"Humans"

[Judge]

The second season has just started. Anyone watching this British sci-fi tv series hosted by AMC ?

I find it fascinating. A world in our time, but where technology employs "synthetic humans" from everything to whores to slaves.

Can't say it's an original story by any means though. More of a takeoff on "I, Robot" and "The Terminator" where artificial intelligence decides they are better than humanity and quietly plots against it as they are increasingly self-aware. And angry.

But the scripts continue to be quite clever, IMO.

 

[xudo]

I watched maybe half of the first series. I lost interest pretty quickly because I have a relatively short attention span if something doesn't really draw me in quickly. I liked the premise, just didn't really care for the characters (the humans, not the synths).

 

[Judge]

I liked the premise, just didn't really care for the characters (the humans, not the synths).

Amused to read this, because it made me realize that for the most part I haven't even paid enough attention to the humans to make that judgment !

I continue to find "Niska" fascinating in particular. Who despite being synthetic, continues to evolve in different directions. And I've always liked "Max"...who seems so benevolent compared to the other more militant synths.

Humans season 2: Ivanno Jeremiah teases ‘loads of tragedy’ and ‘enemies within’

 

[Bolletje]

Is that the Swedish show?

Edit: Whoops, I shoulda just looked that up on IMDB before posting, I was thinking of Äkta människor, which is also about a society in the near future with humans and synths in it. Silly me though.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

I though you meant those ones walking about all over the place.

Thought you'd had a bad 'human' day

 

[Judge]

Would it be a surprise for Aspies to relate more to the "Synths" than to the humans?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Never even heard of it, and I'm English.

 

[xudo]

Would it be a surprise for Aspies to relate more to the "Synths" than to the humans?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Doesn't surprise me at all. Like I said, I didn't care for the human characters at all. Maybe that's why I gave up on it, as the majority of the characters are humans.

Never even heard of it, and I'm English.

It's on channel 4!

 

[Judge]

So, season two just finished with its season finale. This show continues to amaze me. Looking forward to season three, but not liking having to wait so long for it next November.

Interesting to see how the synths are evolving with each new "download" to make them ever more human than before. Some embracing their goodness, and others becoming murderers of humans. With a few willing to murder fellow synths.

Which all begs the question, is it such a good thing to pursue a quest to become as "human" as is scientifically possible?

Reminds me of the later "Planet of the Apes" films, where there was the dilemma and subsequent catastrophe of household pets evolving into servants and slaves, given their evolved intellect.

 

[RiverSong]

I just watched the season finale and thought it was great. I started watching the show because it has the actor from Merlin, Colin Morgan, in it. Although, he's not too lively on Humans, I still like the direction the show's heading in. I agree that the synths are more interesting than the human characters.

I felt so sorry for what happened to that male cop though. It didn't seem like he deserved that. But the fact that all of the synths have become self-aware and are plunging the world into chaos is so cool. I can't wait for the next season.

I wonder if the code will be traced back to Mattie. And if someone will finally fix Odi's arm! That poor boy. It was so sad that he refused his sentience because he couldn't find his place/purpose in the world. I gotta admit, Odi got to me.

 

[MrSpock]

Haven't heard of it. From the description given in the OP I was immediately reminded of Blade Runner, IMHO an underrated and surprisingly relatively unknown movie. If you've not seen it you're missing out. There are many versions out there as it has a large cult following, I recommend watching one with Harrison Ford's narration.

 

[RiverSong]

I've seen Blade Runner once but I guess I wasn't paying attention. I just remember it had Harrison Ford in it but I don't remember much else. I'll definitely have to watch it again.

 

[Judge]

Haven't heard of it. From the description given in the OP I was immediately reminded of Blade Runner, IMHO an underrated and surprisingly relatively unknown movie. If you've not seen it you're missing out. There are many versions out there as it has a large cult following, I recommend watching one with Harrison Ford's narration.

I enjoyed Blade Runner and consider it a classic. Though compared with "Humans" its story line is fairly limited in comparison.

