SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Anybody enjoying this show so far? It's not the most original sci-fi but I really loved how they used inspirations from Blade Runner, one of my favorite films of all time. I think Almost Human is going to be a big hit...it's accessible for the casual viewers and its a fresh take on an old formula.

I only just heard about this new show. I'll make a point of watching it and let you know what I think. Sounds like it has lots of potential.

I just came across this article in which the creators of the show talk about how the show is and isn't like Blade Runner. I also posted about the recent re-imagining of the film here if you're interested.

Anton wrote: "Anybody enjoying this show so far? It's not the most original sci-fi but I really loved how they used inspirations from Blade Runner, one of my favorite films of all time. I think Almost Human is g..."

Yes. I've been watching this show. It is pretty good. I like that the android is portrayed as more human than his biological partner. The loner disillusioned cop is something of a cliché, but the rest of the characters and plot elements do seem fresher. Although, I'm not certain how well the society gone to hell setting is going to hold up over time.

R. wrote: "Anton wrote: "Anybody enjoying this show so far? It's not the most original sci-fi but I really loved how they used inspirations from Blade Runner, one of my favorite films of all time. I think Alm..."

I think the whole thing with the robot being more human and sensitive has a Milton's Paradise Lost vibe to it.

Oh and Blade Runner it is not, but if you watch Blade Runner you'll see the aesthetic influences. Everyone wearing masks, umbrellas in the rain, large, Asian population, and the Chinese restaurant in the middle of street with the Lanterns. Carbon copy of Blade Runner's street sets.

I found it too boring to continue. I walked away in the middle of the second episode and completely forgot it was running.

I recall them saying things like, "His license plate keeps changing." "He's using a plate scrambler!" That kind of repetition (which Agents of SHIELD does, too) is really aiming at the cheap seats and loses me quite quickly.

I don't deduct points for using near-future cars because that's just a budget thing, but to not consider the coming wave of self-driving cars (true automobiles!) as well as things like not finding Dredd Bones complicit in destroying what must be a million-dollar piece of equipment just bugs me.

Androids that expensive would have at least the same kind of features in a modern iPhone, and they'd definitely record everything that happened, so there's no way he'd get away with pushing him out of a moving car.

I watched both episodes on demand last night, I enjoyed it. It reminded me of Asimov with regards to the interplay between Kennex and Dorian (think Elijah and Daneel in Caves of Steel), at least at first.

I will stick with it. Hopefully Fox lets this one run it's course and not kill it too early LOL.

I watched the first episode last night and I liked it. I think this has potential, but I have to say a few things bugged me. I found Kennex a bit too angry and bullheaded for my taste. Felt a tad one dimensional. I expect we'll see him grow and turn into someone a bit less so. I thought they borrowed heavily from Caves of Steel which is fine because it was such a great book, but there were too many similarities not to notice.

I'm looking forward to more of it. It could really go either way I think.

Kennex seemed more compassionate in today's episode, which was pretty good.

I hope they move away from that case of the week formula and they serialize the show.

I'm enjoy Almost Human a lot - and reviewing every episode - http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2013...

The last episode was sub-par. Hope it picks up.

Anton wrote: "The last episode was sub-par. Hope it picks up."

I'm on the edge with this series. I don't see a lot of room for the writers. They're doing a SciFi series on the cheap, so special effects are very limited and the story line is becoming static. How many times can the kid help out the gifted people before his uncle figures him out and zaps him? He's already done so much that any intelligent bad guy would have figure him out long ago. I don't see another season if they don't break out of the box they've drawn around the plot.

Al wrote: "Anton wrote: "The last episode was sub-par. Hope it picks up."

I'm on the edge with this series. I don't see a lot of room for the writers. They're doing a SciFi series on the cheap, so special ef..."

Al:

What you seem to be describing is "The Tomorrow People" not "Almost Human". "Almost Human" is about a future police officer and his android partner. (Loosely based on Asimov's "Caves of Steel" characters.)

