The nordic european countries are known for apparently five things: (1) crazy language no matter if Swedish, Danish or Finnish, (2) good furniture made out of wood, or furniture from IKEA, (3) cold icy weather or lots of rain, (4) wonderful for skiing and last, but most important for this post (5) good crime, detective, murder and drama stories.
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| Picture and Copyrights belong to SVT TV. |
Well crime and drama have always been a huge genre in human literature and performing arts. It seems as though Swedish people have mastered this. In most Swedish crime thrillers there is more murder then in Mexico City and the crimes I talk are not tax-crimes. I mean bloody murder!
The ability to make good TV has been proven by Swedish people all again now with the release of the science fiction drama series called "Äkta Människor" or for those of you who don't speak Swedish (Like me!) "Real Humans". At first the setting of "Real Humans" seems simple. The not so far future, probably in like 10 years, Sweden. Humanity has developed a technology that allows them to create robots that look like humans and act like them. Theses are called Hubots. Hubots basically are just like cars for humans, can work for them in factories, do dangerous jobs, take care of the elders and assist in offices. The thing with them is that there is, as always a downside. These robots are so human that they have caused quite some stir. Some love them, some hate their guts. Thing is that Hubots on the other hand are also abused. They are used as sex slaves and some are eve stolen and reprogrammed. Well, cars get stolen, so where is the line?
We have the classical situation of the golem problem as the series exposition. We create a creature, which is just like we are, and someday we might loose control about it. The series jumps right into the field with introducing us to a group of Robots who have broken their programming, or have been reprogrammed, and have, now it comes, free will. Question: Are Hubots feeling creatures? Do they have rights, ore are they really just machines?
We have several story lines coming together here and there. At first we have the group of free Hubots, lead by a human called Leo. In the first episode one of the Hubots tells Leo that she loves him. This Hubot was hit by a car and can hardly move. Her name is Mimi. Mimi gets kidnapped and is sold to a Hubot reseller. She ends up in a nice family. This family provides the second story line. They rename Mimi Anita and have not bought her, but got her as an extra for the purchase of an elderly care Hubot for their grandfather. His Hubot, Odi, has been defect and needs to be replaced. The third big string evolves around Roger. Roger is a factory worker who is left by his girlfriend and her son, since he lost it and bet up their Hubot. Roger joins a political extremist group who wants Hubots to be forbidden, with arguments as that they steal workplaces and are not human at all.
So you see we have many different approaches to the human robot situation. All together many questions about consciousness, rights, moral, ethics, religion and personhood are asked. The series has this unique bright and clinic style that is so "nordic" in my perception, and befits the series very well. The makers/creators have the ability that in the series a Hubot doing the shopping for his owner is exciting and also are able to creep you with the most normal scenes. A great eye catcher, with deep meaning, amazing visuals, great concept and overall extremely good actors. Only remark on the side: Real Humans will probably not be a hit for the mainstream since it is not as attracting as other series. Check out the trailer below and buy that DVD box of season 1! I did so, and my expectations were more then fulfilled.
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