Almost Human

Karl Urban's second toughest cop character.

Another of those cancelled shows, Almost Human had the Bad Robot/JJ Abrams factor going for it, but that didn't save Believe either.

In the not-too-distant future of Almost Human, a rising tide of lawlessness has led the police to deploy military androids - the MX series - alongside human officers, acting as a combination of mobile database, crime lab, lie detector and heavy fire support. John Kennex (Karl Urban) is a somewhat maverick cop who doesn't like 'synthetics', having been abandoned after a pair of MXs deemed the chances of rescuing his partner negligible and prioritised other officers in distress. Refusing to work with an MX, he is partnered with Dorian (Michael Ealy), a DRN series android designed to be much more human and to operate as a true detective in full partnership.

The resulting show is a combination of mismatched buddy cop narrative and techno-thriller, with each episode revolving around a speculative technology or use of current technology (as well as androids, the show uses synthetic organs, smart homes, self-guiding bullets and designer drugs, among others) and the case being cracked by a combination of Kennex's instinct and experience and Dorian's analytical abilities.

The core relationship between the gruff, macho Kennex and the soft-spoken, sensitive Dorian is effective, and Dorian's attempts to persuade Kennex to open up are never pushed to the point of becoming annoying or uncomfortable. The supporting characters, including the no-nonsense Captain Maldonato (Lili Taylor), genetically-engineered Detective Stahl (Minkha Kelly as the love interest who is literally too good for Kennex) and antisocial tehcnical genius Rudy (Mackenzie Crook) are also well used, although rival tough-guy Detective Paul (Michael Irby) is a bit lost in the ensemble.

Once again, it's a shame to have lost this one. The concepts were interesting, the acting good and there were plenty of teasers to what might have been to come.