Monthly Archives: February 2014

Fox doesnt exactly have the most solid history when it comes to bringing science fiction to the small screen. Fans no doubt still havent forgotten that the network was responsible for prematurely cancelling a perennial fan favorite in Joss Whedons Firefly (a series some are still hoping to revive, twelve years after it went off the air).

So Foxs latest sci-fi offering, Almost Human, had an uphill battle ahead of it to begin with. The series may share some of the creative team as the networks cult hit Fringe, including Star Trek Into Darkness director J.J. Abrams as executive producer. Furthermore, it has Dredds Karl Urban and Think Like a Man star Michael Ealy as a human and android police team solving crimes in a compelling futuristic setting. The show was destined to be a hit, right?

According to TV by the Numbers, Almost Human actually may be on its way off of Foxs schedule altogether. The site has brought its prediction for the shows fate down to likely to be canceled, indicating that its chances of being renewed for a season 2 are slimmer than ever. While ratings havent been extraordinarily low, the show isnt cheap, and the fact that the network hasnt ordered any additional episodes beyond the initial 13-episode order doesnt bode well.

Even worse, it seems that Fox is moving proven hit Bones back to its original timeslot and pushing Almost Human out. This shift could imply that the network has lost faith in the shows ability to draw an audience and simply intends to burn through the remaining episodes by plugging Almost Human elsewhere in its schedule. Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt, as Fox has yet to issue an official word on Almost Human.

After a strong narrative start, its unfortunate that the prospects for Almost Human are slimming. Theres still a chance that the series could hang on for another season, but perhaps the writing was on the wall to begin with. After all, the series lost a showrunner before it even aired, and Fox hasnt aired its episodes in the intended order (another sign of network neglect).

While some may believe that the networks failure to extend Almost Humans maiden season to a full 22 episodes is just another example of the short-and-sweet approach Fox is taking with Sleepy Hollow, the fact is that the shows more episodic tone makes that far less likely. As always, time will tell.

Do you think Almost Human will make it to season 2, Screen Rant readers? How do you think Fox can help boost the shows profile? Let us know in the comments section.

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Is Almost Human on the Verge of Cancellation?

The Malaysian government should drop its politically motivated prosecution of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for alleged consensual homosexual relations, Human Rights Watch said today.

On 12 February 2014, the Kuala Lumpur Court of Appeal is slated to hear the governments appeal of the High Courts 9 January 2012 decision to acquit Anwar of violating article 377 of the Malaysian penal code.

Malaysias authorities are opening themselves up to international ridicule for prolonging their political case against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Anwars trial would be farcical were the penalties not so severe and the trials message to Malaysias Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender [LGBT] community not so grave.

Malaysia should repeal article 377 of its penal code, which is an anachronistic colonial era law that criminalises carnal intercourse against the order of nature, Human Rights Watch said. The law effectively criminalises same-sex sexuality, and does not distinguish between consensual and non-consensual sex, in defiance of international human rights standards. In its place, Human Rights Watch has long recommended the passage of a modern, gender-neutral rape law.

Anwar was first arrested in July 2008, a month after the alleged incident took place. After a long series of delays, he was found not guilty in January 2012 after the judge found that crucial DNA evidence submitted by the prosecution may have been compromised.

Should the appeals court overturn the acquittal, Anwar would face up to 20 years in prison. He would also have to relinquish his seat in parliament and be barred from standing for election for five years if he receives any prison sentence or is fined more than RM2000 (US$600).

This is the fourth time that Anwar has been charged under article 377, a law that has been invoked only seven times since 1938, according to the Womens Candidacy Initiative. The willingness of the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak to use the law in such a high-profile case shows the danger it poses so long as it remains on the books, Human Rights Watch said.

So-called sodomy laws such as Malaysias article 377 contravene broadly accepted international legal standards. The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee, the international expert body that monitors civil and political rights, held in 1994 that sodomy laws violate rights to privacy and non-discrimination. The 2007 Yogyakarta Principles, which apply international law to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, call for governments to repeal all laws that criminalise consensual sexual activity among persons of the same sex who are over the age of consent. In 2011, leading members of the Commonwealth of Nations, to which Malaysia belongs, called for the abolition of sodomy laws.

A November 2011 report by the UN high commissioner for human rights recommended that UN member countries repeal laws used to criminalise individuals on grounds of homosexuality for engaging in consensual same-sex sexual conduct. The high commissioners report, commissioned under a landmark resolution on human rights, sexual orientation, and gender identity that was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on 17 June 2011, made numerous other recommendations, including several directly relevant to Malaysia. They include enact comprehensive antidiscrimination legislation that includes discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and ensure that individuals can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in safety without discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

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Drop political case against Anwar: HRW