Almost Human

By: Robert Murphy

This is a review I have been meaning to get to for awhile now as Almost Human was something that peeked my interests the moment I saw it advertised. The year is 2048 and the world is everything that you have imagined the future would be like in terms of how far humanity has come with technology. The story is set around a pair of cops who couldn't be more wrong for each other, go figure right? Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) is a gruff and gritty man who doesn't too much care for androids which is unfortunate because cops in this time are partnered with them almost always. Enter the android, Dorian (Michael Ealy) who is part of a long decommissioned group of androids who were suppose to be more human-like and therefore better but things don't always go that way. The two are paired together and despite the cliche mismatched cop dynamic screaming in my head the show works. 

As I said earlier, the futuristic dystopia of a world that the characters are set in really has been done to death whether it be in films or in other television shows. All those 80's and 90's movies use to picture a world where we all would one day live in by this point and it often looked bleak and needed saving. This is where I find fault with a show like Almost Human for the simple fact that it's been done to death but the themes are what save it all frankly. Crime is always a problem it seems and it has gotten a lot more unique as technology has progressed so far, trafficking organs gets more ingenious when you can grow them in a jar rather than farm them from innocent victims. I somewhat felt like the show was what Robocop could have been if it was ever a television show as Kennex and Dorian take down criminals together.

What's also good is the relationship between Kennex and Dorian themselves, you can forget all the futuristic nonsense going on around them and the crime fighting when you see the two work so well together. Ealy's portrayal as Dorian is fantastic as he plays the friendly android that knows just how to push Urban's character Kennex in the right ways. Dorian often gets his kicks out of watching Kennex relationship with one of the other detectives, Valerie Stahl (Minka Kelly) after he points out how much Kennex really has something for her. Kennex himself was everything you expected him to be when you first see him as the rough around the edges kind of cop who was still great at his job as a cop though. Kennex does warm up though as you often see the grumpy character do in this sour and sweet cop situations, plus he's Karl Urban, you gotta love the guy. 

I do wish that there had been a better supporting cast of characters to the show alongside of Kennex and Dorian because as good of main characters they're, you can't rest it all on them with a show. The resident Captain Sandra Maldonado (Lili Taylor) was really just a flat character whose only relevance came up when she was handing out orders. Rudy Lom (Mackenzie Crook) was an interesting surprise to the show as the quirky lab tech but he just doesn't get out enough like another quirky lab tech Abby from NCIS. And of course there's other detectives who come on the screen but go away just as quickly, the only one making any impact would be Valerie Stahl for her estrange love interest to Detective Kennex and the joy it brings to Dorian. 

In conclusion, Almost Human is something that carries a spark of something like a movie that you know you shouldn't love but do for some reason, it's there and it makes you laugh and watch along. It probably comes from the great chemistry of Kennex and Dorian who make great partners in a very cliche situation. Other characters though don't stand out enough and settle in for the ride with the rest of us as our cop duo do there thing. The cases and the partnership are truly what save you from all the cliches and made Almost Human stay alive for me, shame it won't be getting another season, FOX strikes again. 

Good:

- Dorian and Kennex make a perfect team with great on screen chemistry

- The cases are very solid and enjoyable

- Something of a nostalgic feel to it for my childhood

Bad:

- It has many cliches to it that are hard not to see

- The done to death futuristic dystopia feel

- Side characters are less than that and really needed to be more 

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10