Ep 4. Effects of External Conditions

The episode "Effects of External Conditions" is the fourth installment of the science fiction thriller series Orphan Black's first season. The episode was directed by John Fawcett and written by Graeme Manson. The plot of the story revolves around the ongoing investigation on the identity of the clones, as the clone Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) continues to delve deeper into the mystery surrounding their existence.

In this episode, Sarah finds herself facing new challenges as she realizes that her life is in danger. She discovers that Detective Art Bell (Kevin Hanchard) is investigating her and that her former lover Vic (Michael Mando) has told Art that Sarah is involved in a drug trade. Meanwhile, Alison Hendrix (Tatiana Maslany) struggles in her marriage and her identity as she discovers her husband Donnie (Kristian Bruun) is hiding things from her, and Cosima Niehaus (Tatiana Maslany) continues to work on the scientific aspects of the clone investigation, confirming their genetic connection.

As Sarah races against time to clear her name and find a way to keep herself and her daughter Kira (Skyler Wexler) safe, she discovers that she needs to align herself with unlikely allies, one of them being her rival clone, Rachel Duncan (Tatiana Maslany). Rachel presents herself as the Vice President of the Dyad Institute, the organization that is responsible for cloning the project, and provides Sarah with an opportunity to meet her creators, leading to an intense showdown.

As the story progresses, the plot thickens, with more twists and turns adding to the already complex narrative structure. The episode reveals deeper layers to the individual clones and explores their relationships with each other and the external world. It gives a glimpse into the complex nature of the investigation and how various stakeholders are trying to control the outcome for their own interests.

Overall, "Effects of External Conditions" is an intense and captivating episode that delves deeper into the individual characters and their journeys, while also moving the main plot forward. It offers plenty of suspense, drama, and intrigue, making it a must-watch for fans of the series.