8. Humans
o.canada.com
Possibly the surprise hit of the year, Humans takes the well worn science fiction trope of artificial intelligence and plunks it squarely in the mundane, everyday, setting of a British suburban home. The characters live their lives and work their jobs in a world we’re familiar with, bringing the idea of intelligent robots that much closer to home.
Humans takes place in the (presumably) near future where robots known as synths, which resemble humans, are the latest must have appliance. Having one round the house to cook and clean is somewhere in between buying a new car and having the latest tablet. The writing is solid, if a little overstretched at times, but the whole thing is elevated several notches by the performances of the main synth characters.
At first there’s just something very slightly not human about them, then all of a sudden they feel and act more human than the human characters. Gemma Chan is a worthy lead as Anita, a synth who is bought into a family home against the wishes of a suspicious mother. It’s a slow burn, but Humans asks some serious questions about human relationships with artificial intelligence.
7. Master of None
You’ll not find too many comedies on this list, but Master of None‘s ten episodes have more than earned their place here. Written by and staring comedian Aziz Ansari, it follows struggling actor Dev as change gradually catches up with his circle of friends. People around him are getting married and having kids, and it’s leaving Dev with all sorts of questions.
It’s hard, until you dive into it, to figure out what Master of None is. The title doesn’t really hint towards anything in the actual show. Once you start watching it becomes clear; Dev is giving us a tour of his world at a vital moment in his life, until he meets a girl. Noël Wells’s Rachel is the perfect match for Ansari’s surprisingly understated Dev.
That’s when you realise what you’re actually watching is a romantic comedy. For those who know Ansari from his stand up or his role in Parks and Recreation, this is the second most surprising thing about the series. The most surprising thing, though, is that it all works. There’s plenty of real laughs here too, if you’re worried. Lena Waithe, Eric Wareheim and Kelvin Yu flesh out a strong comedy cast as Dev’s circle of friends.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
