Humans - Good Start

[longknife]

Am I wrong or am I the only one noticing the disturbing trend of so many new non-network programs showing near-porno scenes?

We have the final scene in Humans Ep 1
Defiance shows the white broad getting it on with the new bad guy - her husband knowing about it.
Mr Robot - similar scenes and showing the main character into heavy drugs like it's okay
Killjoys - the boss woman getting it on.
Lost Girl - clear and continued references/scenes about lesbians.

Now, I'm not a prude but the MA ratings seem to be a way to skirt the stigma of an R rating for some reason I don't understand.

Anyone?

 

[JoeB131]

Hey, I'm noticing that AMC is putting this show up opposite Battlebots on ABC.

Do they not realize these shows probably are competing for the same viewers?

 

[Unkotare]

Am I wrong or am I the only one noticing the disturbing trend of so many new non-network programs showing near-porno scenes?

We have the final scene in Humans Ep 1
Defiance shows the white broad getting it on with the new bad guy - her husband knowing about it.
Mr Robot - similar scenes and showing the main character into heavy drugs like it's okay
Killjoys - the boss woman getting it on.
Lost Girl - clear and continued references/scenes about lesbians.

Now, I'm not a prude but the MA ratings seem to be a way to skirt the stigma of an R rating for some reason I don't understand.

Anyone?

This just in: people like sex! Film at 11.

 

[Treeshepherd]

Saw a preview of the show in the entertainment section of the SF Chronicle. Watched episode 1 live.

Was out of town on Sunday, but watched episode 2 On Demand last night.

It's a usual premise, but well done. I wrote a review in the review forum, but should have looked here. I think we're already grappling with some of the issues. Many people look up things on their phones before attempting to activate their little gray cells.
Google bought like 7 robot companies. Basically, all the tech giants (and Honda) are into building a smart-home ecosystem which would include a robot. The difference from the show HUMANS, I think, is that houses will radically change in order to accommodate automation. For example, your dishwasher, dishes and shelf system will be re-engineered to be robot friendly. The show bypasses all that and fast forwards to more human-like robots.

The old guy [William Hurt] feels that his synth is more of a jailor than a servant. The synth-crimes investigator says that synths are ruining everything and nobody sees it happening. His partner responds by saying that she's only ever been hurt by other humans. That's a good synopsis of the debate that's currently playing out.

I tend to argue on the side that technology is causing us to devolve, rather than evolve. Parts of our brain are suffering atrophy from lack of exercise. The analogy is a fat guy moving at 60 miles an hour, because he's driving a car. It doesn't change the fact that he's a fat slob and would not be so if he had to walk. The same type of thing is happening to us, mentally.

 

[JoeB131]

Am I wrong or am I the only one noticing the disturbing trend of so many new non-network programs showing near-porno scenes?

We have the final scene in Humans Ep 1
Defiance shows the white broad getting it on with the new bad guy - her husband knowing about it.
Mr Robot - similar scenes and showing the main character into heavy drugs like it's okay
Killjoys - the boss woman getting it on.
Lost Girl - clear and continued references/scenes about lesbians.

Now, I'm not a prude but the MA ratings seem to be a way to skirt the stigma of an R rating for some reason I don't understand.

Anyone?

I think you need to less of a prude, maybe?

Wow, I know this is hard for you to grasp, but people have sex. People do drugs. People have gay relationships.

I mean, we could go back to the 1950's and pretend those things don't exist.

 

[Treeshepherd]

Am I wrong or am I the only one noticing the disturbing trend of so many new non-network programs showing near-porno scenes?

We have the final scene in Humans Ep 1
Defiance shows the white broad getting it on with the new bad guy - her husband knowing about it.
Mr Robot - similar scenes and showing the main character into heavy drugs like it's okay
Killjoys - the boss woman getting it on.
Lost Girl - clear and continued references/scenes about lesbians.

Now, I'm not a prude but the MA ratings seem to be a way to skirt the stigma of an R rating for some reason I don't understand.

Anyone?

I think you need to less of a prude, maybe?

Wow, I know this is hard for you to grasp, but people have sex. People do drugs. People have gay relationships.

I mean, we could go back to the 1950's and pretend those things don't exist.

I can't recall any naked synths in the first two installments.

So far HUMANS has much less gratuitous soft-porn than most HBO or Netflix originals. It's all relative I guess.

 

[GHook93]

Hey, I'm noticing that AMC is putting this show up opposite Battlebots on ABC.

Do they not realize these shows probably are competing for the same viewers?

I don't watch abc, nbc or cbs. They cancel showstopper quickly and it's too frustrating. Last network show I have arched was V.

 

[GHook93]

The show is asking some interesting questions:

(1) If synths are so life like and people form an emotional attachment to them, should they be treated humanely?
(2) Is sex with a synth cheating? Is it wrong?
(3) Men (and women) are flawed, but synths are in many senses much less flawed. Could the emotional connection one has or needs with their significant other be replaced by a spouse.
(4) What if they are programed to be self-aware and with thoughts and feelings, how will they view their human creators? Humans are flawed. Many are cruel, selfish and immoral? Some are downright evil. Even ones that aren't cruel and selfish can be lazy and foolish. Even good people do mean things. What happens if (when) the synth view their human creators are inferior?
premise.

