Orphan Black is a Canadian science-fiction thriller television series created by screenwriter Graeme Manson and director John Fawcett and starring Tatiana Maslany.

[10] Orphan Black developed a loyal online fan base across social media platforms who identify as #CloneClub,[11] a reference to those who are in-the-know in the story.

[13] The series begins with Sarah Manning, a con artist of British origin residing in Toronto, witnessing the suicide of a woman, Beth Childs, who appears to be her doppelgänger.

Additional clones gradually emerge in the second season, including Jennifer, who died from the same respiratory illness that affected Katja and Cosima.

In addition to the identification code is the text "THIS ORGANISM AND DERIVATIVE GENETIC MATERIAL IS RESTRICTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" followed by a series of patent numbers.

Sarah also discovered that Henrik Johanssen attempted to create a Castor clone from a stolen genetic sample but failed, resulting in the death of the infant Abel.

In the third episode of season 3, it is revealed that the original samples for Projects Castor and Leda were brother and sister, making all the clones genetic siblings.

A single woman, Kendall Malone, biological mother to Siobhan Sadler, is in fact the original of both clone lines by virtue of being a human chimera.

who wears a sheep mask is later confirmed as Veera Suominen;[22] it is revealed that she is set on exacting revenge on Ferdinand Chevalier for the murder of her sister clone and only friend, Niki Lintula.

[24] Bell Media announced on June 12, 2012, that they had commissioned a 10-episode season of Orphan Black that would be produced by Temple Street Productions and distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide.

[25] The show is executive produced by writer Graeme Manson, director John Fawcett, and Temple Street co-presidents Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier.

[35] In March 2014, BBC Worldwide North America signed a deal with Amazon.com for exclusive streaming rights to the series on Amazon Prime Instant Video.

[40] In November 2014, several new cast members for season 3 were announced, including James Frain as Ferdinand, a ruthless "cleaner"; Ksenia Solo as Shay, a holistic healer; Kyra Harper as Dr. Coady, a military doctor; Earl Pastko as Bulldog, Ferdinand's bodyguard; and Justin Chatwin as Jason Kellerman, a drug dealer.

Westmorland; Elyse Levesque as Detective Engers, a dirty cop associated with Neolution; Simu Liu as Mr. Mitchell, Kira's teacher; Andrew Moodie as Mr. Frontenac, Rachel's mysterious new consultant; and Jenessa Grant as Mud, an eclectic islander.

In postproduction, Alexandre and the tennis balls are replaced with the images of Maslany from the alternate shots, thereby allowing for more action in scenes where she interacts with herself.

[48][49][50] In the season 2 finale, when a dance party scene called for the presence of four different clones, two days of shooting and several additional body doubles were used to create the effect, and postproduction work from Geoff Scott and his team at Intelligent Creatures VFX is rumored to have taken hundreds of hours to complete.

Herter works with the writers to ensure the plausibility of cloning and other scientific aspects of the series, as well as the complexity of philosophical and ethical concerns the show raises.

[54] Makeup artist Stephen Lynch, hair stylist Sandy Sokolowski, and wardrobe department head Debra Hanson are instrumental in creating the visual differences necessary to distinguish each clone, often using these to develop the characters' personalities before any lines of dialogue are written for them.

Fawcett, however, saw this directive as an advantage, as it allowed for an easy differentiation of Sarah from the other clones and a broadening of the geographical scope of the show's plot.

The site's consensus reads: "Orphan Black is a wild science fiction ride that incorporates dramatic sensibilities which can turn from suspenseful to light at a moment's notice.

The critical consensus reads: "Anchored by Tatiana Maslany's brilliant multi-role performance, Orphan Black is as densely-layered, thought-provoking, and wildly entertaining as ever.

"[70] Mary McNamara of The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Beneath the twists and turns ... lie the even more basic theme of revelation: How would you react if you discovered that what you had come to know as your life was based on misinformation.

The critical consensus reads: "Season three of Orphan Black lures viewers into an expanded series mythology while continuing to highlight Tatiana Maslany's multiple standout performances.

The critical consensus reads: "Orphan Black makes a 180-degree return to its roots with an experimental fourth season that delves deeper into the show's strange, innovative premise.

The critical consensus reads: "Orphan Black's final season solidifies its standing as a classic science fiction television show – and offers yet another persuasive showcase for Tatiana Maslany's dramatic prowess.

[97][98] In Canada, the series originally aired on Space,[3] and made its broadcast network television debut on CTV on August 16, 2013.

[106] In June 2019, a 10-episode audio series titled Orphan Black: The Next Chapter was announced, with Tatiana Maslany reprising her role as the Project Leda clones.

[109] A Japanese remake of the show, Orphan Black – 7 Genes, launched December 2, 2017, on Fuji Television, starring South Korean actress and singer Kang Ji-young as Sara Aoyama, a broke and desperate single mother who witnesses the shocking suicide of a woman who looks just like her.

[110] In March 2019, it was reported that a new series set in the Orphan Black universe was in early development stages at AMC, to be produced by Temple Street Productions.

[111] In February 2022, it was announced that Anna Fishko would be the writer of the show and that the series would follow a new story set in the same world as Orphan Black.