Almost Human is like a good slice of pizza. There are better foods out there, but there are also worse foods out there.

Pizza is fun. Sometimes it's a little cheesy. Kind of like the latest sci-fi show to hit the airwaves.

Almost Human is catchy and enjoyable. Something you can digest once a week and not feel guilty because it's become part of your routine. 

Tonight marked the crime drama's first foray into hostage negotiations and Almost Human Season 1 Episode 3 handled the crisis in heroic fashion.

J.J. Abrams went on record this week saying that Almost Human is NOT Fringe. Okay, that's fair. It isn't. (Yet.)

As a counter to that, it feels worth it to point out that Fringe did start with a heavy procedural element. And one amazing series-long arc about the relationships between its central characters.

The procedural aspect is strong right now with Almost Human. Each episode so far has seen an original case with fancy and elaborate tech and a solution by the end. The bad guys go to jail and the good guys go get noodles. 

Tonight's case was perhaps the least futuristic of the three we've seen so far in many ways, which also made it the most realistic. 

John and Dorian responded to a call at an office building to find that a group of armed men had taken hostages on the 25th floor. Believing this to be a typical hostage situation, John asked Maldonado to jam communication frequencies which is exactly what the men expected would happen. That allowed them to move forward with their heist at a building across the street. 

The entire crisis was a misdirect, which John and Dorian eventually realized, but none of them could have known that. The misdirect--and the slowest ascension of multiple flights of stairs ever--gave us a deeper glimpse into the partnership between the lead characters. And that's where this comes back to Fringe. Sort of.

When Dorian was injured, John was almost as concerned as he was when his human partner was injured in the flashback from Almost Human Season 1 Episode 1. He patched the android up with care--and chewing gum--and seemed geniunely relieved to see that his makeshift band-aid had worked. Dorian went on to be all that he could be.

While people might be tuning in for the procedural aspect of the show, what's driving the series right now, for me at least, is the relationship between John and Dorian. They're the heart of this right now.

Dorian holds John's feet to the fire. He challenges his human partner in a way the man seems to need. He calls John on his crap. John is sarcastic and witty and very, very human, but he respects Dorian even while chiding the machine and referring to him as the coffee warmer. 

There are some changes that need to be made to prevent this from becoming just a sci-fi procedural with a great leading pair. Some of the casting really doesn't work, particularly the role of Maldonado. I can see a change coming there if the series continues past the first season. Something about her just doesn't work.

We'll also need John to recover his lost memories and try to find his girlfriend, which will happen right around the time he and Detective Stahl get closer. That'll create a nice bit of romantic tension. Who doesn't love a good love triangle, right? (Totally kidding about loving a love triangle story, but you have to admit they make for good drama.)

I would tune in each week just to watch John and Dorian's banter and allusions to 50 Shades of Grey, but that's just me. At the very least, this show is fun to watch. At best, some tweaks are made and it keeps getting better and better. 

What did you think of Almost Human Season 1 Episode 3? Are John and Dorian the best part of the show so far? Do you agree or disagree with the comparisons to Fringe?

Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.