Fast Paced Drama

ALMOST HUMAN is a high-tech, high-stakes action drama set 35 years in the future. The uncontrollable evolution of science and technology has caused crime rates to rise an astounding 400%. To combat this, the overwhelmed police force has implemented a new policy: every human police officer is paired up with a lifelike combat-model android.

Last week I tuned into the pilot episode mainly because I was curious. What drove me was the fact that Karl Urban portrays the main role of the troubled police officer John Kennex. I am a huge trekkie and I loved this actor's portrayal of Dr. Leonard McCoy in the latest generation of the series. He brings every bit of the same witty, sarcastic style to this new character. I was immediately hooked. Now, a week and six episodes later, I am completely caught up.


Kennex has a deep seeded hatred for androids because two years previous in the story's timeline he and his partner were abandoned by one of these mechanized police officers resulting in the death of his comrade and the loss on his own leg.  He awakes several months later abandoned by his girlfriend and sporting a prosthetic leg.

Urban's character is then recalled to the force by Captain Sandra Maldonado (Lili Taylor), and partnered with a standard-issue MX-43 android, which he promptly throws from his squad car while traveling the freeway. He is assigned a replacement android, an older DRN model originally destined for the scrap heap. Created to be as close to human as possible, the DRN androids have trouble dealing with some emotional responses, which was the reason they were replaced . Kennex's unit, known as Dorian (Michael Ealy), immediately proves himself unique, with a clear dislike of being referred to as a "synthetic".

The formula of this series has been tried over and over throughout television history, but what sets this futuristic cop drama apart from its predecessors is the report between Early and Urban's characters. Think Riggs and Murtaugh from the Lethal Weapon franchise. The pairing of these troubled characters is a perfect fit and the relationship forged within the partnership is witty and delightfully entertaining. Throw in a haunting soundtrack reminiscent of the movie Blade Runner and a plot incorporating non-stop action and superb special effects and you have a captivating television series hit. I have truly become a fan of this show. I give it 4 1/2 stars.

ALMOST HUMAN airs on FOX Monday nights at 8:00PM Eastern