Every season of Orphan Black ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Orphan Black!

Sarah, a streetwise hustler on the run from a lifetime of bad decisions, witnesses the suicide of a stranger who looks just like her. Sarah assumes her identity, hoping that cleaning out the dead woman’s bank account will solve all of her problems. Instead, the street smart chameleon is thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. After taking on the new identity, Sarah quickly finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy and must race to find answers.

Natural Selection

With a body in her car and nowhere to turn, Sarah is forced to continue her con and earn “Beth” a second chance on the force. But with a killer on her tail, her only hope of finding answers lies with another apparent ‘identical,’ Alison.

Instinct

Rocked by the revelation that she and her fellow "Orphans" are clones, Sarah just wants to get her hands on the money and skip town. But Sarah’s fake detective ruse stretches thin when the cops find the body she buried and assign “Beth” to the case. As Sarah closes in on the killer, the hunter becomes the hunted.

Variation Under Nature

Sarah realizes that the Orphans’ survival is going to take more than police work. But tracking the killer threatens Sarah’s long awaited reunion with her daughter, Kira. As Sarah gets closer to the killer, the killer gets closer to the truth – the ensuing showdown threatens to expose her ruse as a cop.

Effects of External Conditions

When terrifying evidence suggests the Orphans are part of a sinister ongoing experiment, Sarah’s suspicions turn to Paul, Beth’s boyfriend. But her probing inadvertently triggers Paul’s own investigation, bringing him dangerously close to the truth. Meanwhile, paranoid Alison piles on a whole new level of complication.

Conditions of Existence

Sarah’s hunt for answers is interrupted by a trip to the suburbs. Alison’s paranoia has boiled over, putting all the Orphans at risk. But when Sarah, Alison and Beth’s worlds dangerously collide, Sarah must decide who to trust with her secret.

Variations Under Domestication

With Paul missing, Sarah is forced to confront the conspiracy head on. But when Paul learns Sarah has kept essential information from him, the fragile trust between them threatens to shatter. Meanwhile, Cosima grows closer to Delphine and the dangerously fascinating Dr. Leekie.

Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner

Sarah's actions pit the Orphans against each other as she tries to plan her next move. As Paul tries desperately to cover up Sarah’s existence, Alison takes vengeance on her suspected monitor, which could cost her everything she holds dear.

Entangled Bank

After Kira’s life is threatened, Sarah is on the warpath, but Dr. Leekie makes her think twice about her plans for revenge. Meanwhile, Cosima faces the truth about Delphine, forcing her to choose sides. Now, it’s up to Sarah to decide the killer’s fate, but the truth about where Sarah came from changes everything.

Unconscious Selection

Sarah’s last chance to bring her nemesis back to sanity slips away as Art intervenes to get answers of his own. Meanwhile, the Orphans must decide whether to make peace with their creators, as Sarah is forced into a deadly confrontation with their enemy.

Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Sarah is out of options, on the run, and pursued by deadly adversaries. Desperate to find her daughter Kira, Sarah suspects ruthless pro-clone Rachel is behind her daughter’s disappearance and sparks an all out war against her. Alison and Donnie attend the funeral of her fallen friend, Aynsley, causing Alison to sink into guilt and despair. Cosima is faced with a perplexing decision that may have dire consequences.

Nature Under Constraint and Vexed

While Alison struggles with Aynsley's death and Cosima grapples with the worsening symptoms of her mysterious sickness, Sarah enlists Art’s help to find Kira and is shocked when she learns where the trail leads.

Governed by Sound Reason and True Religion

After hitting the road with Felix, Sarah is forced to turn to a ghost from her past - an old flame named Cal Morrison. When their brief respite is brutally shattered, Sarah realizes that no matter how far she runs, it will never be far enough.

Mingling Its Own Nature with It

Sarah comes home looking for answers, and with the help of Cosima, they begin digging into the origins of the clone experiment. The hunt for answers takes her right into the belly of the beast, but getting out could cost her more than she knows.

