LONDON — AMC and U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 have ordered a second season of sci-fi drama series “Humans.” Production will start on the eight-episode season next year.

The series, which is penned by British writing partners Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (“Spooks,” a.k.a. “MI5”), is based on a Swedish show “Real Humans,” produced by Matador Films.

The series was a top five cable drama launch among adults 25-54 in the U.S. this season, and has averaged 2 million viewers and 1 million adults 25-54 through its first four episodes in live+3 ratings. The first episode was Channel 4’s highest rated originated drama in 20 years; season one has attracted an 18% share of the U.K. viewing audience on Sundays between 9 p.m-10 p.m.

“Humans,” which is co-produced by AMC and Channel 4 with Kudos, the makers of drama series “Utopia” and “Broadchurch,” taps into society’s preoccupation with and mistrust of advancing technology and artificial intelligence. The show explores humans’ inherent fear of the unknown and the possible implications of granting machines consciousness.

Executive producers are Derek Wax and Chris Fry for Kudos, Vincent and Brackley, and Henrik Widman and Lars Lundstroem for Matador Films.