TV Review: Being Human (TV Series) (Season 1) (2011)

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SYNOPSIS:

Three twenty-somethings share a house and try to live a normal life despite being a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire.

REVIEW:

The idea of vampires and werewolves is certainly a hot trend these days. If we were going by status quo there would a zombie in there as well. For kicks we change the formula up a bit and throw in a female ghost. One that is invisible to the world but very apparent to things of the supernatural realm. This intro brings us to this new hit series which started its origins in the UK (BBC). In the same path that other British origin series have evolved (aka “The Office”. “Life on Mars”), we have yet another that has made the crossover into Western culture. This North American version follows the same script and premise at its British counterpart but does so in a a way that is more consumable to the US viewers.

“Being Human” is supernatural drama which details the lives of 2 such beings, a werewolf named Josh Radcliff (Sam Huntington) and his vampire best friend Aidan McCollin (Sam Witwer).

Josh, a med school drop out spends his days doing janitorial work while Aidan is sufficient serving as a male nurse. They work at Suffolk County Hospital in Boston.

When these twenty something friends agree to start making a stab at leading normal lives, they decide to rent a house in Boston while continuing their day to day jobs at the hospital.

It is this very rental that they encounter the house spirit Sally Malik (Meaghan Rath). Sally is fresh to the world of the unliving and at first struggles with understanding who she is and what she is capable of. Tied to the house of her death, she begins to slowly understand what happened to her and how she can grow as a spirit. At a later time she is revealed a private doorway that appears to spirits when they are ready to move on. Though she still has unfinished business in the real world that has to be resolved before moving on to the next.

Aidan, a bad vampire turned good first came into being in the Revolutionary War when his maker James Bishop (Mark Pellegrino) turned him into one of them. From the past into the present Aidan has had to deal with a league of vampires drawing him back into their coven with Bishop at the helm influencing their decisions. This conflict becomes a major plot point as the season moves into its 3rd quarter. The inclusion of “the Elders” begins to reveal more about the historical aspect of the vampire league and their intentions for mankind.

Josh, our resident werewolf has to deal with turning every 30 days or full moon. When he turns he becomes violent and unpredictable which has been a life problem he’s had to deal with. Josh also presents a comedic relief to the bunch while Aidan is portrayed more as a sensitive dark figure dealing with the details of his race. The 3 of them make for a great pair who support each other in their time of need. Though as each has their own form of curse, they also must face the realities of their kind.

As the season progresses, Sally is forced to deal with her death and her former husband Danny (Gianpaolo Venuta) who is revealed as her killer. Out of spite and anger, she also learns the rope of haunting and what hidden talents she is capable of. It becomes her primary focus and terms of unfinished business that needs to be dealt with. Josh, does what he can living in a world where he is 2nd in command to the much more powerful vampires. He meets others like him and has to fight to the death at times in order to survive. Later in the season he becomes romantically involved with a nurse from the hospital named Nora (Kristen Hager). With a curse on his back, he also has a chance to live a somewhat normal life. This becomes his point of conflict and source of happiness.

Aidan in addition to dealing with the evil ways of Bishop, ends up falling for a one night stand named Rebecca (Sarah Allen) who is also turned by Bishop in her dying moment.

The series slowly begins to evolve with each of the 3 characters lives becoming more complex and detailed. Though in introduction the union is built on a friendship and understanding with each coping with their own personal situations. As a series it manages to elevate itself past its “Three’s Company”-style scenario into a full drama worth investing a whole season into. The personal conflicts drive a highly emotional interaction that always seems to test the bounds of friendship and loyalty.

According to a Wiki article, Syfy ordered a second season to begin airing on 1/16/11. It was reported that the season was a huge success for the series with a vested interest from female viewers.

Being Human (Season 1) (2011)