1. This is the most demanding performance on television!
Tatiana Maslany plays at least six different characters consecutively on Orphan Black. Most actors or actresses play one character. Her performance is automatically more difficult than that because of the complexity of each character. Obviously, I'm not saying actors or actresses who normally perform in one role aren't great, because there's a lot of excellent performances, but Maslany has such a difficult job, and pulls it off on a regular basis.
2. Each character is unique!
Tatiana Maslany isn't playing the same character six times. Each character she plays has its own unique look, accent, or story. There's never a time in this show where you're confused, because each of her characters are completely different from the other. Whether she's playing Sarah, Helena, Cosima, Alison, Rachel, etc. it's just amazing that it's the same actress playing all these roles. You ask yourself: Who plays Helena? Who plays Rachel? Then you realize that it's Tatiana and its even more impressive. Watching Tatiana morph from Sarah to Helena is one of the most impressive things I've ever seen, especially when the characters share the screen. These performances alone are the ultimate light & dark of the characters. It's the yin & yang of this show in many ways, and Maslany pulls off both so well. I would ultimately say I think she absolutely loves playing Helena, because she's the most eccentric, but just watching her shape each of these characters is what true talent is all about. Whether she speaks in a different accent, changes her look, or creates a completely different personality, Tatiana Maslany has successfully developed a kaleidoscope of colorful characters that are completely different from the other.
3. She has incredible chemistry with each character!
Chemistry between characters is such a huge part of Orphan Black. Watching her have to interact with herself is impressive in its own right, because she has to tap into all these characters for one scene. The interaction is so interesting. Not only is she able to convincingly create interaction with herself, but she works well with each character. Since Maslany plays most of the characters on the show, she has to interact with all the other characters. She has to tap into the different relationships she shares with the characters. Her connections with Felix, Kira, Siobhan or Mrs. S, Art, etc. are all compelling and completely different from the other. For instance, Sarah & Alison both have a completely different relationship with Felix, and she is able to capture that very well.
4. She plays the hero & the villain!
She portrays some characters in a heroic light. She portrays some characters in a villainous light. However, the most impressive thing about this is she's also able to create an incredible amount of complexity to the characters. She can turn the villain into an anti-hero. For instance, watching the Helena arc shows how much a character can progress over the course of a couple of episodes. Alot of her arc has to do with upbringing. The main character Sarah would be considered an anti-hero in many ways. Everything she does is to help Kira. I love Sarah Manning, but I also love Helena. I love Cosima, but I think Rachel is such a great antagonist. I think Alison's arc really shows how versatile of a performer Maslany is. She has gained more of an attitude over the two seasons, and its amazing to watch. The point is she knows how far to go to create a sympathetic character. The scene where Helena hugs Sarah after dealing with Daniel is great. Each of these characters makes you feel something: whether you want to root for them or go against them. Maslany's performance create a big picture where you're able to see where each character is coming from. That is extremely important. You see these shows where a villain isn't given enough backstory or the hero is too bland. With Maslany's performance, you don't get that. You get compelling characters, detailed backgrounds, and colorful performances highlighting each of these characters. Whether they bleed white or black, she is able to blur the lines and create some gray middle ground.
5. She is successfully able to portray comedy & drama!
In this show there are moments that will make you laugh, moments that will make you cry, and moments that will make you rewind to watch a scene again. The drama side is seen mostly with Sarah and Helena's story arcs. Sarah is looking to make a better life for Kira. Helena is trying to reconnect with her sister, while also trying to distance herself from her religious upbringing. Their arcs create such compelling television. The scenes they share together are some of the most dramatic moments I've seen on television. I always get excited when Helena comes on screen, because I know business is about to pick up. Sarah is a bad ass so it's always fun watching her on screen. Don't mess with her...or Mrs. S for that matter. She's always trying to piece things together and staying one step ahead of everybody. Sarah even portrays other characters at different points to gain an advantage which is really incredible. Think about that: Maslany as Sarah goes into a party, but has to portray Cosima, while also still being Sarah. Amazing!! All of this is designed to help her daughter Kira, while also being the leader of the club. Sarah Manning is awesome whether she's defending her sister, her daughter, or staying ahead of Art, Leeky, etc. On the comedy side of things, Alison's relationship with Felix, and her Desperate Housewives home life create laugh out loud moments that you can't stop smiling at. You get some great one liners between her and Felix. Based on how that friendship started, its amazing how far they actually come. Maslany is a versatile actress able to display so many sides of her personality with these roles. She'll have you feeling sad for certain characters, while laughing with another one the next. It's a complex group of characters who are constantly evolving from when we first them. It's difficult to find an actress to pull off the sweet (comedy) & the sour (serious) so perfectly on a show, but through numerous scenes she's able to convey this in a convincing matter.
TATIANA MASLANY DESERVES AN EMMY!! If you snub her, Helena will come for you!!
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