In 2048, crime has surged 400 percent, forcing police to partner with lifelike androids.
In short: Set in New Pittsburg, the science fiction drama Almost Human explores a fractured partnership between a cynical detective and a decommissioned android. After a tragic ambush leaves him with a prosthetic leg and deep distrust of machines, one man must navigate a world where logic often overrides human survival.
Created by J. H. Wyman, Almost Human debuted on Fox in November 2013. The premise centers on John Kennex, a detective who returns to duty after a 17-month coma following a disastrous raid by the gang inSyndicate. During that mission, a logic-based android abandoned Kennex and his partner because their survival odds were deemed too low, an act that cost Kennex his leg and his partner his life. This trauma defines his initial hostility toward his new partner, Dorian, a retired DRN-model android.
Unlike the standard-issue MX-43 units, which prioritize cold logic, the DRN models were designed for emotional depth, a feature that ultimately led to their decommissioning. Dorian is distinct for his sarcasm, his resentment of the term synthetic, and his evolving bond with Kennex. The series also features Valerie Stahl, a genetically engineered human known as a Chrome, who faces professional skepticism from peers who view her existence as a waste of potential. The dynamic between these characters serves as the show's emotional core.
Despite receiving an Emmy nomination for visual effects and seeing critical reception improve throughout its run—with The A.V. Club raising its grade from a C+ for the pilot to an A- by the sixth episode—the show struggled with low ratings and high production costs. Fox cancelled the series in April 2014 after only one season. The televised broadcast order also differed from Wyman’s intended production sequence, creating some unevenness in the development of the protagonists' trust, though the show's largely self-contained episodes mitigated major narrative gaps.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Almost Human (TV series)
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