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on January 14, 2012
My review on the show itself.....
Being Human, all seasons so far, is a completely unique show. This show offers drama, action, and suspense mixed with some dark British humor and some sex appeal. What's not to love?
And on the other hand, my review for the DVDs.....
I have loved this show since the odd pilot aired that had a few different cast members. I first watched the Being Human Seasons one, two, and three on UK's BBC. I went to watch them on BBC America, and a lot is edited out. Because I loved the original shows I saw, I decided to order them on DVD (hoping they would not be edited). Nevertheless, I was shocked and disappointed when I ordered them in Region 1 US DVD Format. I found that the available US Format is put out by BBC America and that the BBC America versions are completely edited. The US Format DVDs for this show lose a lot of the British Humor due to editing (US censorship-Go Figure).
So, I guess I will be buying a Region Free DVD Player and trying to find a Region 2 UK Format Version, hopefully the unedited British version with the curse words, sex scenes, and nudity left in. I loved BBC shows, and I wonder if I'm the only American who noticed when we got switched to BBC America (a poor comparison to the actual British Network that we lost).
Being Human, all seasons so far, is a completely unique show. This show offers drama, action, and suspense mixed with some dark British humor and some sex appeal. What's not to love?
And on the other hand, my review for the DVDs.....
I have loved this show since the odd pilot aired that had a few different cast members. I first watched the Being Human Seasons one, two, and three on UK's BBC. I went to watch them on BBC America, and a lot is edited out. Because I loved the original shows I saw, I decided to order them on DVD (hoping they would not be edited). Nevertheless, I was shocked and disappointed when I ordered them in Region 1 US DVD Format. I found that the available US Format is put out by BBC America and that the BBC America versions are completely edited. The US Format DVDs for this show lose a lot of the British Humor due to editing (US censorship-Go Figure).
So, I guess I will be buying a Region Free DVD Player and trying to find a Region 2 UK Format Version, hopefully the unedited British version with the curse words, sex scenes, and nudity left in. I loved BBC shows, and I wonder if I'm the only American who noticed when we got switched to BBC America (a poor comparison to the actual British Network that we lost).
on July 6, 2014
It's not many TV shows willing to present characters in their true light and trust the audience to still follow them, but that's what Being Human 3 does. Mitchell is a vampire cohabiting with George (a werewolf) and Annie (a ghost). Mitchell's on the bloodsuckers anonymous wagon, but he falls off in spectacular fashion. George is desperate for a normal relationship and comes to terms with what that means for. Annie doesn't like her situation but accepts it and gains new control.
To say any more than that would be to ruin the arc of the story and it's heartbreaking but true to form ending. I watched all 3 seasons and this one is the strongest and most honest. The American remake is pale in comparison, and the following BBC Seasons don't quite measure up...mainly because the chemistry between Aidan Turner, Russell Tovey and Lenora Crichlow is so perfect. I understand actors wanting to move on to new adventures, but it's too bad that happened here.
Highly recommended.
To say any more than that would be to ruin the arc of the story and it's heartbreaking but true to form ending. I watched all 3 seasons and this one is the strongest and most honest. The American remake is pale in comparison, and the following BBC Seasons don't quite measure up...mainly because the chemistry between Aidan Turner, Russell Tovey and Lenora Crichlow is so perfect. I understand actors wanting to move on to new adventures, but it's too bad that happened here.
Highly recommended.
on July 26, 2014
As established in my reviews of seasons 1 and two, Being Human (UK) is really 3 shows with each being a backdrop to the others in sequence. Seasons 1-3 is show 1, season 4 the second, and 5 the last. Between them you have largely new cast (excluding carrying over Annie from 3 to 4) and another from the end of 3 through 4 and 5. But there is no real story based relation, just individuals in episodes around who to continue the story of a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire living together trying to be human. Season 3 does bring our initial cast to some closure on the story lines that have been developing in the 3 seasons. Many big events are diminished, and other introduced but handled clumsily by the writers. Mitchell's collapse was an interesting development, but hardly creative or shocking. Maybe only the end of the season was a pleasant surprise yet a change to big to bring coherence to the overall series. The show does "play to a larger story" than the US counter part when looked at overall, but that big story was handled in a portion of a few episodes hardly making it masterful writing. I won't really know until I finish season 5 if watching this series was a waste of time and a complete disappointment but it has fallen short to date and I'm half way through the last season. Just interesting enough to keep me watching but having been disappointed repeatedly without a lot of hope that it can do anything to become good in the last few episodes. Of them all, Season 3 and 4 are the best. But unlike the US version where when done I thought you just don't see it until it's all over, there just isn't that possibility with this version of the story. This version is definitely filled with more horror, though the effects are poorer than the counterpart. It is really just more bloody. Ironically in the UK vampires don't have to drink blood where in the US if they don't they become catatonic and weak and just sort of exist without living/moving/doing anything. Season 3 brings the story to some closure at its end and in the process wipes 2 of the 3 main characters from the story. This is to much change in a show that in 5 years didn't come close to 40 episodes. Very fragmented and fractured overall, but there are moments of entertainment.
on June 12, 2011
**Spoiler Alert. There may be spoilers here, so if you want to remain a Being Human "virgin", don't read below.
It is a little tough watching the American version knowing that the BBC version is not only in its 3rd series, but the BBC version is more original simply for having set the stage for SYFY.
