It's been forever since SABC3's had an exciting first run series to rave about and now they do. Humans starts on the channel on Wednesday (17 February) at 21h00 and I'd highly recommend catching it for these five reasons:
1. It hasn't aired on any other channel previously so it's fresh and different. The show is too. And it's gripping. It's set in a parallel universe where technology has become so advanced that they've created synthetic humans called Synths: robots that have become the must-have "in" thing to have in your home.
Synths do all the cleaning and cooking, they drive the kids to school and do every task that no-one else wants to do. They look like humans and behave like humans except that they don't have emotions.
Or do they?...
2. This is the eerie question at the heart of the action. The story centres round a Synth called Anita and a family who buy her for their home. When she arrives she seems perfect and does everything that she's told but she soon starts displaying strange behaviour which makes the family realise that all is not what it seems when it comes to Anita, Synths and technology.
3. It's a perfect show for our times that spotlights questions of awareness, consciousness and what it means to be human.
4. Anita's brilliant. She's played by Gemma Chan who inspires you to want to mimic her. Listen out for her phrase:
“I'm sorry Laura, I don't understand the question” - you'll want to say it too.
5. It's eight episodes in total which means it isn't going to take your whole life. There's so much to watch on TV that it's great to have a show that doesn't demand a million hours from you.
Bonus 6th reason: It's been renewed for a second eight-episode season.