What I’m Watching: Humans (Season Finale)

Humans: Season 3, Episode 8 (B+)

This show has gotten darker since it started, and this episode really brought everything together in a way that does suggest that it could continue for a while, at the same time providing an emphatic ending that could serve as the series finale if for some reason if it wasn’t renewed for a fourth season. Mia becoming the face of the synth movement, reaching out and repeating the word “peace” as she was beaten to death, was extremely significant, and now the far more powerful Niska must take her place to become the true leader of her people. Odi being a god-like synth named V presents a more fantastical, supernatural side to this whole thing that isn’t just based on code, or maybe it’s so advanced that he’s able to appear to be controlling events around him and the future by instantly analyzing probabilities and all that. It was reassuring to see Neil ultimately decide to switch sides, first giving Laura the important information she needed to blow the whistle on the commission’s spreading of fake reports of synth violence and then allowing himself to be identified as the one who gave it to her. It may not have worked, and she may be headed to jail, unless Mattie really can manage to get her mother released, though Niska’s appearance could complicate that. The notion that Mattie is going to create a new species of sorts by giving birth to a human-synth hybrid is immensely interesting, and I for one would love to see this show keep going since I think it remains great.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Emily Berrington as Niska

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 7 (B+)

I had been wondering if the Synth who sleeps was going to be another version of someone we knew, and it seems I was sort of right, with someone who looked a whole lot like Odi showing up to rescue Niska and responding to that name with a clever reply. What was on display here more than in any other episode is an exploration of what it means to have achieved consciousness and to believe in something. Anatole was driven so much by the fact that he believed he had come into being for a purpose, something that Max immediately moved to dispel, describing his awakening as nothing more than a side effect. Watching Max kill Anatole after their blow-for-blow combat was difficult since he’s always been such an advocate for peace, but clearly Anatole had gone too far, nearly beating Leo to death before the calm, still-likeable Stanley stepped in to keep him away from the violence. I’d like to think that both Stanley and Sam are capable of following Max and Mia and making sure that the Synths aren’t all subject to the brutal solution expressed by Neil about “product recall.” Lord Dryden letting Mia go was an interesting development, especially considering the commission’s next steps. Audrey identifying herself as a journalist to Mattie suggests that she might soon break the story, something that could be extremely impactful yet is unlikely to achieve any positive effect aside from making the Hawkins family a target of rage from the fear-mongering public.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 6 (B+)

It did seem for a minute like that was going to be it, with the entire Hawkins family in life-threatening danger and all of the major Synths we know about to be dead, either at their own hands or killed by those who hate Synths. Ultimately, Agnes was the only casualty of the hour, but things got very, very bad, and some important alliances that previously existed have now been torn down completely. Laura noticing that Stanley managed to get angry demonstrated that he is a conscious Synth who was playing the part of the servile orange-eyes and following orders in the process which he chose to ignore once Laura and Mia appealed to what might well be described as his humanity. Anatole undid all of that by forcing Laura to make a binary choice, one which realigned Stanley back to his original position and, saddest of all, swayed Sam since Laura was ready to let him die. Mia being arrested is the least worrisome development, but it’s also not good since there’s not going to be much hope for her defense, especially with Max losing his resolve and possibly his life. Niska got tricked in her search for the Synth who sleeps but may now be closer than ever to finding him, though it remains unclear what he’ll be able to do to help. Mattie’s pregnancy was revealed at the start of the episode but seemed almost irrelevant compared to everything else going on by its end, and perhaps whatever Leo discovers in his diary can help them to do something to rewrite the code and help repair this fractured world in some small way.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 5 (B+)

