Artificial intelligence is a topic increasingly discussed today, and one TV series that perfectly embodies this theme is VisionQuest, a new project set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring White Vision, the character introduced in WandaVision who has absorbed the memories of the previous Vision. In the throes of an identity crisis, VisionQuest initially finds him grappling with burning questions: how does one experience emotions? Even with all those memories, neatly stored in his data-memory, Vision cannot attach an emotion to each of them, whether anger, joy, or sadness. Human emotion, in his eyes, remains a significant mystery, but VisionQuest is not the only TV series blending artificial intelligence and emotions, codes and humanity. Here are three titles that strongly reflect this theme and that might capture your interest.
Beyond VisionQuest: the best TV series about artificial intelligence and human consciousness
Humans
Originating as a remake of the Swedish Real Humans, Humans is a British TV series that ran for three seasons and examines the effects of artificial intelligence on society starting from everyday domestic life. Set in a contemporary parallel dimension, the story revolves around synths, humanoid android models whose job is to perform all the most mundane tasks, from household help to factory work. The Hawkins family in the United Kingdom decides to purchase a refurbished model that soon reveals advanced capabilities that closely resemble those of a real human. In this instance the narrative offers a more intimate take on the subject, asking whether a machine that harbors affection for a human can be considered to possess a soul, and it delves into aspects such as empathy, social integration, and the right to freedom. It is available for streaming on Prime Video with the first two seasons.
Black Mirror
When it comes to science fiction, artificial intelligence, and the concept of the soul within a technological context, Black Mirror is unavoidable. This anthology series created by Charlie Brooker has, to date, seven seasons available on Netflix, and dedicates each episode to the evolution of technology and the impact it has on human beings and daily life. Spanning past, present, and future, Black Mirror highlights how society has been unsettled by a technological invention. In this instance the storytelling adopts a darker, more distorted tone. Across numerous episodes, Black Mirror has explored the possibility of digitizing the human mind by even replicating the personality of deceased individuals, promptly raising ethical questions that also touch the soul.
Inverse – The Peripheral
Based on William Gibson’s eponymous novel, Inverse – The Peripheral is a TV series with a single season streaming on Prime Video that recounts the story of Flynne Fisher, a young woman who, to make ends meet, takes a job as a beta tester for a video-game company in Colombia. Although bearing a strong resemblance to London, set in a futuristic version of 2099, she pays it little heed until the second day she witnesses a murder and a kidnapping and can no longer tell whether it is a game or reality. She will discover that her avatar is actually a synthetic body guided by her consciousness in the future.
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