Orphan Black

I will not deny the fact that sci-fi shows have always been of interest to me, which is one of the main reasons why I had decided to give this show a try. And of course, the brilliant trailer helped too. This particular series' main focus is on human cloning and the experimentation that led to the success of this often called 'immoral and unethical' act. The intriguing part that caught my attention was the fact that the actress, Tatiana Maslany, portrays multiple identical people (clones) at the same time. 

The show begins with Sarah Manning, having witnessed the suicide of one the women who appears to have been her doppelgänger and so, Manning takes on her identity. It is this sole act that leads to a chain of events and she finds out that she is a clone and there are several others out there, who are being assassinated one by one. The concept of this show is simply fascinating and it certainly is quite an angle on the personal identity issues that tend to be faced by people. 

But hands down, my favourite thing about the series is the way Maslany plays the roles of all the clones, with such talent. Each clone is characteristically so unique and different from each other and it is quite a delight to watch one actress pull that off with such brilliance. Even if you are a not a fan of sci-fi thrillers, I would recommend this series nonetheless, just to be exposed to this kind of talent. 

I suppose a turn-off about Orphan Black would be the complications that keep arising, some of which are clearly just for the sake of having the plot running. There is good buildup however, and the suspense is thrown in there in generous amounts. 

The series consists of three seasons, ten episodes each and has been renewed for a fourth season to be aired in 2016. 

Happy binge-watching! 

Game of Thrones

As someone who is an avid reader of books, I suppose I am a little ashamed to admit that I haven't read the Game of Thrones series and instead opted to watch the television adaptation. Although, in my defence, I was so impatient to become a part of the fandom that has got the whole world reeling, and I did not possess enough time to read the books. Even still, no regrets and I am so glad to have finally indulged in this amazing show. 

Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama show based on George R.R. Martin's series of novels, 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. It takes place in the fictional lands of Westeros and Essos and multiple intervening plots and characters with a primary action; playing the game of thrones. To quote Cersei of House Lannister, 'When you play the game of thrones, you either win or die.' It may sound ridiculously dramatic right now, but I can honestly say that she is not joking around. This show had me hooked on from the very start, with episodes ending with all sorts of cliffhangers that left me wanting more.

Apart from House Lannister, other major Houses include Stark, Targaryen (a House that was completely eradicated during the war, leaving behind only two survivors, Daernerys and her brother, Viscerys), Baratheon and many more. I'm sure that the series aren't all that detailed as the books and there are changes, but nonetheless, all five seasons have been nothing but captivating. The shooting locations are absolutely beautiful, the action scenes are intense, and the creators have done an excellent job with giving the whole show the authenticity and feel of the culture of the people of Westeros and Essos. 

One of the only negatives about the show that affects me is the unnecessary nudity that is frequently portrayed. Of course, it's understandable that few of the scenes are integral to the story but personally, I think it goes beyond the line many times. Furthermore, it's even worth noting that it is only the women who are subjected to this sort of objectivity and sexual violence in the show, which makes it all the more discriminative. The use of violence and torture are a bit too much at times as well, not to mention, the portrayal of rape which are in obvious ways, unnecessary. 

On the whole, it is a brilliant and amazing series and I highly recommend viewers to give it a shot. Please note that it is not for the fainthearted and scenes of gruesome violence and death are very much prevalent. 

Happy binge-watching!