere in the world. In the States, BBC America will pick up the production, adding the upcoming show to the network’s Supernatural Saturdays block. 10 episodes of the show are being created for Season 1.

Executive producers Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier are already calling this one “must-watch television,” but since clones and assassins are not exactly original premises, I’m a little hesitant to expect that much out of the new show. Since there is a shortage of legitimate sci-fi on television (at least the kind that airs for more than one season), I will be willing to give this one a go, provided it finds a niche around episodes of Doctor Who.