Lenora Crichlow
Russell Tovey
Aidan Turner
Sinead Keenan

Created by:
Toby Whithouse

2008-2013
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
BBC Three
TV-14

(After watching the pilot)

“Being Human,” the original series, is an OK show created by Toby Whithouse (one of the writers for “Doctor Who”). The main characters are a male vampire, a male werewolf, and a female ghost; they’re played by Aidan Turner (“The Hobbit”), Russell Tovey (“The History Boys” and “Looking”), and Lenora Crichlow (“Burton & Taylor”), respectively.

In the first episode, we’re shown a bit of each characters’ backstory. Then, they’re shown as house mates. (The vampire and werewolf are hospital colleagues who decide to move into the house that the ghost died in. The ghost’s fiancé is their landlord.) We aren’t shown how they came to be acquainted.

There just isn’t enough sizzle here, especially for the subject matter. “Being Human” began in 2008 in the U.K., a time when this kind of show would’ve been a little fresher. Right now, it feels too familiar: Of course, the vampire and werewolf struggle to control their desires; of course, the vampire suffers from the shakes because of his refusal to drink blood, which leads to problems with fellow vampires who want him to participate in increasing their ranks with important people; and, of course, the werewolf hides himself away from others whenever there’s a full moon. (At one point in the first episode, he has to transform in their house, leading to major damage.)

In regards to the ghost, she longs to be seen by real people (not simply supernatural beings, her housemates included), and she finds that people are starting to be able to do so. Exciting, right? Unfortunately, she experiences a setback when she uses the werewolf’s phone to text her fiancé, asking him to show up at the house. He’s the landlord, after all, so he shows up expecting to fix something. The ghost isn’t as prepared to meet him as she thought.

“Being Human” has decent acting and writing, and the special effects are passable. But there’s nothing exceptional, and that’s what it needs. I’ll see what happens in subsequent episodes, I guess. …

After watching the second episode of “Being Human,” my feelings haven’t changed much. Plus, at times, it goes too far into melodramatic emotional displays. It’s a bit too soft for me. Where’s the bite?

Verdict: OKish

About: (Source: beinguk)

Comedy-drama series about three twenty-something housemates trying to live normal lives, despite struggling with unusual afflictions – one is a werewolf, one is a vampire and the other is a ghost.