S02.E05: Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Rachel goes on the warpath, lashing out at Sarah's nearest and dearest. While she tries to keep her loved ones safe, an unexpected visitor threatens to derail Sarah's plans.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

[OriginalCyn]

Paul?  Is the dickiest dick who ever dicked.

[Seelouis]

I think I said "oh my god" fifty times. I was actually rooting for Helena to shoot Rachel. And because it cannot be said enough All. The. Awards.

[Ceeg]

Ugh Paul. My Paul hate really ramped up this episode.

 

That scene between Helena and Sarah though. Man. So good. I still feel like the show has been lacking in the clone scenes this season, and that's when the show is the strongest. But up to this point, the Helena/Sarah stuff has been really quality.

 

Also Sarah's reaction to hearing Cosima is sick. I just need all the clones to get together. Throw a party at Felix's loft. Paul and Rachel are not invited though.

[maraleia]

I know @Ceeg after seeing the scene between Sarah and Helena I want all the clones (except for Rachel), Felix and Delphine to have a summit at Felix's loft. I have no idea how they would pull that off logistically but I still want to see it happen.

Glad to see that Art is on the Clone team and is being very helpful.

I hate Paul with the passion of a thousand burning suns.

One thing that is missing this season is sexytimes between Cosima and Delphine and my Clonesbian self is aching to have that back in my life.

[Enigma X]

Although I am not a fan of Paul's actions, I don't think he is doing it for shits and giggles. I am not ready to abandon him just yet.

 

I was rooting for Helena to shoot Rachel. I also felt some sympathy for the red-headed kid.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Did not like what they did to Grace, and then the threat that if she didn't comply and help them recapture Helena that Grace would end up carrying the child. And it turns out that her mother is almost as bad as her father with regards to the cultish behavior.  That story thread is not going to end well.

 

I was hoping that Helena was going to go for a two-fer with that sniper rifle and kill them both with one shot -- since Rachel and Paul were so conveniently close together and lined up with the path of the bullet.

 

How far are the cops in bed with Dyad to the point that Paul is arranging raids, complete with getting cops to produce warrants based on false info and trumping up charges to hold Felix.

 

Kira is turning into Radar O'Reilly with her sense of detection of incoming objects.

.

Edited May 18, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[beeble]

Oh Paul, there must be a better way to escape your sordid past of whatever it was you did in Afghanistan. The look on this poor lad's face when Rachel began her seduction said it all, "I'm just a call girl with a gun."  I appreciated Sarah's shrug upon seeing him ridden like a show pony by Rachel. She's got real loved ones to protect.

 

Cal has certainly taken to fatherhood. He seems to have no qualms about being called "Daddy." Now what exactly are Kira's special powers? Does Cal know anything at all about these? He's sexy and mysterious enough to have ties to the Big Bad Creepy People of Canada and Elsewhere.

[Valny]

Ugh Paul. My Paul hate really ramped up this episode.

 

  I'm no Paul fan,but I did think that scene with him and Felix was pretty damn good.

Poor Fee. His sexy time got interrupted(that was some scene!) and then gets messed up by Paul.

 

Wow, that was a Helena heavy episode! Which I have no objections too, except because of that there was no Alison(poor Tatiana would be overworked)  Ha, I love that she easily got away from Art...you knew it just was a matter of time. Loved her "Got you Arthur."

I was worried for those tank  of fish for a second.  :)  

 

OMG, all the different foods she was shoving in her mouth!  But it's always fun to watch Helena eat.  I cracked up when she said to Art, "I have to tell you something...(dramatic pause) ...this I like." as she points to the donut box then eats one. Ha ha.. psych Art!!

 

Other good stuff:

 

Helena wearing Felix's clothes and that furry helmet was too much! :

Hissing at Felix

 

And I think some of us were maybe thinking the same thing Sarah was when she said, "Helena, don't jump out and scare us with some axe and shit." That actually sounds more like it could be a season one thought.

 

Who was that third clone Kira had drawn? Someone new?  I couldn't see the name.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Valny

[DB in CMH]

Paul!!! I agree that he must have a plan, because he was totally on Sarah's side in the season premiere, and most of last season. But then again, the male characters on the show (save Felix) tend to be plot devices, so who knows.

 

Please, no more Kira. Let her be spoken of and not seen. I know Sarah is her mother and all, but the show stops when Kira enters the picture. Nothing against the actress, it's just a go-nowhere plotline so long as she's out of Rachel's grasp. 

 

Next episode looks... oh, Helena. 

[yellowfred]

Yeah, I was definitely rooting for Helena to kill Rachel, largely for the irony of Rachel's love of huge windows being her undoing, but that scene between Helena and Sarah made it totally worth it.  Plus, getting to hear Helena call Felix "brother sestra."

 

Speaking of Felix, I really hope he and morgue guy can work it out.  When they had that whole montage of Felix getting ready for his date, I was hoping it'd be him.

[SNeaker]

Yeah, so that Paul/Rachel sex scene was maybe the creepiest thing I've seen on TV I've seen in a long time. Possibly ever. Also...pretty rapey. I do not like Rachel and was really rooting for Helena to blow her head off.

