Orphan Black - Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow - Review: "Kendall Malone"

   Wow ! What an amazing penultimate episode Orphan Black offered us last night on BBC America, with "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow". It was absolutely thrilling, we finally got to meet the Castor original, who turned out to be the Leda original too and Mrs S’s mother… It took me some time to process it, I think I froze for 2 minutes after the episodes ended. Crazy shit.
   "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow" was a spectacular episode, full of revelations and twists. We have been so lucky this season on Orphan Black, since the season premieres, we’ve been learning more about the Leda / Castor origins and now we have met their original. We also finally got to know who the Leda mole was and it was a little heartbreaking but understandable. And actually, it turned out it wasn’t that bad since Sarah got her hands on the Castor original before Castor ! And so, as Gracie turned out to be the mole, Shay was actually innocent (really ?) and Delphine might have got herself into a a big problem while Helena resolved a drug dealing problem in her typical way (amazing sestra !).

   Mrs S, Sarah and Felix traveled back home last night on  "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow"and it felt really great to watch them back there. Mrs S was so much fun and it was a real pleasure to finally learn more about her, her past and who she used to be, even before having Sarah and Felix as her own. Mrs S recontacted her former network and met with Terry. He revealed that the number Rachel translated was actually a prisoner ID, so he would be able to locate the Castor original ! It was surprised it’d go so fast but of course, something was up.
   Mrs S musical sequence was one of the best on Orphan Black, I had no idea Maria Doyle Kennedy could sing like that, and combined with poor Terry getting beaten up by Ferdinand it was absolutely perfect. I was really delighted to see James Frain back as Ferdinand. Still, I thought he’d be more present in the episode; so I was a bit disappointed but I'm so looking forward his part next  week in the season finale.

   Terry found something about the Castor original but he only revealed it to Mrs S who totally changed her mind about everything. Suddenly, she didn’t want to get Sarah and Felix involved. She wanted to get home as soon as possible. She was clearly afraid.
   Of course, Sarah wouldn’t let this go so easily and picked up Terry’s phone. It was typical of Sarah and I loved her character for that, she is always so determined. She was so close to the truth she couldn’t just let go and let S handle it. So, she followed Terry’s track and found the Castor original ! I was so scared when Sarah got into his apartment. I was afraid he could jump on her at any moment and hurt her. And it was what happened but it turned out the supposed Castor original was an old lady ? WTF ? And then Mrs S came in and called her “mother”... Wow, Orphan Black writers just blew my mind in that very moment.

   Mrs S’s mother, Kendall Malone, turned out to have two cell lines, because she swallowed her twin brother in their mother’s womb. Wow wow wow Mrs S could not execute her plan and kill the Castor original, as it was also the Leda original. She is probably Cosima and the sisters only help against their sickness. Holy Shit. That was so powerful and so surprising.
   Orphan Black really pulled a thrilling string with the identity of the Castor original. I’ve never thought it could be also Leda original and Mrs S mother. I still need time to adjust because it’s so big. In a weird way, Sarah (and her sisters) are related to Mrs S… I can’t wait to the aftermaths and how it will affect their relationships. The season finale sounds even more exciting now. But at least now, we can have hope for Cosima.... But, Coady might want to get Kendall Malone first, as her son Rudy was getting sicker, failing one of the brain test. With Ferdinand in London too and Rachel finishing working on the book for Castor, Mrs S and Sarah better hurry and get back to Cosima and Dyad. I have a feeling it won’t be so easy to travel with the Original.

   Back at Dyad, Cosima went to seek Delphine’s help as she started to suspect Shay was actually a mole for Castor. She read her file, learnt she was military and started to connect the dots, with Scott’s help. Shay knew about the book, she knew about Sarah and she could have told Rudy Cosima was sick again. Everything pointed toward her.
   But the best part of Cosima and Delphine’s scene was when finally Cosima started to trust Delphine again, telling her about Sarah’s whereabouts in London. It was time she recongized she could trust Delphine despite her position at Dyad and her relationship with Topsite. She was the only one who could help and protect her.

   Delphine wasted no time and visited Shay. I freaking loved Delphine being so dark and cold with Shay. It was really good and fun. It was a whole new Delphine, so protective of her girl. She was willing to go very far to get Shay’s confession. Of course, she kept denying as she wasn’t the mole, it was Gracie who told Castor about the book. Cosima tried to prevent Delphine from doing something irrevocable to Shay, but I think it might have been a little too late. Delphine hadn’t started anything against but Shay. Sill, Delphine told her about Castor and was very threatening. Shay could start to be suspicious and asked questions about who Cosima really is.
   There was something definitely off about Shay actually, IMO, even if she wasn’t the mole, she could still be Castor or something else. I could totally see her connected to the psychic/cantina waitress from Mexico.

