Helix and Orphan Black: Cults & Genetic Engineering

Both Helix and Orphan Black not only play on fears of genetic engineering, but embed these fears within the context of cult-like organizations. In Orphan Black it is the Dyad Corporation and the actual cult of Proletheans who are interested in Project Leda's creation of the Sarah and the Clone Club; the military is in charge of Project Castor's creation of male clones. In Helix not only is there the cult-like Ilaria Corporation engineering a virus to wipe out most of humanity's "surplus population," but in Season Two we have an actual cult composed of the descendant's of one of the immortals. In this case, the cult itself is involved in splicing plants (an early form of genetic engineering) to create hybrids and creates an apple which sterilizes males (an interesting twist on the apple as forbidden fruit).

By embedding the fears of genetic engineering within a cult or cult-like organization, it amplifies human fears of hidden agendas. It also makes for some interesting plot devices and twists. Cults have been out of the news for awhile, so this plot device really is an interesting choice.

Orphan Black & Helix: The "Company" Resurfaces

In my previous post The Nefarious Company and Its Many Tentacles, I discussed how there seemed to be a conspiracy, guided by a corporation in many televisions shows of the past decade. In Helix, the company is identified as The Ilaria Corporation. In Orphan Black, it is two competing groups, The Proletheans and The Dyad Corporation, the second of which is a direct descendant of a pair of military project called Project Leda and Project Castor.

The Ilaria Corporation is composed of 500 immortals, governed by a board of directors. Their ultimate goal is to reduce the human population to "manageable," "sustainable" levels in order to restore the Earth to "ecological balance." The Proletheans and Dyad Corporation are on two sides of the cloning debate. The Dyad Corporation are trying to replicate the initial success of Project Leda in creating female clones and are monitoring all of the known existing clones for health and research purposes. The Proletheans are biblically opposed to cloning, but intrigued by two specific members of the clone club: Sarah Manning and Helena.

These aspects of "the company" continue to play important roles throughout the development of the series.