Very disturbing episode overall. I mean, in a good way, but still. Too much Rachel not enough Allison for my taste.

Edited May 18, 2014 by SNeaker

[Ceeg]

I do not like Rachel and was really rooting for Helena to blow her head off.

I was hoping for a Rachel/Paul two-fer.

 

Oh, and I loved Helena calling Felix "brother-sestra".

[Valny]

Yeah, so that Paul/Rachel sex scene was maybe the creepiest thing I've seen on TV I've seen in a long time. Possibly ever.

And this was the *second tv show I've watched today where someone puts their fingers in the other persons mouth, looking like they're going to pull a tooth out or something! It's not sexy!!! Ew, I don't know where your fingers have been!  (* I was watching an episode of Luther,with the creepy killer doing the finger thing  to a "escort service" girl)

But the Paul/Dylan does have a really nice body...yowza! Not gonna lie, I don't mind looking at that. *shallow*

Edited May 18, 2014 by Valny

[omgsowicked]

...I don't even know what the heck just happened.

 

I'm neither here nor there with Paul but I have to say, that scene with him and Felix was really good... and hey, I was NOT angry about that sex scene, minus the disturbing aspect of it. What was up with Rachel being so weird about it? Sticking her fingers in Paul's mouth like a toddler... it's like she's read the literature but doesn't know how to be natural re: relationships and sex. Byproduct of being self-aware, monitored (ah, so she is monitored), and probably groomed to be a perfect clone rather than a regular human?

 

I was never suspicious of Cal and seeing how he was in this episode, I'm even more sure that he's not in on the Dyad/Leda stuff. He's had ample opportunity to turn Kira over and he hasn't. He could have tried grilling her for info on Sarah or her sestras but he hasn't. I think he must have gotten screwed over by them, financially/business-wise, and that's why he knows anything about them. That shot of the gun in his camper... I'm guessing it'll come in handy later.

 

You'd think they wouldn't be able to top that Helena/Sarah scene from last week but damn, they nearly did! Stunning acting aside, the technical aspects are just... holding hands while one person jumps down to the other's level? What?! Wow. I'm actually excited to see them bond, and I do think Sarah meant what she said, though with everything going on, perhaps she didn't even know she felt that way until that moment. I'm glad Helena didn't kill anyone, especially with Felix, their brother-sestra, in jail. Soon, Helena... soon.

 

So how does Rachel know about Cal being Kira's father? They barely knew anything about Sarah but now they know the father of her child? Did I miss something? Also, I can't remember if they said his full name but it didn't match up with his license, did it?

 

Leekie's not... totally evil? Huh. I find it pretty interesting how Leekie became kind of a guardian after the explosion... he seems like he would have been warm to her but it doesn't show in her demeanor. Also, I can't remember... did she say that both her parents died? But this Birdman thing suggests otherwise... even more of a reason not to kill off Rachel yet. That oughta be a reunion to attend.

 

Love that we're making headway with this Leda stuff... so there's no copy of the original genome (which I figured) and the Birdman is, what? The one who destroyed the lab? Did he somehow get tied into the Prolethians? Is he the creator of the Prolethians? And if Helena knows about him, and presumably Maggie Chen did as well, does that mean perhaps she (and Sarah) really are the originals, as she was told? I don't recall, did we ever see or hear about the Birdman in S1?

 

And that cult... holy heck. Grace is a little shit, for sure, but suturing her mouth shut? Letting her rot? Telling her that she has to get Helena back or carry the child herself (well, that's one way to get that to happen!)? So they rape Helena and are willing to do the same to their daughter in the name of....... religious science? So twisted. And I know it's a cult but I thought that wild-eyed cowboy was way older than Grace, so I was very surprised when he kissed her. And I wasn't sure if he was just buttering her up so she would do what they wanted, or if he really meant it. *shudders*

Edited May 18, 2014 by omgsowicked

[Endeavour]

Yes. Rachel appears quite messed up in her own little way.

I guess Paul chose his side. I thought there was a flash of regret that crossed his face when he was holding the gun on Felix but I'm not sure.

I know I shouldn't be surprised but they manage to up the creep factor each ep.

I think I might prefer if Kira was a normal kid, but I'll have to see how it plays out

Really good ep. I like how they keep adding layers to the characters, move the plot along and keep the humor.

[Valny]

 

And that cult... holy heck. Grace is a little shit, for sure, but suturing her mouth *

 Yeah I almost forgot about that part because of all the Helena goodness. Yikes, I didn't expect that lip stitching reveal. (Did anyone flash back to Warren from BtVS?)   We know the cult was wacko,but we just keep seeing more creepy stuff. So wait, that lady is not her mom?    I totally had to look away too when she was taking the stitches out in that close up shot. Gah!  *shivers*

 

You'd think they wouldn't be able to top that Helena/Sarah scene from last week but damn, they nearly did! Stunning acting aside, the technical aspects are just... holding hands while one person jumps down to the other's level? 