Governed As It Were by Chance

Rachel goes on the warpath, lashing out at Sarah's nearest and dearest. While she tries to keep her loved ones safe, an unexpected visitor threatens to derail Sarah's plans.

Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

Sarah joins forces with an unlikely and untrustworthy ally, following a trail of clues that she hopes will lead her to the origins of the clone experiment. Cosima and Delphine make a discovery that could prove to be the key to treating her illness. Alison finds herself in unsavory company at rehab.

To Hound Nature in Her Wanderings

When a rehab confidante betrays Alison and threatens to expose the truth about Aynsley’s death, she goes into free fall on the eve of Family Day. With Donnie and the kids set to visit, it’s all clones on deck to contain the fallout.

Knowledge of Causes, and Secret Motion of Things

A new player in the clone conspiracy turns up at Felix’s door, sending him into crisis mode. With Cosima running out of options, Sarah struggles with the decision to surrender a crucial piece of leverage and make a deal with Dyad.

Variable and Full of Perturbation

Cosima takes a turn for the worse, forcing Sarah to take desperate action which results in tragic consequences for those she loves. The Proletheans set their ultimate plan in motion, while Alison and Donnie tangle with the law.

Things Which Have Never Yet Been Done

The war with Dyad is all but lost when Rachel’s latest ploy forces a broken Sarah to concede. The Clone Club springs into action, uniting in a reckless gambit to save Sarah. As they fight to gain their freedom, Sarah encounters a new ally and uncovers a terrifying new dimension to the conspiracy.

By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried

When the menace of Castor rears its head once more, Sarah and her entire family must come together to survive.

The Weight of This Combination

Castor pursues the Leda clones for original tissue samples. Helena, who is pregnant and imprisoned, is examined by a mysterious new villain. The Castor boys are also out to play, toying with a frightened young woman, Patty, in a sexy switcheroo that ultimately sets Sarah – and Art – hot on the Castor trail. But it’s not all fun and games for the Castor boys, as Sarah gleans they may have a mysterious defect that puts their lives in peril.

Transitory Sacrifices of Crisis

Leda and Castor are both on the hunt for original clone DNA. On-the-lam, Mark and Gracie pursue new leads to find the samples that might set them free, while Art and Sarah reunite to track them down. Meanwhile, Cosima and Scott try to learn more about Castor’s biology and Alison’s new money-making venture is going gangbusters. A shocking revelation about the Castor-Leda connection leaves the sisters reeling, just before Sarah witnesses a deadly Prolethean-Castor face-off.

Formalized, Complex, and Costly

Mark is taken down in a Prolethean shoot-out and Sarah must step in to help. But as Sarah gathers intel that puts her on the trail of the original Castor DNA, a familiar foe is not far behind. While Helena continues to toil in a faraway military compound, it is ultimately Sarah’s fate that will hang in the balance as she tries to save her sister. Meanwhile, Gracie is cast out from the Prolethean fold, and Alison and Donnie come face-to-face with unhappy drug lord, Jason Kellerman.

Newer Elements of Our Defense

Helena and Sarah are reunited at the Castor camp. As Sarah suffers testing, Paul appears to chide her; but his allegiances are beginning to strain. While the Leda family worries about Sarah’s absence, Gracie ‘breaks loose’ under the care of Mrs. S and an unwilling Felix. Cosima falls hard for an internet date, Shay.

Scarred by Many Past Frustrations

Paul digs and finds the ugly truth behind the Castor Boys’ logbooks of names, pushing him into action. Meanwhile, Felix is desperate for info on Sarah’s whereabouts, and presses the still-ailing Rachel for any shred of a lead. In order for Donnie and Alison to take their money-making endeavor to the “next level” she must introduce Jason Kellerman to her unique business plan.

Certain Agony of the Battlefield

Alison must secure a store front in order to take her and Donnie’s business to the “next level”. But things don’t go according to plan when her mother, Connie, proves to be a major hindrance. Cosima is facing familiar health issues and calls upon beleaguered Alison for a favor. But with Alison working to save an imperiled Donnie from the merciless hands of a drug lord, it’s Cosima who ends up doing a favor. An unassuming Scott gets closer to the greatest discovery of all, when he sits down with beleaguered clone Rachel.

Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate

When Rachel makes a promise to Sarah, it comes with a hefty price. Meanwhile, Helena and Gracie work with the Hendrixes, and Donnie takes Kellerman to task. Over at Castor, Coady and Benchman scheme to track down the Castor Original, and Rudy descends on DYAD for a much needed asset.

Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method

Sarah, Felix, and Mrs. S are in London to track down the Castor Original, but their enemies are not far behind.

Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow

Castor and Topside force Sarah to make uneasy alliances. But there is some rest for the wicked, when Donnie gives Helena an unexpected ‘gift’, and the results of Alison’s candidacy finally come in. Even as team Leda takes a moment to breathe, change is afoot and a life hangs in the balance.

History Yet to Be Written

After two months of respite, Sarah’s hard-won refuge in Iceland is shattered by a Neolution attack. Once again forced to flee, she realizes no matter how far her family runs it will never be far enough.

The Collapse of Nature

After evading a Neolution attack in Iceland, Sarah returns home to track down an elusive new ally. As Cosima struggles with Delphine’s disappearance, Alison and Donnie host a pregnant and ever-hungry Helena. Meanwhile Felix, feeling like an outsider, embarks on his own journey of self-discovery.

Transgressive Border Crossing

As Sarah reels from the shocking discovery of Neolution’s biotech, she’s desperate to find answers. Rachel receives a visit from her keeper and takes a fraught step forward towards recovery. Meanwhile, Helena is mistaken for “Mrs. Hendrix” when she answers a visit from suspicious visitors.

The Stigmata of Progress

Sarah realizes her goals have aligned with her once enemy and forms a precarious alliance in hopes of getting to the head of Neolution. Meanwhile, on her end, Alison dispatches Felix and Donnie to infiltrate a Neolution fertility clinic that Beth investigated. Back at the lab, Cosima and Scott receive a revolting delivery from Alison. As Rachel grows closer to Charlotte, Susan Duncan leaves a devastating decision in her hands.

From Instinct to Rational Control

Sarah’s day off to reconnect with Kira quickly turns into a sleuthing  mission aimed squarely at discrediting Felix’s new ties. Cosima steps up  with Donnie to further investigate the Neolutionist fertility research  center. While Donnie bumps into an all too familiar face, Cosima makes a  shocking discovery that leads her into a dangerous encounter.

Human Raw Material

When Cosima admits doubts about finding a cure in time to save her life,  Sarah makes a lone decision that exposes Kendall to those she’s spent  years hiding from. Meanwhile, Art and Felix team up to protect naïve  clone, Krystal Godderitch, from herself.

The Scandal of Altruism

Sarah regresses to old habits while struggling to cope with the  consequences of her decisions —reconnecting with Beth on a dark night of  the soul. Back at the lab, Cosima, haunted by vicious memories and news  of Delphine, attempts a dangerous Hail Mary to find a cure. At the  Hendrixes, Alison is more determined than ever to create normalcy for  her kids. As she forges ahead with a birthday party, Donnie is caught in  the Neolution crosshairs.

The Antisocialism of Sex

As Alison is terrified by Neolution threats made against Donnie, Sarah  and Mrs. S question her loyalty to her sisters. While Sarah is  distracted, Siobhan sneaks out to seek vengeance. Meanwhile, Cosima and  Susan Duncan work together in a final attempt to discover a cure.

The Redesign of Natural Objects

With Susan Duncan deposed, Sarah finds herself in the same position as Rachel — under the heel of a new HBIC — causing the archenemies to come together for the greater good. Cosima and Susan butt heads on the ethical implications of human experiments. Meanwhile, when the Hendrixes' legal counsel, Adele, further investigates Donnie’s case, she begins to suspect Felix is keeping deep secrets. Helena’s arrival forces Felix to make a difficult decision.

