Orphan Black review: Tatiana Maslany is dazzlingly impressive to watch

As unique selling points go, Orphan Black's is just that extra bit special. This Canadian-made show about a young woman who discovers she is one of a "family" of clones (hardly a massive spoiler, you can figure this out early in episode one) stands out because of the perfomance, or rather performances, of its lead Tatiana Maslany.

Maslany plays half a dozen different clones over season one, with who knows how many more promised for the imminent second season. We start with the street-smart Sarah, but soon meet her test tube sisters: soccer mom Alison, microbiology student Cosima, assassin Helena and more. Delivering one creditable performance for a show is tough enough, but Maslany nails several here, often appearing in scenes as multiple versions interacting seamlessly. This is Olympic-level, endurance acting. It's like watching a long-distance runner do several races all at once. It's always clear which clone she's playing – accent, attitude and body language, along with wardrobe and makeup conspire to create Maslany's collection of characters. Each new turn is full of surprises, such as with the aforementioned soccer mom Alison, who starts off strident and uptight, seeming to be no fun at all, then rapidly steals all the wittiest and most moving scenes. But the real fun comes from watching Maslany immersing herself in myriad layers of performance: such as the scene when Sarah has to adopt the personality of another clone. It's dizzying, impressive stuff to watch, let alone act.

Of course, Maslany may be the best thing about the show, but she's not the only good thing about it. There's also Jordan Gavaris as her foster brother Felix, whose scenes with Maslany demonstrate great chemistry (giving her a chance to work with someone other than herself) and their bickering banter will be familiar to many siblings. There's also the always-welcome Matt Frewer as a sinister "Neolution" cult leader and Maria Doyle Kennedy as Sarah and Felix's no-nonsense foster mother.

Plotwise, it twists and turns manically, mixing in science (all the episodes are named after chapters in Darwin's On the Origin of Species) and suspense, as the clones get closer to the truth of why they were created. There's intrigue and danger aplenty as the clones try to suss out who in their lives has been placed close to them by shadowy operatives to serve as a monitor or handler. As questions are answered, more are posed, but the show always plays fair dramatically; this isn't just an exercise in ekeing out the mystery. Progress is made and the show's fascinating world becomes bigger by the episode.

Orphan Black is an amazing showcase for Maslany's talents: skills that few could match even if given the opportunity. Think about the plaudits showered on movie actors such as Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers or Sam Rockwell in Moon for delivering dual roles, now multiply that – and imagine having to wrestle with a more punishing TV schedule and budget. This is why Maslany found herself suddenly thrust alongside more famous names such as Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies and Elisabeth Moss in the nominations for the Critics' Choice television awards, eventually beating her illustrious competitors to the best actress gong.

It's the sort of performance that will never become commonplace, extraordinary and remarkable enough to warrant a few hours of your time.