2014’s Best Sci-Fi TV: Brent’s Picks

By Brent McKnight | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

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We can add Almost Human, the robot buddy cop drama from J.J. Abrams and Fringe mastermind J.H. Wyman, to the list of sci-fi shows that were cancelled well before their time. It’s one of those situations that are hard as a fan. Do we lament the fact that the show is gone or celebrate that we got to see it at all in the first place, even if it was only for one short season? While it sucks that Fox gave it the axe, we’re going to go with the latter option because it was a fun ride while it lasted.

Almost Human takes the police procedural trope of a grizzled, loner cop hiding his secret pain and trauma, paired with a new, mismatched partner, and gives it a sci-fi twist. Not happy with his officially mandated robotic partner, the department scrapes the bottom of the barrel for Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) latest ride along, Dorian (Michael Ealy), the last remnant of a line of synthetics most remembered for malfunctioning and being wildly emotional and unstable. As you probably guessed, Dorian’s unusual blend of neurosis and personality quirks make him a perfect foil for Kennex, and the uneasy relationship, trust, and even friendship they form, as unlikely as it may be, is the true emotional core of the show. It also works pretty damn well as a hard-boiled sci-fi detective story, with hints of Blade Runner and other influences, as the pair tries to unravel a sprawling conspiracy that goes so far we’ll never see the end.


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