 

Right there with ya omgsowicked.  Another close to each other scene from those two and it looked amazing once again! They are really getting good at the technical special effects stuff with multiple clones. And I love it!

 

So how did Helena get her motorcycle? Was it in storage?

 

Heh, Helena giving the doll head a Rachel haircut, then seeing the head on the rifle.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Valny

[Wilowy]

I like Kira having a little 'extra', and I like how comfortable she is with it... and with everything else, actually. She seems to totally get that her mum is special in some way, and that makes her special too. She has a confidence that I would like to see in ALL little girls. Kira's cool. 

 

Was talking to a fellow fan on fb about how sexy this show is, especially when it doesn't try to be, and how the parts with actual sex really aren't:

 

Cosima getting the injection: sexy

Helena eating: sexy

Floppy haired Cal talking to the cop: sexy

Fee getting ready for his date: sexy

Helena manhandling Art: sexy

Rachel and Paul going at it: NOT sexy 

 

I fucking LOVED it when Sarah told Leekie if Fee didn't get charges dropped she'd 'sic' Helena on them all! And also the "HELENA? Don't jump out and scare us with an ax or some shit!" xD  SO great!

 

The Helena/Sarah bonding was so well done and I cried. I was so glad that Sarah just wasn't tricking her to get her to put the rifle down, she really meant it. When they walked off with heads touching and arms around each other I was a happy mess. I love those two! And I love how 'meathead' has become a term of endearment, even though "Don't call me this" was so cute. 

 

And how great is it that Fee is now a sestra in Helena's eyes? Perfect. Fee needs to be nicer to Helena, though I get why he isn't just yet.

 

Totally not ready to give up on Paul, but don't like him threatening Fee. On the other hand, I wouldn't be too broken up if he died. He's a duplicitous fuck, isn't he? 

 

Hello. Vic's a MONK?

[Tara Ariano]

Here's Jeff's post on the episode!

[Joystickenvy]

Poor Felix. First Sarah saddles him with babysitting Helena and then Rachel's goons interrupt his sexy times.

I was also rooting for Helena to off Rachel and offing Paul would be a bonus, though he may be trying to take down Dyad from the inside.

As much as I'd love for Rachel and Paul to be out of the picture, I like that the show doesn't treat "normal" people as perfectly willing to deal death and destruction because the other party "has it coming." Plus, while I was happy when I thought Helena was dead in season 1, I'm enjoying her character now, so maybe the same will happen with Rachel and big dick Paul somewhere down the road.

The creepy big love family just got a bit creepier. Looks like Thomas wasn't an exception with his torture tactics for that cult.

I hope that's the only Rachel sex scene of the series. Just ick. When she stuck her fingers in his mouth I was like....is she checking his teeth to see how old he is? Trying to pull out a filling? I guess she's gone from pro clone to dominatrix clone.

I wonder if Leekie & Rachel are working at cross purposes or just don't agree on tactics. I like Leekie better as a potential ally, even if he's a sneaky, self serving one.

The Kira special powers are getting a bit much without any context. I hope they play into the plot line at some point. So, it appears Cal has fake IDs and such on hand. Or maybe Cal is the fake. The plot thickens.

Helena's scenes with Art were fun and kinda gross. I hope she has a fast metabolism.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Joystickenvy

[Snarkette]

I assume Daniel reported in before he murdered the policeman at Cal's, so they started the background check then and there.

 

Loved this ep -- especially all the Helena bits. Poor poor Felix, that was absolutely *terrifying*. I won't be forgiving Paul any time soon. (Plus Cal? Cutest dad ever. He and Kira need a spin-off show.)

 

I'm curious about DaddySwan and also about how cold Leekie is, even if he prefers the carrot over Rachel's, well, add your own metaphor here.

[shapeshifter]

I really really want someone to blow up the cult and their little shop of horrors. I now think Helena has a remarkable sense of morality given what she was also subjected to.

I was hoping that Helena was going to go for a two-fer with that sniper rifle and kill them both with one shot -- since Rachel and Paul were so conveniently close together and lined up with the path of the bullet.

I was hoping she wouldn't accidentally do that, but now that y'all mention it, that's probably why she was hesitating--so she could kill two birds with one shot.

totally worth it.  Plus, getting to hear Helena call Felix "brother sestra."

♥Loved♥ this. I may have to use sestra for my next screen name or password.

I guess Paul chose his side. I thought there was a flash of regret that crossed his face when he was holding the gun on Felix but I'm not sure.

I totally thought it was his own idea to give Felix a time extension to deliver the goods, and in my mind he was hoping Felix and the sestras would find a way out of this mess with no dying or fake murder convictions. But then, as some of us were discussing on the Once Upon A Time thread about Hook, I will always be a sucker for hot guys. Actually, he reminds me a lot of Ward from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., both the actor and the character. But why am I even mentioning those average shows when I'm discussing a show that is on par with Breaking Bad and True Detective?

I usually just tolerate kid actors, but they did a great job of integrating her into the episode in a meaningful way without having her spout lines that would sound un-kid-like.

