S01.E03: Episode 3

[Auntie Anxiety]

Odi reminds me of a cross between C-3PO and Max Headroom.  

I like this show; it's different and a nice change of pace from a lot of other shows I am watching this summer (UnReal, Poldark, Rectify, Halt and Catch Fire, Deustcheland, and Jonathan Strange to name a few).

Edited July 17, 2015 by Auntie Anxiety

[CarpeDiem54]

Yes, this is kind of central to the reason I am having a lot of trouble with this show. Dropping a sex-capable, anatomically correct "dolly" that looks like a supermodel into a household with overworked parents and a horny teenager seems absurd. And we're met with many characters who find the synths creepy, depressing or disheartening, which further gives the sense that this tech was dropped onto a society that wasn't ready for it. So why are people buying them? The setup just feels very weirdly tuned.

Gotta admit I am shocked at the Laura hate--if anything I really dislike the lack of subtlety with which the show is absolutely piling it on her. Her kids make it clear they hate her, even when she tries, and then her husband essentially makes her walk home while having the dolly ride shotgun. She is seemingly expected to have a full time job AND perform all the duties of a supermodel robot housewife in order to be treated with respect by her family. Or, you know, even allowed to join in game night. This feels like a massive step backwards from other shows (and real life) where women are allowed to have careers. They could have handled all of this with a MUCH lighter touch, starting with not having the teen daughter be a huge asshole.

I get that I am supposed to feel for the synths, but I'm not finding the show's treatment of this subject matter all that compelling; the lack of subtlety, again, is killing it for me. (Of COURSE it's the sex doll that goes psycho.) As such, the show's "way in" for me is the humans, Laura and William Hurt's character, and they are both having a terrible time with the bots.

Great post. I totally agree.

[Bryce Lynch]

Yes, this is kind of central to the reason I am having a lot of trouble with this show. Dropping a sex-capable, anatomically correct "dolly" that looks like a supermodel into a household with overworked parents and a horny teenager seems absurd. And we're met with many characters who find the synths creepy, depressing or disheartening, which further gives the sense that this tech was dropped onto a society that wasn't ready for it. So why are people buying them? The setup just feels very weirdly tuned.

Gotta admit I am shocked at the Laura hate--if anything I really dislike the lack of subtlety with which the show is absolutely piling it on her. Her kids make it clear they hate her, even when she tries, and then her husband essentially makes her walk home while having the dolly ride shotgun. She is seemingly expected to have a full time job AND perform all the duties of a supermodel robot housewife in order to be treated with respect by her family. Or, you know, even allowed to join in game night. This feels like a massive step backwards from other shows (and real life) where women are allowed to have careers. They could have handled all of this with a MUCH lighter touch, starting with not having the teen daughter be a huge asshole.

I get that I am supposed to feel for the synths, but I'm not finding the show's treatment of this subject matter all that compelling; the lack of subtlety, again, is killing it for me. (Of COURSE it's the sex doll that goes psycho.) As such, the show's "way in" for me is the humans, Laura and William Hurt's character, and they are both having a terrible time with the bots.

While all domestic synths apparently being sex capable seems a bit unrealistic, it is a minor issue for me.

I have no problem believing that millions would buy synths, because they are extremely useful. A cook, housekeeper, nanny, chauffeur, security guard, nurse, and for those so inclined, a sex partner for less than the cost of a car payment? Where do I sign? :)

What the show does a great job of is also show the issues that they create.

As for Laura, Joe works a full time job and spent time with the kids and at least tried to feed the kids and keep the house in order. Laura didn't seem to be even trying to do these things until she felt threatened/shamed by the job Anita was doing.

[kieyra]

While all domestic synths apparently being sex capable seems a bit unrealistic, it is a minor issue for me.

I have no problem believing that millions would buy synths, because they are extremely useful. A cook, housekeeper, nanny, chauffeur, security guard, nurse, and for those so inclined, a sex partner for less than the cost of a car payment? Where do I sign? :)

What the show does a great job of is also show the issues that they create.

As for Laura, Joe works a full time job and spent time with the kids and at least tried to feed the kids and keep the house in order. Laura didn't seem to be even trying to do these things until she felt threatened/shamed by the job Anita was doing.

 

And making her walk home was a worthy punishment? During the little trivia/game night thing, her kids wouldn't even look her in the face. And this is because she worked overtime and didn't put away everyone's shoes?

 

I just think they went too far to frame her as a hated outsider in her own home.

