Being Human, la confrérie de l'étrange

I am very pleased with Being Human.

I believe that the US have lost sight of what's really important in film/TV, particularly depth of character. All I see in American film and TV these days are a bunch of clichéd characters who speak in one-liners and catch-phrases.

Not the case with British film and TV - apart from Guy Ritchie films, tic.

Like "Dog Soldiers", Being Human relies on old technology to make their Werewolf work. So what, the wolf looks fake. You can look beyond it as the rest of the show is excellent.

Being Human has stayed true to the crux of Horror, which is the Supernatural element. Nowadays too often we see "genetically mutated" monsters, which takes the fear factor out of it all. If it bleeds, we can kill it (and easier than we thought).

Being Human is beautifully written, superbly cast and has its own feel; one you can immerse yourself in. It's simple viewing without being too predictable or too tame.

I'm pretty sure I would be happy to watch further installments of this show for the next 5 years and not be bored with it, provided the writing remains as refreshing as it is at the moment.

For me, Being Human is about the relationships between the characters and the anticipation of something "big" happening in each episode. It hasn't let down so far!

Loved this show. Hal was the best. Wish it did not end so quickly. I never gave the US version a chance, because I know that the US often ruins things. So I stick with this UK version, and will always love it. Funny, interesting, and a good way to see parts of England that I never will. Also it does something near the middle of the series and I won't spoil it, but it has to do with characters who die, that was not done before. Now it happens in US shows, but Being Human was the first one to do this. A trendsetter.

A werewolf and a vampire, co-workers at a hospital, happen to also be roommates in a house that is haunted by a ghost that only they can see. It's a lot like Three's Company if it was written by Anne Rice.

The first ~dozen episodes are great. You'll sit there watching, trying to figure out where exactly this is all going while very entertained. The story dives into the immortal vampire's past, the newbie werewolf's future and the mystery behind why the ghost is dead and haunting their house. Eventually, like all character-based tv shows, the characters get stale and the plot needs to be changed in order to keep the audience. Just as the writers get back on track, The Hobbit trilogy happens and Aidan (the vampire) leaves the show... because yeah, Peter Jackson and the Hobbit!

With the trio broken up, they reboot the entire cast and you sit there, disappointed but still watching because you need to know how it all ends.

When you finish watching the series (and you will) you will probably come to the conclusion that the second story with the second trio was far better than the first and it was a shame that the writers had to spend so much time easing the audience into the drastic changes before moving ahead. What started out as a quirky little horror-drama turned into a cohesive final 10 or so episodes.

This was a great show under poor circumstances.

And now is the time to warn you against the American version of the show with the same name. Almost 100% of the time, when there is an American adaptation of a UK franchise, it's terrible. That's all I have to say about that.

Drama, mystery, self discovery, angst and "desperation for relief" comedy is spattered through out this well written and acted show. In 2 very short runs (16 in all?)I care more for these unlikely group of supernatural misfits than all the seasons of "Friends". Annie, Mitchell, George, and Nina sit on the fence between worlds, running from what they are and leaving claw marks in their past. The third set of shows have just started and I can't wait to see my friends again. I think it is best to watch the show, if you can, as they aired on BBC. When the shows makes the crossing on the pond some of the grittiness gets watered down. On a personal note, if you have watched the SyFy version, it pales by comparison.

Excellent off-beat drama about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who share a flat in suburban Bristol. The script was intelligent, with thoughtful but compelling story lines that did not treat the audience like complete idiots, was perfectly paced and matched to the main characters. The entire cast was excellent, with quality supporting performances as to be expected from Adrian Lester, Natalie Armin & others. The audience response was so good, it has now been remade by the BBC as a full series. As a whole, this was a perfect short film that deserved a lot more recognition. Sadly only one of the original main actors makes it into the remake, but hopefully the BBC won't screw up by trying to overplay their hand. If the rest of the production crew and cast have been retained this could be another classic in the making.