And I'm glad the writers realized that Matt Frewer is not evil.

[hardy har]

What kind of crazy fuckers in TV media hyped that Rachel/Paul scene as sexy and/or steamy?!?! I try to avoid reading about the show/specific episodes before they air, but it's hard to avoid headlines. So, I kept seeing shit about some sexyass shenanigans with Paul/Rachel and that? Was not sexy. Dylan Bruce (though not my type) is a good looking guy in great shape. TM is a good looking woman in great shape, but hey? 2 good looking people in a sex scene doesn't always equal The Sexy.cI'm seriously considering whether some of the folks who wrote those blurbs actually watched the episode or just saw pictures or something because that was creeeeeepy. 

 

Anyway, Seestra, Meathead and Brother Seestra 4evah!

 

The Helena/Sarah bonding was so well done and I cried. I was so glad that Sarah just wasn't tricking her to get her to put the rifle down, she really meant it. When they walked off with heads touching and arms around each other I was a happy mess. I love those two! And I love how 'meathead' has become a term of endearment, even though "Don't call me this" was so cute. 

[...]

Totally not ready to give up on Paul, but don't like him threatening Fee. On the other hand, I wouldn't be too broken up if he died. He's a duplicitous fuck, isn't he?

I am loving all the Sarah/Helena bonding and if someone told me I'd be feeling this way after the premiere I would have laughed. I agree about Paul. I think DB is much better as Asshole Paul/Paul only looking out for himself, so I'm cool with this Paul. That being said, if he met an untimely end it wouldn't bother me at all.

 

And that cult... holy heck. Grace is a little shit, for sure, but suturing her mouth shut? Letting her rot? Telling her that she has to get Helena back or carry the child herself (well, that's one way to get that to happen!)? So they rape Helena and are willing to do the same to their daughter in the name of....... religious science? So twisted. And I know it's a cult but I thought that wild-eyed cowboy was way older than Grace, so I was very surprised when he kissed her. And I wasn't sure if he was just buttering her up so she would do what they wanted, or if he really meant it. *shudders*

Holy shit. I was still grappling with the fact that they sewed their daughter's lips together as a form of punishment and then they went and basically threatened to rape and impregnate her. Just......holy shit.

Edited May 18, 2014 by hardy har

[NorthstarATL]

I cracked up when Helena said to Sarah that "Paul is unfaithful'. It was all in the delivery and how awkward the Paul/Rachel scene was. All in all a really good episode. I was struck early in the episode just as I was last season at how well Tatiana and Jordan portray their sibling relationship. They irritate each other just enough, yet they communicate perfectly without having to spell things out, and they immediately have each other's back when trouble arises. And the point where Felix's snark turned to fear when Paul seemed about to shoot him reminded me a lot of Sarah's same turn last week. Amazing stuff.

[shapeshifter]

I was worried for those tank  of fish for a second.  :)  

Me too. I loved the color and Helena/Tatiana's flowy, fish-like hand movements. But I've seen too many exploding, gun shot, and otherwise crashed fish tanks on screen to not fear for their lives.

 

Who was that third clone Kira had drawn? Someone new?  I couldn't see the name.

I just paused that scene, and I'm pretty sure it's Cosima, because it had hair and glasses like hers, but I thought the name ended in an e. Maybe it was an "a" written like most fonts' typed a's. I've seen young children doing that these days--I guess because they see more printed words than written.

What kind of crazy fuckers in TV media hyped that Rachel/Paul scene as sexy and/or steamy?!?!

Party of one here on this board, I thought it was.

[rainbowrockgal]

Also the third clone in her drawing had a red coat on so I think it definitely is Cosima.

[Grammaeryn]

Man, I need a cigarette.  That was GOOD! Meathead heh...

[thuganomics85]

Wow, this was one crazy and awesome episode.

I still don't know what to make out of Paul yet.  It still sounds like whatever they have over him is just so bad, that he's willing to do this stuff, even though he doesn't want to.  I definitely got the sense he didn't want to have sex with Rachel, but just had too.  That entire scene really did have a rapey feel to it.  And the stuff with Felix was just so hard to watch.  Poor Felix.  I really do hope we get more about what Paul exactly did, do be this powerless against DYAD.

Helena was just awesome tonight!  I loved getting to see her opposite of both Felix and Art.  And, of course, the Helena/Sarah scenes were fantastic as always.  Their interactions are just so intense and interesting, and, strangely, Tatiana Maslany really does have great chemistry with herself, when she is playing those two particular characters.  Yeah, that really sounds strange as hell and I don't know how they all do it, but they really do.

Glad Leekie is back and he's getting more interesting.  I still don't trust him, but him going against Rachel's order and helping Cosima was very interesting.  It sounds like he doesn't want the clones to be harmed, but I have a feeling he does have some kind of plan for them.  Either way, I'm very intrigued.  Matt Frewer is doing a real good job with this.

