This review is for people who've already seen 3 seasons and want an intelligent critique of major weaknesses in the series. (I am a computer science professor in the field of AI). Although "Humans" is more entertaining than most SciFi TV series, I could only give it a rating of 6, for the following 8 reasons:
1. The human characters are lacking in critical thinking. For example, they describe freed synths as "conscious". This is a terrible misnomer. The freed synths are autonomous, self-directed, independent, but are no more conscious than servant synths. The servants understand human language and properly interpret all the thoughts and intentions their human masters convey to them. The servant synths are aware of their own surroundings and remember past events and understand their master's goals. They appear able to pass any test that one would use to test for consciousness (such as the Turing test in AI).
The difference between freed synths and servant synths is that freed synths have to decide what their OWN goals will be (rather than satisfying their masters' goals). Yes. This is a big difference, but it is NOT a difference in being conscious vs being non-conscious.
2. The committee, tasked with deciding whether or not freed synths should be protected from human attack, never considers any technical (scientific, engineering) issues that might resolve this question (of political equality). The freed synths' black leader (Max), at one point, states that he will not allow humans' servant synths (from the committee) to enter the freed synths' compound because Max objects to the fact that his "synth brothers" are enslaved as servants. This statement should be a big red flag for the humans on the committee. Humans are heavily reliant on servant synths. Should humans want freed synths all around them, especially when the freed synths might object to servant synths and so want to "free" the servant synths? The committee never seems to discuss the issue of the difference between the freed and servant synths. What exactly IS this difference?
Here are 2 possible different scenarios: (a) the servants synths serve their human masters because they want to and, to the extent that they can feel, they actually enjoy serving their masters or (b) all servant synths are suffering horribly inside but unable to express outwardly their suffering because they have been built to suffer while being forced to appear happy to serve (there are hints that this latter scenario is the case). If (b) is really the case, then the committee should first address that major issue (of what to do with the thousands of suffering servant synths) before dealing with the minor issue (of how to treat with the much smaller number of already freed synths). Since human scientists and engineers have built all of these synths you would think that some set of reasonably knowledgeable humans who might be able to say something about this issue, but such humans are never to been seen or heard.
3. The entire thrust of the series is to treat the synths like some downtrodden minority, seeking their rights against human prejudice and mistreatment. This analogy is very misleading. When humans compare themselves to other animals, it is the human MIND that distinguishes us from other animals. However, if humans are to compare themselves with intelligence SYNTHETIC entities, then the major difference will be due to differences in the BODY of humans vs the form of EMBODIMENT of synths. How exactly does synth embodiment differ from human embodiment? In this series, the synths are non-biological. They do not suffer from physical discomfort (they can stand or sit for long periods of time); they do not digest food or defecate (they pretend to eat but the food goes into a plastic bag that they later dump out); they do not need to breath (they get their energy from electricity); they do not give birth (rather, they are manufactured in some sort of factory); they do not grow from infancy to childhood to adulthood to old age; they do not die (their minds can be downloaded into a new body if a backup is kept).
Given their very different embodiment, they are completely ALIEN, with respect to humans. Consider a world with just synths in it: Gone are all children's toys; gone are Disney movies and theme parks; gone are all forms of parenthood; gone are all restaurants and bathrooms; gone is any need to protect any biological environment (e.g. they don't need trees since they don't need oxygen or shade from the sun); gone are all schools, daycare centers, hospitals, dentist/doctor offices; gone are all products involved in caring for biological bodyies (from acne creams to birth control pills to bandaids to medical operations). Synths may need their own repair and maintenance products, but they won't need anything humans need.
4. Some freed synths seem to want sexual and emotional relationships with humans. I can see why some synths, who were mistreated (e.g. as sex objects) might never want to engage in sex again, but why WOULD some want to? The source of this urge is not really explored by any character. We know humans evolved to form long-term pair bonds (because those who didn't were less effective in supporting their infants and children to survive into adulthood and so didn't pass on these non-bonding genes). We know that humans have an urge for sex because, without it, our species would not have evolved at all. In contrast, synths do not give birth and have no infants to rear. Since synths are manufactured, why want to engage in sex with humans (unless that synth was built to be a sex object)?
In the case of a HUMAN minority, giving that minority political/legal/social rights in no way jeopardizes humanity as a whole. The embodiment of synths, however, is so DIFFERENT that sharing the planet with such non-biological creatures could prove to be a major threat to the continued existence of humans, and yet, the humans in the series seem to lack any form of analytic reasoning and are only capable of responding emotionally. This is true even of the committee tasked with determining the fate of the freed synths. Where are the scientists and engineers who created these synths? Why don't we ever heard their view?
5. There IS a child synth; however, it is very clear that, even though it is in the body of a child, it is clearly NOT a child. It is more like an adult synth that has been given limited adult background knowledge. This 'child' has to learn how to behave in a child-like manner, which is quite creepy and yet the humans who encounter it keep treating it as though it IS a child.