R. wrote: "Al wrote: "Anton wrote: "The last episode was sub-par. Hope it picks up."

I'm on the edge with this series. I don't see a lot of room for the writers. They're doing a SciFi series on the cheap, so..."

Oh, crud, you're right. Sorry. My age is getting the best over my failing brain. Soon enough, I won't even remember who the heck I am.

Yep, so far, "Almost" is working for me. And I vaguely remember Asimov's android cop. I read it as a kid, but don't have it in my library. At least this cop doesn't seem hampered by Asimov's 3 rules.

Al wrote: "And I vaguely remember Asimov's android cop. I read it as a kid, but don't have it in my library. At least this cop doesn't seem hampered by Asimov's 3 rules"

That's because Almost Human is only based on Asimov's robot trilogy to the extent that both have an android and human police partnership. Not only do the 3 (later 4)laws of robotics not apply in Almost Human, but the world of Earth is completely different (people are living not only indoors, etc.)

I think Almost Human is excellent, by the way - and Asimov's robot novels, especially the first two, masterpieces.

I enjoy the chemistry between Kennex and Dorian. Both Karl Urban and Michael Ealy are very capable of solid comedic delivery and a good injection of well-timed humor is just what this show needs to strike a good balance. That became evident to me in the last episode. As long as they maintain a good bit of levity to keep the show from becoming weighed down, and develop the show beyond the case-of-the-week format into a more complex semi-serial drama, I think the show could well be a winner.

It's been my observation that when a show quits it's "roots" of one problem per episode, it starts to bog down (in the serial format).

I suspect that the serial format gets started when the writers can no longer fill up 40 minutes with the "catch of the day" and need something for filler. The problem is that writing short stories vs serial dramas are two different skills and the hack writers that come in after a show gets established (and the truly creative writers move on to the next project), just don't usually have that range of talent. It's almost a "jump the shark" event and often tells you that the show is dying.

So, I for one, hope they continue with the case-of-the-week format for as long as they can.

I think most of the better shows find a good balance between the case-of-the-week format and a true serial drama. Person of Interest is a good example. It has managed to mix the case-of-the-week format with longer, more complex story arcs. I'd like to see Almost Human find a similar balance between the two. The foundation is already being laid for it, IMO.

Andrea wrote: "I think most of the better shows find a good balance between the case-of-the-week format and a true serial drama. Person of Interest is a good example. It has managed to mix the case-of-the-week fo..."

I was thinking of Person of Interest when I mentioned the death of a show being proceeded by a serial thread. In this case, the serial thread is "thread-bare" IMHO. It's boring the hell out of me.

But, to each his/her own.

Al wrote: "Oh, crud, you're right. Sorry. My age is getting the best over my failing brain. Soon enough, I won't even remember who the heck I am.

No problem. I like to describe it this way: It's true that, as I get older, I'm having fewer senior moments, but that's only because it's getting harder to tell when one ends and the next one begins.

Maybe its just me or maybe its simply because I miss Fringe so much but I kind of like this show. Between Almost Human and the BCC-A show Orphan Black, I am desperately trying to fill the void that Fringe has left.

Love the chemistry between Kennex and Dorian, especially the "riding in the car " moments. I think it is better than Blade Runner. Almost Human is Blade Runner with a pulse. Like Blade Runner, have the super deluxe version on DVD. Got it because it is one of those "important" movies one should have in tbeir collection. Seems to me to want to be more art than thriller. Watching Blade Runner is not fun. Watching Almost Human is fun.

I hated Bladerunner (soooo NOT fun) but I absolutely LOVE Almost Human! Definitely love the chemistry between the two main characters. It's not a corny Bromance either, just an uncomfortable relationship that is slow and mostly naturally evolving. I do like how they are getting to know each other "accidentally" when events go sideways or are under fire and they have to be a team. They always come through for each other and I almost forget that Dorian is an android. Almost :)

I love the tongue-in-cheek view of the androids of the future, too, all the monotone ones, not Dorian. The "life-sized Ken Doll" locker room scene had me cracking up. Maybe it's just females laughing at male humor, I dunno but Kennex has just the right snark and Dorian has just the right tenderness to make a perfect couple while the world is that perfect mix of just barely beyond our current capabilities with the what-if's of scifi.

