TV66: Humans, Season Two

A year ago, I awarded four stars to this new British sci-fi series (based on a Swedish series) that offered an endlessly thought-provoking look at what it means to be human as it explored the many questions surrounding artificial intelligence. The second season remains almost as compelling and thought-provoking as the first, and the acting has improved, but it suffers from some remarkably inconsistent writing. 

At one point in the series, Gandhi is mentioned as someone who accomplished a lot of change without violence. But a few episodes earlier, the same person agrees that no significant change, in terms of fighting oppression, has ever been achieved without violence. Of course, that claim in itself is ludicrous as there are a great many examples of nonviolent resistance that led to change which was much more positive and lasting than anything that has ever been achieved through violence.

I still think Humans is superior television, but for a show that’s all about ideas and issues, such inconsistent writing can be fatal. We’ll see how the next season goes. In the meantime, my mug is still up.