Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams. Episode 6, Human Is.

Directed by Francesco Gregorini.

 Written by Jessica Mecklenburg.

Starring Bryan Cranston as Silas Herrick, and Essie Davis as Vera Herrick.

 Production and Design.

In the year, 2550, Terra seems resourceful yet mundane, a little too neutral for me. I soon realised that Vera is on the same spectrum as me, as she is looking for a life with more colour, and even more passion. However, you would have to be pretty judgmental to find anything wrong with this episode from a visual point of view. as they manage to blend the practical and digital effects so seamlessly. My only real gripe is the costume design that reminds me of something Coldplay would wear on a world tour, but that caused a slight smile more than any real disappointment. I bought into this vision of the future very easily and I felt the claustrophobic feel of a Planet starved of air and the desperation of finding nature and freedom in this dystopian vision. The production and design was beautiful, and it served the story well. 

Story.

I have to question if I’m a true science fiction sometimes when it comes down to writing about what I find interesting about the stories I have read or watched. Human Is, is a perfect example of that. I can easily become lost in a story about a dying World that is in desperate need of clean air.  To succeed in the production of air, they need to pillage the planet Rexor IV of Hydron. Even those few lines give me a bit of a headache, and I can easily follow it as a viewer. However, writing about the scientific side of things is always tricky for me. But then again, I love the underlying theme of the story and the sci-fi elements are just the trimmings. Colonel Silas Herrick and his wife Vera are a great force together to the others, but the relationship is as cold as the home they live in. In reality, her husband is a terrible human being. That is at least till he returns from his latest battle, where his fondness for his wife has been rekindled or has it? The Government arrests Silas, as they have reason to believe their beloved leader is not the person that he seems, and his body has been taken over by a Rexorian alien. In front of a jury, Silas has to prove his innocence, and when he chooses love over freedom, his wife points out that if her husband could show emotions like love and empathy, he can’t be an enemy, as they wouldn’t feel that way. Later as the show ends, Vera asks Silas what his real name is, and then we learn that she knew all along her real husband was gone.

Conclusion.

I enjoyed this episode, but it had nothing to do with science fiction but the human condition. You have the fearless leader Silas that people adore, intentionally or unintentionally ignoring his flaws and recognising his part in doing something for the greater good of his followers, which sounds familiar. I enjoyed Vera’s story, as she is looking for something with more substance in her life. Then there is the total ignorance that anything other than a human could feel love and compassion. I also think the story is about how we look at our enemies in battle and is very reminiscent of what happens on our Planet today. My favourite scene is when Vera is underwater in the bath, and Silas comes in to help her. At that moment, she realised he was not the same person, as he could feel the danger towards Vera and came to help. I would say this is on a new level of caring for another person. It’s almost telepathic and much more symbolic. I am a science fiction fan, but I have always cared about the emotion in the stories I read. I guess there are others who prefer the science side just as much. I enjoy it, but it just doesn’t get to me like the philosophical side of life. 

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