On August 16, at the American streaming service Netflix, the premiere of the series “Better Than People” took place - the first Russian-made project released under the Netflix Original brand (announced as an original platform project and translated into several languages).

The action of the tape takes place in the near future. The Kronos corporation specializing in the sale of androids is illegally importing a model of the anthropomorphic cyborg Arisa (Paulina Andreeva), endowed with an empathy uncharacteristic for the robot.

But there is a flip side to the coin: Arisa, unlike other androids, is inclined to ignore the basic laws of robotics, according to which she can not disobey a person or harm him. She escapes from a corporation and accidentally ends up in an average family. While Arisa settles in a new house, the hunt begins for her.

Netflix has 16 episodes of the series, translated into 25 languages.

Many foreign viewers have already managed to watch all 16 episodes. Some of them shared their impressions on the Internet.

“16 episodes of almost 60 minutes each are probably too many. Although the Green Border series is two times shorter, it seemed to me that he was better able to fuel interest in the next season, which is an integral part of Netflix’s international strategy, ”said critic Jonathan Wilson of Ready Steady Cut. Nevertheless, he points out that the second season of the project deserves spectator's attention "due to the characteristic for the genre of the action and thoughtful production."

At the time of publication of the article, the audience rating “Better Than People” on IMDb was 7 out of 10 points.

The audience gave similar or close ratings to the Castle Rock series, based on the characters and locations of the works of Stephen King, the spin-offs of the popular The Walking Dead - Fear the Walking Dead, The Secrets of Smallville, and the restart of Beverly Hills 90210 "And the August Netflix project," U "means killers."

Among those who left feedback on IMDb, there are those who found “Better Than People” boring. They are convinced that the series turned out to be protracted, and the characters in it now and then "commit stupid things."

Someone believes that the idea of ​​placing the robot in everyday conditions and forcing it to solve human problems is nothing more than an awkward attempt to add “zest” to a trivial story. Viewers note that the script for the Russian series is not original and inspired by the predecessor projects from Sweden and the UK - Äkta människor (“Real People”) and Humans (“People”).

However, choosing between the British Humans and the Russian project, reviewers often prefer the latter.

“I would say that compared to Humans there is a spark that was missing from the British series. Actors play perfectly, and the storyline is immediately captivating. I hope that Netflix will create more of such high-quality TV shows, ”writes one of the IMDb users.

Another user believes that this project is able to change the perception of Russia that has been established abroad.

“So far, I like this series more than the British Humans. Most Americans believe that Russia is a cold, backward country, but the high-tech and film industries are changing these outdated ideas. Especially now that the US political system is declining and striving to stupid its own citizens, ”noted on IMDb.

  • © Shot from the series “Better Than People” (2019)

Most reviewers are convinced that "the Russians did an excellent job." Viewers urge not to pay attention to negative reviews and emphasize: “Better than people” is an excellent series that can be watched in one sitting. ” At the same time, many pay attention to poor dubbing and strongly recommend viewing in Russian with "native" subtitles.

“We have seen many stories about female robots. But this is a product of a different plan, expertly embodied. In it, we see a few original special effects, a convincing acting and events that are surprisingly empathizing with. Heroes are not Russian cold as ice; it shows the story of a family that, which is most striking, captures, ”one of the viewers believes.

There are not enough reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes professional review aggregator to rank the show's “freshness”. There you can find only one professional review - but a positive one. The editor of the Decider website, Brett White, responded well to the project.

“So, I can say with confidence that“ Better Than People ”is not another low-budget film shot with obvious flaws, unlike the series“ Another Life ”that was released last month. The main advantage of the picture, of course, is its artistic setting. The world in the frame seems populated and, most importantly for a full-fledged family drama, believable, ”he said.

Some reviewers greeted the Netflix novelty neutrally, but did not ignore the bold futuristic plot.

“A very pleasant series to watch, with seemingly sincere aspirations. I don’t know if Russian cinema is free enough (unlike the cinema of other countries, for example, Great Britain) to properly disclose such progressive stories. Although this is not a masterpiece, you can watch, ”- is indicated in one of the reviews.

Often viewers are interested when the second season of the project appears on Netflix. However, experts immediately corrected them: the second season came out, just a streaming service combined it with the first. Thus, it is necessary to wait for the third season - and the question of its development, foreign media say, remains open.