The critics are right in this one. Great acting, great writing and fascinating premise.

 

[longknife]

Every episode I watch brings back memories of the many hours I spent reading Isaac Asimov and other great scifi authors dealing with the subject. They had some great answers to your questions.

The First Law of Robotics would answer your questions.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
   
   
   
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
   
   
   
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

 

[GHook93]

Every episode I watch brings back memories of the many hours I spent reading Isaac Asimov and other great scifi authors dealing with the subject. They had some great answers to your questions.

The First Law of Robotics would answer your questions.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
   
   
   
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
   
   
   
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

All robots are programmed. What happens when the bot is programmed with the first 2 laws or those laws are programmed away? Hence the hooker bot in this show.

 

[Treeshepherd]

Every episode I watch brings back memories of the many hours I spent reading Isaac Asimov and other great scifi authors dealing with the subject. They had some great answers to your questions.

The First Law of Robotics would answer your questions.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
   
   
   
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
   
   
   
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

It's interesting that in HUMANS the synths are programmed with code that they call the Asimov Protocol, or something like that.

The show is asking some interesting questions:

(1) If synths are so life like and people form an emotional attachment to them, should they be treated humanely?
(2) Is sex with a synth cheating? Is it wrong?
(3) Men (and women) are flawed, but synths are in many senses much less flawed. Could the emotional connection one has or needs with their significant other be replaced by a spouse.
(4) What if they are programed to be self-aware and with thoughts and feelings, how will they view their human creators? Humans are flawed. Many are cruel, selfish and immoral? Some are downright evil. Even ones that aren't cruel and selfish can be lazy and foolish. Even good people do mean things. What happens if (when) the synth view their human creators are inferior?
premise.
.

Those are questions that the status quo characters are asking in the show. I just got caught up with episodes 3 and 4. The husband (Joe Hawkins) 'cheats' awkwardly with Anita. But Joe isn't a character in the show who is asking the deep questions. He's more of a static character, so far.

That lady tried to sue over allowing her synth to attend the theater. Frequently, characters refer to synths replacing humans in various aspects of life and work. The rise of robots making war with humanity is an obvious thriller plot that we can see developing in the show, centered on Niska.

But it's really the characters who are being driven to the edge of insanity who are asking the really interesting questions, like the mother (Laura), the investigator (DS Pete Drummond), Dr. George Millican and finally Leo who seems to be some form of undead.

 

[Treeshepherd]

By the way it's the season finale of Wayward Pines tonight. That's the 2nd show I've been recording and watching, other than HUMANS.

Too many commercials, but pretty good. It had a few good plot twists, and it's also futuristic. Are there times in human history when authoritarian control is necessary, and others when the truth must reign freely?

 

[Treeshepherd]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

 

[JoeB131]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

I think they're writing themselves into the corner.

"Gee, you had sex with the totally hotter than me android!" Oh, please. They spent five episodes setting that up, and it was boring.

 

[GHook93]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

How so? The dialog between the killer blonde synth and the old doctor was very interesting.

I like the synth that is hiding as a police officer.

 

[GHook93]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

I think they're writing themselves into the corner.

"Gee, you had sex with the totally hotter than me android!" Oh, please. They spent five episodes setting that up, and it was boring.

It opened up an interesting point. They are so life like is having sex with one cheating? Or is it a form of playing with one's self?

 

[Treeshepherd]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

How so? The dialog between the killer blonde synth and the old doctor was very interesting.

I like the synth that is hiding as a police officer.

I agree with those two points.

But, I agree with JoeB131 that the cheating issue was totally over-baked. They set it up in episode 1 by showing the 18 and over package. Laura completely over-reacted and kicked the husband out, before writhing and crying against a wall. And also the whole issue involved more scenes of the weepy-eyed son. It just wasn't enjoyable to watch.

There was no Big Reveal in episode 5. But, like you mentioned, that one synth is passing as a human cop.What's up with that?
Anita still needs to be woken up. The killer blonde synth needs to hatch her plan for reproduction and/or world domination, etc..

 

[GHook93]

HUMANS episode 5 was probably the weakest so far. The show has hit a low point, but has 3 episodes left to rebound.

I think they're writing themselves into the corner.

"Gee, you had sex with the totally hotter than me android!" Oh, please. They spent five episodes setting that up, and it was boring.

It opened up an interesting point. They are so life like is having sex with one cheating? Or is it a form of playing with one's self?

I mean in the end is it different than screwing a blow doll?


I have never done that in case you ask.

 

[JoeB131]

It opened up an interesting point. They are so life like is having sex with one cheating? Or is it a form of playing with one's self?

Naw, it didn't, really, because the sex scene was so awkward, so uninteresting (shit, they didn't even take off their clothes!) that you don't care.

Oh, yeah. And Gemma Chan can't act for shit.

 

[IsaacNewton]

Certainly there will come quantum leaps in AI intelligence in the next decades that will likely bring complex computers close to self awareness. Our brains are billions of individual neurons that are wired together and hold information that constructs a detailed picture of the world. There isn't any reason that electronic components could not do this and do it in the same manner as our brains. We aren't there yet but I also think this will happen in the next 20-30 years.

And if they do get sophisticated enough to become, in essence, our sentient slaves, what happens when they figure out what a 'slave' is.

Isaac Asimov's world is getting close.