Sapphire is a Girl's Best Friend

To quote Keanu Reeves in every movie he’s ever been in, “Whoa.” Like, “Whoa, ‘Orphan Black.’ You’re, like, blowing my damn mind.” Now I know I – and many of you – went into this season with a certain amount of trepidation. Boy clones, really? How could adding a bunch of same-faced dudes to a show that has so stalwartly been about women – sisters, at that – and their fight to determine their owns lives possibly make things better?

Well, the answer is they couldn’t. But the good news is they haven’t had to. Because the boy clones – while present – have largely been just another obstacle for our seestras to overcome. And, the even better news, is the boy clones haven’t had nearly as much screen time as I had worried. (It helps that a couple of them got killed off pretty quickly, too.) This, again, is good because Ari Millen, you’re no Tatiana Maslany. Not by a long shot.

Anyway. This was not what made me go “Whoa.” What made me go “Whoa” – or, more accurately, “Whooooooa” – was Shay. Like, “Whoooooa. Hellooooo, Shay.” If you’re a fan of Ksenia Solo (and if you’re not, what’s wrong with you) you already love her because, duh, Kenzi. But now you’ll love, love her as Shay. Granted, the whole holistic healer thing is a little too moonbeam and crystals for me. But, hey, who doesn’t love a gal who is good with her hands? Amirite? I’m right.

Granted, I have no idea where this whole Shay/Cosima thing is going. (Also is Shaysima really their portmanteau? Because, meh.) She could turn out to be yet another terrifying twist in this crazy clonespiracy. But right now, I like it. I like it a lot. They’ve got chemistry, which for both a scientist and a TV couple is key. And, damn, these two gals have it. Their chemistry is like a Bunsen burner on full boil. How many times did you rewind that scene? Come on, don’t lie. This is for science.

Look, I love Delphine, obviously. But, first and foremost, I want Cosima to be happy. And right now, this Shay girl? Whoa, does she have lots of happy, happy potential.

Also, after watching Ksenia dance (like, literally in “Black Swan”) around roles in projects with other plenty of queer female characters, it’s nice to see her play one for a chance. Like really nice. Like, whoa.

p.s. How many lesbians desperately searched the app store for Sapphire so they could find their very own Shay after this episode? Come on, don’t lie. Again, for science.