Seeing Double: Space Orders Second Season of Hit Original Drama ORPHAN BLACK

− From Temple Street Productions, ORPHAN BLACK is produced in partnership with Space and BBC America −

− New episodes continue Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Space −

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TORONTO, May 2, 2013 /CNW/ - Space announced today that it has ordered a second season of its hit conspiracy clone thriller ORPHAN BLACK from Toronto-based Temple Street Productions. Just halfway through its first season, ORPHAN BLACK has been captivating viewers and keeping them on the edge of their seats as new twists and turns are revealed Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Space. With production set to begin on Season 2 later this year, the series will return in the spring of 2014 with 10 all-new, mind-bending episodes.

A record-breaker from the beginning, ORPHAN BLACK had the highest Original Series premiere ever for Space with an average of 513,000 viewers for its March 30 launch. After five episodes ORPHAN BLACK has been watched in part by 2.8 million Canadians. With a weekly average of 364,000 viewers, ORPHAN BLACK is the #2 series for Space this broadcast year behind only DOCTOR WHO.

"ORPHAN BLACK is a huge success - reflective of our focus on exceptional programming that delivers on the promise of our Specialty brands," said Catherine MacLeod, Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. "This joint-Canadian production demonstrates our commitment to produce original, world-class content in Canada while simultaneously showcasing our amazing homegrown talent."

** Media Note ** Download photography for ORPHAN BLACK at BellMediaPR.ca/Space

"We're delighted with the second season order for ORPHAN BLACK and want to thank everyone at Space, BBC AMERICA, and BBC Worldwide for their support and commitment to our show," said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, executive producers of ORPHAN BLACK and Co-Presidents of Temple Street Productions. "We're thrilled to continue this journey with such a strong team and fantastic cast, led by the ridiculously talented Tatiana Maslany. A huge thanks to the fans for their steadfast support of the show. We're looking forward to giving every one of them more ORPHAN BLACK."

Anchored by Tatiana Maslany (Picture Day) who, to date, portrays Sarah, Beth, Katja, Alison, Cosima, and Helena, at its core ORPHAN BLACK centres on English punk and streetwise hustler Sarah who returns home after being separated from her daughter. But her homecoming isn't exactly what she expected. After witnessing the suicide of a woman who looks just like her, Sarah takes over Beth's life, including her job as a cop as well as her boyfriend Paul (Dylan Bruce, NCIS). Sarah soon discovers that she and Beth are clones, and as she becomes embroiled in the mystery, she learns that there are more of them out there - all genetically identical individuals nurtured in completely different circumstances. Working with her fellow 'orphans,' soccer mom Alison and PHD student Cosima, Sarah begins to unravel the mystery surrounding their identities, while also fighting for her life when an assassin begins killing the clones one by one.

ORPHAN BLACK also stars Jordan Gavaris (UNNATURAL HISTORY) as Felix, Sarah's foster brother; Gemini Award-winner Maria Doyle Kennedy (DOWNTON ABBEY) as Mrs. S, Sarah and Felix's hard-nosed working class foster mother; Kevin Hanchard (REPUBLIC OF DOYLE) as Art, a veteran detective who works alongside Beth; Michael Mando (THE KILLING) as Vic, Sarah's sporadically violent ex; and Skyler Wexler (ALPHAS) as Kira, Sarah's seven-year-old daughter.

Episodes of ORPHAN BLACK are available online at Space.ca following their television broadcast.

ORPHAN BLACK is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Space and BBC America. Executive producers are Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (BEING ERICA) at Temple Street Productions, and co-creators Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT), and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE). Manson also serves as writer and Fawcett as director. Production Executives for Bell Media are Trish Williams and Gosia Kamela. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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About Temple Street Productions
Temple Street Productions is a leading producer of television, film and digital media content based in Toronto, Canada. A selection of Temple Street's past and present projects includes: BEING ERICA (CBC, SOAPnet), THE NEXT STEP (Family Channel), WINGIN'IT (Family Channel), OVER THE RAINBOW (CBC), RECIPE TO RICHES (Food Network, Global), COVER ME CANADA (CBC), BILLABLE HOURS (Global, Showcase), CANADA'S NEXT TOP MODEL (CTV), HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA? (CBC), QUEER AS FOLK (Showtime, Showcase), and DARCY'S WILD LIFE (NBC, Discovery Kids, Family Channel). For more company information http://www.templestreetproductions.com, Twitter @TempleStreet, or connect with us on Facebook.

About BBC America
BBC America delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like TOP GEAR and top-rated science-fiction like DOCTOR WHO. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy®, five Golden Globes® and eleven Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on cable and satellite TV in more than 80.4 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist. Find out more by visiting www.press.bbcamerica.com or follow us on @BBCAMERICA.

About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned and co-produced some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, while working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, and THE LISTENER, and the recently concluded game changer FLASHPOINT. New for 2013 on CTV are the drama series PLAYED (working title), relationship comedy SATISFACTION, multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, a Canadian-produced, complementary version of the hit international series. Among the scripted series on Bell Media specialty channels are the two-time Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, ORPHAN BLACK, and upcoming series BITTEN. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to reality series PANIC BUTTON, game shows MATCH GAME and POP QUIZ, and factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, and LAST CAR STANDING. In total, Bell Media ordered 27 new original Canadian series in 2012, and put 35 scripted projects into development.

About Space
Space is home to phenomenal programming including imaginative dramas, epic movies, engaging reality series, and the daily entertainment talk show INNERSPACE, the source for all-things genre - all in high definition (HD). Also home to Original Series ORPHAN BLACK, PANIC BUTTON, and BITTEN, Space content is always available at Space.ca, and on Facebook, @SpaceChannel, and other social media platforms. Space is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company.

Source: BBM Canada
Audience 9 p.m.-10 p.m. 3/30/13-4/20/13, Reach Monday-Sunday 2 a.m.-2 a.m. 3/30/13-4/28/13
Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters

SOURCE: SPACE

Christy Sullivan, Space, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]