Humans(2015) TV series

[1001001]

Yes I am watching, but have only seen up to episode 4.

I saw the scheduling and yes it looks like they're just dumping this.

Too bad, as I think this is a fantastic show. I like the Niska storyline, as well as the synth cop and the "evil" synth female who drown that guy.

And we have a sweet forbidden love story going on too.

 

[Q2UnME]

Just a reminder for those still watching in the US, the final two episodes of the season (series?) are going to be airing tonight, back-to-back. Make sure your DVR picks that up. Last week's back-to-back screwed up my series settings and I had to cue the record manually. Hope it goes out with a bang!

 

[shapeshifter]

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Q2UnME]

Well, where to start.

I guess one could say that was probably a series ending. It almost seems like the creators knew they might not be renewed and decided to throw everything into the last two episodes. Trying to bring all the storylines to a conclusion, wrapped up in a nice little bow, didn't feel like it did justice to any of them. Came out more of a muddled mess.

I'll stay away from spoilers for now, until more folks have had a chance to view and comment.

Q2

 

[Christopher]

I'd meant to watch season 2 when it aired on AMC this time, but I kept getting distracted by other things and only intermittently remembered to catch the first few episodes on demand. But today I didn't have other things to do, and I've come down with a really bad cold or something and had to spend a lot of time lying down, so I binged the rest of the season.

I think this season was really good. I love how the show explores all the different angles and complexities of its premise, with every synth having a different reaction to consciousness and with so many different human reactions to synths being in their lives. And I love how many of the key characters are female. I love it that the massive, world-changing decision in the finale was made entirely by women. That's not something you often see in fiction.

I had a couple of issues, though. When the schoolgirl who pretended to be a synth decided to go back to being human, we didn't really get an explanation of her motivation there. It was just kind of dropped. And Athena came around from vivisecting conscious synths to recognizing their humanity a bit too easily. I'd expected her arc to lead to a bigger conflict with the conscious synths, but it didn't.

I didn't see the finale as a series finale. On the contrary, I saw it as just the beginning of the next phase of the story. It introduces a new status quo whose evolution and ramifications should be fascinating to explore. And it opens the door to whole new, much more overt conflicts.

I found one site claiming the show had been renewed for a third season, but nothing else verifying it. I gather season 2 was a hit in the UK, though, so I don't see any reason to expect a cancellation.

 

[Q2UnME]

^ There is an article over at The Hollywood Reporter this morning stating that Humans has indeed been renewed for an 8* episode season 3. Though I thought the ending was a bit muddled, I do agree with you that the awakening of all the Synths will be really interesting to see how the ramifications unfold.


* At one point in the article it say '10 episodes' and at another point it states '8 episode season 3'. I think the proof check people must have been in charging mode or something ....

 

[kitik]

Oh, so we are getting a season 3? Cool.

Okay, it's been a while since I watched, but as I recall, one of the more interesting thought points of the finale was what would happen to Odie. Here's a synth who gave up his consciousness, but now it's been forced on him a second time. Will he react differently this time?

Well if there is going to be a season 3, I can think of one major shift I'd like to see in the civilization: less human unemployment. Now that synths have the option to quit their job, many humans will surely be needed back in the workforce. And that alone should theoretically cut down on some of the general human dislike of synths. But what about the synths who were given the dangerous jobs? Radiation and such? Everybody is going to have to go back to the old ways.

Hmm, now that I know there may be a season 3, I think I want to go back and refresh my memory on the finale, and see where things could go from there. Time for a rewatch.

 

[Q2UnME]

*Dusts off thread*

Well, Season 3 of Humans premiered on AMC last night here in The States. Anyone besides me watching? I could have swarn I saw a thread 6 months or so ago when it was originally airing in the UK, but I’ll be damned if I can find it.

Last night was a bit of ‘where are all the pieces’ type episode. Had to bring the viewers up to speed because the story envolved a 1 year time jump. Overall a slow start, but intriguing direction. Lot of parallels to elements in our history (US). Anyone else?

Q2

 

[Christopher]

I'm startled by how dark it's gotten right off the bat. Mass deaths, concentration camps, genocide, terrorism, and poor Mattie blaming herself for all of it. I think I liked it better when the allegory was more subtle.

And I have to wonder -- if the society is so hostile to the idea of humanizing synths, why make them humanlike in the first place? Why not make them out of plastic and metal? At the very least, if the robotics technology in this society is so advanced, why are synths the only kind of robots we ever see, even in industrial contexts? Obviously the show could never afford to build that many robots, and it'd make the allegory harder to sell, but the basic premise of the show is a bit implausible if you think about it. And the new premise makes it hard not to.

