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The Upside Down of “Stranger Things” became an apt metaphor for this divisive year, and, maybe not so strangely, “Stranger Things,” along with several other Best Drama Emmy contenders, offered unifying themes to combat the forces of oppression, hate, and turmoil.

These included “Westworld,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Feud: Bette and Joan,” and “Big Little Lies.” And, not surprisingly, they all offered stellar craftsmanship in support of their unifying themes.

“The Crown”

Showrunner Peter Morgan told IndieWire that his biggest takeaway has been the realization of the necessary bond between the monarchy and Parliament. “Sometimes the monarchy screws up and sometimes the politicians screw up,” he said. “And it takes one or the other to fix the problem.”

In Season 1, that unity is forged between young Queen Elizabeth II (nominated Claire Foy) and that old war horse, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (nominated John Lithgow). Together, they help Great...

Bringing to a close eight weeks of scintillating sci-fi goodness, Humans wrapped up a stellar first series on Channel 4 last night - but that finale left us with as many questions as answers.

If you're anything like us, here are a few questions you might still have - about the fictional world of Humans, and the show's origins and inspirations.

1. So wait... what happened at the end?

Confused by those final scenes? Here's a brief rundown of what went down in the Humans finale...

Elster's children - with the help of Karen (Ruth Bradley) - succeeded in unlocking the secret to Synth consciousness, but before they could decide what to do with it, Niska (Emily Berrington) deleted the code from Mattie's laptop - storing what appeared to be the only copy on a flash drive.

In what appeared to be a big move towards establishing peaceful human/Synth relations,...

The fact that Channel 4 (and its international partner AMC) announced a second series of Humans one day before the first series concluded in the UK helped to somewhat alleviate the weight of expectation on tonight's finale - no matter what happened, we knew the story would not end here.

That said, after the kind of ratings success that's been unheard of for 20 years - and near-unanimous critical approval - episode 1.8 of the unnerving sci-fi series still had a lot to live up to. This finale isn't perfect - afflicted by a few of the same problems that have affected the entire series - but it's mighty impressive nonetheless.

Hobb is now holding Elster's children against their will - and that's a pivotal point, because the power-mad professor's endgame is not to halt the next stage of Synth evolution, merely to control it.

He wishes to instil free will in all Synths,...

Louisa Mellor Rob Leane Oct 10, 2016

Artificial intelligence drama Humans returns to Channel 4 in the UK this October, and here's the first-look trailer...

Here's a minute-long look at Humans series two, courtesy of The Guardian.

In the second eight-part series, Synths all over the world are experiencing 'a catastrophic malfunction', or in Mattie's words 'waking up' and questioning the status they've been afforded by humans.

See Gemma Chan, Emily Berrington, Colin Morgan, Katherine Parkinson, Carrie-Ann Moss and more in clips from the new episodes below, which arrive on Channel 4 in the UK this October.

We'll have much more on the series, including cast interviews, as the air date approaches.

Human series 2 start date

Humans series 2 will return to Channel 4 on Sunday the 30th of October 2016 at 9pm here in the UK. We'll bring you the AMC Us start date as soon as one is confirmed.

Human series 2 images...

One question still looming over Humans, even this late in the game, is; who is Karen Voss?

A thinking, feeling Synth - yet apparently not part of David Elster's original batch - Ruth Bradley's character has been this show's rogue element - and its biggest enigma - since her true nature was revealed in episode four.

Here, the whole truth is revealed - 'Karen' is a synthetic recreation of Elster's dead wife. Unable to come to terms with what he had created, Elster later took his own life - as his beloved Beatrice had done. Karen now seeks to end her own life, but - in a cruel and ironic twist - is prevented from doing so by Elster's programming.

(We also learn a little about the real Karen Voss - though it's a pity this brief and rather extraneous sub-plot is Pete Drummond's sole contribution this week.

One question still looming over Humans, even this late in the game, is; who is Karen Voss?

A thinking, feeling Synth - yet apparently not part of David Elster's original batch - Ruth Bradley's character has been this show's rogue element - and its biggest enigma - since her true nature was revealed in episode four.

Here, the whole truth is revealed - 'Karen' is a synthetic recreation of Elster's dead wife. Unable to come to terms with what he had created, Elster later took his own life - as his beloved Beatrice had done. Karen now seeks to end her own life, but - in a cruel and ironic twist - is prevented from doing so by Elster's programming.

