Humans – science fiction television show whose action takes place in the near future where each family has a robot in their homes that look a lot like real humans. New technologies and science development allowed to create such product that has artificial intelligence, although it is able to think, has feelings, and its own opinion. When people are able to create copies of themselves and connect with them emotionally, questions start arising – what does it really mean to be a human?
Humans is created by Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley. This show is based on a Swedish science fiction drama by Lars Lundstrom titled Real Humans. British duo offers us the same story as the Swedish show but adds a little bit of new life, interest, and attractiveness to it. Humans is brand-new series of 2015. It currently has only one season with eight episodes. Because of the huge acknowledgments this show got, it was decided to air the second season of Humans in 2016 with new twists and turns in the story. Humans shows what kind of future is possible when robots-servants would change the life of real humans, it intrigues viewers with an interesting plotlines, great acting, and the same theme examined in every episode – that boundaries, that differ people from robots, which merge together.
Joe Hawkins, played by Tom Goodman-Hill, cannot handle his three children and his workaholic wife. When he cannot take the stress at work, constantly dissatisfied children, and his cooled off marriage anymore, Joe decides to get new robot-servant Anita, played by Gemma Chan. This Joe’s decision gets very different reactions from the family members. His youngest daughter Sophie, played by Pixie Davies, is excited to get new nanny in the house and cannot wait until she gets to spend time with her. Their teenage son Toby, played by Theo Stevenson, is also very excited as new “hot” robot, which radiates this amazing beauty, has perfect body, whose skin is as smooth as velvet and has symmetric facial features, will be living in their home.
`Oldest daughter Matty, played by Lucy Carless, who understands information sciences, sees Anita as a proof that her generation has no use anymore. Joe’s wife Laura, played by Katherine Parkinson, is the one that is unhappy of her husband’s purchase. When Anita everyday silently walks around the house, cleans it, makes food, and communicates with children, Laura feels outrageous that robot can do what she is not able to – to take care of her family. In a society like this we see, that robots-servants became a normal phenomenon. They perform not only the duties of a servant but also work in places like cafes, grocery shops, companies, even in the business of prostitution. Insurance companies use robots as care-givers who would make sure that the older people would stick to their medical treatment. This is how we meet a lonely widower doctor George, played by William Hurt. He is attached to his outdated robot Odi, played by William Tudor, which is on the verge of breaking but at the same time is the only remaining memory of George’s dead wife. When health services order George to use new robot – nurse Vera, played by Rebecca Front, he hides Odi because he still has hope that his favorite robot will get better.
In the series, one of the stories is about a group of robots that separated themselves from the whole line of other robots. Society is assured that robots do not have any emotions but that is not true. There is a special type of robots. They are created in order to feel and think for themselves. This group of robots is running from something but it is not clear from what. Anita, whose real name is Mia, is one of these “special ones”. She and two of her friends were kidnapped and detached from the whole group. Mia was reprogrammed and given to a family; other girl was sold for prostitution; and the last one, a guy, kidnappers left for themselves to study it. But the lover of Mia, leader of the group named Leo, played by Colin Morgan, and his friend Max, played by Ivann Jerremiah, will do anything to put this special group of robots back together and to hide it from the others. This team of robots adds intrigue as it reveals about the emotional connection that the robots have.
This TV series is different from other because from the beginning attention of viewer was directed to every word that the robot said, his eyes, and even to the slightest movement. Purpose of this – to reveal the relationships between humans and robots. Imagine yourself buying servant and it being as simple as to buy, for instance, a dishwasher. This is what Humans want to emphasize. Such easily accessible purchase as robot-servant is arranged to do all tasks its owner tell him to. Humanity became very addicted to robots. Despite all the elements of science fiction, this show portrays well known reality of everyday life. This case can easily be applied to these days when people express their discontent, discrimination of migrants or other people that they are not used to. Directors Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley found a way how to apply this problem in the context of science fiction.
Verdict 10/10
Humans is a show that wants to expose problem of near future where technologies will replace real humans. Every episode is full of unanswered philosophical questions that want to be revealed. It is craftily created drama that adds a dash of reality to the theme of science fiction. If you are fans of this genre but at the same time want to see topics relevant to modern days then this show is for you.