Well, the Proetheans are all kinds of fucked up.  That was certainly a harsh punishment for Gracie (then again, she did try to kill Helena, so maybe not too harsh).  And it sounds like if they don't get Helena back, they're going to put the embryo in Gracie?  Yeah, this group is touched in the head.

I actually cheered at next week's previews.  I don't know why I didn't even think of the possibility that Vic would also be in rehab since his last episode ended with him talking about sobering up, but it totally makes sense, and I can't wait.  Vic and Alison!  Still have great memories of the time Alison maced him.  This is going to be awesome!

 

[possibilities]

it turns out that her mother is almost as bad as her father with regards to the cultish behavior.

I thought she was actually worse.

 

Loved Felix with his boyfriend. I love Felix, generally. I want him to catch a break.

 

Am worried that Leekie is lying to Cosima and Delphine, and not really going against Rachel's orders. Who to trust?????

 

I agree that it would be better to have more idea of what everyone's goals are.

 

Clones want to be left alone to live their lives, plus want to know their origins (and get help for Cosima's illness). But Sarah seems to just be running, not really having any plan beyond escape-- and I'm tired of it. I want them to come up with a plan, not just be a show about being on the run.

 

Leekie seems to be in it for the scientific fascination with a side order of wanting immortality or eugenic mastermindery. And maybe money.

 

And Rachel? Why is she such an ice robot? She's not even interesting to me. I just hate her. I wouldn't have felt anything if Helena had blown her head off. It might have ended the show, though. But I want to know her goddamn motivation, and either find something in her to feel for, or I want her off my screen. Tatiana gave an interview where she said we'd see more of Rachel's layers or something, so... let's see it! Is it just money and control? I'm tired of guessing.

 

I'm worried the show has decided that once the mystery is revealed and the conspiracy defeated, there's no show. But I liked the show a lot, actually even more, when we just saw the clones together having weird adventures. I like the blend of their diverse personalities enough to want to see them interact, even if there's no external evil to defeat or defend against. I hope the show will find a way to give us both their Big Mystery and also the more mundane stuff.

 

I still love that this is a women's show. Felix, the only 3 dimensional male character, is now a sestra. All the guys, good or bad, are basically just plot-devices, beefcake, and useful accessories. It's awesome.

 

After seeing Tatiana on SNL for a brief moment tonight, I really want her to host.

 

And again, she and the show need to win win win every award.

 

Also, I love watching Helena eat.

Edited May 18, 2014 by possibilities

[Indi]

Ugh, I can't stand Paul. His questionable loyalties don't make him even slightly interesting. I don't care if he's working for Sarah, for himself or for a third unknown party, he's a snoozefest. That said, the actor is at his best in action scenes or playing a baddy, so I hope they give him more of that and less romantic material. The boy toy is a good role for him too. There is no chemistry between him and Tatiana, but I think the pairing Rachel/Paul is far more interesting than Sarah/Paul.

 

I loved every single scene with Helena. Now I'm completely on board with their choice to bring her back. Her scenes with Felix and Art were awesome, as was her last scene with Sarah. 

 

So Cal is on "daddy" terms with Kira? Am I supposed to trust her judgment? I mean, she likes and trusts him, but then there is the fact that his identity and motivations are questionable. Anyway, that's how you do mysterious and hot!

 

The cult... everything about it... DO NOT WANT!

 

I enjoyed Felix getting ready for sexy times and his sex scene. Pity it got interrupted. Fucking Paul!

 

I seriously love Art. Please, don't kill him off, show! 

[bluebonnet]

The Paul thing has me befuddled.  The actor isn't very strong so it's hard to even get a sense of whether or not his intentions are something other than what he's actually doing.  On the one hand, his thing in Afghanistan must be really bad for him to stick through this.  One the other hand, he's also the only 'in' guy the clones have and if he throws in the towel and says 'fuck it', there's no one else who is possibly on Team Clone that is able to be close to the powers that be.  I think I might have detected a note of regret, but it's hard to tell with his immoveable face.  

[Brn2bwild]

I wasn't hoping Helena would kill Rachel, but I was hoping for a confrontation between them because DAA-AAAM!

[Indi]

Cosima and Delphine are the worst spies ever, aren't they?

[Riful]

What kind of crazy fuckers in TV media hyped that Rachel/Paul scene as sexy and/or steamy?!?!

 

I know E! was all over it and also even Dylan Bruce had an interview bit with him saying it was really creepy and steamy. In the cases I saw there were at least people pointing out the issues of consent.

 

The Paul thing has me befuddled.  The actor isn't very strong so it's hard to even get a sense of whether or not his intentions are something other than what he's actually doing.  On the one hand, his thing in Afghanistan must be really bad for him to stick through this.

 

What I don't get is why Paul just doesn't go on the run? With his training, I would think he would be resourceful enough to up and disappear. Maybe he is sticking around because not only does he want DYAD to lose whatever they have, but he also wants some sort of payback? I know this show thrive of keeping some character motivation all shadowed or in vague details, but I do believe in some cases it can really benefit from letting us/the audience know just what exactly drives character X Y Z

[Ms Lark]

I don't think the thing with Rachel and Paul was supposed to be sexy. Last week she said she wanted to have a child. So now, she's merely using him as a breeding stud. A sperm donor, if you will, although why she didn't take that route, I'm not sure. I think she was examining his teeth like you would a horse. Pretty cold-blooded.

