Giles

Saw this advertised during last night's airing of 'Torchwood Children of Earth'

premise:

Russell Tovey (Doctor Who, The History Boys), Lenora Crichlow (Sugar Rush, Doctor Who) and Aidan Turner (The Clinic) star as housemates trying to live normal lives, despite their strange and dark secrets.

George (Russell Tovey) and Mitchell (Aidan Turner) work in anonymous drudgery as hospital porters. They lead lives of quiet desperation under the burden of a terrible secret—Mitchell’s a vampire and George a werewolf. Deciding to start life afresh and leave behind the dark side, they move into a house, only to find that Annie, the ghost of a woman killed in mysterious circumstances, haunts it. As the monster threesome deals with the challenges of their new life together, they’re united in their desire to blend in with their human neighbors.

By all appearances, George is a mild-mannered and geeky guy - except for one night a month when he’s a flesh-hungry, predatory werewolf. Mitchell is good-looking, laid-back and, unlike George, has an easy confidence with the ladies. But he’s also suffering withdrawal from the blood he craves. Annie (Lenora Crichlow) is chatty, insecure and desperate for company and now that death has separated them, she longs for her fiancé, who owns the house she haunts.

But with unwelcome intruders into their world, a threatened revolution from the vampire underworld and constant threats of exposure – on top of the day-to-day issues faced by young people – the only thing they may be able to rely on in their heightened world, is each other.

Being Human (BBC America)

Red Dog

Vampire and werewolf show? That means it should do well in DVD Talk TV forum ratings.

marty888

NY TIMES, July 24:

"Three young friends share a shabby apartment in Bristol, England, as well as secrets, and those sound like the set-up to a corny joke — a vampire, a ghost and a werewolf walk into a bar. Only in this case the bar is a pub and there is no punch line. “Being Human” takes the killing — and the perpetrators’ anguished remorse — seriously, but still manages to find the humor in their predicament as these monsters in human form struggle to blend into normal, almost Seinfeldian life that includes work, going out on dates and having the tedious neighbors over for drinks.

All three characters are highly appealing, but the charm of the show lies in the delicate balance of engrossing drama and disarming humor; the series is not campy or self-conscious, it’s witty in an offhand, understated way."

Anyone watch the premiere?

wmansir

I thought it was pretty good. Very derivative, but well done. The vampire story is very Forever Knight. The werewolf has A Londonian Werewolf in London origins. And the ghost is pretty typical, she just woke up after her death as a ghost, doesn't understand what's happening yadda yadda.

wendersfan

I've really been enjoying this show. It has an interesting combination of comedy and horror that I would have thought would be hard to pull off.

movieking

Sounds interesting. I might have to check it out.

Achtung

I've been watching this, and have enjoyed it. It's got just the right mix of darkness, humor, drama, and camp, and it helps that the actress playing Annie is rather cute.

Unfortunately because it's BBC America, they've cut out all the "naughty bits" for us yanks. So I'll probably watch the remaining episodes via alternate channels.

wmansir

I watched the whole UK series.

In the thread discussing season lengths I said "the UK's common 6 episodes per season [are] just long enough to bother with episodic storytelling, but then just as you get into it the series is over." This show is a case in point. The first three episodes each establish one of the roommate characters, then you have the only "standalone" episode of the series, then the penultimate episode sets up the finale.

In this case though, I don't think it's really a bad thing because while the show is enjoyable, I don't know if it has enough depth to sustain a longer run. Next series should be telling.

@Achtung
I find Annie cute in an charming way. But the vamp ex is more sexy cute.

Giles

somehow my DVR has been screwing up the recordings, I hope BBC America does the entire series back to back in the near future so I can watch it sequentially.

Navinabob

The best part is the fact that every predictable story event set up in the 1st episode had already played out by the 3rd, and it never felt rushed or forced. I'm sad to hear it only got 6 episodes in the 1st season. I'll miss it when it is gone.

Giles

well supposedly there's some talk of a possible second season might be in the cards, but don't quote me on that.

wmansir

I was looking at BBCA's schedule yesterday and they will have a marathon of the whole series leading up to the final episode, on the 29th I believe.


Also, FYI, Being Human had a panel at Comicon. It's up on Youtube.

Thrush

I thought the Pilot along with the original cast was immensely superior to the subsequent series. Still enjoyed it though.

Mysteryfan

I've been enjoying this also, but I missed the pilot episode. Anyone know where I can catch it since it won't be part of the marathon.

Lastdaysofrain

I really enjoyed the pilot, but enver caught up with the series.

wmansir

You can watch the original pilot on youtube. Not the best quality, but watchable.

Mysteryfan

Thanks.