Monday , March 18 2024
Why does the series deserve renewal? Let me the count the ways.

Why ‘Almost Human’ Deserves to Be Renewed by FOX

Almost Human, FOX‘s on-the-bubble sci-fi drama starring Karl Urban (Star Trek reboot film franchise) and Michael Ealy really deserves a second season. The series, set in a near-future world of 2048, explores a society gone bonkers on biotechnology. Genetic engineering has infiltrated everything from prostitution to the police force, and cyber-savvy criminals have unbridled access to technology they can exploit freely with little enforceable regulation. save almost human The police are aided by cyber-cops, Ken Doll-like computers with guns and other forms of deadly force. Problem is, they have no instincts, no heart, and their judgment is fueled solely by logic, orders and specific rules of engagement. Except for Dorian (Ealy). Dorian is a special breed: a cyber-cop with infused with emotions. All of his kind, created by a genetic engineering genius (played by John Larroquette), had been mothballed as unstable. But when John Kennex (Urban) comes back from near death with a synthetic leg and a broken soul, he is paired with Dorian, who is, in many respects, more human than Kennex. Hence the series title, Almost Human. Neither of the partners is wholly human, but together… So, why does the series deserve renewal? Let me the count the ways:

  • After only 13 episodes, Almost Human seems to be just getting started. The final episode finds Dorian finally being acknowledged as a capable partner, and not put back on the shelf. There is much to explore with his character, now that he has that validation.
  • We know little about events surrounding the series initial premise: Kennex is set up by his girlfriend–or so we are to believe. (Of course he doesn’t believe it.) This story alone deserves some resolution.
  • I want to know more about the delightfully geeky Dr. Rudy Lom (the perfect Mackenzie Crook of BBC’s The Office). This is a scientist with a hacker past who lives in his man-cave of a laboratory (which he shares with Dorian). There is obviously some history between Rudy and Kennex, and I’d love to know more about it–and about Rudy himself.
  • John Larroquette. Full stop. Dorian’s creator disappeared behind “the wall” (and I don’t mean the one in Westros). Larroquette had been cast in a recurring role, and I’d like to know more about him, and his disappearance.
  • The aforementioned wall. Introduced in the later episodes, it suggest a dark, Blade Runner-esque world beyond the ultra-modern setting of the main story. Beyond the wall live the dregs of 2048 society. How did this separation come to be and what’s the story in that world beyond?

Although FOX has been known to swiftly cancel series, not giving a chance to gain an audience, the network has also been known to kindly allow series to find their audiences (The X-Files comes immediately to mind). Thirteen episodes is hardly a fair chance (especially for a science fiction series). And although the ratings were not spectacular, they were not in the basement either. And with finding a home in the UK on UKTV, come May, when FOX announces its fall schedule, it makes sense that it includes Almost Human. What do you think? Should Almost Human be renewed by FOX? Let me know on Twitter, and in the comments below. And feel free to Tweet this out to @AlmostHumanFOX and all save the series outlets!

[amazon template=iframe image&chan=default&asin=B00GQ0TPLI,0571295584,B00009ZY9E,B00AZMFK3K,B00E5Q1LTY]

About Barbara Barnett

A Jewish mother and (young 🙃) grandmother, Barbara Barnett is an author and professional Hazzan (Cantor). A member of the Conservative Movement's Cantors Assembly and the Jewish Renewal movement's clergy association OHALAH, the clergy association of the Jewish Renewal movement. In her other life, she is a critically acclaimed fantasy/science fiction author as well as the author of a non-fiction exploration of the TV series House, M.D. and contributor to the book Spiritual Pregnancy. She Publisher/Executive Editor of Blogcritics, (blogcritics.org).

Check Also

Detectorists Complete Collection

DVD Review: ‘Detectorists: Complete Collection’

'Detectorists: Complete Collection': a genuinely unique show in a world where almost everything makes a habit of imitating something else.

19 comments

  1. So far every article and comment I’ve come across has said that Almost Human has potential. And I highly agree! It may not have been the break out hit FOX hoped for, but that point is it has the chance to grow if given a chance.

  2. Just a quick correction that it was Kennex’s girlfriend, not his wife. 😉 The Wall was mentioned in the Pilot and there was either views of it or mentions of it in passing dialogue throughout the season before it really was talked about in episode 9.

    I eagerly awaited this series when I first heard about it. It does have great potential and some episodes really delivered some very impressive punches. It didn’t let me down, (apart from possibly The Bends) although it does work better in the intended viewing order. They would be mad not to renew it. It had comparable (and in some cases better) ratings than the Following and other shows that have been renewed.

    • I will correct that! As far as the wall, we really didn’t glimpse it until as you say episode 9. I actually liked the Bends (Mackenzie Crook fan that I am).

