Being Human, la confrérie de l'étrange

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.

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.

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!

"A ghost, a vampire and a werewolf walk into a..." Okay, I'm sure you've heard it a hundred times and it sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke but it really is the beginning to some of the best spec-fic TV you'll probably ever see. George the werewolf, Annie the ghost and Mitchell the vampire are roommates in an apartment in Bristol where they try to live a "normal" life. But they find that life after life is complex and unforgiving. And the "normal" people can be as frightening as the monsters. Dealt with allegorically in the show are addictions, clinical behavioral problems and mental illness to name a few. Well-rounded characters and oddly familiar situations tinged with the supernatural keep us eager to walk the road with the series' three protagonists. Be advised...this is not Twilight. This is grown-up TV with all the blood, sex and blue language that keeps it interesting for the post-pubescent set. The writing and acting are top-notch and each ensuing episode makes you ravenous for the next. Season II can't come soon enough.

I expected to hate this, yet it turns out I loved it. Great first series. Can't wait for the next one. The characters were interesting and funny, and dare I say it, you actually begin to care about them, (which is the cornerstone of any good drama). This took a tired genre and gave it a breath of new (after)life. The backdrop is very ordinary and mundane, and the characters are self-loathing. It gave it a different, quirky angle which hasn't really been explored before. I really hope the BBC have the next series lined up and ready to film. UK series are always woefully small. You just got me interested, and now I've got to wait for the next episode. Best character by far is George the dorky werewolf, who I suspect has unwittingly shacked up with a she-wolf. Mitchell is good as an on-the-wagon blood junkie. The bad guys were all nasty and loathsome, which was great. The first episode was slow, but stick with it!