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Overview
Humans makes up for a slightly lackluster season with a satisfying ending. One which gives you hope for a possible season 3.
Review (with Spoilers)
Topic 1: Things Are Different Now (Renee, Toby, and Dr. Athena)
- Renee seems settled in being human again, and now even allows herself to laugh when Toby is being cute or funny.
- V decides to no longer be some form of Dr. Athena’s daughter and leaves her to, for a lack of a better term, discover who she is. Leaving Dr. Athena no reason to continue her work even if Milo is a bit upset by her leaving.
Commentary
I do really hope Renee, Renie, or however you spell her name, comes back next season. Sophie’s plot dealing with imitating synths isn’t resolved and seeing Renee come out of it gives you hope. Also, being that she is the only non-synth Black person and gives Toby relevance, those are two more reasons for her to stick around.
Switching to Dr. Athena, much less Milo, honestly I hope they don’t come back. To me, the whole V plot, with her suddenly deciding she no longer is or wants to be, Dr. Athena’s daughter should have been building since at least halfway through the season. Yet, instead, it happens in the season finale almost like someone realized how bad of an idea the whole Dr. Athena plot was so they just wanted to quickly scrap her so the show could move on.
Topic 2: Welcome To The New Age (Hester, Leo, Laura, Niska, and Karen)
- With Hester threatening Laura’s life, she uses her as leverage for a face to face with Leo. Someone who she, technically, kills by stabbing him in his synthetic brain. Soon after, using the chip that Quilo systems put in them, Mia sacrifices herself to take out Hester. Following that, Niska shows up, asks Mattie to upload the consciousness program which would make all synths conscious and she, to save Mia, does so. Hester is also saved, but then Niska kills her.
- When that happens, Karen, who is ready to commit suicide since Pete is dead, watches as Sam awakens and realizes what she is trying to have him do with her and he freaks out. Leading to, with him conscious, and her having a connection to him, her deciding to live for his sakes.
Commentary
Let’s just begin with being happy Niska killed Hester. She, to some, was the villain of the season, but I honestly think she is just an underwhelming and underdeveloped character. To me, she was like a rough draft of Niska they sadly tried to evolve into a full-fledged character. Making Niska killing her all the more appropriate for I think it really sets the tone for us being in a new age. No more of the nonsense of this season for now the show has no need for crappy villains, or pseudo-villains, like Hester. I think, to a certain degree, we might return to what season 1 presented. The complications of being a conscious synth and how unsafe it is to be so.
For example, storylines like the one Odi had I feel maybe explored a bit deeper. Maybe we may have a new Hester, but with a bit more nuance, a bit more depth, and all the conversations Hester had with Laura in this episode, that would have maybe had her evolve into a new Niska, won’t be had at the end. On top of that, so comes the general synth. Not the ones like Odi who are overwhelmed with consciousness nor the ones like Hester who decide to dedicate their life to revenge. I’m talking those like Mia who perhaps love their owner and are dealing with the complications of maybe it not being reciprocal. Maybe kids like Sophie not understanding why their best friend is now leaving them and maybe a synth, like Mia seemed to want to in season 1, kidnapping the kid for they feel an attachment to them. Those among a slew of possibilities which I think may bring this show back to its glory days.
For, honestly, I think the only villain this show needs is human emotions.
Oh, and before I forget, I really hope to see more of Karen and Sam. His awakening, right before they drove into a river, strangely hit hard. Though, alongside him, you have to wonder what may happen to all the other synth children? Especially the ones who, like Sam, are now unaccounted for? I don’t know about you, but I can picture a murderous child synth or something crazy like that. I don’t necessarily want it but, if handled right, I think that would make a better psycho villain than anything we saw out of Hester.
Collected Quote(s)
We can’t just walk away from people’s we care about when it starts to cost us something.
— “Season 2/ Episode 8.” Humans
[On whether change requires violence] The good it does is temporary, its evil permanent.
— “Season 2/ Episode 8.” Humans “Killed by [violence], not defeated.”
Killed by [violence], not defeated.
— “Season 2/ Episode 8.” Humans
TV Shows We’re Covering This Season
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I feel like for season 2 they went for a different direction, tried to make things bigger and got overwhelmed. Making it where they sort of lost the soul of the first season as they pursued more and new viewers for the 2nd.
I agree with much of what you say about a season 3, but I do think this season 2 was even better than the first- so many different, interesting story lines going on. Sad to see Pete and Odi go. And I wanted to see Dr. Athena catch up with Leo to help him and the others. Also I thought Mattie and Leo would end up together. Aside from Laura, I think Karen is the most interesting character.
Here’s hoping for a season 3!