Fox's Almost Human is almost great. Threatening to be merely conventional, this futuristic sci-fi drama is saved by marvelous production values and a memorable cast of characters.
Set in 2048, Almost Human tells the tale of John Kennex (Karl Urban), a rough and tough police officer recovering from a traumatic attack that left many of his colleagues dead and put him a 17-month coma. Now, he's back on the job, and things are a little different.
Now, every cop must have a robotic partner. Much to Kennex's chagrin, he's no exception. He winds up with Dorian (Michael Early), a glitchy android who's programmed to feel, and an unlikely friendship starts to bloom.
Almost Human is practically cinematic in its execution of this story. It sounds like The Dark Knight and it looks like Blade Runner-meets-Fringe, with a killer score and slick, gritty scenery. The special effects, too, are top notch, adding a degree of believability to the hi-tech 2048 setting. This is a major asset given the show's serious tone. Goofy special effects would just seem wrong, totally killing the suspension of disbelief.
These stellar audiovisuals, combined with moody storytelling techniques, give the show a distinct style that might be best described as sci-fi noir. The pilot episode certainly is populated with a myriad of noir tropes. Kennex is your classic antihero: a snarky, rebellious loner with a troubled past. He drives down shadowy roads in the rain, doing shady business in dark allies. He's a 21st century Sam Spade.
Then, of course, there's the city itself. Littered with bright neon signs -- a rainbow punctuating the gloom -- it's the perfect backdrop for the show's nefarious criminals and dark turns. There's even a femme fatale to tempt and haunt Kennex. When it comes to noir, Almost Human has it all and is, in a word, cool.
Beyond all this flash and flare is something even more important to the success of the show: its main characters. Kennex and Dorian are interesting on their own, but it's when they're together that they truly captivate. They strangely complement each other. Kennex is a hardened man. His synthetic leg is ore than just a physical loss. It's symbolic of his emotional repression. Dorian, on the other hand, is openly passionate. Like Kennex says in a moment of fury, he's "the synthetic with a bleeding heart." The emotional contrast between the pair is compelling, thought-provoking even. Without this relationship, Almost Human would be in danger of getting lost in the shadow of greater works that came before it. But Kennex and Dorian save it. Despite their differences, they share a rare bond: they're both almost human.
Much like the robots that inhabit it, Almost Human is a solid piece of work. Here's hoping it doesn't malfunction.
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