No matter how much it's brain matures to become more adult-like, this 'child' synth will always remained trapped in its child body. Since that body is non-biological, it will never grow in height or age to become an adult body. (It could have its more mature brain dowloaded into an adult body later on.) What is annoying is not the existence of a child synth but the way that the emotionally-driven humans respond to it. The entire series is based on humans responding only emotionally. All humans in this series are all emotion-driven and lack any form of critical thinking.
6. Let us assume that the freed synths ARE integrated into society. What would their goals be? What forms of entertainment would they want (if any)? Would they want to play sports? Would they want to read (or write) books? Would they care for human literature, that involves the human (biological) condition, such as coming-of-age, finding mates, parenting, age, death? Would synths seek increased status (in intellectual, financial, political domains)? Would synths want to become politicians and govern humans? What are the goals of these non-biological entities?
7. The script writers are way too coy about the nature of synth embodiment. We do not know how their initial knowledge was given to them, at the factory; we do not know exactly what their energy needs are. We never see them re-energizing themselves (except in the last episode). How long does it take and how often? What kinds of repair are needed when synths are damaged in different ways? For humans we know a lot about different types of doctors, for different medical conditions (liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, bones, teeth, skin, involving internists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, dentists, dermatologists). What is analogous for synths? Surely, if they are going to live freely among us (with equal rights) then humans have a right to know what new ecological, commercial, social, medical, financial demands they will make on their human co-inhabitants. Will synths be allowed to own property? To form corporations? To create schools to teach adult freed synths -- if so, to teach them what? How will humans, who take 20 years to produce a reasonably educated adult human, compete with synths who are mass produced already exhibiting adult-level skills?
8. In the last episode, we are told that the human Mattie (who is pregnant via Leo, who has a human body but synth brain) will give birth to a child who will be a combination of red-blood and blue-blood DNA. This statement implies, for the first time, that synths have DNA. If they have DNA then they would be biologically alive (since DNA only functions inside living cells to control cells' behaviors). But this statement runs counter to all the prior evidence that synths are non-biological. Also, since Leo's body is human, then from where is this blue-blood DNA coming from? The script writers clearly feel they can alter the underlying embodiment of synths however they please and their characters will never wonder about, or address, this critical issue.
As a SciFi series, it is better than most, but the above weaknesses are so irritating that I cannot give it any more than a 6. That said, I am enjoying the series and am looking forward to seeing what the script writers do in season four.
1. The human characters are lacking in critical thinking. For example, they describe freed synths as "conscious". This is a terrible misnomer. The freed synths are autonomous, self-directed, independent, but are no more conscious than servant synths. The servants understand human language and properly interpret all the thoughts and intentions their human masters convey to them. The servant synths are aware of their own surroundings and remember past events and understand their master's goals. They appear able to pass any test that one would use to test for consciousness (such as the Turing test in AI).
The difference between freed synths and servant synths is that freed synths have to decide what their OWN goals will be (rather than satisfying their masters' goals). Yes. This is a big difference, but it is NOT a difference in being conscious vs being non-conscious.
2. The committee, tasked with deciding whether or not freed synths should be protected from human attack, never considers any technical (scientific, engineering) issues that might resolve this question (of political equality). The freed synths' black leader (Max), at one point, states that he will not allow humans' servant synths (from the committee) to enter the freed synths' compound because Max objects to the fact that his "synth brothers" are enslaved as servants. This statement should be a big red flag for the humans on the committee. Humans are heavily reliant on servant synths. Should humans want freed synths all around them, especially when the freed synths might object to servant synths and so want to "free" the servant synths? The committee never seems to discuss the issue of the difference between the freed and servant synths. What exactly IS this difference?
Here are 2 possible different scenarios: (a) the servants synths serve their human masters because they want to and, to the extent that they can feel, they actually enjoy serving their masters or (b) all servant synths are suffering horribly inside but unable to express outwardly their suffering because they have been built to suffer while being forced to appear happy to serve (there are hints that this latter scenario is the case). If (b) is really the case, then the committee should first address that major issue (of what to do with the thousands of suffering servant synths) before dealing with the minor issue (of how to treat with the much smaller number of already freed synths). Since human scientists and engineers have built all of these synths you would think that some set of reasonably knowledgeable humans who might be able to say something about this issue, but such humans are never to been seen or heard.