There’s a lot going on right now, and for all the positive developments, there are some much more disconcerting negative ones that seem ready to implode as early as next episode. Mattie was excited to have made a friend, but she should have known that it was too good to be true. I feel like someone who hated synths and wanted to hurt her would have been better than the truth, which is that a journalist is planning to expose Mattie as the hacker behind Day Zero, which itself is worse than just trying to arrest her since her entire family is going to be put in danger once it all comes to light. Mia getting the equivalent of a police escort with supporters all around her was a victory, and Lord Dryden agreeing to see her was another win. Max seems happy, but he has no clue that Anatol is actively plotting against him, seemingly with the previously innocuous and polite Stanley as a plant ready to kill at his command. I’m intrigued by Leo realizing that he isn’t cataloging his memories properly and that he may be experiencing a new one, and I wonder if that can somehow help the good, peace-loving synths. It was sweet to see Sophie help Sam try to come to terms with the fact that Karen is gone, expressing unhappiness at her not being there and amusement at the distracting games that Sophie taught him to help him be something close to a normal kid.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 4 (B+)

It’s nice to see a rare win for a while, even if it’s not celebrated in such fashion. The visit to the Railyard was full of possibilities for implosion, starting with Lord Dryden’s refusal to shake Max’s hand when he extended it in friendship. Max, to his credit, also set certain boundaries, choosing guns in their homes over having the repressed orange-eyes paraded around within their walls. Keeping Agnes locked up ahead of time was obviously the right choice giving that she showed up with a knife, and Max has clearly lost patience for her, locking her in a shipping container once she proved completely incapable of coalescence. I wasn’t sure where the opening scene of the hour was coming from, but it made sense to understand Agnes’ fear of dark places, which now a synth has trapped her in similar to the way that her first human oppressor did. Ed returning to help Mia up after she got pushed over by the mob was an unexpected development, and Mia greeted him with one hell of a resounding punch to the face that felt much more like something Niska would do. I like that Niska managed to overcome what should have been possible when the bomber was trying to frame her for his crimes, demonstrating that she truly is advanced and evolved to a degree no longer measurable by technology. Sam falling in public and bleeding blue blood was a moment that quickly turned deadly, as Karen somehow managed to contradict her programming and presumably sacrifice her own life to ensure Sam’s survival, theoretically making Joe the new guardian of this synth child.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 3 (B+)

It’s interesting to see that the Hawkins family continues to play such a big part on this show when it’s really much more about the synths than them. Laura is determined to use her bureaucratic appointment to help the synths to be judged more favorably by her committee, but even getting close to Dr. Sommer romantically didn’t sway him to be on her side at all when push came to shove. The notion of having the committee come visit the community and see what they’re actually like makes some sense, but there’s far too much dissent, particularly from Agnes, for that to go smoothly without anyone getting hurt and the public relations campaign being irreversibly damaged. Joe didn’t prove to be so useless after all, since Karen froze when Sam nearly got hit by the car because she wasn’t programmatically able to put herself in harm’s way even if it was going to save Sam. Maybe he can find a way to build a relationship with them that’s advantageous to both the humans and the synths involved. It was only a matter of time before Mattie and Leo officially acted on their feelings for one another, and though there may be a decent age gap between them, there are far weirder things on this show that have been presented as acceptable. Niska, as usual, is on her own track, hunting down answers and getting coded messages that might lead her closer to the truth but will also surely frustrate her along the way. What I’m Watching: The Handmaid’s Tale

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 3, Episode 2 (B+)
He may not be particularly emotive, but Max is a good, calm leader, one who wants to make sure that the synths under his care aren’t all unilaterally punished for the crimes of others. He was smart to make sure to get Mattie and Leo out of there as quickly as possible once Agnes indicated that her subordination wasn’t close to over and that she was determined to find whatever he was hiding. Niska wasn’t into following his orders either, and her latest trip allowed us to see Mia springing into action to help protect the refugee synths who arrived looking for some hope of salvation. Though she was originally upset at the idea of having a synth escort because of her role on the commission, Laura found ways to use Stanley to her advantage, helping with the shopping list, catching projectiles thrown by angry people, and calculating the percentage of likely truth in a fellow commission member’s statement. I was questioning why it was that Joe continues to be a part of this show, teaching Toby about work ethic in his moderately successful grocery store, and I guess it’s so that he can help Karen and Sam realize that they’re not nearly as safe as they think they are, even if Sam is able to correct his “inadequacy requires more effort” statement to something a bit more human. Joe hasn’t been useful for a while, so let’s hope that him being featured prominently means that he’s going to an asset rather than the hindrance he’s been since he first tried to have sex with Mia.