 

Spoiler through episode five:

 

After I wrote my initial post in this thread/ep I didn't plan to watch the rest of the series, but alas it is July and the pickings are slim. They seemed to course correct in later episodes; Laura catches some breaks, and both she and Matilda are written a bit more sympathetically, which in turns makes it possible to feel more empathy for whatever is going on with Anita. I think they should have scrapped about half of the domestic-strife storyline; in a busier season it would have caused me to abandon the show. Their attempts to turn back the clock on the progress of working women really rubbed me the wrong way.

Edited July 20, 2015 by kieyra

[Bryce Lynch]

And making her walk home was a worthy punishment? During the little trivia/game night thing, her kids wouldn't even look her in the face. And this is because she worked overtime and didn't put away everyone's shoes?

I just think they went too far to frame her as a hated outsider in her own home.

She walked home because someone had to bring the bicycle home and Toby was injured and Anita had been damaged.

Now I do think Anita riding shotgun while Laura walked might be foreshadowing of Anita replacing Laura, but it was done out of necessity, not out of abuse.

As for the kids' reaction to her, I think that is an indication of how little she has been doing to cultivate a healthy, loving relationship with them.

We see bad fathers and husbands on TV all the time. I don't see any problem with showing a less than wonderful wife and mother.

[Sakura12]

I took it as her "business trips" are a recurring thing. So she wasn't home a lot and when she was she was distracted with other issues. Her youngest even said that she preferred Anita reading to her because she doesn't rush through the book. It seems she hasn't been around for her kids so they don't feel the need to be around for her when she feels like paying attention to them. Joe also told her that even when she's home, it feels like she's somewhere else. 

 

All Anita has done is show Laura that she hasn't been a very involved mother/wife. That's not Anita's fault, that's her problem. 

[SlovakPrincess]

I don't love Laura as a character, but I do feel for her. She works hard at her job because she has to, and she gets relentless guilt trips from her family. I think her issues with Anita are part guilt, part that Joe went and got a synth without her agreement and knowing she hated the idea, and part that Anita is acting creepy. (I love creepy Anita/Mia, but Laura isn't wrong about her).

And how did she end up walking stupid Toby's bike home while everyone else took the car?

Joe has his good moments, but he often overrides Laura's decisions in front of the kids. Sophie is a sweet kid but is allowed to whine far too much. Toby and Mats are often just plain rude. Laura's not the only problem in that family.

Edited July 26, 2015 by SlovakPrincess

[Which Tyler]

Someone had to to the bike home, and it wouldn't be an injured Anita or a shaken and possibly injured Toby; so one of the parents it is then.

 

From there it's pretty much a coin toss; it may be that Joe did it last time, or that feeling of guilt or simply being shaken made her volunteer.

My memory suggests that Joe simply asked for the keys and nominated; but I'm not too sure as my watching was pretty interrupted and a couple of weeks ago. Even if it is that (rather than her suggestion), there are many potential reasons without resorting to assumptions of sexism or inexplicable behaviour.

[SlovakPrincess]

Eh, Toby was being dumb and unsafe and wasn't hurt. He should have been made to walk his own bike home (on the sidewalk).

I will say, I loved Matty trying to sleuth out why Anita is so weird -- and the intense scene where Anita grabbed her. Of course, she just made it possible for Leo and friends to find Mia - so thanks, Matty!

As for Niska -- I guess synths can become bitter and homicidal, too. Glad she didn't kill Greg! How creeped out must he have been to find her gone ... with a giant knife left on a chair?

Poor Odi! Poor George! Odi isn't even one of the sentient synths, and this is the most heartbreaking story for me, somehow.

Edited July 26, 2015 by SlovakPrincess

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The adult in me laughed my ass off when Toby got totally indignant about Laura taking Anita back, yelling, "She can't do that!" Uh, actually, yes, she can, Toby. Seeing as how you don't have a job and therefore aren't paying for this synth, you have no say in this matter. It's no different from your parents deciding to move 2000 miles away (which is what my parents did when I was a kid because my dad got a new job) or buying a car that you think is ugly. You can have opinions all day long but in the end, it's not up to you because you're a kid. Once you're an adult and you can afford to pay for your own synth or whatever, then you get to decide if she stays or goes.

Even though I knew it was not a permanent solution, I cracked up when George locked Vera in the small room.

Joe is an idiot. He should have waited until Laura got home and had her inspect Anita for damage. Of course, he was just dying to take a peep at her naked but synthetic body.

As much as I wanted to see George and Odi's Fantastic Road Trip, I knew it wouldn't end well.

I was sad when Niska decided to strike out on her own, but I did see her point when she asked Leo if he would have asked a human to stay in the brothel and wait for him to come back for her. I understand why Leo did it because he flat out told her that just busting her out without any sort of plan would just get people chasing after them so he was bring practical, but still. I can see why she wanted to get the hell out of there. I hope Leo and Max can rescue Mia/Anita and Fred!

Edited September 23, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo