Severance is arguably one of the greatest sci-fi shows of the century. But, as fans desperately await the third season, another great sci-fi series with similarly dark and uncomfortable vibes is waiting to receive the same attention on free streaming. Dan Erickson’s Apple TV+ series premiered in 2022 and has earned 10 Primetime Emmys (so far) across its two seasons. The series tells its bizarrely satirical story through incredibly realistic and grounded characters, a trait shared by Humans, which sci-fi fans need to watch while it’s on free streaming.
Humans is currently streaming for free on Pluto TV (and is also available on Prime Video and Peacock). Released in 2015, the sci-fi series took a well-worn subject (are synthetic humans considered “human”?) and told its story with a phenomenal amount of depth and an exceptional cast. Katherine Parkinson, Gemma Chan, Lucy Carless, Tom Goodman-Hill, Colin Morgan, Theo Stevenson, Will Tudor, Danny Webb, the late William Hurt, Carrie-Anne Moss, Letitia Wright, and Phil Dunster all lent their talents to the series. Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent created the series, which was adapted from the Swedish sci-fi show Real Humans. The official synopsis reads:
“The story is set in a parallel universe where technology is highly advanced and lifelike humanoids called Synths are the must-have machines for any household. Joe Hawkins decides to buy a Synth to help out at home, but his wife, Laura, feels uncomfortable around the humanoid. Elsewhere, a widower tries to fix his malfunctioning Synth, Odi, who holds some precious memories of his late wife.”
The series ran for three seasons between 2015 and 2018. Humans received immense acclaim from critics and audiences. It holds a tremendous 94% overall score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 85% audience rating. However, the strong critical reception wasn’t enough to keep the show running.
Why Was ‘Humans’ Canceled?
Add Humans to the list of great sci-fi shows that were gone too soon (here’s to you, Firefly). Starting life on Channel 4 in the UK and releasing on AMC in the US, Humans garnered great ratings from its first season, as viewers were obsessed with the UK-set sci-fi drama. But, like the battery life on an early-model synthetic human, the show just couldn’t sustain itself for that long. After Season 3, the unfortunate decision was made to cancel Humans‘ fourth season. As a result, several major storylines were left unresolved.
In a statement on X (via Variety) back in 2019, Sam Vincent shared the news of the cancellation. “In this age of unprecedented choice and competition, we can have no complaints.” The post continued:
“We are gutted, of course, but we were so lucky. We got to make the show we wanted to make, for 24 episodes. The Humans cast and crew were and are the best, and we wouldn’t have got a 2nd season without their talent and dedication, let alone a 3rd.”
Humans might not have drawn in the same numbers as Severance, or Apple TV+’s other hit sci-fi series, Silo. But the show is another must-watch for sci-fi fans, even if some of the story threads will forever remain loose.
- Release Date
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2015 – 2018-00-00
- Network
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Channel 4
- Directors
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Lewis Arnold, Daniel Nettheim, Francesca Gregorini, Jill Robertson, Mark Brozel, Al Mackay, China Moo-Young, Sam Donovan, Ben A. Williams, Carl Tibbetts, Richard Senior
- Writers
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Joe Barton, Emily Ballou, Daisy Coulam, Charlie Covell, Iain Weatherby, Debbie O’Malley, Jonathan Harbottle
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Emily Berrington
Dr. Aveling
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