Episode 2 (Humans series 1)
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"Episode 2" is the second episode of Humans, a show based on Real Humans and co-produced by Channel 4 and AMC. It originally aired in the UK on 21 June 2015. In this episode, Leo is injured while trying to track down Anita, George Millican is forced to have a new synth to take care of him and Laura returns Anita after discussion with Mattie.
Plot
Laura realises something is strange when her daughter Sophie wakes up in a different pair of pajamas to the ones she went to bed in, although Sophie does not know why and Anita, their synth, denies that she took Sophie outside.
Mattie is attempting to tamper with the code of a synth, but this fails and the school that owns the synth is alerted. They suspect Mattie and talk with her mother, Laura, but have no evidence. Laura takes Mattie shopping and she admits it was her; they both discuss their dislike of and apprehension towards synths.
Leo finds Silas and learns that Anita has been given a new personality, but he is unable to discover where Anita is. Leo narrowly escapes after things become violent, but is injured in the process. Max helps him along to a public toilet and is able to restart an unconscious Leo by using wires from the lights. Meanwhile, Silas is arrested for tampering with synths.
George Millican tells his synth, Odi, while his care worker forces a new synth named Vera upon him. George dislikes Vera, but mutters that he was involved in creating her as parts of his original designs are still implemented in synths today.
Niska works at a synth brothel and after a client asks her to act young and scared, she strangles him and escapes. She digs into the back of her neck and removes something amongst her blue blood.
Mattie notices Anita does not transfer data with other synths and Laura makes a phone call to a help desk. After Anita cuddles Sophie without a parent's express permission, Laura announces that she is being returned and tells her children to say goodbye to Anita.[1]
Critical reception
Ed Power from The Telegraph gave the episode 3 out of 5 stars, saying that the "side stories were thinly sketched and lacked urgency", although he complimented the "slow-burn fright fest" scene where Anita hugged Sophie "in a ghastly parody of maternal affection".[2] Neil Midgley from Forbes described the episode as "full of ... little mysteries, each of them neatly set up by the reveal of a tiny fragment of plot" and said "Vera is one of the great joys of Humans."[3]
Neela Debnath of Express claimed the synths were "more likeable than the 'real people'" and opined that "Humans continues to be a provocative watch that challenges our views on existentialism."[4] Morgan Jeffery of Digital Spy said the episode was "for the most part original, engaging and agreeably unpredictable."[5] Rob Smedly of CultBox described Episode 2 as "another strong episode and one that continues to explore without ever alienating the viewer."[6]
References
- ^ Verdier, Hannah (21 June 2015). "Humans recap: season one, episode two – who's real and who's a synth?". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ Power, Ed (21 June 2015). "Humans, episode two, review: 'a slow-burn fright fest'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ Midgley, Neil (21 June 2015). "'Humans', Episode 2, Channel 4, Review: Is Colin Morgan A Cyborg?". Forbes. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ Debnath, Neela (21 June 2015). "Humans, episode 2 review: The synths are more likeable than the 'real people'". Express. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ Jeffery, Morgan (21 June 2015). "Humans: The world expands in episode 2 of engaging sci-fi series". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ Smedly, Rob (21 June 2015). "'Humans' Episode 2 review: We've barely got under the skin of this world". CultBox. Retrieved 23 June 2015.