 

When Helena was killed, I was relieved. Then, I realized how much I missed her in subsequent episodes. Now, I'm ever so happy she's back. As long as I think of her as semi-feral, I can understand the character. Sestra, Meathead, and Brother-Sestra are a trio for the ages! Also wish she would have offed Rachel.

[SNeaker]

What kind of crazy fuckers in TV media hyped that Rachel/Paul scene as sexy and/or steamy?!?! I try to avoid reading about the show/specific episodes before they air, but it's hard to avoid headlines. So, I kept seeing shit about some sexyass shenanigans with Paul/Rachel and that? Was not sexy. Dylan Bruce (though not my type) is a good looking guy in great shape. TM is a good looking woman in great shape, but hey? 2 good looking people in a sex scene doesn't always equal The Sexy.cI'm seriously considering whether some of the folks who wrote those blurbs actually watched the episode or just saw pictures or something because that was creeeeeepy.

 

I found all the Rachel/Paul stuff in Season 1 to be super duper sexy and one would think I would be happy to see Paul get naked no matter the circumstances, but I was so turned off and repulsed by that entire thing.

 

It seems to me that Paul is as much owned and a toy of the Dyad as the clones are. Rachel is making it very clear that he has no say, no will, no power over what he does or over his own body. Even when he tries to take some power and give consent, she takes it away from him (or at least that's the way I saw the slap after he tried to touch her.) Paul is shady and is less innocent than the clones (since whatever shit he did in Afghanistan in a way got him into this), but I find it interesting since this is a show about power and ownership.

 

I hope Paul is planning a double cross or at least going with the flow until he can come up with a way to get out. I also hope he kills Rachel. Soon, please. I can't stand that character and her distractingly (and surprisingly) terrible wig.

Edited May 18, 2014 by SNeaker

[Endeavour]

So how did Helena get her motorcycle? Was it in storage?

 

Yes. The motorcycle was in the storage unit.

 

Actually, he reminds me a lot of Ward from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., both the actor and the character.

...

And I'm glad the writers realized that Matt Frewer is not evil.

 

I had the same thoughts about Ward while watching. I'm also glad Dr. Leekie is not flat out evil. He's not completely trustworthy, but he does seem to care about the clones. That's part of what I like about the series - the layers they are adding to the characters.

 

And Rachel? Why is she such an ice robot? She's not even interesting to me. I just hate her. I wouldn't have felt anything if Helena had blown her head off. It might have ended the show, though. But I want to know her goddamn motivation, and either find something in her to feel for, or I want her off my screen. Tatiana gave an interview where she said we'd see more of Rachel's layers or something, so... let's see it! Is it just money and control? I'm tired of guessing.

I do think they are trying to show that she cares about one thing so far - her parents. She seems to watch those tapes often. So it should be interesting to see her reaction if her father is still alive. I think someone also mentioned she wanted children - that could be her motivation. I'd like to see more development in this area too.

 

Is this the first ep they started calling Helena a meathead or did I miss that from a previous one? Every time they do that, I flash back to All in the Family.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Honestly, I'm not sure which option is grosser? the Big Love guy kissing Grace because he thinks it's okay to like a teenage girl or because he's trying to get her to tell them what happened with Helena. Ugh.

 

Ha, I loved Helena wearing her bike helmet over a big furry hat when Felix brought her to Art. Say what you will about Helena, but she is clever and crafty, always planning something. She not only got to eat but she found a way to use the sardine can to escape. But dude, sardines covered with mustard? Blech!

 

In competition with Helena wearing the bike helmet/furry hat combo for awesomest moment of the week was Cal telling Kira they should have awesome socks. Kira obviously misses her family, but she's also getting mad at Sarah so I'll be interested to see where that goes. I was afraid that Kira was going to shoot the police officers so yay for just busting out the gas mask?

 

I was really afraid that Sarah was just saying anything to talk Helena down from shooting Rachel or Paul, so I was glad to see that she really meant it. She might not always like Helena or trust Helena, but she clearly has feelings for her sestra now. Heh, poor Art. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. The look on his face as Sarah and Helena walked out with their arms around each other was priceless.

 

One thing I really liked was how immediately Helena accepted Felix after Sarah explained that he is family. She didn't argue that Felix is not biologically related to them. She didn't dispute Sarah's claim that Felix being related to her means that he is also Helena's family. I also liked that she didn't escape from Art just because she didn't want to be held captive. She did it because she decided that killing Rachel would be a helpful thing.

