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With each passing year, we humans get more and more attached to technology. That technology gets smarter, more capable, more integrated, and we’ve hit a point where our everyday activities center around its use. Film and television’s examination of “what’s next?” for technological advancement is nothing new - we’ve been seeing it since The Terminator (1984) and even back to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - but has become more realistic in modern days, as we seem to be approaching a time when these fantastic concepts of artificial intelligence from days past are more tangible than ever.

Humans (2015) is a new series that puts human-like constructs called “synths” into the homes of everyday people to help with normal, routine tasks and genuinely make their lives easier. You could say they are somewhat similar to Rosie on The Jetsons (1962), but like, way more gorgeous. They all look like they’re created based on the physical appearances of supermodels. And, as one might expect, the program’s trailers indicate things don’t always work out as they’re intended; the synths gain awareness, relationships form, and their impact on the human lives they serve becomes more complicated than the typical tech-person relationships between, say, humans and toasters.

The show aims to examine the human-intelligence association, particularly when the AI so closely resembles a real person. It’s no doubt that, if well-written, the show will be able to touch on tons of powerful themes using this premise: love and authenticity, sentience, slavery and control, freedom and servitude, humanity vs. programming, identity, the value of life - the list goes on.

It’s relatable since the concept of advanced, self-aware AI is not as far-fetched and fantastical as it used to be. Renowned scientists like Stephen Hawking have voiced concerns about humanity every allowing technology to go that far. Recent films like Ex Machina (2015) and Chappie (2015) have explored similar concepts. Former television shows like Dollhouse (2009) explored the dangers of a technology that, while somewhat the opposite of Humans, involved a process that effectively turned humans into AI, resulting in devastation. Even video games, notably the Deus Ex series, have explored the dark and dystopian consequences of sentient artificial life. And with each new entry, with each new interpretation, we find more ways to be afraid of the possibilities despite fostering a society that pushes closer to such reality every day. The tug-of-war science and humanity is playing is intriguing, as if we’re trying to tiptoe to the edge of the cliff where technology is just one tweak away from being humanly catastrophic so we can hold things in place at that level.

“Advanced technology has become so commonplace in the world, with robots involved in numerous industries like healthcare, that audiences may easily accept the idea of ultra-lifelike “Humans” synths, [Humans] writer Jonathan Brackley said. “We’re already carrying around technology in our pockets that can access the entirety of human knowledge,” Brackley said. “It’s not that much of a stretch.” - T.L. Stanley, LA Times

“Today’s aircraft have enough artificial intelligence to prevent the pilot putting the aircraft in danger, but that intelligence can be overruled by human beings. As the AI gets better, should that always be the case? And this is just the beginning; can you imagination the nightmare litigious society where companies are sued because they didn’t put enough AI into the machine to prevent harm to humans? Can we see the day when machines can completely override humans and make decisions against their will? This is not theoretical or big picture, we are already ascending the thin end of the wedge, AI doesn’t have to look like a robot; machines, in the form of algorithms, are already making decisions that affect people and shape society every day.” - Ian Wood, Venturebeat

Humans has the opportunity to become a TV show very relevant to modern discussion. Hopefully it can address important subjects in an engaging way, and provide great entertainment at the same time.