The Mitigation of Competition

When communication with Cosima is cut off and Neolution appears to be  within striking distance, Sarah's alliance with Rachel goes out the  window. Sarah lures a high-level Neolutionist into a trap, and sets out  to bring down Neolution once and for all.

From Dancing Mice to Psychopaths

Sarah is deeply wounded and struggling to stay alive on the Island. Driven deep into its forest by Neolutionists and worse, she strives to make it far enough to rescue Cosima. Meanwhile, a recovering Cosima reunites with Delphine, but there's way more going on on this Island than Cosima imagined and Delphine can't give her all the answers she needs. What is clear is that Rachel is now firmly in charge as the right-hand of the 170-year-old founder of Neolution, P. T. Westmorland. Back home, Neolution puts the screws to Alison and Donnie in their hunt for Helena. The sestras couldn't be further apart when they need most to be together.

The Few Who Dare

Captured by Neolution Sarah receives a damning ultimatum from Rachel: come into the fold, or lose your family. Her decision causes a clash with Kira who begins exploring her own maturity. Meanwhile, Ferdinand struggles to get a handle on Rachel's new velvet glove mandate in pursuit of the clones. With Neolutionists and Ferdinand watching their every move, Felix brings an old ally into the mix to help his family get Kira to safety. On the Island, Cosima struggles to comprehend the reality of the Neolution myth made real.

Clutch of Greed

Stuck on the sidelines with Neolutionists crawling all over her home, Alison seeks to return to her community center, but Bailey Downs has moved on from her. As she flounders to take back some semblance of control, the ghost of friendships' past rears its handsome head. Art and his new partner show up at the Hendrix residence to continue their search for Helena, forcing Art to make a difficult moral judgement.

Beneath Her Heart

Following up on intel from a mysterious source, Mrs. S heads on the road with Sarah to investigate a lead on a Neolution defector. Meanwhile, an unexpected reunion takes place on the island, while Cosima's research leads her to a discovery more terrible than she could have ever imagined. As more pieces slide into place, the puzzle only seems to become more complicated.

Let the Children and Childbearers Toil

While Sarah and Kira spend some well-needed bonding time at home, secrets are unlocked about Kira’s special gifts that are surprisingly linked to the island’s creature. Meanwhile, Cosima joins Delphine at the mansion for a twisted family dinner, causing a dangerous showdown with the Neolution patriarch.

Ease for Idle Millionaires

Cosima is forced into an alliance when an old enemy returns to the island, accelerating P. T. Westmorland's sinister agenda. Meanwhile, on the mainland, Krystal stumbles onto a vital clue to the Neolution endgame. Sarah and Mrs. S’s research into Neolution's corporate ties leads to the cosmetics industry and an inevitable cross with Krystal Goderitch. But before Sarah can dig deeper, Krystal hijacks the investigation.

Manacled Slim Wrists

As P. T. Westmorland demands a more aggressive action on Kira, and Sarah fights to save her daughter, Rachel discovers a dark secret that makes her question her place within Neolution. Meanwhile, Cosima has returned with a vital clue to Westmorland's true identity.

Gag or Throttle

Mrs. S orders the sisters to take a night off from sleuthing to celebrate Felix's art opening. But while Felix attempts to impress a famous gallerist with the help of his sestras, Sarah remains on edge with a nagging suspicion that S is hiding something. Meanwhile, wounded and desperate, Rachel reunites with an old ally, but their plans for revenge on Neolution put Clone Club in the line of fire.

Guillotines Decide

A devastating loss is eclipsed when word reaches Sarah that Helena has been kidnapped. Clone Club bands together in a race against time, determined to find her before she has her babies. And with time running out, Sarah is forced into action in a last-ditch effort to save her sestra.

One Fettered Slave

With Helena forced to take shelter behind enemy lines, it’s a bloody last stand for survival as Sarah and Art struggle to protect her, and end the siege on the sestras once and for all.

To Right the Wrongs of Many

A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.

The Best Seasons of Orphan Black

The Best Seasons of Orphan Black

Season 4

Season 3

Season 2

Season 1

Season 5