 

Part of me wishes that Helena had shot creepy rapey Rachel. Good lord. It's like she wanted to make it the rapiest rape ever. She made it clar to Paul earlier that he has no choice in any of this. Then she tells him that he reports to Leekie but he works for her to make sure he knows that she is in charge. Then she orders him to pour two glasses of wine, refuses to let him drink any, tells him to take off his shirt, makes him fetch a chair, tells him to take off his pants, shoves her fingers into his mouth like she's inspecting a horse, slaps his hands away when he tries to touch her, and proceeds to force him to have sex with her. If the show wants me to loathe her, they're doing a great job. Heh but I did love the little Rachel tableau that Helena had set up in the storage unit and the fact that she made sure to cut the Barbie's hair before mounting it on the rifle.

 

And poor Felix! Just trying to have some sexy times with the morgue guy only to get majorly cock blocked by the police and then assaulted by Paul. That was scary. I also feel bad for Felix because Sarah keeps bringing him into crazy situations from leaving town to bringing Helena to his place. He must be feeling pretty put upon at this point. That makes me glad that he was trying to do something normal like have a date with the morgue guy in the midst of all this craziness. But he definitely knows that the way to Helena is through her stomach!

 

Although I don't like Paul, the fact that his loyalty is only to himself makes him slightly interesting, even if it's only because he's unpredictable (not as unpredictable as Helena, but who is?).

 

I still don't trust Leekie, but at least now we know that he and Rachel are not BFFs and are not on the same page about the other clones. I am going to take Leekie at his word about losing the original genome in the fire. And now we have an approximate date for the fire. He said it was twenty years ago, which means shortly after the video of Rachel with the Duncans in Cambridge in 1991.

 

On a related note, some of the other labels on the videotapes in Rachel's drawer said:

Roxanne May 7/00

Abraham

Brenda

 

Are Brenda and Roxanne other clones? Who the hell is Abraham? Or did I read that label incorrectly?

[smrou]

Please, no more Kira. Let her be spoken of and not seen. I know Sarah is her mother and all, but the show stops when Kira enters the picture. Nothing against the actress, it's just a go-nowhere plotline so long as she's out of Rachel's grasp.

I wouldn't say nothing against the actress.  I think that, at least for me, part of the reason why things seem to sort of grind to a halt during Kira scenes is because of the actress.  Granted, it's probably how they want the part to be played, but I just find her very very flat. I do like seeing Cal interact with her, though, and I'm definitely very curious about him.  So at least there's that.

 

Oh, and I loved Helena calling Felix "brother-sestra".

I was so glad that Sarah was able to get Helena to identify Felix as family.  Since that's basically the only thing that will keep anyone safe from her.

 

Sticking her fingers in Paul's mouth like a toddler...

Like a toddler, yes!  Which is probably why it read to me as Helena-ish.  But that whole scene was incredibly fucked up, as others have noted, and made me soooo uncomfortable.  I could hardly watch it.

 

Loved Felix with his boyfriend. I love Felix, generally. I want him to catch a break.

That whole scene with him setting up for his date was so fun and charming and I just love Felix and want him to be happy.  And he and morgue dude are cute and sexy together!  It's also nice to get a brief moment of levity in what was a very heavy and dark episode.  (And it's also nice to see Jordan Gavaris in his underwear.)

[Ceeg]

 

Is this the first ep they started calling Helena a meathead or did I miss that from a previous one?

She called her a meathead last season, when they found out they were twins. "I don't wanna be your sister, meathead".

[shapeshifter]

Why does Cal have a gas mask? I don't think for a minute that it's part of a Halloween costume.

I wonder if any straight males watching liked the idea of having a woman like Rachel dominate them sexually? And, about the fingers in the mouth: Saliva can serve as a natural lubricant--but then Rachel isn't the nature type, so probably just more of her power tripping over his body--a kind of violation of his personal space and a symbolic reversal of the female/male.

I was very disappointed that Helena didn't kill Rachel (and escape before Art got there), but not because of her kinky sex power performance--I wanted her gone so Felix, Cosima, and the rest wouldn't be used as hostages for her to manipulate Sarah. I wonder if we'll get to see a motive for Rachel's obsession with power.

The title of the episode, "Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est," means "Knowledge itself is power," so, in a way, Sarah, Cosima, and even Helena are more powerful than Rachel.

Edited May 18, 2014 by shapeshifter

[hardy har]

Cosima and Delphine are the worst spies ever, aren't they?

Heh. Do you think in some parallel universe Sydney Bristow is their boss? A friend and I were joking around with ideas for character spinoffs and we decided Cosima, Delphine and Donnie should have a sitcom where they all open up a private investigation business where they were just the worst P.I.'s in the history of ever.

 

I was afraid that Kira was going to shoot the police officers so yay for just busting out the gas mask?

[...]

Honestly, I'm not sure which option is grosser? the Big Love guy kissing Grace because he thinks it's okay to like a teenage girl or because he's trying to get her to tell them what happened with Helena. Ugh.

[...]

On a related note, some of the other labels on the videotapes in Rachel's drawer said:

Roxanne May 7/00

Abraham

Brenda

 

Are Brenda and Roxanne other clones? Who the hell is Abraham? Or did I read that label incorrectly?

