Customer Reviews

Being Human: Season Two

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Life -- and occasionally undeath -- just keep getting more complicated for the three supernatural roommates of "Being Human." The second season is a much darker affair than the one before it, and while there are occasional patches of lighthearted fun ("Clowns... so many... clowns!"), the real focus here is on the dangers both to AND from the supernatural world.

About a month after Herrick's death, things have gotten complex for everybody. Annie has decided to get a job at the local pub, leading her to meet a man who is being manipulated by the spirits of the dead. George's strained relationship with Nina takes a new turn when it's discovered that he accidentally infected her. And with Herrick gone, Mitchell is struggling to keep the vampires from being discovered -- and may have to do some morally repulsive things to succeed.

Along the way, they have to deal with Annie's matchmaking efforts, vampire attacks, Mitchell's mentor falling off the wagon, George's efforts to quell his lycanthropy (and how THAT backfires), a senseless psychic, and Mitchell falling for a pretty doctor.

Unfortunately, the little gang has become an object of interest to the mysterious Kemp and his organization, who are determined to wipe out the supernatural population ("Beasts should be kept in cages"). And though the gang are not aware of them, Kemp's group is drawing closer and uncovering more and more of their secrets, until disaster strikes.

The first season of "Being Human" was a pretty even mix of horror, comedy and drama, but the second season is a lot darker and more painful. More blood, more angst, more glimpses of the horror of being a werewolf/vampire/ghost/whatever -- and Kemp's cold-blooded approach is a pretty horrible one (example: the scene where a werewolf is prevented from shifting).

But fortunately, the series has retained its3 wit (a werewolf afraid of clowns, a vampire who throws a tantrum when he misses his favorite TV show) and delicious dialogue ("This can't be happening to me! I teach language!" "You could teach BAD language"). And the writers tighten up the storylines with new problems for each supernatural group, which get progressively worse as the season goes on.

The downside: a vein of anti-religious sentiment running through the season. Yeah, of course ONLY religious fanatics would hate werewolves, vampires and ghosts, and the ONLY possible response to the supernatural would be... you guessed it: religious fanaticism. How cliche.

The three lead actors are still doing brilliant jobs as three very eccentric roommates: Lenora Crichlow's Annie is charming and sweet as a good-natured ghost, who is just trying to live her own life; Russell Tovey's George goes through some painful patches as he continues to struggle with life as a nerdy werewolf (although he's a complete jerk in Episode 1). And Aidan Turner does a truly brilliant job as a "clean" vampire who is slowly slipping down the moral slope.

"Being Human Season Two" is a darker, grimmer affair than the first season, but it's still pretty good TV with loads of supernatural drama. And it leaves you waiting for more.

I had mixed feelings about the second season of the BBC's 'Being Human'. The first half was as good as it gets; Mitchell trying to get Britain's vampires to swear off blood (and killing) and George trying sleeping pills to make the monthly transition to werewolf a little less, well, traumatic. But, no good deed goes unpunished. And Annie, the ghost, finds a boyfriend of sorts, only to have a unique problem with him.

The thing I didn't like was the last two episodes. Mitchell has a terrible change of heart after a tragedy, and Annie gets swept up in the Anglican priest's experiments in dealing with those represented by the three housemates. Mitchell's change is especially terrible; you can no longer sympathize with this young hunkish misfit. He and his erstwhile girlfriend are reunited, and things are not well in Bristol. George maintains, but Annie has the rug pulled out from under her, and she's powerless to prevent her sudden change of scenery.

Mitchell must become more sympathetic for me to root for him. Ditch the old girlfriend, avoid the new girlfriend (well, that's not a problem) and get in good graces with the people in Bristol again.

Maybe season three will sort it all out. Let's hope!

Here's one for you. So a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire go into a pub. The bartender approaches the trio and says "What'll you have?" Come on--you know this isn't a real joke--but the wink, wink premise of "Being Human" is that the punchline to this bizarre scenario would have the three moving in together as best friends (no, that's not how it actually went--it was just used to illustrate the "jokey" nature of the set-up)! "Being Human" is a show that absolutely depends on its unique premise to intrigue and amuse its fan base. Season One, for me, was a lark--an uneven blend of comedy and horror. It capitalized on its greatest strength which was the camaraderie of the unusual and supernatural flatmates. And while that's largely what fervent viewers latched on to, the show lacked a cohesion or solid through-line to make it must-see TV. For my money, season one was most notable for the chemistry and banter between werewolf George (Russell Tovey) and vampire Mitchell (Aidan Turner).