What I’m Watching: Humans (Season Premiere)

Humans: Season 3, Episode 1 (B+)

This is a show that has largely flown under the radar, broadcasting first on Channel 4 in the UK and then on AMC, reaching a third season without much fanfare. This show truly is underrated since it’s a subtle but extremely effective picture of what advanced technology could look like if it wasn’t entirely rebellious but just malfunctioning and desiring of a right to direct its own existence. It’s been more than a year since season two finished airing on AMC, and so I had forgotten that Mattie did something major that changed everything. Picking up a full year after Day Zero, in which 110,000 casualties were suffered, shows the dire state of things, with the synths we know hiding out in a camp undisturbed by the authorities but just waiting for the big crackdown that finally came after the bombing which turned out to have been executed by a group of violent synths. Laura really is trying to hardest to advocate for them, but it’s hard when no one seems interested in giving them a chance and one sector of the population is making them all seem like villains. As usual, Niska hasn’t really chosen a side, seeking her own personal vengeance against whoever it was that perpetrated the attack, and Karen is training Sam to pick his nose like a good little human boy so that he won’t get spotted as a synth. The most resounding line of the hour came from Mia in response to another instance of irreversible system failure: “Death. Call it death.”

What I’m Watching: Humans (Season Finale)

Humans: Season 2, Episode 8 (B+)

I knew it was a good idea to split this show’s final two episodes of season two up after they aired together. Now, I have the knowledge that this show will be back for a well-deserved third round after it received a renewal last week. It’s sure to be immensely interesting since we’re now entering an incredible new world where all synths are conscious and no one is prepared for how to deal with that. What we saw in this episode was how a synth evolved enough to be aware of and in charge of what she was doing but chose constantly to doubt the morality and inherent ability to be good of humans and to punish them for the actions of a few. Laura, to her credit, held her own when Hester was ready to cut out her eye, and she achieved more success than Leo did when he thought he talked her down but just got a blade to the neck as a reward for his efforts. Anita was brave to shut Hester down by shutting herself down, and Niska arrived at just the right time to ensure that Hester was down for the count. Bidding goodbyes of sorts to both Dr. Morrow and Karen proved very effective, and having Joe attend a party where a synth was a clown helped put all of this in perspective. This was another superb season, and I’m very much looking forward to the third iteration, which should debut in the UK in a few months and then on AMC next year.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Emily Berrington as Niska

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 2, Episode 7 (B+)

Okay, so I know that AMC actually aired the eighth and final episode of this season right after the seventh, but I’d prefer to stretch this show out longer, especially since this hour was really good. It’s hard to decipher who the good guys and who the bad guys are when the one at the top is actually Dr. Morrow, whose feelings about synths come from a much more personal place and who isn’t intent on making the sentient ones suffer the same way as some of her colleagues are. After Hester nearly intimidated Mattie into cooperation by force at the start of the episode, she showed a cool, calculating demeanor when she didn’t let herself be talked down by a surprisingly adept Pete and instead killed both the doctor and Pete. I’ll admit that Pete’s death caught me off-guard since I hadn’t imagined that he would be killed and certainly not like this, and the most intense part of it was seeing Karen sob with such sadness and then reveal no trace of any emotion just seconds later. The devastation that Leo and Anita felt when all of the freed synths collapsed behind them after they had been broken out was poignant, and it’s easy to forget that they too can be simply switched off with a mere touch or click. As they are immersing themselves fully into the battle, Niska is deciding that she doesn’t want to be a part of it anymore, preferring instead to spend time with her girlfriend, someone who makes her feel human. The news that Renie isn’t really a synth probably shouldn’t be too surprising, and it’s just the latest interesting comment about what kind of behavior passes for normal in this new world.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 2, Episodes 5 and 6 (B+)