There's really no comparison between Bladerunner (a masterpice IMO, if you watch the Final Cut version on Bluray) and Almost Human, aside from each has robots/replicants in them.

We do like AH, but mainly because of the charactes. The storylines have been pretty run of the mill police procedural futurism. It's entertaining, and that's its purpose so it succeeds.

Nymeria8 wrote: "Maybe its just me or maybe its simply because I miss Fringe so much but I kind of like this show. Between Almost Human and the BCC-A show Orphan Black, I am desperately trying to fill the void that..."

I miss Fringe too. I miss my weekly dose of Walter.

Ruth wrote: "I miss Fringe too. I miss my weekly dose of Walter. "

Do you watch Sleepy Hollow? John Noble's made a couple of guest appearances on there.

Loved Fringe, and Walter! Going to have to check this show out now :-)

Yes I watch Sleepy Hollow. Good show.

Philip wrote: "Love the chemistry between Kennex and Dorian, especially the "riding in the car " moments. I think it is better than Blade Runner. Almost Human is Blade Runner with a pulse. "

I totally agree with that last sentence! I love Blade Runner, but this is like awkward buddy cop version of it. The android handles human relationships miles better than the human does. The story and characters are a little flat, but I sort of expect that with Fox shows when they start out. I'm definitely going to keep watching this.

Almost Human is this decade’s human cop/android cop partner show. We’ve seen this theme many times before, none with real success. However, I’m a hopeless optimistic for anything sci-fi, and I’ll give the show its turn at bat. Here’s what’s come before it:

Holmes and Yo-Yo (1976) - John Schuck as the robot cop, played off as more of a comedy than drama. 13 episodes.

Future Cop (1976) - Ernest Borgnine as the veteran cop (gotta love any of Ennie’s performances). 8 episodes.

Alien Nation (1989) – This time they tried aliens instead of androids. It worked for a time, but even Gary Graham’s reluctant hero persona couldn’t win a second season. 22 episodes.

Mann & Machine (1992) – This seems the closest to Almost Human. Yancy Butler (remember the Witchblade TV series?) played a believable android learning human social conventions. 9 episodes.

Colleen wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I miss Fringe too. I miss my weekly dose of Walter. "

Do you watch Sleepy Hollow? John Noble's made a couple of guest appearances on there."

I'm really enjoying Sleepy Hollow, too, and I loved that they had Noble's character be somewhat "Walteresque"! It was perfect making him a " sin eater" :)

I miss Fringe a lot. I also remember and did like Alien Nation, but that show made a joke of the alien-ness and lost a lot of hard core scifi fans that way, appealing to more of what was to become (forex) the Simpson's viewership.

The other recent show that could have had more success with the story of the week format if they had stopped going for the Big Intrigue of Corporate Mongers Destroying the world (without actually letting us get to the corporate mongers well enough to hate them) was Terra Nova. Man, Stephen Lang put men over 40 to shame worldwide :) He did that show same time he was filming Avatar so at least his buffed silverhaired screen image is preserved somewhere.

I'm also loving the Canadian import Continuum--one of the first EVER to have a strong female kead who is neither sexualized, romanticized nor trivialized ina secondary role to her male colleagues. She is one of the first female characters girls can actually aspire to emulate! She's physically hawt and intectually superior throughnher tech AND she has great eToys (not to mention fantastic weapons!)

(sorry for all the typos and ones I missed editing out...my iPad virtual keyboard is awful sometimes)

Apparently the network is messing with this show, as the episodes are being broadcast out of order. The second episode was originally the fifth or sixth one. I'm not sure why they felt the need to do that, but it explains some of the weird leaps from the pilot to the second episode.

I'm still not watching it, though, because of the boredom factor.

