The "Asimov Blocks" that prevent the synths from harming a human is a reference to author Isaac Asimov's laws of robotics.
Silas Capek is mentioned as a dealer in boosted synths. The Czech playwright Karel Capek wrote the 1920 play Rossum's Universal Robots, which coined the term robot for a humanoid machine.
On TV an expert refers to 'Asimov blocks' making Synthetics safe. Isaac Asimov wrote science fiction stories in which robots were frequently self aware and intelligent. All robots were programed with the 'Three Laws': 1.A robot can not harm, or through inaction permit harm to, a human; 2. A robot must obey a human's orders as long as that does not violate the first law; 3. A robot must protect itself as long as doing so does not violate laws one and two.
Karel Capek's play, 'R.U.R.', dealt with flesh and bone synthetic human slaves indistinguishable from regular humans. Although factory assembled from vat-grown tissue they were organic. These slaves ultimately rebelled against, then overthrew, then eliminated their human masters. In the closing scene a loving couple of synths cross the stage while holding hands.
Danny Webb (Hobb) and Jill Halfpenny (Jill Drummond) both appeared in the TV mini-series 'Lightfields'. They played Barry Felwood and Martha Felwood respectively.