A double dose of this show is never a bad thing, though it does mean that we’re closer to the end of the season, which is now just two episodes away, and the show has yet to be renewed for a third season. The most momentous event from both hours was Niska declaring that she no longer accepted the authority of the court that was about to rule on her humanity, which was promptly followed by a well-executed escape. I like the idea that Anita or Mattie could help reverse the order that’s out there for all synths to immediately radio in when they see her, but it seems that going to one human that she knows she can trust is probably the smartest plan, especially since said human refused to acknowledge that Niska could be anything but human. Karen’s new take on things, not wanting to have to pretend, is intriguing, and it’s cool that she and Pete are now investigating Dr. Morrow. The death of her daughter is sad, certainly, but it’s even more worrisome since it means that she’s going to fight harder to be with what’s left of her daughter, who can apparently now feel fear. Leo and Hester having sex does seem to have changed their relationship, as Leo warned, and Max finding out that the man they kidnapped was found dead means that he may be switching sides, which isn’t good for anyone. Anita quickly reprogramming herself was brilliant, and it was just a little terrifying to see her start back up after the entire Hawkins family panicked when Mia was nowhere to be found. Sophie acting like a synth is strange, and it’s definitely getting to both of her parents. Odi going to church for confession was not something I ever would have imagined, and he really is trying to be as helpful as he can now that he has all these feelings.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 2, Episode 4 (B+)

Thus far, this season has been one of exploration for all of our characters, and now there are things happening that threaten all their livelihoods. Laura bringing in Astrid to show Niska’s humanity was a brilliant move, and it was interesting to see just how committed Astrid was to the idea of Niska being human, even if she didn’t respond in terribly warm terms. The summary from Patel that it doesn’t really matter whether she has feelings or emotions was an unfortunate reflection of what’s likely to transpire, suggesting that a jailbreak by Laura is probably necessary. There were three synths in the Hawkins home by the end of the episode, which was quite the turn of events, and I like that Odi sprang into action to defend Mattie’s family when the synth was busy threatening Laura and demanding verbal confirmation that she was going to drop the case. I’m not sure what comes next, but things are definitely heating up. It’s no surprise that Pete and Karen are getting themselves into trouble, and hopefully they’ll soon find allies with similar interests to help protect the newly-awakened synths. Things seemed to be going so well between Ed and Anita, and then he shut her off at the end of the episode with his friend watching, which suggests nefarious intentions. Milo is onto Dr. Morrow, but I think he’s most interested in remaining at the forefront of technology and using her to advance his research, regardless of why it is that’s she really trying to do the work.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 2, Episode 3 (B+)

We learned something very important at the start of this episode, which is that Dr. Morrow has a daughter in a coma and, it seems, she is trying to revive with her artificial intelligence invention. Her husband, or ex, is obviously much readier to move n than she is, and it’s a constant source of conflict between the two of them. That final shot at the end of the episode confirmed that V was somehow created from her daughter, picturing a memory captured in the picture that Dr. Morrow was staring at. It appears that Dr. Morrow is closest to finding our sentient synths, realizing that Leo is George’s son and that he’s still alive. It’s interesting to see the groups of synths react to their prisoner’s disappearance, and, most intriguing, one of them didn’t come along. Anita deciding to stay behind because she said she cares for a human and likes him more than anything she’s ever seen or heard or touched, quite the romantic line, was a great development, and let’s just hope her brief happiness with Ed isn’t ruined by the café visitor who spied them holding hand sthrough the window. Niska wasn’t doing a great job at first of seeming human, but as soon as Laura realized that the club music was triggering something for her, she figured out the best way to show her humanity by asking her a question she couldn’t respond to the right way with her expressions but instead with her words. Karen and Pete’s relationship is going well, and the sudden bursting of her bag made things a lot more serious and dangerous for both of them.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 2, Episode 2 (B+)