I've also never liked Blade Runner. Even in 1982 the sci-fi elements were sad, and the excellent acting (by everyone whose name doesn't rhyme with Marrison Mord) isn't enough to overcome the "style uber alles" aspects of it.

Don't forget Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.!

Ruth wrote: "Nymeria8 wrote: "Maybe its just me or maybe its simply because I miss Fringe so much but I kind of like this show. Between Almost Human and the BCC-A show Orphan Black, I am desperately trying to f..."


Glad to see my fellow Fringe fans are still around!

TRIKE: thanls for the explanation. I have been trying to figure out why it seemed so out of order. Maybe they didn't expect it to be so successful.

Trike wrote: "Apparently the network is messing with this show, as the episodes are being broadcast out of order. The second episode was originally the fifth or sixth one. I'm not sure why they felt the need to ..."

My guess is the network wanted to get the sexbot episode - which was a pretty hot episode by network standards - up as soon as possible.

So much potential and so little of it realised. The cityscape is gorgeous, the lead roles are really good and some of the science/gadgets are really cool(others not so much) but the writing and the procedural idea is pretty awful.
This show really would have needed a story-thread running through the whole season, that robbery from the pilot would have been perfect, it needs to be asking the big questions which is the heart of all great sci-fi and it needs to stop doing stupid things like blowing up expensive equipment just because you get irritated at it and carrying around silly gadgets that's just perfect for the situation you happen to get in to in that specific episode.

I just read that this has been cancelled. I haven't finished watching the first season but that's mostly because I haven't been watching much of anything because of the reading challenge I've set myself. I'm not thrilled. Silly Fox.

Penny wrote: "I just read that this has been cancelled. I haven't finished watching the first season but that's mostly because I haven't been watching much of anything because of the reading challenge I've set m..."

That is not surprising considering that Fox has given it the same treatment as Firefly. Is there any scifi show that Fox has not screwed over?

Drop the -fi from sci-fi and Fox still has Cosmos, though we'll have to wait and see how long that runs...especially difficult being placed in the same Sunday time slot as Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.

I don't understand how they managed to drop Firefly, Terra Nova, and now Almost Human, all of which had great promise and high-profile names attached.

After watching the first few episodes, I dropped Almost Human. The writing was mediocre, and there wasn't much sci-fi to it. Seems to me that if non-genre folks watch the show and see something that could be done with a normal buddy cop show with racial issues, they'll see no real reason to watch the show. Give them a well written show that features the way sf can deal with things no other genre can, and they'll have a reason to watch.

Bottom line: if the sf is just window-dressing, why should anyone watch it?

Thomas wrote: "Drop the -fi from sci-fi and Fox still has Cosmos, though we'll have to wait and see how long that runs...especially difficult being placed in the same Sunday time slot as Game of Thrones and The W..."

And Dark Angel...yeah that was a while ago but it fits. Also Dollhouse and Alcatraz. They must hate sci-fi.

I am neither surprised nor sad to hear of its cancellation.

Wasn't a great show, but it had its moments, and some promise.

Richard wrote: "And Dark Angel...yeah that was a while ago but it fits. Also Dollhouse and Alcatraz. They must hate sci-fi. ..."

They don't hate SF. They care about one thing - their balance. If the show swerves, they continue with it. If not, they drop it. They care nothing about their viewers. Business means no loyalty to customers. It means slefishness in the extreme.
We should all stop watching the shows, and only watch them when the whole season is made. Force them to change their model.
Which is why shows like this exist. As Ben says, it's not really Sci-Fi. It is a standard story wrapped in an SF jacket. It is for the popular market, not the SF market. Mind you, I thought most of Firefly was like that too - it's a western... like Defiance is now.
If you want a show like this one, go back to Alien Nation. Far deeper.

I liked the first 4 episodes, then they started with that psychic-medium stuff (which i thought was totally needless), and i dropped it instantly..
Just another show trying to be yet another variance of what already exists..

the cast in this show could have carried many half way decent concepts.