      • Actually there were lots of views of the Wall before episode 9, as well as mentions about it. Seeing the fandom’s reactions though after episode 9 was a bit amusing with people going WTF about the Wall and others of us going, it’s always been there! I want to know why a society sealed off their old town. What caused a society to do that to a part of their own society.

        The first time Kennex talks to an MX-43 is the first mention about the Wall. I also loved the bit about “Stay On This Side Of The Wall and Respect Authority” from the bot scanning Dorian in You Are Here. See here for the mentions both visual and verbal 😉 – http://almost-human.wikia.com/wiki/The_Wall

        The Bends had promise but I think it is probably the weakest episode of the season. Things just didn’t quite work like it did in other episodes. Yet there were some great moralistic questions etc raised in it. That is why the episode frustrates me. Lots of really good little things, that just didn’t quite work all together for some reason to me. I’ve rewatched a number of other episodes, but not that one.

        “Hugs Not Drugs”

  3. Almost Human was stacked up against The Voice and the last season of How I Met Your Mother, a combo that would have decimated most brand new shows. But Almost Human held it’s own, even during the Olympics, pulling in as many viewers as The Following, which has been renewed, and many other shows. It’s viewership not only held but was growing despite eps being aired out of order, which broke the rhythm of the growing partnership more than once, and despite two 3 week hiatuses which, for a new show, can be the kiss of death as new viewers find other things to watch or do. JHWyman, the producer, has a 5 year plan for this show and it can only get better and better. The acting is fantastic, the characters engaging, the story lines provocative (in terms of the ethical choices we’re making today), and the production values are topnotch. This is a hit show just sitting on the cusp, ready to take off. EVERYONE who watches it gets hooked and wants more and it’s had an international audience even before FOX/Warner Bros sold the first season to the UK. What more could a network want?

    • completely agree! You need to rally the troops and let the network know 🙂

      • Barbara, I do everything I can, twittering regularly, comments on Facebook, on blogs, on Fox’s website and I’ve shown the series to everyone I know and every one of them is now hoping the show will be renewed, every one of them loves it. Tumblr has had a virtual convention already and fans have been twittering and writing to the network. I’ve written Comic Con re: when are they going to have ‘Dorian’ Michael Ealy ie at Toronto maybe? I’m Canadian. Not sure what else we can do to convince Fox they have a winner on their hands and all they have to do is give it another season to prove it. Sheesh, CW has given Supernatural 9 seasons for half the audience share!

  4. I love this show and am disappointed in the FOX attitude towards it. I agree with your article – the back stories need to be explored further. Plus the constant interruptions in the Season made it difficult to know WHEN the next episode was airing. An annoying habit of all the major networks. Let’s hope the fans can convince FOX to give it another go!

  5. My favorite show. It is much better than The Following, which is getting ridiculous. The storylines are very good, but the best part is the chemistry between the characters. I swore after FOX canceled Alcatraz that I would not watch another new FOX series until it was into year 2. I watched one episode of A lmost Human and was hooked.

  6. This show has a great cast, Very charismatic and believable actors in all the major roles. It’s a great premise and a refreshing change from the horror/zombie genre which has proliferated. It definitely deserves a chance to build its audience. This is one of the few shows that I think about in advance and plan to watch when it is on. It would be a shame if it is canceled.

  7. Great Cast, great chemistry and a great future with story lines. The only show I claim to watch. Not to mention Karl Urban is a perfect Kennex.

  8. Our family would be very disappointed if this series ends. There is so much more to explore.

  9. Dr Joseph S Maresca

    The idea of a humanoid incrementally taking on more human characteristics has lots of interesting possibilities.Another way to go would be to make this a movie with sequels as in Rocky.

  10. I agree with you 100%. There are so many unanswered questions and still a lot of the future to explore. This is the first Sci-Fi show in years that i have actually faithfully watched because it has peaked my interest and I want more. The partnership between Kennex and Dorian is fantastic. The characters are the perfect buddy cops with their differences and quips. The fact that one is an android,. makes it that much more interesting to me.

  11. Norman Collins

    Great up and coming actors i.e. Karl Urban, Michael Ealy and Minka Kelly with an excellent plot (a lot of series lack a plot period) and we would be extremely disappointed if it were to be axed after only 13 outstanding episodes. There are so many avenues to explore! Please renew Almost Human! Haven’t missed one episode and wouldn’t miss any and hopefully it would be renewed for at least four to five seasons.

  12. I totally agree with norman Collins ALMOST HUMAN is a must see for sci/fi fans in UK as norman haven’t missed a single episode and will continue to watch given the chance. I know that they have only made 13 episodes before it was cancelled in USA which is a damn shame. Please rethink this decision.