Humans

Another fantastic show canceled while reality rubbish keeps on spewing.

Humans is an unexpectedly great show. The reason for this is that it's understated in the technology an emphasizes the humanity. The cast are all from UK and mostly unknown and it allows us to get to know the characters more. Gemma Chan who plays Anita/Mya led me to this series via her Twitter. I first saw her in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

This series is dark and brooding. It raises more questions than it answers with the interaction between the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Synths and the Humans who "employ" them to do ordinary household tasks.

The origins of the core group of Synths is a mystery that is weave through the course of this series. There is some limited action, violence and beneath all of that big question about the ghost in the machine. This may be the best follow-up on ideas of sentient robots first presented since Blade Runner.

From the beginning, the premise of this show, the writing, the acting, the twists and the human message were engrossing, and they have remained more so over the last three seasons, and by the way, very relevant: the stakes feel real and relatable to today's issues throughout.

Certainly, there is no evading comparisons to Black Mirror, as both shows are explorations of technological advances of the near future. Whereas Black Mirror is more of a warning of the potential pitfalls of technology, HUMANS is more about society's adjustment to human displacement not only in the economic realm, but also in other intrinsically human dimensions: sharing with -or relinquishing to- our own creations our place at the top of the totem pole is a struggle full of pain, fear, contradictions, inspiration and hope. Furthermore, unlike Black Mirror, HUMANS has a continuous story line with recurring characters, which allows more emotional engagement with their cause. Even the villains in HUMANS aren't black and white and their motivations do make sense, even when their actions are reprehensible.

This is a show every Political Political Science, Sociology or Philosophy courses should make young people watch and talk about. And for your average Sci-fi fan out there, this is a smart show with a lot of heart, in more ways than one.

Highly recommended.

First, this is the kind of series the Brits have shown a knack for, riffing off normal life situations into something creepy and unexpected. (See for example UTOPIA, the original UK version, also reviewed by this scribe.) So even though this is a clone of a European show, it is a natural for English audiences.

Second, the casting of Bill Hurt suggests to the cynically-minded that series was done with a pre-sale to the US market already in the works, with Hurt's job to make the transition more comfortable and discourage yet another "forced cloning" of the show in the US market, a move that more often than not wastes money and creates an inferior product.

Third, the casting is to die for. Gemma Chan is perfectly cast as the main "bot" and reminds this cranky old reviewer of what happened when Barbara Eden first appeared as a family "genie" in the US decades ago. It is now agreed by TV historians that subliminally this appealed to many male viewers who stayed loyal to the show for reasons well beyond the story arc.

And Colin Morgan, once the Merlin of legend, is an under-rated actor who can only make the show better over time.

Looks like a winner to me.

Humans was such a great show! I really got into it, great rounded characters and a believable future. I was really looking forward to the next series. So disappointed.