Almost Human: "Straw Man" Season Finale Review

Gather round folks for the season finale!

        Oh my god! The season finale was amazing! We finally got to know who John Kennex's dad was. The suspense of the review board on whether or not on keeping Dorian; nail biter! Very meta! 

It's not an episode without John & Dorian in the car!

       While the episode didn't reveal anything too big, we did finally get to meet John's dad. We discover that Edward Kennex was the reason John became a cop, but we kinda knew that already. What we didn't know was that Dorian is the reason John wants to stay a cop. I have to go "Awwwww" on this one. Really touching moment but that's what makes John and Dorian such an amazing partnership. The fact that John can open up to someone who doesn't have a pulse and for Dorian to have someone who doesn't view him as just a synthetic but also as a cop gives them a strong bond that will make both protect the other not just out of duty but out of real brotherhood. John and Dorian also on occasion like to bust each other's balls if you will (Dorian may not use his but it still smarts a little). John listed all of Dorian's mistakes (my favorite being when Dorian exposed himself in the car). Then John said, "I'm just messing with you, man." That's one of the elements of their strong bond.

Straw Man? I guess Tin Man was too complicated.

       This episode was very John-central. John expressed some hero worship of his dad. Super Man who? Even though Dorian suggested that maybe John was wrong about Kennex Sr. not being dirty, John didn't get mad. Dorian also didn't protest when John said he wanted to view his father's files alone. Like I said, these two have such a strong bond of brotherhood that they don't have to explain their feelings to each other; they just respect each other's privacy and know that the other one is there if the other wants to talk.

Foot fetish?

You never suspect the guy in the wheel chair

       I was wondering when we would run into a cyborg on this show. We have humanoid androids and people with synthetic body parts but this week's criminal had wires running through his body acting as an artificial nervous system. And an organic printer? When Rudy made that cupcake I thought: "I wish I had that now so I don't have to use an oven." In the future the homeless people problem has yet to be solved but at least nutrition stations have been introduced. Just a little finger prick and out pops a pill filled with the nutrients your body needs.

Why do I always play the hobo?

      Speaking of pricks, Detective Paul turns out not to be such a huge jerk after all. He had a fun conversation with a kid on the street. Nothing like a talking of "I'm sleeping with your mama" jokes to break the ice. Paul gave the kid some money from his bit-coin (which can I say is much more convenient than a credit card) so he could have a nicer place to sleep that night. I also want to point out that Paul is stuck playing the hobo again. 

This looks bad!

That MX is giving John the Evil Eye

     The real suspense in this episode was Dorian's evaluation. This is where it gets all meta. It felt like the whole show was being evaluated by FOX. Rudy suggested that Dorian act more like the MX's after Dorian got a call back (for electronics call backs aren't really good). Yet I'm glad the guy giving the final evaluation preferred Dorian to be his usual empathetic, calm self. I was so happy when Dorian was allowed to continue to be on the force with John. In the back of my mind I was thinking that if Dorian gets a renewal then FOX should do the same for Almost Human. 

"Gee I wonder what it is..."

       My favorite part of the episode was when Dorian gave John a new leg then started to cry after heard about John's glowing review of him. "I was made to feel, John" was my favorite line. Then they got a call and almost left John's gift behind, yet John went back for it with a smile on his face. Greatest ro-bromance ever! Well it's the only one really.  

"I was made to feel, John"

       All in all, a solid episode. It was more a procedural episode with no cliffhanger but I didn't mind that much. Although I wish that FOX would just renew the show already. Fans are very passionate about it and to be honest there are too many mysteries left unsolved for this to be just one season. The show has big potential to be a hit. It's popularity has been slow at the beginning despite all the money FOX put into advertisements for the show. Yet I think the fandom has grown considerably. I feel like FOX will renew it despite nay-sayers but if FOX does cancel it that would strike a blow to me as well as many others.