TV Review: Almost Human Season One Episode Thirteen "Straw Man" Season Finale

Rather disappointing season finale for Almost Human.

The cold open was actually quite strong, having a man in a wheelchair at a shelter help a girl getting harassed, only to be the actual killer who was faking the need for the wheelchair.

As the team investigates, it turns out the insides of the victim were removed, and replaced with straw. Dorian and John identify this as the work of Michael Costa, who was still in jail for being charged with murdering 21 people the same way.

So naturally, they turned their attention to the fact that a copycat killer seems to have emerged. It's also revealed that this was John's father Edward Kennix's last case before he died in the line of duty.

John has to get the captain to unseal his father's case files - he was accused of stealing robotic tech from the station and selling it on the black market. After that, John and Dorian pay a vista to Costa to see if he's had any contact with the apparent copycat killer.

Instead, Costa reveals that John's father visited him before his death, saying that he believes Costa was innocent and he was going to try and prove it.

John is skeptical, but after the three names on the visitation logs were revealed by Dorian, John identified one as an alias his father often used.

Through some investigating, they realize the original killer (who has been out there this whole time) has been printing duplicates of his victims, to give police a body and call off the search.

After recognizing the pin prick given at shelters, they track down some of the bodies after following a van.

After John fights with the killer and shoots him, Dorian identifies him as a cyborg. It turns out the killer was using bio tech to offset his nerve disease, but needed more human test subjects to find a more permanent solution to his disease after the tech started to wear down over the years.

Looking at all the numbered stolen equipment, John and Dorian come up with the theory that the officer in charge of the evidence locker was dirty, and he was the one who sold the equipment on the black market - pinning it all on John's father.

They of course will never be able to prove that, since he was killed shortly after.

This whole case was rather puzzling. I applaud taking a subject - the case that killed John's father - and tying it up so neatly, but there was a huge missed opportunity. If you are going to have all the loose ends tied up, fine. But what about John's possible rogue ex-girlfriend who tried to kill him? A lot of this seemed like it was designed as a series finale in case the show is cancelled. That helps with with sales of the series to Netflix, who will only take completed stories.

But it seemed beyond silly there was no mention of it. That back story seems to take the same role as Castle's story of the murder of Beckett's mom, which is always revisited in the season finales. I'm not saying the whole case this episode should have been about the ex, but it should have at least told the audience "yeah, we're aware of this still." Castle season 1 finale had something similar, where Castle wanted to reopen the case and Beckett got pissed and upset.

That's all I'm asking for.

I'm all for wrapping seasons in case you're cancelled, but it needed a little wonder as a jumping-off point in case the show is picked up.

Think Chuck putting the intersect in his head, beating up all those guys, and then saying the famous phrase "guys, I know kung fu."

The side story revolved around Dorian getting a performance review, and eventually being recommissioned based on John's recommendations. There really wasn't much to this, other than the sweet relationship that has developed between John and Dorian.

In terms of wrap up, the leg gift and call to a robbery is all you really need as an example of life going on whether or not the show comes back. But like I said, I would argue you need some kind of reminder or acknowledgement of the bigger mythology.

Just show the ex girlfriend watching them, or something. The fact there was no mention of that really hurt this otherwise pretty well done episode.

I still think the show deserves a chance to come back - it is one of the best shows on FOX since House ended. I'd like to see it given another shot.

Photo Credit: TV.com