VVHEN DID | ORP NBC Life LL LLG »)) ies, 2 S ovueve =) BLACK Come to Clone Club ‘i A \ Kelley Ware Finance Manager | ote-finance@unbc.ca EX”. once in a while, a television show comes on that hooks you so much you simply have to share it with everyone. For me, that show is currently Orphan Black, a Canadian science-fiction thriller distributed by BBC America. Earlier this month, our production coordinator, Isabelle, came up to me to say she ended up watching the show. This made me realize I want to share this television show with more than just my close friends. So this issue's Kelley's Korner is all about why you should start watching Orphan Black before the season two premiere on 19 April. Orphan Black follows Sarah Manning, a con artist and thief who arrives home after a period on the run to see her daughter. In the subway station, Sarah witnesses the suicide of a well-off woman who looks just like her - Elizabeth Childs. Being in a less than desirable situation herself, Sarah realizes she can benefit from Beth. By switching identities, she can capitalize on Beth's $75,000 bank account and free herself from the people after her by letting them identify Beth as her and assume she is dead. This is where the real story kicks off. Once Sarah assumes Beth's identity she gets pulled into a conspiracy that she was not expecting. Beth was not a long lost twin that Sarah assumed she was. They are clones, and there are more of them. Not only that, but someone has been hunting them down. Orphan Black's first season is a ten episode long roller coaster. It takes a rather clichéd and overdone science-fiction theme and does it right. It not only gives excitement with twists and turns paced out perfectly to keep your attention, but also explores interesting themes of the moral implications of cloning and its impacts on the idea of personal identity. The true success of Orphan Black is its choice BECOME US¢ 4AN ri; fanpop.com in casting. At the forefront of the show is Tatiana Maslany, a Regina native who is absolutely stunning in this show. This is a woman who gets to play four different main characters - one of which is pretending to be another person half the time - and several other supporting characters. This is the make-or-break point of the show. What could have been flat, cliché, and corny ends up setting the show apart and brings it into the realm of amazing. Each of these clones are their own person and are fleshed out so uniquely. From a British punk to a soccer mom, bohemian scientist, or crazed Ukrainian zealot, these characters are all so unique and interesting in their own way. Tatiana Maslany brings such life to each of them, playing these different characters with different personalities and different accents, it is hard to believe that it is only one person. In the scenes where multiple clones are together, it is easier to believe that it is a group of triplets instead of one person doing all the roles herself. The best example of Maslany's acting chops are scenes where one clone pretends to be another. Instead of falling flat, it is so believably one character, with their own quirks and mannerisms, trying to copy those of another. It is truly unbelievable and Maslany's talent alone is reason enough to watch this show. Even though it is mid-semester and assignments are due, I highly recommend you start watching this show. It is the perfect time to get caught up, with the second season beginning in April. It is still small, but it is already being recognized. Maslany was even nominated for a Golden Globe. And with a first season that is only ten episodes long, it is not nearly the commitment it could be. Ten hours is all it asks of you, but it will get you hooked after the first. Vote in the NUGSS election! Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor | ote-culture@unbc.ca t is the election season for the University of Northern BC's Northern Undergraduate Student Society. The campaign period is running until 2 March, with a voting station being set up for 3 and 4 March. Winning candidates will serve from April 2014 until March 2015. This is the undergraduate student population's opportunity to shape what is done with the $65 society fee they individually pay each year. However, previous election days at UNBC have not attracted as much of the student body as it should have. In fact, last election only 403 votes were cast, contrasted with UNBC having roughly 3300 undergraduate students. Voting is an important mechanism in showing the board and executives of NUGSS what students want, as is engaging with the people who are hoping to run NUGSS. On 27 February, speeches will be held by candidates to display their platform, attending this is an important step in deciding on how to place your vote. On 14 February, NUGSS released the final list of nominations. Incumbent President Alden Chow will be challenged by Angela Kehler, the current Academic Representative; Danielle Dysserinck and Carlin Haines will both run for VP of Finance; Amarilys Ducharme and Kelley Ware will run for VP of Student Affairs; William Clyne and David Clarkson will run for VP External; while Shawn Caldera will be uncontested for VP Social, as will Molly Fredeen for Academic Rep, and Mia Pupic for Women's Representative. Michael Watson and Mark Monroe will each run for Assistant Directors of Sustainability and Events, respectively. Students often have a range of criticisms for the university. This year for instance, there have been mutterings of frustration towards the new food services contract and the lack of consultation; or the narrative that has run across the years that students have too many fees for things they do not use. Regardless if one agrees or disagrees with these things, it is important to elect people that align with students' beliefs, and the more students who vote the stronger chance is that this will happen. Looking further ahead, if students start becoming more involved with NUGSS, the more potential NUGSS has in playing a bigger role. Not only is it likely that more people will run as the importance of NUGSS elections starts to expand, but the more participation the students have the stronger the society will be in influencing decisions that UNBC makes. Historically, student unions have played an important role in advocating for what happens within a university, but only when the student collective is large and engaged. One of the recent and largest examples, of course, being the student strikes of 2012 in Québec, which halted tuition increases. Beyond that, it can be argued that UNBC is filled with some of the most progressive and/or innovative minds and people of the Prince George community, so the stronger the voice that NUGSS can be is important to how they can affect the town in which they are grounded.