Back in the salad days of “Peak TV” between 2011 and 2016, an iconic series seemed to debut every other month. Of the many shows that spawned passionate followings, the Canadian sci-fi biopunk series “Orphan Black” proved to be among the most prescient. Its themes of cloning, advanced technology, and psychological manipulation anticipated the success of shows like “Westworld,” while its focus on complex female characters was echoed in prestige series like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “House of the Dragon.”
Now, AMC+ revisits the fertile creative territory of “Orphan Black” with “Orphan Black: Echoes,” a new story set in the world of the original series. And here’s the first teaser for the series, which sees Krysten Ritter waking up in a world she doesn’t recognize, not knowing who she is, and desperate to figure out what’s happened to her and why.
The synopsis is as follows:
Set in the near future, “Orphan Black: Echoes” takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unraveling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal.
“Orphan Black: Echoes” also stars Amanda Fix, James Hiroyuki Liao, Reed Diamond, Tattiawna Jones, Jonathan Whittaker, Keeley Hawes, and Alexandra Castillo. The show marks Ritter’s first major TV performance since wrapping up Netflix‘s “Jessica Jones” in 2019. But is Ritter the actual lead of the spinoff? Stay tuned on that.
Anna Fishko serves as creator, writer, and showrunner on “Orphan Black: Echoes.” She previously wrote for “Pieces of Her,” “The Society,” and “Fear the Walking Dead.” Fischko gets a boost from “Orphan Black” co-creator John Fawcett; he directs the spinoff’s pilot and also serves as co-executive producer. Encouraging set photos also suggest the new series has carried over the moody, neo-noir atmosphere of the original. Only time will tell if the fans will follow.
“Orphan Black: Echoes” arrives on AMC, BBC America, and AMC+ sometime next year. Check out the teaser trailer for the spinoff series below.