   So, Gracie finally reveled herself. She was actually quite weird around the Hendrix house, hugging Helena and leaving with a big bag for a doctor appointment. I knew something was up still I’ve never guessed she was the mole. Castor reached out to her, using her love for Mark to get info on Leda. At least, Gracie was nice enough to apologize calling Cosima.
   I’m not that angry at Gracie for selling the sisters to Castor, she did it out of love for Mark, not because she hates them. She just wanted to be with the one person she loves in the world. And actually, it wasn’t that bad since Castor hadn’t found the original first. I really hope Mark and her can be happy, after he gets cured.

  Finally, Helena and Donnie continued to spend more time together and to bond in  "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow". Donnie was badly injured from his fight with Jason but he wanted to keep Allison out of the loop. But, things got worst when Pouchy sent his man to get the pills back, so Jason wasn’t vouching for the Hendrix anymore, Pouchy had no interest in working with them. Oops, that would be hard to hide from Allison even if she was busy all day making deliveries.
   Helena and Donnie were so fun together. It’s such a great pairing the writers have pulled there, they’re amazing together. Helena was very nice with Donnie, healing him but when she learnt her babies were taken by Pouchy’s guy, she wasn't fooling around anymore. Helena was on her new path, less violent and more regular, to prepare herself to be a mother. But being a mother also means protect your children and it’s exactly what Helena did.

   Donnie was hilarious in his scene with Pouchy and his cousin. He is always trying his best to be cool and all, and he keeps on failing miserably. Helena came to help him, first pretending to be Allison. It was hilarious to watch Helena’s face with Allison’s smile, and that hat….
   I absolutely loved that scene, but the best part was when Pouchy’s cousin started to threaten Allie’s daughter, after making it clear to Donnie and Allison that they will work for Pouchy from now on. Helena totally changed, and came back to her former path : violence and murder. No one should threaten Helena and her sisters babies. I’m glad she got ride of Pouchy, I can’t wait to see the consequences with Jason and Allison but at least now they have a lot of money ! Great news.

   "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow" was an excellent episode, exactly what I expected from Orphan Black penultimate episode. It set things in motion for the season finale, which promises us to be the best season finale of the show yet.
   Sarah has the Castor original, she just needs to keep her and get her to Dyad, but Castor are after them and quite close (as Felix watched someone coming to Kendall’s house) while at Dyad, Delphine and Cosima will have to deal with Shay and Ferdinand ! I just can’t wait for next Saturday !
   What did you think of  "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow" ? How shocked were you by the ending ? What do you think will happen now the original is known ? Hit the comments !

Clones notes :
- Helena dancing and making soaps. I love that girl. That was a bloody episode !
-  “Thank you for saving my babies” So cute
- No Rachel, no Krsytal ! I missed them !
- Now Ferdinand has something against Delphine, as she has something against him. That would be interesting to see what it will play out in the season finale and we might finally get to see Topsite ?! Also, do you think Ferdinand will ask to see Rachel ?
- Donnie speaking Portuguese, I just love that man.

About the Author - Romain Ossust

I'm a 29 TV addict. Here is a non exhaustive list of my favorite shows : 12 Monkeys, Ab Fab, 24, Alias, American Horror Story, Banhsee, Bates Motel, Black Sails, Carnivale, Daredevil, Daria, Dead Like Me, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, ER, Fargo, Fringe, Game of Thrones, Girls, Grey’s, Hannibal, Homeland, HIMYM, HTGAWM, Looking, Lost, Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Medium, OUAT, OUAT Wonderland, Orange is the New Black, Orphan Black, Pan Am, Penny Dreadful, Person of Interest, Power, Pushing Daisies, Raising Hope, Rectify, Reign, Scandal, Sex & The City, Six Feet Under, Sleepy Hollow, Spartacus, The 100, The Affair, The Americans, The Big C, The Fall, The Killing, The Leftovers, The Missing, The Strain, The Tudors, The Walking Dead, Transparent, True Blood, True Detective, Tyrant, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara, Utopia, V, Veronica Mars, Weeds.
For SpoilerTV, I'm reviewing The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, Banshee, American Horror Story, Power, Wicked City, Westworld, Bates Motel, Girls, & Orphan Black

Recent Reviews (All Reviews)