Gemma Chan's AMC Sci-Fi Series Never Found The Audience It Deserved

Sci-fi fans will know Gemma Chan for her roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and "The Creator," but her small-screen work also deserves some recognition. If you enjoy her contributions to the science fiction genre, you might want to check out AMC's "Humans," an acclaimed British series about artificial intelligence.

Created by Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent, "Humans" sees Chan play Anita, an android who works as a domestic servant for the Hawkins family. However, somewhere in her system lies another synth known as Mia — and she has sentient qualities. That might seem like a far-fetched concept, but we now live in a world where there is talk of AI becoming conscious. As such, "Humans" is arguably more topical than ever. "Humans" started strong for AMC, attracting 1.7 million viewers for the series premiere. While that number dropped, the show was a hit in the U.K, where it debuted to 4 million viewers — a record for an original drama on Channel 4 at the time. Unfortunately, the viewers didn't stick around for the long haul.

The show was canceled after three seasons, joining the list of great sci-fi shows that ended too soon. However, the series was positively received by critics, and new viewers can go in knowing that they are in for a good time — if not a long one.

"Humans" currently boasts 89% and 90% scores for critics and audience members, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes. The fact that both camps are united in their love of "Humans" speaks volumes about the series. So, what makes it beloved by viewers?

Critics praised the show's thought-provoking elements, which go way beyond conversations about artificial intelligence. Margaret Lyons of Vulture noted that the androids represent the working class, and "Humans" effectively confronts viewers with some uncomfortable questions about inequality. "The robots are there as a stand-in for the denigrated, asking audiences: Is this really how you treat the least among you?" Gemma Chan's performance also got some love. In fact, the AV Club's Danette Chavez claimed that she's the show's most essential component. What's more, she plays both of her characters with aplomb. "Chan's performance has captured Mia's (a.k.a Anita) awakening in ways both subtle and overt, her eyes, voice, and posture changing to reflect every new emotion," Chavez wrote.

Every sci-fi fan should add "Humans" to their watchlist, especially in our current AI-focused times. That said, the series says more about the dark side of humanity than it does about the threat of technology.