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The Best Episodes of Orphan Black Season 1

Every episode of Orphan Black Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Orphan Black Season 1!

A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.
Genres:DramaSci-Fi & Fantasy

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Natural Selection" is the best rated episode of "Orphan Black" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 2878 votes. Directed by John Fawcett and written by Graeme Manson, it aired on 3/30/2013. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Instinct".

  • Natural Selection
    8.1/102,878 votes

    #1 - Natural Selection

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/30/2013

    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.

    Director: John Fawcett

    Writer: Graeme Manson

  • Instinct
    8.0/102,357 votes

    #2 - Instinct

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/6/2013

    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.

    Director: John Fawcett

    Writer: Graeme Manson

  • Variation Under Nature
    8.1/102,201 votes

    #3 - Variation Under Nature

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/13/2013

    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.

    Director: David Frazee

    Writer: Graeme Manson

  • Effects of External Conditions
    8.2/102,085 votes

    #4 - Effects of External Conditions

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/20/2013

    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.

    Director: Grant Harvey

    Writer: Karen Walton

  • Conditions of Existence
    8.2/102,027 votes

    #5 - Conditions of Existence

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 4/27/2013

    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.

    Director: T.J. Scott

    Writer: Alex Levine

  • Variations Under Domestication
    8.4/102,075 votes

    #6 - Variations Under Domestication

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 5/4/2013

    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.

    Director: John Fawcett

    Writer: Will Pascoe

  • Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner
    8.1/101,956 votes

    #7 - Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 5/11/2013

    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.

    Director: Brett Sullivan

    Writer: Tony Elliott

  • Entangled Bank
    8.4/101,964 votes

    #8 - Entangled Bank

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/18/2013

    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.

    Director: Ken Girotti

    Writer: Karen Walton

  • Unconscious Selection
    8.6/101,950 votes

    #9 - Unconscious Selection

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/25/2013

    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.

    Director: T.J. Scott

    Writer: Alex Levine

  • Endless Forms Most Beautiful
    8.9/102,199 votes

    #10 - Endless Forms Most Beautiful

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 6/1/2013

    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.

    Director: John Fawcett

    Writer: Graeme Manson