Channel 4’s three-season sci-fi series offers a contemplative, eerie and poignant exploration of artificial intelligence and what it means to be, well, human. Set in a world that feels very much like present-day London and featuring technology that seems only a few generations ahead of Alexa and Siri, Humans is grounded by its strong performances, particularly from Crazy Rich Asians’ Gemma Chan as a hyper-intelligent domestic robot.

Ad

How to watch Humans

Humans is available on All4, YouTube, Amazon Prime and Britbox. You can also buy Humans on DVD.

How many seasons and episodes of Humans are there?

There are three series of Humans, all with eight episodes each.

What is Humans about?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU4mwlTUXnc

Based on the Swedish show Real Humans, the series is set in a parallel present-day universe where “synths”—or humanoid robots—are an everyday part of human life. For years, they have become an enormously valuable part of society, and a staple in most homes.

Eventually, however, the lifelike gadgets seem to develop consciousness, forever altering the lives of both the robots and the people they serve.

One of these seemingly conscious synths is Anita, who works in a family home doing domestic chores, though her owners begin to suspect she is capable of much more — and she’s not alone. Meanwhile, an investigator named Hobb is determined to stop the synths from becoming fully independent and out-developing their initial coding.

Who is in the cast of Humans?

Due to its multiple story arcs, Humans has a very large and ever-changing cast. Here are a few of the key players:

Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians) was widely commended for her performance as Anita, the domestic synth.

Gemma Chan, Humans (C4, EH)
Gemma Chan, Humans (C4, EH)

She is owned by Laura Hawkins, a mother of three played by Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd), and her husband Joe Hawkins, played by Tom Goodman-Hill.

Katherine Parkinson as Laura in Humans series 3 (Channel 4, HF)
Katherine Parkinson as Laura in Humans series 3 (Channel 4, HF)

Artificial intelligence researcher Professor Edwin Hobb is played by Alien 3’s Danny Webb.

Neil Maskell plays DS Pete Drummond, a Special Technologies Task Force Officer, who is partnered with DI Karen Voss, played by Irish actor Ruth Bradley (Stardust).

Other cast members include Colin Morgan (Merlin) as fugitive part-synth Leo Elster, William Hurt (the Avengers franchise) as Dr George Millican and Emily Berrington (24: Live Another Day) as synth Niska.

Is Humans coming back?

Mia (Gemma Chan) and Niska (Emily Berrington) in Humans series three (Channel 4, HF)
Mia (Gemma Chan) and Niska (Emily Berrington) in Humans series three (Channel 4, HF)

Unfortunately not! Creators Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent shared the cancellation news via a blog post: “Sadly, there won’t be a fourth season of Humans. In an age of unprecedented choice and competition, we can have no complaints."

You can buy the DVD's on Amazon: Season 1 & 2 and Season 3.

Ad

For more suggestions on what to watch now check out our TV Guide, our best series on Netfix guide, best movies on Netflix or the best shows on Amazon Prime.

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Overall rating

Ad
Ad
Ad
Create an image depicting a festive scene with elements from the top Christmas songs, such as a snowy New York for 'Fairytale of New York', a cozy home setting for 'Last Christmas', and a glamorous Christmas party for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'. Include musical notes and festive decorations to represent the spirit of these iconic Christmas songs.

RT offer

Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events

hello
An image depicting a festive scene with iconic Christmas elements such as a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights, snow gently falling, and perhaps a cozy fireplace in the background. The image should capture the essence of popular Christmas songs, with musical notes and lyrics subtly included in the design, representing a playlist of classic Christmas tunes.

summer

Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events

More