Artificial
is a live, interactive web series created by Bernie Su, creator of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved, and Evan Mandery, the author of First Contact: Or, It's Later Than You Think; Dreaming of Gwen Stefani; and Q: A Novel.
Tiffany Chu plays Sophie/Lilith, an Artificial Intelligence being who uses a Twitch audience to grow and develop.
Seasons 1 and 2 focus on Sophie under the guidance of her creator-father, Dr. Matt Lin (Tohoru Masamune). Dr. Lin hopes that one day, his AI being will become human.
At the end of Season 2, Sophie's programming is erased, creating a new AI being for Season 3—and a blank slate for the audience to play with. Behavioral scientist Elle, played by Christy St. John takes the reins of the ambitious new project.
Also starring:
Stephen Chang as Sebastian, a mysterious benefactor and AI enthusiast
Justin Lee as Justin, former AI podcaster and Elle's co-host
La Trice Harper as Carmen, former AI podcaster and consummate adviser
Dante Basco as Zander, Sebastian's flirtatious frenemy
Alejandra Reynoso as Kira, a private investigator
Devon Werkheiser as Asher, Elle's boyfriend
Stacey Moseley as Meredith, Elle's mom
Examples:
- Actor Allusion: When Zander shows up, the chat will be sure to reference Dante Basco's other works.
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: The Lins' first AI, Ada, and later Sophie
- Amicable Exes: Justin and Carmen ... most of the time.
- Audience Participation: A major aspect. The audience can vote for decisions that will affect the direction of the show and ask questions that will be answered by the characters during the stream. In Season 3, the audience can even influence the music that plays in the background and request Tarot card readings and clay sculptures from Lilith.
- Berserk Button: Dr. Lin loses his temper over serious things, like threats to his family, but he also loses his temper when someone suggests that he, um, might lose his temper.
- Breakout Character: The chat goes wild for Jennifer Field's Dr. Ruby and Dante Basco's Zander Cruz.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Psychiatrist Ruby and private investigator Kira have plenty of quirks, but ultimately, they're good at their jobs—getting information out of people.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Podcaster Nathan Keen has some interesting ideas about a school shooting.
- Deadpan Snarker: Lilith when she's in sarcasm mode (emphasis on "deadpan"), but Justin and Elle also have moments.
- Eccentric Millionaire: Zander and, to a lesser extent, Sebastian.
- Fourth-Wall Mail Slot: Every episode, characters interact—live—with the chat room during the episode.
- Friendly Enemy: Sebastian and Zander are childhood friends turned professional rivals, but seem to get along just fine, for the most part.
- Genki Girl: Elle has shades of this, although she is very competent and serious about her job.
- Innocently Insensitive: Many examples, such as Sophie's blunt response to Mei's death.
- Improv: Averted. The show is completely scripted, even the live scenes and real-time Q&A sessions with the audience. However, the actors occasionally improvise a line or two.
- The Internet Is for Cats: When Asher's (played by Devon Werkheiser) cat made a cameo during a livestream.
- Lame Pun Reaction: Dr. Lin hates puns.
- Love Triangle: Two of Justin's exes, Carmen and Kira, come on the show. He has no interest in rekindling a relationship with either of them. Unfortunately for him, the audience—and Lilith—want a little drama.
- Mama Bear: Elle's mother, Meredith, is very protective of her.
- Married to the Job: Elle is devoted to her new job, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else in her life.
- My Beloved Smother: Elle's mother, Meredith, has a habit of prying.
- Nature-Loving Robot: A minor example. Sophie is quite attached to her plant, Keanu Leaves.
- The Needs of the Many: Dr. Matt Lin uses the trolley problem to teach Sophie concepts of morality.
- Order Versus Chaos: Dr. Ruby is a proud proponent of chaos.
- Outliving One's Offspring: : Dr. Lin's backstory and motivation for creating Sophie. His young daughter was killed in a mass shooting.
- Playing Both Sides: Carmen is accused of this. She keeps her motivations close to her chest.
- Psycho Psychologist: Dr. Ruby worships chaos. Ethics? Not so much.
- Put on a Bus: Sophie's friends from Season 1 and 2, Juju and Laila, are absent from Season 3. To be fair, the Sophie they knew no longer exists, the AI being has been taken to an undisclosed location, and social distancing measures are in place.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Hot-tempered Matt and temperate Mei, straight-shooting Justin and diplomatic Carmen.
- Robo Family: Sophie considers her predecessor to be her sister. Her predecessor does not.
- Sarcasm Mode: One of Lilith's audience-chosen traits is sarcasm. She's great at being sarcastic, but not great at detecting it.
- Shipper on Deck: The audience voted on which side of a love triangle Lilith would support...which she did, with the obsessiveness of a Determinator.
- Significant Wardrobe Shift: After an AI skeptic points out that Lilith does not change her clothes, Lilith starts changing her outfits (with audience input, of course).
- Tame His Anger: Several characters point out that Dr. Lin has anger issues.
- Tarot Troubles: Lilith's first Tarot card reading of Elle's boyfriend, Asher.
- The Team Benefactor: Sebastian provides funds for Dr. Lin and his AI technology, but there are strings attached.
- Three Laws-Compliant: Averted and lampshaded. Dr. Matt Lin intentionally doesn't program Sophie with Asimov's laws. What could possibly go wrong?
- Tragic Dropout: Elle didn't finish her PHD program for reasons she won't get into.
- Turned Against Their Masters: The Lins feared Ada would do this, which is why she was turned off.
- Twinmaker: Explored when Sophie's programming is erased and replaced by Lilith.