This show has always had a certain quality about it that didn’t necessarily ground its storyline in any one place, and that’s why we’re currently seeing all of our characters in separate areas and doing completely different things. It was nice to see Karen and Pete again for the first time in a while, shopping for furniture and playing house while trying to ensure that they were still going undetected. Mia, who I still think of as Anita because that’s what she goes by, isn’t doing as good a job, helping her kindly boss Ed, played by Sam Palladio from “Nashville,” get much more money than he’s entitled to thanks to some super-cool computer work done without even looking at the keyboard. I’m not sure whose experiments are more impressive: Dr. Morrow’s ill-fated attempt to put the consciousness she invented into the defective synth or Mattie’s entrepreneurial reprogramming of Odi. What was most fascinating to me was watching Hester’s exploration of her newfound emotions, realizing that she could make her prisoner feel pain and that it was a great way to get information out of him, something that Leo and Max didn’t approve. It’s also intriguing to watch Niska work with Laura to go through strictly legal channels to be put on trial for her fatal act, with a UN observer in the room to ensure proper treatment and keeping in mind Laura’s warnings that she could easily be shut down immediately if things didn’t go her way. I’m interested to see what comes next.

What I’m Watching: Humans (Season Premiere)

Humans: Season 2, Episode 1 (B+)

In its absence, I had forgotten how much I like this show, which wrapped its second season run in the UK in December. It’s such a distinctly British show, yet there are even more Americans – and other foreigners – aboard now that we’re entering into some new territory and new plotlines. I’m so happy that Niska is being featured so prominently since I’ve always found her to be the best character, and seeing her experience a relationship for the first time was fascinating. She had no problems with the fact that it was with a woman, but more so because it was with a human and it made her start to feel. Her question about whether life wants to be created was fantastic. Seeing a few random synths wake up was enormously interesting, and it’s clear that the right to be more than you’re meant to be is going to be the major theme in this season. I like the addition of Carrie-Anne Moss’ brilliant scientific mind, who is no-nonsense but is also keeping a few secrets of her own. Joe getting laid off (or made redundant, as they say in England) isn’t too consequential, but it is important that the whole family is united. Niska showing up to face trial as a human is an intriguing twist, and while I can’t imagine it’s going to go too well, I’m definitely ready and excited to see how it all plays out and what happens in the run-up to something that a lot of people – and maybe even a few synths – won’t like.

What I’m Watching: Humans (Season Finale)

Humans: Season 1, Episode 8 (B+)

I’m glad that this show will be back for a second season since there is obviously a much bigger story to tell here, and I think that these initial eight episodes really developed it from something which wasn’t fully accessible to a cool show with immensely dynamic characters. Niska giving the code to Laura to hold on to was the ultimate symbol of victory for the human-synth relationship, except for the fact that Niska actually took it with her as she begins her life as a human away from her synth siblings. Hobb implanting Fred with an innate loyalty to him that made him unwillingly transmit his location back to home base was an unfortunate turn of events, but luckily everyone decided that getting away would be in Fred’s best interest even if he couldn’t actually go with them. Karen also managed to find some semblance of happiness with Pete after deciding to betray her brothers and sisters, though I’m not sure how long that will last given their very precarious professional situations. I like the way this show has portrayed its intrapersonal relationships, and that, in its final two hours, it condensed a few plotlines into just one main stream of events, permitting all of its characters to appear on screen together. This show was much better than I expected it to be, and I’m glad that AMC opted to pick it up in partnership with another network and bring it back for next year. I look forward to watching it again in season two to see where it goes!

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Emily Berrington as Niska

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 1, Episode 7 (B+)

What a rollercoaster of an episode this was, with nearly all the Synths in one place save for one very crucial player who unfortunately didn’t have the same destiny in mind for her fellow creations. The revelation that Karen was one of them but not one of them means that they obviously resented her, and the programming that she had which prevented her from killing herself was her primary motivation in turning the rest of them in to Danny and his team. That all came after plenty of discussion among the Hawkins family and their cybernetic guests about how similar they are and what their real goals are. I never knew how funny Niska could be, responding to Sophie with “Has your face always been like that” and then questioning why everyone keeps telling her to be nice. Playing with dolls with Sophie was an especially great scene. Laura and Joe seeing the footage of her attacking the fight club changed their minds about her, but they didn’t even have time to process it all before the SWAT team burst in. George’s death at Karen’s hands is almost inconsequential, and it seems clear that the Hawkins family, Mattie and Laura in particular, was always much more central to this story. Odi sharing a pleasant memory with George as he lay dying was a fitting way to go out, and who knows what will become of poor Odi, who will likely be recycled and decommissioned, fated for total and complete obscurity.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 1, Episode 6 (B+)

