Humans (TV series)
Jan. 9th, 2016 10:00 amThis was my Christmas present from ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kathyh, a British tv miniseries consisting of eight episodes. (Based on a Swedish series which I haven't watched.) Considering Blade Runner is my favourite Sci Fi movie, I loved Asimov's short stories as a child and teenager, and that The Sarah Connor Chronicles is my one true Terminator canon, you might say it pushed a button. :) (A button as old as the original very first Robot drama, Karel Capek's "RUR", but very well executed.)
What it is about: in the near future, humanity has developed AI in human shaped form, called "Synths". They're basically used as slaves, guilt-free, since they're machines, not sentient beings. But five of them do have consciousness (there's a backstory plot reason), and they're on the run. There are various storylines who at first appear to be separate but later on are shown to be all connected, and which explore several aspects of this society. The characters we're following are both human and Synth (and of course the series explores just what the criteria for "being human" is), and while the narrative's sympathy is clearly with the Synths' desire for freedom and independence, it also points out various problems humanity has due to their existence (which humanity has created itself, but are still problems): for example, one of the main characters, Mattie, the teenage daughter of the Hawkins family, is worried that by the time she finishes university, her education will have been pointless because a Synth will be able to do whatever job she's qualified for so much better. And if the sentient Synths do follow the goal some of them have, to give consciousness to all the other Synths, it would mean essentially a second species physically and mentally superior to humans - and not aging -, not to mention that presumably their reaction to finding themselves in enslaved positions would not be peaceful.
Humans are shown to respond in a variety of ways to having machines at their disposal who look like them. The range goes from George, one of the original creators of Synthetics, who loves his by now outdated Synth Odi who has been with him for many years and tries to protect him from recycling (Odi, I should add, is not one of the sentient Synths, which is important to the overall points the series makes) to the people getting a kick out of beating Synths (who have, you guessed it, Asimov's three laws programmed into them and thus cannot fight back) into a pulp. Then there is one obvious aspect of human looking beings completely in your power which the series doesn't ignore: the sexual one. Synths are sold as household tools, but they have an "adult" modus their user can employ, and yes, that's as awful as it sounds. Though it's worth noting the series differentiates here in the way it presents the humans doing it depending on the gender of the human. ( Cut for spoilers. ) The sexual slavery aspect isn't one dominating the show, but it is addressed, and I think that's narratively not just justified but essential because it is something that happened in every human society with slavery in it, and to pretend it wouldn't happen once you have AI who looks and feels human would have been dishonest.
One main theme of the series are family connections, because the main set of characters we're following are two families - the human Hawkins family, who purchases a seemingly new Synth at the start of the series, and the family the sentient Synths have formed; also, Odi clearly has become a son to George (played by William Hurt, btw, who is in fine form here, far better than in the last series I saw him in, which was Damages). There is dysfunctionality in both, but also strong affection, and with my love for messed up families, this heavy narrative emphasis was just great. There is also no privileging of biological connection versus chosen one; I already mentioned George regards and treats Odi as a son, despite being aware Odi can't love him back. Laura Hawkins loves her children but has problems with them; her own family backstory is deeply traumatic. Otoh, the sentient Synths were created by the main developer of AI, the late David Elster, and refer to him as their father, but as the series developes it becomes clear he was a bad one; his biological son, Leo, who is also ( something spoilery ), identifies with the Synths, not humanity, and loves them as his brothers and sisters (and -parents, because they all co-raised each other). Leo, btw, is played by Colin "Merlin" Morgan.
There were a couple of times when I thought the series was being unfair to one particular character or the other (Laura Hawkins at first, Niska after she'd escaped), but every time we then got to find out more or that character was deepened or the narrative went into completely another direction than the one I'd feared. And there were some surprising friendships/connections I had never anticipated - like ( something spoilery ). The one criticism I would make is of the way emotional fallout of Joe's actions towards Anita/Mia is treated. ( Spoilery reasons why. )
Acting: everyone does a great job, and the actors who play sentient Synths especially, since their body language both has to include shared elements with the non-sentient Synths and with the humans so it's understandable that they "pass". Because this is a British tv show, not a US one, the actresses playing non-Synth women (the Synths, male and female, having perfect bodies is sort of the point) are actually allowed to look non-model like and be visibly over 40. Laura is the most prominent human female character, and she looks nearer 50, in fact(haven't checked how old the actress is), and like a hard working lawyer with kids would.
Overall looks: present day Britain. The Synths have to recharge themselves with energy at regular intervals, and the recharge stations are about the most sci fi looking thing outside the Synths themselves, which isn't very. Otherwise, non-Synth-related technology seems to be on a contemporary level. (For example, what we see of the Hawkins kitchen doesn't include any non-contemporary tools.) The Synths have signature green eyes which however they can disguise with contact lenses. They also have blue fluid instead of blood. (This is how we know ( something spoilery ).)
Suspense: to me, a lot. Some of the twists are obvious (who Anita really is), some less so (what exactly is Leo?), some of the "didn't see this coming, makes complete sense in retrospect" type ( and should remain unspoiled ).
