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The Worst Episodes of Orphan Black

Every episode of Orphan Black ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Orphan Black!

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

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 4 - Let the Children and Childbearers Toil
    7.6/10(1057 votes)

    #1 - Let the Children and Childbearers Toil

    S5:E4

    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.

    Director:David Wellington
    Writer:Greg Nelson

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  2. Orphan Black Season 2 Episode 8 - Variable and Full of Perturbation
    7.7/10(1641 votes)

    #2 - Variable and Full of Perturbation

    S2:E8

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writer:Karen Walton

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  3. Orphan Black Season 3 Episode 2 - Transitory Sacrifices of Crisis
    7.8/10(1423 votes)

    #3 - Transitory Sacrifices of Crisis

    S3:E2

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writer:Aubrey Nealon

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  4. Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 1 - The Few Who Dare
    7.8/10(1195 votes)

    #4 - The Few Who Dare

    S5:E1

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writer:Graeme Manson

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  5. Orphan Black Season 3 Episode 3 - Formalized, Complex, and Costly
    7.9/10(1365 votes)

    #5 - Formalized, Complex, and Costly

    S3:E3

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writer:Chris Roberts

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  6. Orphan Black Season 3 Episode 4 - Newer Elements of Our Defense
    7.9/10(1346 votes)

    #6 - Newer Elements of Our Defense

    S3:E4

    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.

    Director:Chris Grismer
    Writer:Russ Cochrane

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  7. Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 5 - Ease for Idle Millionaires
    7.9/10(1065 votes)

    #7 - Ease for Idle Millionaires

    S5:E5

    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.

    Director:Helen Shaver
    Writer:Jenn Engels

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  8. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 2 - Instinct
    8.0/10(2485 votes)

    #8 - Instinct

    S1:E2

    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

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  9. Orphan Black Season 2 Episode 3 - Mingling Its Own Nature with It
    8.0/10(1711 votes)

    #9 - Mingling Its Own Nature with It

    S2:E3

    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.

    Director:T.J. Scott
    Writer:Alex Levine

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  10. Orphan Black Season 4 Episode 7 - The Antisocialism of Sex
    8.0/10(1251 votes)

    #10 - The Antisocialism of Sex

    S4:E7

    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.

    Director:David Frazee
    Writers:Graeme Manson, Nikolijne Troubetzkoy

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  11. Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 2 - Clutch of Greed
    8.0/10(1108 votes)

    #11 - Clutch of Greed

    S5:E2

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writer:Jeremy Boxen

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  12. Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 3 - Beneath Her Heart
    8.0/10(1083 votes)

    #12 - Beneath Her Heart

    S5:E3

    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.

    Director:David Wellington
    Writer:Alex Levine

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  13. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 1 - Natural Selection
    8.1/10(3045 votes)

    #13 - Natural Selection

    S1:E1

    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

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  14. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 3 - Variation Under Nature
    8.1/10(2321 votes)

    #14 - Variation Under Nature

    S1:E3

    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

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  15. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 7 - Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner
    8.1/10(2059 votes)

    #15 - Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner

    S1:E7

    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

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  16. Orphan Black Season 3 Episode 1 - The Weight of This Combination
    8.1/10(1626 votes)

    #16 - The Weight of This Combination

    S3:E1

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

    Director:David Frazee
    Writer:Graeme Manson

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  17. Orphan Black Season 4 Episode 3 - The Stigmata of Progress
    8.1/10(1197 votes)

    #17 - The Stigmata of Progress

    S4:E3

    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.

    Director:Ken Girotti
    Writer:Aubrey Nealon

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  18. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 4 - Effects of External Conditions
    8.2/10(2200 votes)

    #18 - Effects of External Conditions

    S1:E4

    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

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  19. Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 5 - Conditions of Existence
    8.2/10(2140 votes)

    #19 - Conditions of Existence

    S1:E5

    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

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  20. Orphan Black Season 2 Episode 2 - Governed by Sound Reason and True Religion
    8.2/10(1776 votes)

    #20 - Governed by Sound Reason and True Religion

    S2:E2

    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.

    Director:John Fawcett
    Writers:Graeme Manson, Karen Walton

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  21. Orphan Black Season 2 Episode 5 - Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est
    8.2/10(1658 votes)

    #21 - Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

    S2:E5

    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.

    Director:Helen Shaver
    Writer:Tony Elliott

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  22. Orphan Black Season 2 Episode 6 - To Hound Nature in Her Wanderings
    8.2/10(1617 votes)

    #22 - To Hound Nature in Her Wanderings

    S2:E6

    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.

    Director:Brett Sullivan
    Writer:Chris Roberts

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  23. Orphan Black Season 3 Episode 5 - Scarred by Many Past Frustrations
    8.2/10(1375 votes)

    #23 - Scarred by Many Past Frustrations

    S3:E5

    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.

    Director:David Frazee
    Writer:Alex Levine

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  24. Orphan Black Season 4 Episode 4 - From Instinct to Rational Control
    8.2/10(1190 votes)

    #24 - From Instinct to Rational Control

    S4:E4

    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.

    Director:Peter Stebbings
    Writer:Alex Levine

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  25. Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 6 - Manacled Slim Wrists
    8.2/10(1072 votes)

    #25 - Manacled Slim Wrists

    S5:E6

    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.

    Director:Grant Harvey
    Writer:David Bezmozgis

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Let the Children and Childbearers Toil" is the worst rated episode of "Orphan Black". It scored 7.6/10 based on 1057 votes. Directed by David Wellington and written by Greg Nelson, it aired on 7/1/2017. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Variable and Full of Perturbation".