Almost Human, the new futuristic cop show on FOX, reminds me of Harlan Ellison’s “Brillo” and Robocop. Crime is running rampant in 2048 so cops are paired with “synthetics”–androids with artificial intelligence. Los Angles Police Dectective John Kennex (played by Karl Urban) wakes up from a coma after he’s shot in a botched police raid on a Syndicate stronghold. Kennex believes he and his partner (who dies in the raid) were abandoned by a synthetic. In order to return to duty, Kennex has to work with an android partner. His android partner, Dorian (played by Michael Ealy) have an initial antagonistic relationship. But, as with in most buddy stories, both human and android earn each other’s respect. There isn’t much SF on TV these days so Almost Human becomes the de facto standard…until The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special! GRADE: INCOMPLETE
Watched first episode. Too early to tell whether it will be worth watching or not. Reminded me a lot of Alien Nation where a cop was partenerd with a alien cop.
I like the sound of this and the references to the Ellison/Bova story, though let’s hope it’s not too similar as he’ll most likely sue and win (as he did when the story got ripped off for the long-forgotten Ernest Borgnine pilot, Future Cop) 🙂
Steve, you’re right. I had forgotten ALIEN NATION. Same template.
Sergio, you’d enjoy ALMOST HUMAN. I’m not sure Ellison is in the mood to sue anyone right now. Health issues…
On the fence about starting it. Maybe if you like the next eps. I will go back and watch it ON DEMAND.
Jackie said the same as Steve – it reminded her of ALIEN NATION. The second episode was probably better than the first but both were extremely violent and vicious for an 8:00 show. Can you blame him for being smitten with Minka Kelly? Me either.
Patti, I’m on the fence, too. But, after watching two episodes of ALMOST HUMAN I’m hanging in there.
Jeff, I’m smitten with Minka Kelly (no relation)!
I have the two part debut recorded but haven’t watched it yet. Probably later today. Have you seen the recently released Doctor Who mini-episode, THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR?
Randy, I have seen THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR! And I can’t wait for the DOCTOR WHO 59TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL on November 23!
I was watching Carolina beat the Patriots, George, a game I would have thought you want to see. The trailer/ads for this show didn’t interest me a bit. They made the show look to me like it was aimed at teens. I expect an action figure any day. The whole android conspiracy background plot sounds trite. Ass for the Dr. Who thing, I watched a few episodes of DW around 1980 but never got into it much.
Rick, The Doctor has changed since the 1980s. Matt Smith has done a phenomenal job as the 11th Doctor. It’s worth a look! Bills fans were happy to see the Patriots defeated in Carolina. I had to go to bed early (it was a School Night) but Diane stayed up and watched the entire game.
For me, if it’s not Tom Baker, it’s an impostor.
Rick, Tom Baker was my DOCTOR WHO, too. But Matt Smith won me over.
We watched both episodes on Hulu Plus this weekend and I’m liking the show. Karl Urban has earned my respect with LOTR and Bones so that alone made it worth watching, but the whole android/human, what-does-it-mean-to-be-human storyline is one of my favorite tropes in science fiction and so I was going to try this no matter what.
I thought the second issue had some nice emotional notes. It got the obligatory sex-bot plot out of the way and did so with some nice dramatic notes at the end. I’ll keep watching.
Carl, we like Karl Urban, too. This is the most promising new TV show of 2013.
I agree. One of my friends, who is also liking the show, had an interesting perspective, which was that, since the special effects look good, it might soon prove to be too costly of a show to keep on the air. I hope that isn’t the case but with Fox especially that would not surprise me.