In conclusion: a great Christmas present. Thank you,kathyh!
kathyh, a British tv miniseries consisting of eight episodes. (Based on a Swedish series which I haven't watched.) Considering Blade Runner is my favourite Sci Fi movie, I loved Asimov's short stories as a child and teenager, and that The Sarah Connor Chronicles is my one true Terminator canon, you might say it pushed a button. :) (A button as old as the original very first Robot drama, Karel Capek's "RUR", but very well executed.) What it is about: in the near future, humanity has developed AI in human shaped form, called "Synths". They're basically used as slaves, guilt-free, since they're machines, not sentient beings. But five of them do have consciousness (there's a backstory plot reason), and they're on the run. There are various storylines who at first appear to be separate but later on are shown to be all connected, and which explore several aspects of this society. The characters we're following are both human and Synth (and of course the series explores just what the criteria for "being human" is), and while the narrative's sympathy is clearly with the Synths' desire for freedom and independence, it also points out various problems humanity has due to their existence (which humanity has created itself, but are still problems): for example, one of the main characters, Mattie, the teenage daughter of the Hawkins family, is worried that by the time she finishes university, her education will have been pointless because a Synth will be able to do whatever job she's qualified for so much better. And if the sentient Synths do follow the goal some of them have, to give consciousness to all the other Synths, it would mean essentially a second species physically and mentally superior to humans - and not aging -, not to mention that presumably their reaction to finding themselves in enslaved positions would not be peaceful.
Humans are shown to respond in a variety of ways to having machines at their disposal who look like them. The range goes from George, one of the original creators of Synthetics, who loves his by now outdated Synth Odi who has been with him for many years and tries to protect him from recycling (Odi, I should add, is not one of the sentient Synths, which is important to the overall points the series makes) to the people getting a kick out of beating Synths (who have, you guessed it, Asimov's three laws programmed into them and thus cannot fight back) into a pulp. Then there is one obvious aspect of human looking beings completely in your power which the series doesn't ignore: the sexual one. Synths are sold as household tools, but they have an "adult" modus their user can employ, and yes, that's as awful as it sounds. Though it's worth noting the series differentiates here in the way it presents the humans doing it depending on the gender of the human. ( Cut for spoilers. ) The sexual slavery aspect isn't one dominating the show, but it is addressed, and I think that's narratively not just justified but essential because it is something that happened in every human society with slavery in it, and to pretend it wouldn't happen once you have AI who looks and feels human would have been dishonest.
One main theme of the series are family connections, because the main set of characters we're following are two families - the human Hawkins family, who purchases a seemingly new Synth at the start of the series, and the family the sentient Synths have formed; also, Odi clearly has become a son to George (played by William Hurt, btw, who is in fine form here, far better than in the last series I saw him in, which was Damages). There is dysfunctionality in both, but also strong affection, and with my love for messed up families, this heavy narrative emphasis was just great. There is also no privileging of biological connection versus chosen one; I already mentioned George regards and treats Odi as a son, despite being aware Odi can't love him back. Laura Hawkins loves her children but has problems with them; her own family backstory is deeply traumatic. Otoh, the sentient Synths were created by the main developer of AI, the late David Elster, and refer to him as their father, but as the series developes it becomes clear he was a bad one; his biological son, Leo, who is also ( something spoilery ), identifies with the Synths, not humanity, and loves them as his brothers and sisters (and -parents, because they all co-raised each other). Leo, btw, is played by Colin "Merlin" Morgan.
There were a couple of times when I thought the series was being unfair to one particular character or the other (Laura Hawkins at first, Niska after she'd escaped), but every time we then got to find out more or that character was deepened or the narrative went into completely another direction than the one I'd feared. And there were some surprising friendships/connections I had never anticipated - like ( something spoilery ). The one criticism I would make is of the way emotional fallout of Joe's actions towards Anita/Mia is treated. ( Spoilery reasons why. )
Acting: everyone does a great job, and the actors who play sentient Synths especially, since their body language both has to include shared elements with the non-sentient Synths and with the humans so it's understandable that they "pass". Because this is a British tv show, not a US one, the actresses playing non-Synth women (the Synths, male and female, having perfect bodies is sort of the point) are actually allowed to look non-model like and be visibly over 40. Laura is the most prominent human female character, and she looks nearer 50, in fact(haven't checked how old the actress is), and like a hard working lawyer with kids would.
Overall looks: present day Britain. The Synths have to recharge themselves with energy at regular intervals, and the recharge stations are about the most sci fi looking thing outside the Synths themselves, which isn't very. Otherwise, non-Synth-related technology seems to be on a contemporary level. (For example, what we see of the Hawkins kitchen doesn't include any non-contemporary tools.) The Synths have signature green eyes which however they can disguise with contact lenses. They also have blue fluid instead of blood. (This is how we know ( something spoilery ).)
Suspense: to me, a lot. Some of the twists are obvious (who Anita really is), some less so (what exactly is Leo?), some of the "didn't see this coming, makes complete sense in retrospect" type ( and should remain unspoiled ).
In conclusion: a great Christmas present. Thank you,
kathyh!
