Review for Humans Series 1

What would the world be like if we had robots that looked just like us? How would we treat them? And how would we know who was human? These are a number of questions posed and answered in the new series Humans based on the Swedish show Real Humans and has been one of the best science-fiction shows for a long time.

In a nearish future, scientists have perfected the creation of the android which are now dubbed 'Synths' and they are the latest household item. However, their ability to do almost anything has sent fears through the population who worry about their jobs and being replaced by these things.

When the Hawkins family get their new Synth Anita it seems like she is the perfect addition to the family. Everyone loves her, apart from mother Laura, who sees her as a replacement and the sceptical Mattie, a hacker who wants to know just what makes her tick.

What the family do not know is that Anita is a special kind of Synth one of a select few who have a level of consciousness not seen in one before. A team of Synths, led by Leo are searching for Anita or Mia as they know her to bring their 'family' back together. What they don't realise is that a government agency led by a man named Hobb are also looking for them.

It would be difficult to describe the show anymore without spoiling several key pieces of the show. This is something I would not want to do, as if you haven't seen it, you will kill me for ruining any aspects of this fantastically constructed show. It is a shame it is only eight episodes, as I could have happily watched more and everyone and everything that happens is just pitched perfectly.

The production of this series is amazing. It is very subtle, without having to rely on masses of CGI or anything and because of this it works even more. The way the 'Synths' move, speak and interact with everyone is so creepy and yet so 'realistic'. This is exactly how I would expect a real android to act.

Everyone in the cast is on fire with this show and even incidental characters have such a wonderful presence. I expected to get a few good performances, but those by everyone involved from William Hurt as the Scientist who helped create them, to Danny Webb as Hobb the one who it's still unclear what his true motive is. The Hawkins family are all fantastic, but the most impressive of those is Lucy Carless as Mattie, who could have been a cliché hacker, but instead had so much depth, that I wanted to know more about her character and I am so glad that she was given masses of screen time throughout the series.

Humans is a shocking show in that it is just fantastic in its simplicity. Unlike a lot of remakes, it also isn't being tarnished with a 'the original was better' criticism. I have not seen the Swedish versions and probably won't, but it does make me curious as to whether they could be this good. This was the first time in a long while that I waited eagerly for the next episode and I can say that I am eagerly awaiting the second series which will no doubt be just as good.