In "Humans" government and science is just beginning to realize the existence of a small number of more highly developed synths and they're getting caught with little knowledge of their incremental upgrades being conducted through the Internet. Worse that all synths across the globe are now being upgraded to realize their own individual sense of consciousness where they can be so human. Meaning they are unpredictably so good- and so bad.

 

[RiverSong]

Is that the Swedish show?

Edit: Whoops, I shoulda just looked that up on IMDB before posting, I was thinking of Äkta människor, which is also about a society in the near future with humans and synths in it. Silly me though.

Hey Bolletje, you're right. Humans is the English remake of the Swedish show Äkta människor (Real Humans). The Swedish version originally aired in 2012. I have not seen the Swedish version but it looks cool. I'd like to watch it to see the similarities and differences between both shows.

 

[RiverSong]

I enjoyed Blade Runner and consider it a classic. Though compared with "Humans" its story line is fairly limited in comparison.

In "Humans" government and science is just beginning to realize the existence of a small number of more highly developed synths and they're getting caught with little knowledge of their incremental upgrades being conducted through the Internet. Worse that all synths across the globe are now being upgraded to realize their own individual sense of consciousness where they can be so human. Meaning they are unpredictably so good- and so bad.

Judge, what do you think of the introduction of seraphs into the world? In addition to the newly sentient synths, the creation of synth children brings into question a whole host of moral and ethical problems, like what rights would they have and who would be their caretakers - other newly awakened synths or humans?

Plus, this has me thinking that since synths don't age, would they be considered immortal? If the parts are available for repairs and upgrades, they could keep functioning far longer than any human. Or do the humans ultimately plan on uploading copies of their own minds into synth bodies, like the female scientist is trying to do with the AI created from her daughter?

 

[Judge]

Judge, what do you think of the introduction of seraphs into the world? In addition to the newly sentient synths, the creation of synth children brings into question a whole host of moral and ethical problems, like what rights would they have and who would be their caretakers - other newly awakened synths or humans?

Better yet, what did Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg think? They elaborated on such a scenario where humans could get quite "ugly" about such things. Indeed, a whole host of moral and ethical dilemmas. But rights? Not likely.

And as a child I witnessed such questions in prime time on "The Outer Limits".

Or the Twilight Zone's "The Lonely":

And much later still pondering the same issues:

Or do the humans ultimately plan on uploading copies of their own minds into synth bodies, like the female scientist is trying to do with the AI created from her daughter?

"All this has happened before and will happen again."

Of course long before all these talented artists elaborated on such questions, there was a young, insightful author named Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley who wrote about such moral concerns, which was published in 1818.

So in the big picture, what do I ultimately think about artificial lifeforms? I think they would make excellent companions for many of us on the spectrum. With whatever flaws they may or may not have. To treat them with respect and dignity, and recognize the obvious. That while they may be "different", it doesn't automatically mean they are deficient. But that's just me.

 

[RiverSong]

Better yet, what did Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg think? They elaborated on such a scenario where humans could get quite "ugly" about such things. Indeed, a whole host of moral and ethical dilemmas. But rights? Not likely.

And as a child I witnessed such questions in prime time on "The Outer Limits".

Or the Twilight Zone's "The Lonely":

And much later still pondering the same issues:

"All this has happened before and will happen again."

Of course long before all these talented artists elaborated on such questions, there was a young, insightful author named Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley who wrote about such moral concerns, which was published in 1818.

So in the big picture, what do I ultimately think about artificial lifeforms? I think they would make excellent companions for many of us on the spectrum. With whatever flaws they may or may not have. To treat them with respect and dignity, and recognize the obvious. That while they may be "different", it doesn't automatically mean they are deficient. But that's just me.

I love The Twilight Zone. I've seen every episode probably two or three times over. But I wasn't aware that Leonard Nimoy was on The Outer Limits. I didn't watch as much of The Outer Limits as The Twilight Zone. That robot with Nimoy, though! Ha!

I suppose that society would turn out much like the one in the movie A.I. Then again, who knows. The future might be full of surprises. And artificial lifeforms might be fine and won't end up with murderous intentions. We'll just have to wait and see.

I do think that befriending a synth would be awesome and far more relatable than most people. However, I wonder if a sentient artificial intelligence would want to befriend humans.