AMC Cancels Sci-Fi Sequel Series After Season 1
There will be no Season 2 for Orphan Black: Echoes, as AMC has canceled the sci-fi mystery series just weeks after its first season finale. As a spin-off of the BBC America hit Orphan Black, hopes were high, but it failed to live up to the original, and the plug has officially been pulled on the show. While some are surely disappointed by the cancellation, it’s not a surprising choice given the spin-off’s lukewarm reception.
A Sequel Set 35 Years After Orphan Black
Orphan Black: Echoes was set in the same world as the original but 35 years in the future. It centered around Kira, the daughter of Sarah Manning from the original series, as she and her wife help an amnesiac woman named Lucy. It served as a direct sequel to the original but focused almost entirely on new characters.
Not As Popular As The Original
The sequel series premiered on AMC and BBC America on November 3, 2023, a full decade after the original aired. Orphan Black: Echoes received a single ten-episode season before the announcement of its cancelation earlier this week. The largely negative response to the first season makes the show being picked up by another network unlikely despite the original’s popularity.
The reception to Orphan Black: Echoes was mixed, with the show often being compared negatively to the original. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received 60 percent from critics and a 47 percent fan score. More importantly, it failed to win over the original show’s dedicated fan community, known as the Clone Club on social media.
Krysten Ritter Was The Star Of Orphan Black: Echoes
With a new main cast, Orphan Black: Echoes saw the return of one of the original show’s creators working alongside a new showrunner. Krysten Ritter, Keeley Hawes, Amanda Fix, Avan Jogia, James Hiroyuki Liao, and Rya Kihlstedt formed the sequel’s central cast. Anna Fishko served as the showrunner with original series co-creator John Fawcett returning as a director and executive producer.
Tatiana Maslany Did It Better
Unlike Orphan Black: Echoes, the original show was a surprise hit, earning numerous awards and heaps of critical praise over its five-season run. The show won over 60 awards, with many of those going to its lead actress Tatiana Maslany for her portrayal of several clone characters. Unlike the sequel series, it had a nearly perfect 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with a 92 percent audience score.
Unable To Hold Up To Orphan Black
In the end, Orphan Black: Echoes may have suffered more than it benefitted from being the spin-off of such a beloved show. Negative reviews and social media criticism often focused on how the sequel didn’t live up to the original, making every flaw more glaring by comparison. The absence of Tatiana Maslany was also a major disappointment for fans, setting the sequel up to fail by removing its beloved lead actress.
While the majority of viewers seem to have bounced off of Orphan Black: Echoes it’s a shame the show’s fans won’t be getting any follow-up. The original featured a compelling sci-fi mystery, strong writing, and amazing performances but it seems the sequel couldn’t recreate that success.
The spin-off may have been a disappointment overall, but if social media is anything to go by, it hasn’t done anything to diminish the original show’s fan base.
Source: Deadline
