AMCs new sci-fi drama gets off to a solid, if unspectacular start in its first episode.
Here is our review of Humans, season 1 episode 1.
The easiest part of a science fiction show is the beginning.
Its much easier to ask questions than to offer answers*.
We open on a green, cybernetic eye.
It also represents the most intriguing, mysterious and subtle Episode 1 gets.
Thats not to say its necessarily bad.
Its also not a coincidence that Anita is a woman.
What if shes not pretty?
Can we change her if shes not pretty?
Joes daughter, Sophie (Pixie Davis) asks.
Shes ours, Joe later tells his daughter after purchasing Anita.
Mind you, thats shortly after Joe take a moment to check out Anitas ass.
Its one thing to talk about Photoshopped magazine covers creating unrealistic expectations for women.
Its another thing entirely when that Photoshopped magazine cover is walking around your living room.
Naturally, Joes wife, Laura (Katherine Parkinson), is uncomfortable with her new domestic threat.
Its clear Laura feels at least a little bit miscast in her prescribed role as a wife and mother.
Now in comes the aforementioned Photoshopped goddess who is here to do all the things Laura cant or wont.
And thats pretty much where the human characters motivations and defining characteristics end.
Joes insistence that this is not a big deal is baffling.
For that, we have William Hurt bringing some American-ness as retired scientist George Millican.
George is unusually attached to his original Synth Odie and treats him as a son.
He resists attempts from the state to replace Odie with a newer model, Vera.
Were the dumb dorks likely to love a malfunctioning machine like a son.
Conversely, it robs the two other subplots of some power.
Strange as it may sound, its more interesting to see characters interact with emotionless machines.
That way they are mirrors for each character, and not just other people.
As the end of Episode 1 reveals Anita is one of these sentient Synths…or was.
Anita breaks her Asimov blocks by watching Sophie sleep and then taking her on a little nighttime journey.
Episode 1 is a fine start forHumansand it asks enough questions to be interesting and worth our time.
It just doesnt ask the right questions to be unique.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
