Being Human

I have to say that Being Human took time to grow on me and at times I felt I was being led down a path that would leave me sorry I had wasted my time watching the show. I read this sentiment in many reviews articulated in various ways, but the bottom line is Being Human is a very good show, however it isn't until its over that you truly appreciate the show for what it was and is because the end is not sloppy, hacked, or rushed. It simply brings a lot more meaning to the previous seasons and makes you appreciate the whole show a great deal more. At that final place is when you truly engage all that the show brought you through and makes you appreciate the idea behind the story and realize it is much more than you thought while on the ride.

Season 4 of Being Human was the best season of the series without question. The peculiar thing is that I believe it was the best season because it was the last season and the really big questions that this show presents in terms of our main characters can't be answered until the show ends. The other seasons gets us to know the characters, vested in them and the story, and took the viewer to the point of a unique interest in a world of monsters trying to retain what they could of their humanity while by their nature made it impossible to obtain anything but frustration and heartache. But season 4 didn't just bring the story to a close, it took us back through the story with a perspective of how things could have been much different but for the groups will to make them different and appreciate the first 3 seasons a great deal more in the process of taking the characters to a place that I couldn't have imagined in the beginning.

Interestingly after seeing it all I realize they could have made the series longer, but to make it maintain its overall quality the only way they could have done that would have been by making what is season 4 the last set of episodes (or 75% of them) the final season however they wove the story in any other seasons. But given the nature of shows like this that teeter on the edge of being renewed each year there isn't the security to allow the writers to do that. So given the unknown faced with writing each season I have to say that season 4 made my opinion of the writing go up a great deal as it was the best by far and brought a somewhat uneven story come together in a way such that I enjoyed the final episodes far more than I ever would have thought. There are some oddities that bothered me throughout the series that the end made the trip very worth the effort, and a wonderful ending that left me surprised in a day and age when shows rarely surprise me in a positive way. Season 4 makes the whole series better and I'm certain had they figured out a way to work that sort of intensity and emotion into the other seasons would lave made Being Human a more popular, longer running show. But as it is, I'm simply glad I got a chance to enjoy it.

I've kept right up with all of the episodes, and the characters have grown nicely. Anyone who can be critical after just one or two episodes is not a critic. I decided to watch the British version after I began watching this one, and, frankly, I decided not to watch it again. I'm very satisfied with the characters in the U.S., and the acting is excellent, as far as I'm concerned, with just the right amount of humor, which is delivered well, and the expected (and sometimes not) horror action that goes with it. The show is unique, as far as I am concerned, and I put it in a class with "Supernatural", which is at the top of my list for good entertainment and acting. People need to decide for themselves rather than have someone promote another version that they have become over-familiar with. It becomes like "the movie just can't compare to the book". I love British TV, but, in this instance, it can't compare to this version, and I'll stay a dedicated fan for what I hope is a long run. Thanks, SYFY!

Let me preface this by saying I have seen all the episodes of the BBC version. I love it. I also love the new US version.

Anyone who has read anything about this show (rather than just taking to the internet to spew fury all over everywhere) knows that the US version will be following the UK version, roughly, as far as the end of the first series. The first 13 US eps will mirror the first 6 UK ones. None of the US writers or actors have seen any more of the UK show than the first 6 episodes in order to make the show different in later episodes. What I am interested in seeing is what the US version does after the first 13 episodes, because it will be "original". Hopefully.

So far, the US version has made one important improvement on the UK version: the "ghost" rules (ie How Sally/Annie can interact with the world) are much clearer. Frankly, the extent to which other people in the UK version can interact with Annie has always been a little murky (read: plot-servicing). I enjoy the clarification of the rules in the US version. I am willing to see what else the US version does. Some things may be better, some things worse. Without giving the show a chance, we'll never know.

It is important to note that SyFy (and Space, its Canadian buddy) primarily air reruns of old SciFi shows produced by others. Original in this context means they are producing it. Yes, linguistically tricky, but so is everything in Show Biz. Bear in mind that BSG was also a remake, just more time had passed and the series was darker. Also, excellent, which gives me hope for Being Human.

I have no trouble watching both shows. Liking the US one doesn't take from liking the UK one. They both have humour, likable characters, and an engrossing storyline. If you like SciFi, Fantasy, or horror genres, give this show a whirl.

To me TV has been a little boring of late... If it isn't forensics then it's reality or cooking shows - too much... So, if you are looking for a fun sci-fi fantasy to keep your attention, this just may do the trick. It's weird, a little quirky and dramatic to boot... Hopefully we will see some romantic possibility with Aiden and Sally - because to me that seems like a perfect match. Aiden doesn't want to kill anyone and well, Sally can't die again... So, vampire+ghost=love...

Don't avoid a show like this because you think you are above the "vampire" trend. It's not about a vampire and a werewolf, it's about "trying" to be normal, kind and morally acceptable under extremely abnormal and immoral conditions. Can they rise above and choose the high ground or will they be trapped in their violent natures, forever miserable.

Being Human is a breath of fresh air for the whole "Creatures of the Night" genre. If you think it's just another Twilight rip-off I'm gonna stop you right there. Aiden is not just some Edward. He's believable as a Vampire. When he's jonesing for some blood he looks like he's going to puke and start ripping out his hair. His love interests, unlike in some other vampire shows, are based either on him acting like a normal human being (with humans) or drugs (with vampires). Blood is crack to him. He's not a monster, really (none of them are). He's just a very old drug addict. He's also hilarious. ("Really? The vampire bit doesn't freak you out but the male nurse thing does?") Josh is a brilliant werewolf. He's a stereotypical Jewish man and former honor student with OCD. He had everything; close friends, loving well- to-do family and the girl of his dreams. But every full moon now his heart stops, his organs fail, his skin rips apart and every bone breaks and relocates itself and he must suffer through every last second and give his mind up to a serial killer (who looks awesome by the way). He lost everything and it's obvious to see why. He's also hilarious. ("Great, we're living with Sally the peeper ghost") And Sally is just plain lovable. She a free-spirit who had everything to live for but ended up living more dead with her new friends than she ever did alive. Ghost have the obvious trait of going insane if they stick around for too long. They also have many addictive abilities that look fun but are incredibly dangerous. The second season will have a plot twist that will make your head spin with delight. Sally has many problems to deal with being a ghost. But hopefully her loving friends will keep her sane. She's also hilarious. ("You two gonna go all Twilight on each other at some point?" - "I'm not a peeper... much... I would get that mole checked out if I were you.") These are just real, likable people under extraordinarily circumstances.

Compared to the UK version, I'd say there both equally great. The US version has more depth to it (more in it to like while the UK version I'd say is deeper (the characters are closer and more it's more emotional). I've watched both and I'll say this; there's no forth season of the US version (UK watchers know what I mean).