Season Two is a decidedly darker affair. I can see how viewers who appreciated the lightweight breeziness of the first season might be put off--but I, for one, embraced the growth in drama and characterization. The unifying storyline helped ground the various characters and brought them together for an emotional and bloody finale. Mitchell, who tries to unite the local vampires peaceably, is pushed to extremes when violence thwarts his plan. His back story is revealed (at times graphically) and a colder, more vicious, Mitchell emerges as the season progresses to seek retribution for various betrayals. George is struggling with his own demons--having turned his love Nina into a lycanthrope. Still hoping to cling to humanity, he eventually succumbs to a possible cure that may put everyone at risk. And Annie (Lenora Crichlow), the ghost, continues to figure out her place in the afterlife. I know everyone thinks Annie is charming (don't send me hate mail), but Crichlow continues to be the weakest side of this triangle.

Amidst the highs--George and Nina share the series most dramatic and believable moments--and the lows--Annie gets a job as a pub waitress (don't ask!), "Being Human" builds a quiet intensity in its sophomore season. The climax is a killer, even Annie is utilized effectively. A solid recommendation for fans of the genre. I do want to shout out to Russell Tovey. Tovey really becomes the star of this piece, steals every scene he's in, and with Sinead Keenan (as Nina--the season's MVP) light up the screen with the best acting the show has seen. Kudos. KGHarris, 10/10.

In the wake of the cataclysm that ended the prior season, our werewolf, vampire, and ghost fight to maintain their shaky humanity. But George has infected his girlfriend Nina with the werewolf curse. Mitchell finds himself the unwilling leader of Bristol's volatile vampire tribe. And Annie must accept that, though she's still dead, everyone can see and hear her. Too bad a vengeful preacher won't leave them be.

The first several episodes take a different tack than last season, more of a regular episodic drama, as the characters struggle to find level footing in their newly transformed lives. Relationships take center stage: how can you love someone alive when you're dead? How can you love someone when your shared rage could kill you both? How closely do romance and violence dwell in the human heart?

Several near-perfect scenes stick with me: dozens of hungry vampires singing Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" couldn't be more spot-on. When George seeks a way to cage his wolf, he gets mistaken for an S&M practitioner, opening doors for gentle but uproarious comedy. If we read these episodes as metaphors for common human experience, TV hasn't shown such insightful scenes in many a long, quiet year.

Later episodes shift to a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" tone, as though the creative team thought their audience demanded a catastrophic fantasy conclusion. When two vampires bare fangs and hiss at each other like angry kittens, I feel laughter, not terror. Scenes of characters chasing each other up and down dim corridors get tedious. And the talky denouement lingers so long that I got bored waiting for it to resolve.

But on the whole, this is a worthy follow-up to the first season's harrowing epic. Despite the fantasy element, the characters' struggles are mostly relatable, based on the desire to live the kind of life most of us take for granted. You could imagine drinking at the corner pub with these characters, as long as you didn't go with them alone. TV produces too few shows of this artistic caliber.

After catching this on BBC America, had to own it! This is the best TV series yet involving supernaturals, and the main reason is they are much more than that. They are humans, coping with human problems as well as their unique situations. The acting is excellent, but the writing is what makes this series shine. Jumping from comedy to drama in a single breath, much like life often does. Original and fun.

The BBC is so great at creating and producing shows that I am jealous of what they have for television series, compared to what we have in America.

This series is fantastic, I love vampire stories but this is way better than just a vampire story. The characters have depth, the dialogue is great, and there is actually a story that doesn't treat me like I am an idiot. I bought this based soley on reviews and I was not disappointed. If you like other BBC series (Sherlock & Merlin are 2 of my favs) you will enjoy this series. I will be going crazy while waiting for season 3 to come out here in the states.

Great series, fun but serious enough to hold the interest of adults. Well-done effects for a tv series and quite clever dialog.

I got this as a gift for my daughter. Although I haven't watched the dvd yet, I did see the series. I was skeptical but was quickly turned into a fan. The performances are so believable and at times gut wrenching that I was quickly hooked. The actor who portrays Mitchel (the vampire) is currently filming Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" so he has to be good.

Loved this series! This is the second season of the original englishtelevision series which I think plays better than the american version. Worth the risk if you have not seen it.

Got this series on a whim, and am so glad I did !!! Its amazing and has such a different spin on the old supernatural theme. Characters are easy to relate to and there is always an underlying vibe of humor.....great show!