Humans: Season 2/ Episode 3 – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

Autonomy is a major focus on this episode of humans as Niska continues to and get human rights, Mia is questioning her place in Leo’s grounp, and Dr. Athena reveals some parts to herself. Parts which drive what she is living for.

Review (with Spoilers)

I must admit, a Sunday night seems like the worse night for me to review anything. On top of the fact my thoughts are mostly focused on what I’m going to do, or need to do, in the coming week, I’m generally easily distracted. Which while watching a show like Humans makes things difficult for Humans isn’t strongly for the dramatics. It takes things slow and steady and even as it reveals things there isn’t a DUN DUN DUN or shock to it. You’ve been led to this realization for a while now and the show is just providing confirmation. With that said, let’s talk about episode 3.

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Niska

How do you prove consciousness with a synth who after being hurt and abused so much has damn near turned off her emotions? That is Laura’s plight for a bunch of images produce nothing, sound doesn’t produce any visible effects for Laura to use, and while she has the name of Astrid which may help, who knows if that maybe what tips the scale? For, at this point, Niska just seems like a synth who may understand the concept of rape, based off being scared when the man she murdered tried to force her to do something, but is that really enough for a convincing case?

Anita (Mia)

Mia wants stability, plain and simple. She wants to have attachments to humans and not live life like Leo where the simplest of threats mean running at a moment’s notice. Especially as she realizes she may have feelings for Ed. For with this, she wants to foster said feelings and not run as Leo discovers Max let that guy tracking them leave. But, it should be noted, Hester remains mum on the topic of what happened to that guy, i.e. her killing him. However, she has no problems snitching on Mia having feelings for a human. Be it because she likes Leo or she wants to take out a threat to her growing autonomy and authority.

Athena

As suspected, but now clarified, it seems Vee may just be based off Dr. Athena’s daughter Jenny. Someone who we see in a coma and has been that way for 3 years. As for the how and why? Well, that isn’t gone into. What is known is that it seems the good doctor has dedicated her life, well the last few years, to either having the real Jenny come back or some form of her through her AI Vee. Hence why she goes to England to not only meet Dr. Hobbs but threaten him. After all, a mother’s love knows no bounds and she has no issue ruining a man’s life, and taking a grandfather from his granddaughter, to save her own child.

But what perhaps matters most is the episode ends with Dr. Athena at Qualia Global Systems. The place also known as “The Silo.” That and Dr. Hobbs, with his hand being forced, agreeing to cooperate with Dr. Athena. Meaning she is going to be sacrificing a few more synths until she finds how to bring Jenny back to life.

Things To Note

1. Toby seems to have taken an interest in the odd girl, Renie (Letitia Wright), who is acting like a synth.
2. Joe has gone from being a manager to working on the floor and, alongside that, Sophie is starting to act odd. Odd like Renie.
3. Mattie uploads Niska’s awakening program onto Odi and it seems he is now “woke.” Glitchy as before, but woke.

Highlights

Feelings

As noted, Humans isn’t like most sci-fi productions which do explosions, gunshots, violence, and things which shake you up. What Humans focuses on is developing its characters, showing you how the synths adapt to having emotions and showing the struggles of human beings in a word in which they have become replaceable. With this episode, I do feel reminded of that and reminded of why I liked the series in the first place. It treks a different path and that can be seen in Niska trying to be treated as a human despite largely holding synth qualities. Yet, from the way she speaks, she sounds like she has some form of PTSD from the sexual abuse she has gone through just to maintain her former guise.

Then with Mia, she is falling in love. A love which is scary for she is so different and while Ed is kind, is he accepting? Her being conscious is a dangerous thing and to relay this to him allows him so much power over her. Lastly, with Dr. Athena, like Niska, she is almost dead personality wise because her focus is solely on her goals. Yet, the reveal of having a daughter in a coma and an ex-husband sort of humanized her. It was a slightly predictable method to do so, but what I think the first two episodes lacked was a sense of purpose, urgency, and overall direction for the season. With what is noted here, I think we know what this season is going to focus on and explore. Thus giving reason to start wondering and questioning what may happen.