Humans: Season 1/ Episode 5 – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Introduction

As more people become aware that there is a possible sentient and murderous, synth on the loose, we begin to see humans give up on their relationships with one another, as well as synths begin to give up on each other.

Characters & Story (with Commentary)

Topic 1: The Anita Situation (Part 1) – Mattie, Leo, and Max

Despite often being an advocate for Anita, Joe speaks of having Anita sent away and promptly is outvoted by damn near every member of his family, including Mattie and even Laura to a certain degree. However, despite this unsolicited vote, he decides to call the people to recycle her anyway. Something Mattie promptly puts a temporary stop to by kidnapping Anita and taking her to Leo and Max.

Leading to 2 and a half hours of Leo trying his damndest to bring Mia out of Anita’s shell, but ultimately failing. Thus really pushing the idea that perhaps Mia may very well be lost, and any idea of making more sentient beings, much less continuing this whole idea of a synth family, is a waste of time. At least in Leo’s eyes which, considering he is the main thing holding everyone together, means a lot of possible bad things. Especially for Niska and Max who are still fairly reliant on him in some form or another.

Topic 2: The Anita Situation (Part 2) – Joe and Laura

Upon Mattie returning home with Anita comes the discovery that Anita’s adult mode was turned on, which somehow leads to everyone thinking Toby did it. Which I found so weird since with Mattie seeing herself as some sort of engineering/ robotics genius, you’d think she would know Toby, who hasn’t shown much in the way of being anything but average, couldn’t possibly install an adult mode within Anita. But still, with both Laura and Anita coming down on him and Toby wishing to defend his dad, he takes the blame.

Thankfully, though, while Joe doesn’t rebound from having sex with Anita, nor initially letting his son take the fall, he does eventually come clean. Naturally leading to Laura kicking him out for worse enough she felt replaced by Anita when it comes to housework and taking care of the kids, but with her husband now using the synth for sex means it is too much. Though what really adds insult to injury is Joe referring to Anita as a sex toy, so that wouldn’t count as cheating. Leading Laura to remind Joe that Anita takes care of their kids, and cooks their food, so trying to play off the situation as Anita being a sex toy isn’t going to cut it.

Though even when wrong, Joe, of course, isn’t going to just accept he did wrong and apologize. Nope, he brings up Tom and Laura is so through that it seems she is going to leave Joe and the family. What ends up truly happening though is Joe leaves, making this the second time the husband leaves his wife in the season.

Topic 3: They Must Be Destroyed – Niska, Dr. Millican, and Hobbs (Danny Webb)

To begin, Pete might be back on the force, but with a new article about killer synths out there, he and Karen are on thin ice. Also, Karen nearly gets caught by Peter when he busts into her room. Though, outside of that one moment, it seems she largely remains incognito.

Leading to the topic at hand being “They Must Be Destroyed.” Which was inspired by not only Peter, who seemingly is slowly becoming anti-synth but also because Edward Hobbs [1], the one who orchestrated Fred’s kidnapping, is being told by his financers they must be destroyed. Something which you can see he doesn’t really want to do, nor his main financer Robert, the gentleman we met in the first episode. However, with a new corporate representative saying destroying is the only option, it seems that is just what will be done. Starting with Fred who seemingly is burnt to a crisp.

Shifting focus. Before Leo giving up the idea of family, and perhaps continuing his father’s work, he arranged Niska to be with Dr. Millican, leading to the observation that despite how odd Vera may seem, she is in fact not sentient. However, while there is a disappointment there, such cannot be said about the interaction between Niska and Dr. Millican. If only because of the information Dr. Millican provides, alongside him seemingly testing Niska.

As for how? Well, with Niska’s life largely being about supporting Leo, or just surviving, I’m sure someone like Dr. Millican asking her about how she feels, and challenging her being as her own person, is challenging. For while she knows she has feelings, arguably she can’t manage them well nor does she fully understand them. Which I think Dr. Millican recognizes and with Vera being basically his watcher, and Dr. Millican largely being a recluse, I foresee him trying to have Niska become some sort of companion. Of which hopefully he does better than Joe and keeps it platonic and doesn’t try to make it sexual.

Things To Note

[1]: From what we learn from Dr. Millican, Professor Edward Hobbs was also part of Dr. Elster’s synth project. However, like Dr. Millican, he wasn’t part of the process of synths becoming sentient. But, unlike Millican, it seems Hobbs may not have quit on his own accord.

Topic 1 Extended: We learn that Leo, as a child, died due to complications from drowning. Well, at least that is what his medical records show. What makes things complicated though is that Leo got to die privately, meaning his father, Dr. Elster, could have very likely experimented on his child and made it so that various parts of his body were replaced by machinery. However, with us yet having to see Leo recharge, it does seem he might be more human than robot. Though, at the same time, we haven’t seen him eat either. Leading to the thought that Leo perhaps has mechanically evolved to the point where he can still die, as has been seen, but his life has been greatly extended by having robotic parts. Which, through methods yet revealed, seem to maintain a charge and the ability to function, without much in the way of food or electronic consumption. This doesn’t mean though the pieces are perfect.

Topic 3 Extended: Peter and Karen are getting increasingly close to catching Niska. In fact, Karen now has seen Niska’s face, thanks to a video recording from when she went to that smash club. Also, after a call came in about Odi, Peter goes to Dr. Millican’s home and damn near encounters Niska while giving Dr. Millican a ticket. Which would have been bad since Niska’s first reaction was grabbing a pair of scissors to stab Peter with. Though with Odi now on the run, and low on juice and sense it seems, it does make you wonder where will he run off to now?

Collected Quote(s)

“You left me, you just didn’t go anywhere.”

—           “Episode 5.″ Humans