You’re Running Out of Time to Stream One of the Best Modern Sci-Fi Series and It’s Spin-Off (And They Both Star MCU Favorites)

This series has long been lauded as one of the freakiest and most unique modern sci-fi offerings. It’s also one of the rare sci-fi shows that have gotten both critics and audiences to agree it really is just that good, with 93% and 92% scores, respectively. And to this day, there has never been another series quite like it, one that not only stars a powerhouse actor as its star and uses body horror in new and exciting ways, both relatively common occurrences in the genre, but also centers its narrative around wildly complicated women without putting them into good vs. evil boxes, or inherently pitting them against one another. And now, you only have a few weeks left to catch it before it and its sequel series, which stars Krysten Ritter, leave Netflix (and both series are known for being notoriously difficult to stream).

Orphan Black stars Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk) and centers around Sarah, a woman with a troubled past, who grew up on the streets of England. Pulled to Canada alongside her foster brother, Felix, life only seems to get rougher, especially as she finds herself in a position where she must give her daughter up. But after witnessing the suicide of Beth, a woman who looks exactly like her, Sarah decides to do what she has to: assume Beth’s identity in an attempt to get her life on track and reunite with her kid. Beth’s life, however, isn’t at all what it looked like from the outside, and now Sarah is the target of those who were after the woman who died.

Orphan Black Is the Kind of Sci-Fi That Is Notoriously Hard to Pull Off

Between the body-horror element, the clones (there are so many clones), and the premise of the narrative itself, which requires massive suspension of disbelief, it seemed that Orphan Black would end up as one of those series that progressively got worse, eventually fading away into obscurity. But the opposite turned out to be true, and the series managed to get better and better with every season, consistently impressing critics and casual viewers alike. Critic Maureen Ryan says, “It has a compelling premise, it weaves a distinctive tapestry of betrayal and loyalty, and it offers its star, Tatiana Maslany, quite a few chances to prove her impressive versatility.” And having pulled off nearly flawlessly the portrayal of so many characters, there’s no denying that Maslany is wickedly talented.

The series also managed to draw casual viewers in immediately, with the audience raving about the unique plot and how perfectly cast the show was. “Incredible acting and fast-paced, with plenty of intrigue and lovable, detestable, and flawed characters in equal measure. Tatiana Maslany alone should have won every award going just for this show,” said one viewer. Another added, “The show is well crafted with great recognizable soundtracks. Overall, the suspense, the drama, and the action are softened by some funny and smart moments, creating a balanced and enjoyable show.”