AMC has released a new key art and announced that its upcoming eight-part drama series Humans will premiere on Sunday, June 28th.
Humans takes place in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a Synth – a highly developed, artificially intelligent servant eerily similar to its living counterpart; it stars William Hurt, Katherine Parkinson, Gemma Chan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Lucy Carless, Colin Morgan, Pixie Davis, Ivanno Jeremiah, Theo Stevenson, Emily Berrington, Neil Maskell, Will Tudor, Rebecca Front, Danny Webb, and Sope Dirisu.
Read the full press-release below:
Eight-Part Series Explores a Parallel Present Where Artificially Intelligent Servants Live Among Us
NEW YORK, NY – May 14, 2015 | AMC today announced its new eight-part drama series Humans will premiere Sunday, June 28th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Set in suburban London, “Humans” takes place in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a Synth – a highly developed, artificially intelligent servant eerily similar to its living counterpart. Penned by British writing partners Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (Spooks, Spooks: The Greater Good) and based on the award-winning Swedish sci-fi drama “Real Humans,” the seriesexplores the emotional impact that comes as the lines between humans and machines become increasingly blurred.This bold new series is produced in conjunction with the UK’s Channel 4 and Kudos, the makers of Utopia and Broadchurch.
“Humans’ is a series that is both incredibly entertaining and engaging on a character level, and a very timely exploration of the kind of impact the A.I. technology being developed today might have on our everyday lives,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s executive vice president of programming, production and digital content. “You don’t have to be a sci-fi fan to enjoy this story. As the title implies, it’s very much about the human side of the topic. Sam and Jonathan’s scripts are amazing, and we’re thrilled to be working with the amazing teams at Kudos and Channel 4.“
TODAY – In Nagasaki, Japan, a hotel staffed primarily by robots will be opening this summer. These robots won’t just clean your room and pick up your laundry. They’ll check you in, make your dinner reservations, mimic human behaviors and speak four languages. TOMORROW – Your Saturday afternoon errands could result in purchasing a fully functional robotic domestic helper that will get your kids ready for school or take care of an ailing parent. Whether that’s a good or bad decision is the question Humans sets out to explore. It’s not about what this technology is capable of; it’s about the impact that this advanced technology will have on the human population. Will this new way of navigating life be detrimental or beneficial to us as a human race? And who will we become when this technology arrives?
At the center of the four concurrent storylines explored throughout “Humans” is the flawed but loving Hawkins family.Joe Hawkins (Tom Goodman-Hill) makes the decision to invest in the latest must-have gadget for any busy family – a Synth. His relationship with his wife Laura (Katherine Parkinson) is becoming increasingly strained and he believes that the addition of a robotic servant to the household will give them back the time they so desperately need and help them re-connect both as a couple and as a family. The Hawkins’ new Synth, Anita (Gemma Chan), is an immediate hit, and their chaotic house is suddenly transformed into an oasis of tidy, organized, well-fed contentment. With hesitation, Laura gives in to the family demand, but soon senses there’s something different about Anita. There’s something not right.
Others, though, have long since abandoned any scepticism and are embracing their Synths as family members. Widower George Millican (William Hurt) has formed a close relationship with his out-of-date Synth, Odi (Will Tudor), whom he treats more like a son than a piece of machinery. When Odi begins to malfunction, the National Health Service forcefully upgrades him with a new stern elder-care model named Vera (Rebecca Front) and George must hide the bond he has with Odi or risk forfeiting him to the authorities.
Meanwhile, a young man named Leo (Colin Morgan) and his Synth, Max (Ivanno Jeremiah), are desperately searching for someone from Leo’s past. But who is it, and why? And why does Max seem to be so unlike other Synths? On their heels is a mysterious man named Hobb (Danny Webb), who is determined to uncover a secret before it can destroy humanity as we know it.
Finally, D.S. Peter Drummond (Neil Maskell) works for the Special Technologies Task Force, solving Synth-related disputes to get away from his frustration over his wife’s flawless Synthetic physical therapist. Pete spends most of his days pushing papers and solving petty incidents, as Synths rarely, if ever, malfunction, until one day he investigates a case that defies all possibility.
Humans stars William Hurt as Dr. George Millican, Katherine Parkinson as Laura Hawkins, Gemma Chan as Anita, Tom Goodman-Hill as Joe Hawkins, Lucy Carless as Mattie Hawkins, Colin Morgan as Leo, Pixie Davis as Sophie Hawkins, Ivanno Jeremiah as Max, Theo Stevenson as Toby Hawkins, Emily Berrington as Niska, Neil Maskell as D.S. Peter Drummond, Will Tudor as Odi, Rebecca Front as Vera, Danny Webb as Hobb, and Sope Dirisu as Fred.