TV Review: Almost Human Season One Episode Twelve "Beholder"

Guess who forgot Almost Human was airing Monday? This guy. Nevertheless, I have some thoughts about the episode before the season 1 finale. If you're interested, come check it out.

This week revolved around the team investigating a chrome - someone genetically modified to be perfect in the womb - who seemingly died of cardiac arrest.

However, as Valerie (a chrome herself) explains, chromes are modified to live long lives, and wouldn't die from something like this.

Dorian soon finds a puncture wound, that the team later discovers is contaminated with the DNA of 7 other people, all who had died.

Through Rudy's help, as well as scenes with the killer and scientist/doctor he's forcing to help him, we figure out the motive. The killer was stealing parts of attractive faces that he desired with a special syringe.

He injected tiny nanobots, who crawl in and collect the victim's genetic blueprint.

The electricity from the nanobots is what had been killing the victims off. Later we learn he suffers from dysmorphic syndrome, where he sees beauty in the world and wants it for himself.

Valerie had a huge role in this, since it involved chromes and had a lot of work she did by herself. It was nice to see Valerie out in the field, which helped make Minka Kelly more than just a prop for John to pine over. She proved she was a cop, while at the same time shed some light on the views of chromes in society.

It was interesting to know that they don't view cops as noble professions for chromes - must be some entitlement thing or something.

Regardless, watching Valerie flex her cop muscle made me excited for the possibilities the character has. Hopefully the show integrates her this well going forward.

After punching a midget out of his exo-suit (yes, you read that right), John and Dorian track down the procedure room and fight with the scientist/doctor who shot himself with adrenaline and died because of it.

They learned something valuable though: the killer had only one more victim to go.

After Valerie and her team protect the would be victim, the killer is forced to scout someone else. Looking at the map, John discovers based on the location of all the victims, the killer had to be working at the DMV. After investigating his terminal, they found a conversation with his next victim. John and Dorian eventually save the victim in time, but the killer jumps off the roof.

All in all, a pretty good episode. I'm curious why they didn't put a cliffhanger here leading into the finale.

I checked the promo, it looks like it has some back story on John's dad, but no mention of his maybe traitor ex girlfriend.

That worries me. I hope they knock it out of the park and the show is renewed.

Random Thoughts:

-Between the virtual golf course, Dorian trying to shock a guy back to life with his hands to the exo-suit with the midget, there was some great special effects in this episode.

-There was some great playful banter between Dorian and John this week. "Do you want me to go to a bar with you and watch you drink?"

-I audibly groaned at the tv trope of "protagonist goes to ask out romantic interest just as the boyfriend comes in" being used at the end of the episode.

It made since given the connection Valerie had with the club owner who helped get the surveillance footage, but still. Meh.

I'm excited to see what a season finale looks like on a show like this. See you next week.

Photo Credit: Newstoshows.com