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.