(We also learn a little about the real Karen Voss - though it's a pity this brief and rather extraneous sub-plot is Pete Drummond's sole contribution this week.

As AMC looks to the future, attempting to fill its schedule with shows that could one day garner similar acclaim to the recently concluded Mad Men and Breaking Bad, the network is taking a bold step forward into science-fiction. Its new series Humans grapples with artificial intelligence, a topic that 2015 has been having quite a field day with between Ex Machina and Avengers: Age of Ultron. In the latest teaser for Humans, though, the series calls back to a key moment from actioner I, Robot, one of the first Hollywood productions to take on AI directly.

There’s another teaser over at THR, which focuses on android Anita (Gemma Chan), whose status as an AI being brings her into conflict with the mother (Katherine Parkinson) she’s tasked with aiding.

AMC also unveiled a lengthy synopsis for Humans, which you can check out below. The show starts June 28.

Today – In Nagasaki,...

Cavity Colors and Van Orton Design have released limited T-shirts and tank tops inspired by the aliens from John Carpenter's film, They Live. Also in this round-up: trailers for AMC's Humans and the Mad Max video game.

They Live Apparel: A special collaboration, the "Exposure" clothing features a split, futuristic take on the aliens from They Live:

"Exposure" T-shirt:

"The left side of the image represents the first time Rowdy Roddy Piper puts on the infamous sunglases, and he sees the subliminal imagery and aliens in grayscale. The color side represents when you finally see “Them” in full color and fully exposed to the world!"

Priced at $24, this limited maroon shirt is printed on 100% cotton fabric and is prone to sell out quickly. To learn more about the Cavity Colors' They Live T-shirt, visit:

http://cavitycolors.com/collections/t-shirts/products/exposure-t-shirt?variant=3071969025

"Exposure" Tank Top:

Also priced at...

"I helped create you." The sinister side of artificial intelligence is teased in the first trailer for AMC's sci-fi series, Humans, premiering Sunday, June 28th at 9:00pm Est:

Press Release (via TV By the Numbers) -- New York, NY – May 14, 2015 – "AMC today announced its new eight-part drama series “Humans” will premiere Sunday, June 28th at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Set in suburban London, “Humans” takes place in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a Synth – a highly developed, artificially intelligent servant eerily similar to its living counterpart. Penned by British writing partners Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (“Spooks,” Spooks: The Greater Good) and based on the award-winning Swedish sci-fi drama “Real Humans,” the series explores the emotional impact that comes as the lines between humans and machines become increasingly blurred. This bold new series is produced in conjunction with the...

Cary Fukanaga’s adaptation of Jane Eyre and Michael Winterbottom’s The Promised Land loaded up their casts today with some very talented actors. First up, THR reports that Jamie Bell (Defiance), Judi Dench (Nine), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Imogen Poots (Me and Orson Wells) are all in negotiations to join Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Michael Fassbender (Hunger) in the adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Here’s The Hollywood Reporter’s rundown of the story and casting: The Gothic tale follows young governess Jane Eyre (Wasikowska), who falls in love with her employer, Edward Rochester (Fassbender), but discovers he harbors a dark secret. Bell will play St. John, a clergyman who turns out to be Eyre’s cousin. Dench will play Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper of Thornfield Manor, who disapproves of Eyre’s engagement with Rochester. Hawkins is Mrs. Reed, Eyre’s aunt, who adopts her...

ABC unveiled its 2009-2010 primetime schedule this morning and here is the full press release:

Stephen McPherson, president, ABC Entertainment Group, today outlined ABC's plans for next season and unveiled the network's 2009-10 fall schedule before the advertising and media communities at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

New fall and midseason series include "Cougar Town," "The Deep End," "Eastwick," "Flash Forward," "The Forgotten," "Hank," "Happy Town," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Shark Tank" and "V."

"Better Off Ted," "Castle," "Scrubs" and "True Beauty" join previously announced returning series "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Brothers & Sisters," "Dancing with the Stars," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Private Practice," "Supernanny," "Ugly Betty," "Wife Swap" and 20/20. "Saturday Night College Football" will also return.

"Our focus is always on delivering the best stories with the most memorable characters on TV, whether that's established audience favorites or innovative new shows," said McPherson.