Character Relationship Map: Almost Human

Characters

• John Kennex (played by Karl Urban) — protagonist

  John Kennex is a troubled detective in New Pittsburg who returns to police work after a 17-month coma caused by an ambush that cost him his leg and partner. Using a cybernetic prosthesis and recoverin...

• Dorian (played by Michael Ealy) — protagonist

  Dorian is an older DRN police android assigned to John Kennex after John rejects a standard-issue unit. Designed to behave more like a human, Dorian shows emotional responses, dislikes being called a...

• Rudy Lom (played by Mackenzie Crook) — supporting
• Maldonado (played by Lili Taylor) — cameo

  Maldonado is the captain who recalls John Kennex to the police force after his long recovery. She assigns him a new android partner, first a standard unit and then Dorian, placing John back into activ...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• John Kennex → Maldonado (Commander-Subordinate) — A strict chain-of-command dynamic that gradually shifts toward protective leadership as Maldonado uncovers the truth behind Kennex's past trauma.

  "Maldonado commands the precinct and oversees Kennex's cases; she manages hostage situations (S1E3), clashes with defendants (S1E5), and investigates...

• Dorian → Maldonado (Colleagues) — A formal professional acquaintance that develops into coordinated tactical cooperation during critical precinct operations and crisis management.

  "Both operate within the same precinct; Dorian assists in high-stakes operations like the hostage crisis (S1E3) and organ crime investigations under M...

• Maldonado → Rudy Lom (Interrogator-Source) — A structured professional exchange where Maldonado extracts necessary information while maintaining operational distance from Lom's illicit background.

  "Maldonado leads the precinct's response to cases where Lom provides intelligence (S1E4); their dynamic reflects standard law enforcement reliance on...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• John Kennex → Dorian (Police-Android Partners) — A deeply bonded partnership forged by necessity and refined through shared investigations, evolving into mutual reliance and unspoken trust.

  "S1E1 establishes them as mandated police-robot partners; throughout the season they navigate cases, trauma, and energy deficiencies together, relying...

• John Kennex → Rudy Lom (Informant-Helper) — A pragmatic transactional relationship where Lom provides crucial street-level intelligence to aid Kennex's complex investigations.

  "Kennex calls on Rudy Lom for assistance during a drug investigation (S1E4), leveraging his underworld connections to navigate the 'Bends' case when o...

• Dorian → Rudy Lom (Informal Allies) — A casual, street-level rapport that bridges police procedure and underground networks during joint investigations.

  "Lom assists Kennex and Dorian in the drug case (S1E4); their interactions are characterized by mutual respect and informal cooperation outside offici...

Story Analysis

Overall narrative architecture across all 1 seasons

Plot Progression

1. Season 1: Pilot & Precinct Dynamics — The season opens with John Kennex recovering from a devastating ambush and being paired with android Dorian. Maldonado establishes command protocols while the partners navigate their new operational r...
2. Season 1: Underworld & Hostage Escalation — Tensions rise as the partners tackle a futuristic hostage crisis and an undercover drug bust involving 'The Bends'. Rudy Lom enters the narrative as a crucial informant. Witness protection trials and...
3. Season 1: Tech Crimes & Personal Trauma — A hospital organ ring and Dorian's energy deficiencies introduce ethical and technical dilemmas. Simon's bomb network forces a race against time, while Kennex visits a recollectionist to process past...
4. Season 1: Android Threats & Designer Drugs — Advanced DRN rampages and self-guided bullets escalate the technological threat landscape. The partners investigate genetically-enhanced children deaths linked to designer drugs. Maldonado's revisit t...
5. Season 1: Final Confrontations & Case Closure — Smart home sieges and DNA perfection murders push the partners to their limits. The season culminates in a copycat killer case tied to Kennex's father's past. The partners resolve the final investigat...