Humans + The Living and the Dead
Jul. 14th, 2019 06:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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sunshine_challenge prompt three: Canon Reccs!
I recently discovered my love of Colin Morgan (and Bradley James) after watching Merlin (I know, I'm way late to that party). So naturally I clicked through their filmography, and I fell hard for two shows that have both been canceled. On the one hand, I really like stories that feel complete and well-thought out from beginning to end, and both of my reccs have those qualities. On the other hand, I miss out on more time with my OTP from Humans, and the absolutely stunning period costumes in The Living and the Dead!
Humans (TV Series 2015-2018)
This show has three seasons, all available for streaming free on Amazon Prime. It focuses on a parallel universe where human-looking synths have been mass manufactured and are bought and programmed to do all kinds of jobs. The show follows the lives of a family of synths, a human family, one of the scientists who originally invented synths, and other scientists trying to crack the code of consciousness.
Why I love it: The family dynamics of the flesh and blood humans drew me in immediately. It took me a couple of episodes to acclimate to the synths and their way of talking and moving, because they are so foreign. But I think that's a testament to how brilliant the actors are. The mom of the show, Laura Hawkins, comes into her own as a formidable political strategist and civil rights defender, and she suffers an attack of conscious and family fall-out along the way as she reshapes her identity. I really love how layered she was, and how she had her own value even though she also has a husband and children. And I loved Mattie Hawkins from the start. She's smart and cynical and not afraid to take action if she thinks it's the right thing to do, and the show never tries to write her off as just some bratty or lusty teenager. And Niska! She's a synth who falls in love with a woman and is also a total badass, and the show allows her to grow without making her become some demure housewife.
On top of all of that, the show is a giant metaphor for modern identity politics, and how we as humans make somewhat arbitrary lines between "us" and "them" and do everything we can to keep separate, because we think we'll be safer. This forces those who are "different" into hiding, or forces them to fake assimilation or act like slaves. And maintaining a system built on keeping one group down to build up others creates hatred. There's not exactly a happy ending, but I think the show does a good job of illustrating what slow but steady societal change can look like. Mia exemplifies passive but powerful community leadership.
TLDR; Four amazing main characters who are female, lots of discourse relevant to modern identity politics, and the found family trope.
The Living and the Dead (BBC 2016)
Only one season, available for free on Amazon Prime. The prodigal son returns from an illustrious big city career to his mother's farm with his talented wife, and inherits the whole operation. It turns out that something supernatural is lurking on the farm. Set in 1800s rural England.
Why I love it: I love horror, beautiful period costumes, and positive established relationships, and this show has all three! Nathan Appleby is broody and thoughtful and just a bit full of himself, whereas Charlotte is practical and compassionate and a born leader. They are so gorgeous together, but the show takes some dark turns as supernatural entities start to haunt them all. I really liked how creepy and spooky the atmosphere got as the show got darker - and the folk tales and ghost stories were so great. I don't want to spoil it, but the horror tropes were executed well. There were only one or two jump scares, as far as I can remember. The show was more focused on the suspense and the mind f*ck, and the main character's downward spiral was quite a thing to behold. I was surprised by the ending in good ways and in bad ways, but the show is so pretty that I'd watch it a bunch more times. Also did I mention Nathan Appleby! With a fancy beard! And a fancy suit! And a fancy hat! On a horse!
TLDR; A cute couple, creepy ghost stories, and fantastic period clothes.
sunshine_challenge prompt three: Canon Reccs!I recently discovered my love of Colin Morgan (and Bradley James) after watching Merlin (I know, I'm way late to that party). So naturally I clicked through their filmography, and I fell hard for two shows that have both been canceled. On the one hand, I really like stories that feel complete and well-thought out from beginning to end, and both of my reccs have those qualities. On the other hand, I miss out on more time with my OTP from Humans, and the absolutely stunning period costumes in The Living and the Dead!
Humans (TV Series 2015-2018)
This show has three seasons, all available for streaming free on Amazon Prime. It focuses on a parallel universe where human-looking synths have been mass manufactured and are bought and programmed to do all kinds of jobs. The show follows the lives of a family of synths, a human family, one of the scientists who originally invented synths, and other scientists trying to crack the code of consciousness.
Why I love it: The family dynamics of the flesh and blood humans drew me in immediately. It took me a couple of episodes to acclimate to the synths and their way of talking and moving, because they are so foreign. But I think that's a testament to how brilliant the actors are. The mom of the show, Laura Hawkins, comes into her own as a formidable political strategist and civil rights defender, and she suffers an attack of conscious and family fall-out along the way as she reshapes her identity. I really love how layered she was, and how she had her own value even though she also has a husband and children. And I loved Mattie Hawkins from the start. She's smart and cynical and not afraid to take action if she thinks it's the right thing to do, and the show never tries to write her off as just some bratty or lusty teenager. And Niska! She's a synth who falls in love with a woman and is also a total badass, and the show allows her to grow without making her become some demure housewife.
On top of all of that, the show is a giant metaphor for modern identity politics, and how we as humans make somewhat arbitrary lines between "us" and "them" and do everything we can to keep separate, because we think we'll be safer. This forces those who are "different" into hiding, or forces them to fake assimilation or act like slaves. And maintaining a system built on keeping one group down to build up others creates hatred. There's not exactly a happy ending, but I think the show does a good job of illustrating what slow but steady societal change can look like. Mia exemplifies passive but powerful community leadership.
TLDR; Four amazing main characters who are female, lots of discourse relevant to modern identity politics, and the found family trope.
The Living and the Dead (BBC 2016)
Only one season, available for free on Amazon Prime. The prodigal son returns from an illustrious big city career to his mother's farm with his talented wife, and inherits the whole operation. It turns out that something supernatural is lurking on the farm. Set in 1800s rural England.
Why I love it: I love horror, beautiful period costumes, and positive established relationships, and this show has all three! Nathan Appleby is broody and thoughtful and just a bit full of himself, whereas Charlotte is practical and compassionate and a born leader. They are so gorgeous together, but the show takes some dark turns as supernatural entities start to haunt them all. I really liked how creepy and spooky the atmosphere got as the show got darker - and the folk tales and ghost stories were so great. I don't want to spoil it, but the horror tropes were executed well. There were only one or two jump scares, as far as I can remember. The show was more focused on the suspense and the mind f*ck, and the main character's downward spiral was quite a thing to behold. I was surprised by the ending in good ways and in bad ways, but the show is so pretty that I'd watch it a bunch more times. Also did I mention Nathan Appleby! With a fancy beard! And a fancy suit! And a fancy hat! On a horse!
TLDR; A cute couple, creepy ghost stories, and fantastic period clothes.
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Date: 2019-07-15 12:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-07-16 04:09 am (UTC)