 

[auntiehill]

I'm still watching. Lots of changes happening. I don't think Mattie -- or anyone-- could bear that enormous guilt. Realistically, I think she'd be suicidal or otherwise psychologically unhinged.

Also, the commercial for the new orange-eyed synths-- a bit creepy but believable. After all the chaos, damage and destruction, people still refuse to do the "dirty work" themselves, as evidenced by Laura's colleague; dismayed by her disheveled offices, she asks, "Why not just get a Synth to do it for you? "

I'm interested to see how the self-aware synths will evolve. Hubby and I have already started calling Max "Synth Jesus." His followers seem to be leaning towards a more active approach, so it looks like all-out war is coming.

 

[Morpheus 02]

No one watching? I have watched all but one episode...interested to see how it ends.

the season went by too quick. I think i missed when/how Anatole became how he did.

 

[Shawnster]

Can it go on from here? I thought it wrapped up pretty well.

 

[Christopher]

Can it go on from here? I thought it wrapped up pretty well.

I remember people saying that after season 2.

 

[kitik]

It did indeed wrap up pretty well, but yes, I was also certain that the second season finale was the perfect series finale.

After the green eyes ceased to "function properly" after day zero, it takes a truly idiotic and self-destructive species to continue making synths.

So Niska is basically Skynet now? Or are her powers much more limited? I'm not entirely clear on that point.

 

[Christopher]

After the green eyes ceased to "function properly" after day zero, it takes a truly idiotic and self-destructive species to continue making synths.

Over a million people per year are killed in car crashes worldwide, but we still drive cars. We respond to product flaws by improving the product's safety, not by abandoning its use altogether.

The implausible thing is that they rely so exclusively on androids instead of simpler robots like Roombas, drones, or self-driving cars. But of course that's necessary both for the allegory and for the show's budget.

 

[Morpheus 02]

It did indeed wrap up pretty well, but yes, I was also certain that the second season finale was the perfect series finale.

After the green eyes ceased to "function properly" after day zero, it takes a truly idiotic and self-destructive species to continue making synths.

So Niska is basically Skynet now? Or are her powers much more limited? I'm not entirely clear on that point.

Over a million people per year are killed in car crashes worldwide, but we still drive cars. We respond to product flaws by improving the product's safety, not by abandoning its use altogether.

The implausible thing is that they rely so exclusively on androids instead of simpler robots like Roombas, drones, or self-driving cars. But of course that's necessary both for the allegory and for the show's budget.

I am also thinking that for the Android corporation (what was it called again? Other than the in-show commercial, that corporation isn't mentioned at all...like they seemed very hands off in the whole Synth rights debate...or not even seemingly manipulating the anti-Synth rights movement in any visible way.

The reason why they would keep making them is so they don't get sued ... or at least have some income to deal with the many lawsuits that would have happened .

And why not Roomba, self-driving car, etc? Well, kinda like how SMartphones have made iPods & such obsolete already. I mean, why buy a separate music player when it's right there on your phone? So with Roombas and self driving cars (which will be more expensive than regular cars), why not just have all in one machine?


Now, someone help me out...was Odie's generation Bright Blue Eyes? And Max & Mia & family were re-programmed by someone and put into the mix of Green Eyes, right? I forget -- it's been a couple of years


Also, very sad about Mia (and not just because that's my daughter's name)... so if the have another season -- will she be back as re-made model? Or does Gemma Chan have other gigs?

 

[Shawnster]

I think bringing Mia back guts the character's story arc. The whole point was to show that the synths are like humans, down to the ability to die. Unlike Westworld or NuBSG, there were no resurrection computers nearby where the consciousness could be uploaded and downloaded.

 

[auntiehill]

Ms. Chan is in several upcoming films, including Crazy Rich Asians, Mary Queen of Scots and Captain Marvel. She certainly isn't lacking opportunities for work; perhaps she left to pursue other projects.

 

[kitik]

Yeah, bringing Mia back would obviously create huge problems for that world, because her death was supposed to galvanize the support for synth's rights. Though you have to wonder why we didn't see a whole mess of synths that all looked alike. (Other than the obvious budget/filming a tv show issues.)

In universe, it should theoretically be possible to order a model that looks like Mia. Though also in universe, it should be viewed as despicable to order an orange-eyed slave that looks like Mia.

So yeah, I would think that Gemma Chan won't be back for a 4th season. That said, do we even know if there's going to be a 4th season? Or was that maybe the end of it this time?

 

[Christopher]

From what I can find, the producers have plans for a fourth season, but one hasn't been definitively picked up yet. Given that it's a British show, it's not as urgent a question as for a US show; British shows can go on hiatus for a year or more between seasons and still come back.