Aside from viral videos depicting Boston Dynamics’ latest robotics innovations, our current fascination with artificial intelligence is largely thanks to HBO’s provocative Westworld, but don’t sleep on Humans season 3.
This is totally understandable, as the slick dystopian series based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film has become one of TV’s most-talked about science fiction dramas in recent memory. Meanwhile, AMC and Channel 4’s sci-fi show receives far less attention from critics and audiences alike, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t as good, especially now that season 3 is about to debut.
Adapted from the Swedish show Real Humans by Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley, Humans tackles the possible ramifications of a near future in which androids called “synths” are publicly available for purchase and use. Instead of starting with a bang, as Westworld would do a year later, Humans opted for a far more simpler and intimate route.
Season 1 centers around the Hawkins family and their purchasing Anita (Gemma Chan). Aside from the turmoil Anita’s arrival causes between married couple Laura (Katherine Parkinson) and Joe (Tom Goodman-Hill), the “new” synth also turns out to be a much older, and far more special, android. That’s because Dr. David Elster (Stephen Boxer) created her away from the prying eyes of his former partners and gave her consciousness.
When does Humans season 3 premiere?
The remainder of the first season explores the additional sentient synths Elster created, their struggles to provide consciousness to other subservient androids and Elster’s ex-partners’ desire to stop them. Season 2, meanwhile, pushes the snyths’ efforts to bestow consciousness on all other robots to the extreme. The result? “Day Zero,” when a “consciousness code” is uploaded to synths across the globe, resulting in the deaths of thousands.
Season 3 jumps ahead one year after the code’s uploading to see where society has progressed. Things don’t seem too great, as sentient synths are now being segregated into camps by vengeful, fearful humans. Some, like human Laura Hawkins and Elster synth Max (Ivanno Jeremiah) and the rescued synth Flash (Ritu Arya), campaign for robots rights. Others, like a group of synth terrorists, aren’t interested in peaceful solutions. They even resort to violence against their own to prove as much.
If you haven’t already watched seasons 1 or 2 and Humans season 3 sounds intriguing, both are available to stream for Amazon Prime viewers. Otherwise, if the series doesn’t sound immediately appealing, but you’re on the lookout for something to replace Westworld in a few weeks, then you may want to give “Humans” a shot.
Humans season 3 debuts Tuesday, June 5 at 10 p.m. on AMC.
