HUMANS - Allegory and Zeitgeist

Allegory - a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

"a metaphor that makes a comment on broader society"

Zeitgeist -the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

"the spirit of time"

Godzilla - allegory about America (big, clumsy, dinosaur) destroying Japan with nuclear powers

Invasion of the saucer men - allegory about aliens (Russia) coming and taking America. Secrecy, distrust, cloak and dagger war. Know little, scared of their technological power.

Independence Day - allegory about the Middle East (The alien space ship) blowing up monuments of America. Democracy under attack, America has to fight back.

Allegorical Aspects of HUMANS

- Prostitution and the rights of sex workers

In HUMANS a conscious synth (Niska) is captured and sold to a brothel. It is stated that she has pain receptors and refuses to turn them off because "I was made to feel". This implies that the other synths do not have this pain receptors and are 'objects' used for pleasure. The show portrays that a synth is better for sexual work than humans because they do not feel implicating that customers can be violent and aggressive without any repercussions to them. It puts less humans in danger and liberates them from doing this kind of work. A machine does not have any human rights and so can be made to perform sexual acts 'against its will' because it does not have a will. Stops sex crimes and violence against prostitutes. The idea of sexual consent is completely removed. You are their property. Because its a synth the owners of the brothel get money and the synth gets nothing. The synth can't say no to them because they are a property. Power dynamics - human with all the power and synths cant say no. Commentary on pornography? A synth is nothin like a human woman and the lines are becoming blurred between what is acceptable adn what isnt, desensitising sex and connects.

- Co-Existance 

Synths are purchased similarly to a new phone or laptop. They become part of every day life to make life for humans easier. In HUMANS this is shown by Anita becoming a helper in the household and doing cooking, cleaning, organisation, which the family does not have time to do themselves.

- Slaves to society & technology

When Anita goes to take care of Sophie, Laura realises that her role of motherhood is being taken away as technology replaces more of human roles. The synths are everywhere and eventually everyone will have one similar to the new iPhone. It is a societal norm. Everyone ends up following it. 

-Racism & Slavery

A black robot (Fred) is seen picking oranges with a brand on his arm. This references the slave trade and the holocaust. Fred is a feeling synth who is being forced to work against his will so as not to be discovered. In another reference to the Holocaust once the synths get old or are broken they are scrapped (killed) and replaced.
Racism against the robot species. Laura refers to Anita often to her face as a "Stupid machine". Not much respect for the synths. 

Any damage done to synths is described as vandalism and property damage. Not as serious an offense. 

Genre Conventions - Steve Neale - Repetition and Difference - Sci-Fi

• - Synthetic humans (Westworld, iRobot)
• - Synthetic humans eyes unnatural blue (blue suggests good robots, red would suggest bad robots e.g. Terminator and 2001: A space odyssey)
• - Synth soundtrack
• - Our world but new advanced technology (insane clock speeds, synths)
• - Anita clothing from store (clean cut, blue, pure)
• - Synths walk stiff and mechanical (not janky tho)
• - Cold lab (stereotypical sci-i settings)
• - Alternative present
• - Hard Sci-fi (logical, straight forward, no floaty things or magic)

Laura's first introduction to Anita
Laura expresses shock and fear first seeing Anita - zooms in on her shocked face looking upset.
When conversation goes to kitchen "I don't want it" "I don't want one around the kids".
Laura feels threatened by the synth but also by possibility it will take her role in the house.
Anita first introduced holding sponge and cleaning products. She is meant to be a stereotypical housewife.


Term
Binary opposition == Diametric Opposition
Autonomy = Having control over your life and actions
Automata/Automaton = No control over life and actions, do the job assigned