J.J. Abrams dominance of all things entertainment related continues with his newest sci-fi show, Almost Human. The director of Star Trek and Super 8 produces this cop show that takes it’s inspiration from the gritty sci-fi flicks of the 1980’s to create a show that’s genuinely like nothing else on the air. For better or for worse, the show devotes itself to it’s high concept premise and delivers some promising results.

Being a cop under ordinary circumstances is no picnic, but in 2040, officer John Kennex (Karl Urban) finds it all particularly taxing due to him having to put up with robotic officers that all cops are required to have. With his new partner Dorian (Michael Ealy) reluctantly by his side, he decides to go about his normal routine, unaware of a much larger, horrifying plot occurring that only Dorian can help solve.

The one main problem of the show is it’s predictability, since the show mainly just uses the most cliche elements of every buddy cop show or movie ever made and just adds robots into it. Admittedly, there’s a reason such elements are reused so often, as they do have some successful moments in this program, but they still keep it from reaching the greatness it’s initial concept suggests. Karl Urban tries to play Kennex with depth, although the script mainly just makes the character act with animosity, something Urban has gotten to be an expert at in his career.

The show did surprise me in one regard: the visuals department. While Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has struggled trying to put decent visuals into it’s episodes, Almost Human has some genuinely respectable effects and also has some gorgeous looking sets for the protagonists to interact with. Plus, the writing department, while admittedly making most of the characters a bit one-dimensional, does come up with some snappy dialogue and a neat plot that’s far from original, but is extremely effective in introducing audiences to this world and making viewers want to see more.

I wish that Abrams, Bryan Burk and the crew at Bad Robot Productions could’ve made things a little more original and daring, but otherwise, Almost Human makes for fine TV drama. I have a feeling that, if the show can properly expand it’s character and universe, that the show can become something truly special and must watch television programming. Until that fateful day, the pilot episode for Almost Human is still entertaining enough, mainly thanks to a good cast and some decent writing.