This show isn’t wasting any time progressing its plot, and I’m very excited about that. Joe having slept with Anita is almost inconsequential because, thanks to an awfully dramatic drowning-like awakening in the car, Anita doesn’t really exist anywhere. That’s not to say that Joe’s resentment about the situation is gone, and that’s what resulted in the tragic sacrifice Max decided to undertake to ensure that Leo could get away. “If I die, that means I’ve lived” was probably the best quote of the hour. Danny also showed a very different side of himself, inviting Fred to join him in a world where Synths are treated better only to have him shoot him and go on the run, ready to reunite with his fellow Synths. The interaction between Niska and George was also fantastic, with both insisting on their independence, George declaring that he doesn’t take orders from her and Niska retorting that she doesn’t serve humans. Karen revealing to Peter that she is a Synth after they slept together was very poorly-timed especially considering his visit to his own home to interrupt some very deliberate lovemaking between his Synth and his wife. Everything on this show has been turned on its head, and I’m eager to see how it all gets resolved with just two episodes left this season. Fortunately, AMC and its partner networks have decided to bring this show back for a second season, news which makes me very happy since I think this show has a very promising future.

What I’m Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 1, Episode 5 (B+)

This was a good episode that helped return this show to solid footing, and I’m now extremely eager once again to see where it goes next. What I like most is that things are actually happening, namely with Mattie once again reaching out to Leo and understanding exactly who Anita is and Niska marching directly to George’s doorstep. It was intense to see Leo react to the complete lack of familiarity expressed by Anita and the total absence of Mia. Mattie’s attitude has shifted completely, as she now understands that Anita is not some artificial intelligence irritation but rather something much more complex. The unfortunate thing is that she was also able to discover thanks to her hacking skills that someone had sex with Anita, and of course she would assume that it was her brother and not her father. Joe’s confession came a bit too late and his dismissal of the severity of his act almost negated it entirely. That marriage appears to be headed the way of Peter’s, which has officially disintegrated as his wife prefers her synth to him as a companion and even wants him to pay for it. Odi getting found in the woods wasn’t a positive development, and it’s a good thing that Peter’s surprise visit didn’t result in Niska hurting anyone. Karen’s own investigation into Niska and her motivations is particularly fascinating, especially because she is posing as a human. Vera pegging Niska as a synth was another great moment, as George’s refuting of her claim proved all too logical.

What I'm Watching: Humans

Humans: Season 1, Episode 4 (B-)

I figured this would have to be inevitable, but it really didn't take long at all for Joe to give in to untoward desires and activate the Adult 18+ settings on Anita that permitted him to have sex with his Synth. It seems to me that such a feature would have to be imprinted in her data stores somewhere and that a scan of her less than twenty-four hours afterwards would reveal some trace of that command. Otherwise, how could it possibly show that she had been on the market for fourteen years when she had been sold as a new model only several days before? That inconsistency doesn't bother me too much, but I do think that Laura's rightful suspicions are now going to be hindered by Joe's efforts to cover up his affair with his robotic nanny. I'm glad that Laura is being proactive and trying to get to the bottom of these malfunctions rather than just assuming the worst. Niska found a great avenue to take out her rage for the mistreatment of synths by humans by going into a fight pretending to be a human so that she could hurt a bunch of them for amusing themselves by beating up synths. Leo visiting George revealed that he was created as more than just a synth to resemble his father's deceased son, and Hobb is now much more on his trail too. Pete's situation isn't great with his personal life crumbling, and it's a good thing that he got his work suspension sorted out so that he could get out of the house. I thought something romantic was brewing between him and Karen, but it turns out that, thanks to a rather disgusting bag removal, she's actually a synth, something I suspected all along given her rather robotic behavior. This world is definitely out of control with secret synths posing as humans all over the place.