AMC’s Android Drama Humans To Premiere In June

AMC will explore the realms of artificial intelligence when its new drama Humans begins next month.

The cable network announced today that the series will premiere Sunday, June 28 (9/8c). The first season will be comprised of eight episodes, and stars veteran actor William Hurt.

Check out the 30-second teaser below.

The show will probe classic science fiction questions of human life and identity — as the line between human and machine becomes increasingly blurred. Set in a parallel present where realistic androids called “Synths” have been developed to serve human needs, Humans follows four storylines: the Hawkins family, who has brought in a beautiful Synth to help the family function (and restore an ailing marriage); the Synth developer who has grown attached to an early model he regards as a son; a young man whose Synth joins him on the hunt for someone from his past; and a Special Task Force investigator who finds himself in the middle of a Synth case that defies possibility.

The series is based on the Swedish drama Real Humans, and written by the British duo Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (Spooks).

From the producers of Broadchurch and Utopia, Humans stars William Hurt (A History of Violence) as Dr. George Millican, Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd) as Laura Hawkins, Gemma Chan (Sherlock) as Anita, Tom Goodman-Hill (Mr. Selfridge) as Joe Hawkins, Lucy Carless (Code of a Killer) as Mattie Hawkins, Colin Morgan (Merlin) as Leo, Pixie Davis (Utopia) as Sophie Hawkins, Ivanno Jeremiah (The Hollow Crown) as Max, Theo Stevenson (In Bruges) as Toby Hawkins, Emily Berrington (24: Live Another Day) as Niska, Neil Maskell (Utopia) as D.S. Peter Drummond, Will Tudor (Game of Thrones) as Odi, Rebecca Front (The Thick of It) as Vera, Danny Webb (Being Human) as Hobb, and Sope Dirisu (Utopia) as Fred.

The network’s full description lets us in on several aspects of the story to unfold (so beware of spoilers):

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.

Keep up with the show with SciFi Stream’s full Humans show guide, coming soon!