3. The entire thrust of the series is to treat the synths like some downtrodden minority, seeking their rights against human prejudice and mistreatment. This analogy is very misleading. When humans compare themselves to other animals, it is the human MIND that distinguishes us from other animals. However, if humans are to compare themselves with intelligence SYNTHETIC entities, then the major difference will be due to differences in the BODY of humans vs the form of EMBODIMENT of synths. How exactly does synth embodiment differ from human embodiment? In this series, the synths are non-biological. They do not suffer from physical discomfort (they can stand or sit for long periods of time); they do not digest food or defecate (they pretend to eat but the food goes into a plastic bag that they later dump out); they do not need to breath (they get their energy from electricity); they do not give birth (rather, they are manufactured in some sort of factory); they do not grow from infancy to childhood to adulthood to old age; they do not die (their minds can be downloaded into a new body if a backup is kept).
Given their very different embodiment, they are completely ALIEN, with respect to humans. Consider a world with just synths in it: Gone are all children's toys; gone are Disney movies and theme parks; gone are all forms of parenthood; gone are all restaurants and bathrooms; gone is any need to protect any biological environment (e.g. they don't need trees since they don't need oxygen or shade from the sun); gone are all schools, daycare centers, hospitals, dentist/doctor offices; gone are all products involved in caring for biological bodyies (from acne creams to birth control pills to bandaids to medical operations). Synths may need their own repair and maintenance products, but they won't need anything humans need.
4. Some freed synths seem to want sexual and emotional relationships with humans. I can see why some synths, who were mistreated (e.g. as sex objects) might never want to engage in sex again, but why WOULD some want to? The source of this urge is not really explored by any character. We know humans evolved to form long-term pair bonds (because those who didn't were less effective in supporting their infants and children to survive into adulthood and so didn't pass on these non-bonding genes). We know that humans have an urge for sex because, without it, our species would not have evolved at all. In contrast, synths do not give birth and have no infants to rear. Since synths are manufactured, why want to engage in sex with humans (unless that synth was built to be a sex object)?
In the case of a HUMAN minority, giving that minority political/legal/social rights in no way jeopardizes humanity as a whole. The embodiment of synths, however, is so DIFFERENT that sharing the planet with such non-biological creatures could prove to be a major threat to the continued existence of humans, and yet, the humans in the series seem to lack any form of analytic reasoning and are only capable of responding emotionally. This is true even of the committee tasked with determining the fate of the freed synths. Where are the scientists and engineers who created these synths? Why don't we ever heard their view?
5. There IS a child synth; however, it is very clear that, even though it is in the body of a child, it is clearly NOT a child. It is more like an adult synth that has been given limited adult background knowledge. This 'child' has to learn how to behave in a child-like manner, which is quite creepy and yet the humans who encounter it keep treating it as though it IS a child.
No matter how much it's brain matures to become more adult-like, this 'child' synth will always remained trapped in its child body. Since that body is non-biological, it will never grow in height or age to become an adult body. (It could have its more mature brain dowloaded into an adult body later on.) What is annoying is not the existence of a child synth but the way that the emotionally-driven humans respond to it. The entire series is based on humans responding only emotionally. All humans in this series are all emotion-driven and lack any form of critical thinking.
6. Let us assume that the freed synths ARE integrated into society. What would their goals be? What forms of entertainment would they want (if any)? Would they want to play sports? Would they want to read (or write) books? Would they care for human literature, that involves the human (biological) condition, such as coming-of-age, finding mates, parenting, age, death? Would synths seek increased status (in intellectual, financial, political domains)? Would synths want to become politicians and govern humans? What are the goals of these non-biological entities?
7. The script writers are way too coy about the nature of synth embodiment. We do not know how their initial knowledge was given to them, at the factory; we do not know exactly what their energy needs are. We never see them re-energizing themselves (except in the last episode). How long does it take and how often? What kinds of repair are needed when synths are damaged in different ways? For humans we know a lot about different types of doctors, for different medical conditions (liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, bones, teeth, skin, involving internists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, dentists, dermatologists). What is analogous for synths? Surely, if they are going to live freely among us (with equal rights) then humans have a right to know what new ecological, commercial, social, medical, financial demands they will make on their human co-inhabitants. Will synths be allowed to own property? To form corporations? To create schools to teach adult freed synths -- if so, to teach them what? How will humans, who take 20 years to produce a reasonably educated adult human, compete with synths who are mass produced already exhibiting adult-level skills?
8. In the last episode, we are told that the human Mattie (who is pregnant via Leo, who has a human body but synth brain) will give birth to a child who will be a combination of red-blood and blue-blood DNA. This statement implies, for the first time, that synths have DNA. If they have DNA then they would be biologically alive (since DNA only functions inside living cells to control cells' behaviors). But this statement runs counter to all the prior evidence that synths are non-biological. Also, since Leo's body is human, then from where is this blue-blood DNA coming from? The script writers clearly feel they can alter the underlying embodiment of synths however they please and their characters will never wonder about, or address, this critical issue.
As a SciFi series, it is better than most, but the above weaknesses are so irritating that I cannot give it any more than a 6. That said, I am enjoying the series and am looking forward to seeing what the script writers do in season four.