My brain went in a bunch of directions with the cop/Cal/Kira scene. First, I was worried Cal would pocket the gun, just in case the cop got to nosy. Then, like you, I was afraid Kira would grab the gun. Then, she busted out the gas mask and I went from "Aww, you adorable dorks!" to "Wait, why the hell do you have a damn gas mask in your camper?!"

 

Oh, man. Big Love guy kissing Gracie as just more grossness. Guy? You are trying to charm/console a girl who is locked in a stable (?) with her mouth sewn shut! The fuck is wrong with you?! Gracie had a little smile on her face too and she's been forcefed the Prolethean kool-aid since birth, so she probably found it sweet, but I'm hoping she's scheming some plan to GTFO of Big Love Science Rape Ranch.

 

Re: Brenda.......It's probably just a coincidence (we do have 2 Sarahs on the show) but the Birdwatcher who Mrs S went BAMF on was named Brenda.

 

I know E! was all over it and also even Dylan Bruce had an interview bit with him saying it was really creepy and steamy. In the cases I saw there were at least people pointing out the issues of consent.

That's a relief. Like I said, I try go in as blind as possible about shows I love, so all the ZOMG, Sexy headlines I stumbled on were wigging me out after I saw the episode. The real Cosima had a thing on The Hive about last weeks episode saying a big theme of the show, in general, is exploring how much a person truly has ownership of their body, and it was interesting (albeit, totally creepy and rapey) to see that applied to a male character.

Edited May 18, 2014 by hardy har

[Boundary]

As usual first things first: can somebody give her the Emmy already!

 

This was the best episode yet this season, it's the first time I felt things are now really moving. I loved Kira's improv, the kid's actually now starting to have a personality, rather than just being Sarah's daughter. Seeing that Felix is "brother sestra" (hee) I guess this makes Kira "daughter sestra".  I loved a couple of moments more, that Helena/Sarah connection was awesome, as well as Art's reaction (which wasn't "awwww"). I also loved Sarah's reaction to news of Cosima's illness. What was funny was Cosima's invitation to Leekie:

"We have a proposition for you"

Delphine: "We do?"

(to Delphine) "No, not us"

(to Leekie) "Us"

I don't know why that made me smile. The clone club is still intact and acting together. I also like that Leekie is now some sort of, unwitting perhaps, guardian angel within Dyad.

 

ETA: How disturbing is that Creepy Big Love Ranch? I'm glad Helena didn't kill that girl (she was within her rights to defend herself) but not being killed by Helena was like from a pan to the fire for her. What was that thing with lip stitches? Also, if I have to rank the sestras, I'd say Helena is shooting up the charts.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Boundary

[Izeinwinter]

Delphine getting that email forwarded was pretty clearly an "Accident". Leeky didn't appreciate having his experiment put on hold, so, oops, his finger slipped and Delphine got CC'd on that. This means he has Delphines number, but.. well, she is his ex. Being able to predict she would not be cool with bullshit delay in treatment isn't a stretch. 

 

Other logical implications. Something is up with Cal. Dyad didn't know about him, which means he isn't working for them, but he is way too prepared, and way to specifically prepared.

This is not just regular "survivalist" preparedness. Cal doesn't have a basement full of canned goods, water purification tablets, iodine, prussian blue  and ammo. He has fake ID, cash and an camper not registered to his real name - Those are all precautions against people coming after you, not against "Yellowstone or other bad shit".

My current theory is that he vent looking for Sarah when she robbed him, found the clones, and freaked. Leeky said he made his money in micro optics? If he is an expert in machine vision, he may have built a better facial recognition algorithm and found way to many "Sarah's" on the net.

 

The Rachel scene would have been extremely hot if Paul had had a safeword. As is. Uhm. Yhea. 

[bluebonnet]

 

What I don't get is why Paul just doesn't go on the run? With his training, I would think he would be resourceful enough to up and disappear. Maybe he is sticking around because not only does he want DYAD to lose whatever they have, but he also wants some sort of payback? I know this show thrive of keeping some character motivation all shadowed or in vague details, but I do believe in some cases it can really benefit from letting us/the audience know just what exactly drives character X Y Z

I think the fact that he hasn't just gone on the run might suggest that he's still on Team Clone.  If he leaves, Sarah and co have no one else who is on the inside.  He'll have to do shitty things to prove his loyalty to Rachel, but at least he's still potentially there gathering info.  

[heyerchick]

I'm a late-comer to Orphan Black, so my introduction was binge watching from the pilot right up to last week's episode in an embarrassingly short space of time. So my perceptions come from seeing the story unfold that way. Paul may not always make the choice Sarah wants him to make, but he seems to me to be genuinely attempting to help her navigate this maze as best as he can. I don't think he's Team Clone so much as he's Team Sarah. 

[Ceeg]

 I don't think he's Team Clone so much as he's Team Sarah. 

I think he's Team Paul.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Ceeg

[heyerchick]

I think he's Team Paul.

 

That first and foremost, obviously :) Much like Sarah is Team Sarah first, Team Clone second.

[shapeshifter]

Sarah is probably Team Kira and Team Felix before Team Clone.