Don't get me wrong, the American actors are fine and their performances are great, but the british cast "own" these roles. It's almost like the Americans are renting theirs. The BBC characters seem more fallible, more realisting, and belong to their roles. It is like the BBC wrote characters to best suit the actors, and in the SYFY version, they did the opposite, but to a somewhat disconcordant effect.
That sounds more negative then it is intended, but I did not like the twist at the end of the American season when the werewolf Josh (played by Sam Huntington) is hoodwinked into sitting out the grande finale battle royale. Perhaps the SYFY ending was more fitting, as it felt truer to the logic of their universe.
Case in point, a man of twenty-something has very little chance of outfoxing a man of 300 who is perpetually on his toes and a master of his powers (SYFY). What the BBC version suggested is that in the heat of combat both 150-something Mitchell (Aidan Turner) and Herrick [an ancient vampire with full acceptance (and thus, control) of his powers and senses; played by Jason Watkins], are duped by the silly, often-unwieldy George (played by Russel Tovey), one into making ready for a battle royale that will never happen, and the other getting locked in the basement with the werewolf. Herrick HAD to see that coming.
In this BBC season-concluding episode, there is faithfulness to each performance and plot that is rarely seen in this type of horror/sci-fi drama.
Oh, and Lenora Crichlow is a slamming hotty. Meaghan Rath seems a far more morose, whiny version of the ghostly-friend. I would rather spend eternity with a chipper Annie and her endless tea-making than Sally-sulks-a-lot, moping and pouting. That would drive me bonkers. If Sally doesn't cheer up in season 2 of SYFY, I'm not sure if I can stomach it.
Kristen Hager has better looks than Sinead Keenan. That's all I have to say on that matter. It feels like each series picked the correct actress to play across from their dopey werewolf roomie. Still, Nina seems a little more realistic in the role because she's not physically perfect. She is charming, and has a flair for the character. Kristen is believable as a young doctor in Boston, although I can't quite place why her character would hang around with Josh. I think given their dispositions, the only thing keeping these two characters together is the script.
It is a little tough watching the American version knowing that the BBC version is not only in its 3rd series, but the BBC version is more original simply for having set the stage for SYFY.
Don't get me wrong, the American actors are fine and their performances are great, but the british cast "own" these roles. It's almost like the Americans are renting theirs. The BBC characters seem more fallible, more realisting, and belong to their roles. It is like the BBC wrote characters to best suit the actors, and in the SYFY version, they did the opposite, but to a somewhat disconcordant effect.
That sounds more negative then it is intended, but I did not like the twist at the end of the American season when the werewolf Josh (played by Sam Huntington) is hoodwinked into sitting out the grande finale battle royale. Perhaps the SYFY ending was more fitting, as it felt truer to the logic of their universe.
Case in point, a man of twenty-something has very little chance of outfoxing a man of 300 who is perpetually on his toes and a master of his powers (SYFY). What the BBC version suggested is that in the heat of combat both 150-something Mitchell (Aidan Turner) and Herrick [an ancient vampire with full acceptance (and thus, control) of his powers and senses; played by Jason Watkins], are duped by the silly, often-unwieldy George (played by Russel Tovey), one into making ready for a battle royale that will never happen, and the other getting locked in the basement with the werewolf. Herrick HAD to see that coming.
In this BBC season-concluding episode, there is faithfulness to each performance and plot that is rarely seen in this type of horror/sci-fi drama.
Oh, and Lenora Crichlow is a slamming hotty. Meaghan Rath seems a far more morose, whiny version of the ghostly-friend. I would rather spend eternity with a chipper Annie and her endless tea-making than Sally-sulks-a-lot, moping and pouting. That would drive me bonkers. If Sally doesn't cheer up in season 2 of SYFY, I'm not sure if I can stomach it.
Kristen Hager has better looks than Sinead Keenan. That's all I have to say on that matter. It feels like each series picked the correct actress to play across from their dopey werewolf roomie. Still, Nina seems a little more realistic in the role because she's not physically perfect. She is charming, and has a flair for the character. Kristen is believable as a young doctor in Boston, although I can't quite place why her character would hang around with Josh. I think given their dispositions, the only thing keeping these two characters together is the script.
on January 29, 2018
Love it. Love Aidan Turner and the first 2 seasons of this series are great. I couldn't get through the other seasons to many new characters I didn't care about. They killed off Mitchell, then George after that I just had no interest in watching it any more. So I only bought the first 3 seasons for my DVD collection.
on December 10, 2016
Loose ends and consequences are tied together in this season for our trio especially Mitchell. Herrick returns with a vengeance. Mitchell cannot escape from the Box Car murders aftermath. There are several surprises and plot twists and the relationship between Mitchell and Annie evolves. One of the most moving episodes is Type Four about a zombie. Only the Being Human writers could make you feel the sorrow of this zombie with both humor and pathos and providing a lesson for us all about life. Be warned, don't skip around episodes. You'll understand why when you get to the moving last episode of this season.
on January 2, 2014
I just happened on this series this past fall while browsing the BBC station on Xfinity On Demand. Fell in love with the three/four main characters. Watched all programs in first three seasons totally engrossed. Tried watching beyond the third season but it just wasn't the same without Aidan Turner's Mitchell. Once I learned Aidan was cast in The Hobbit trilogy, I purchased the first three seasons of BH and have recently enjoyed watching all three once again. The writing, the backdrops -- especially the two "homes", the supporting actors were all superb. The very best part of this series for me was the chemistry between the four main characters. It drew me in and kept me entranced every minute. Well done!.
on January 23, 2013
After the issues of season 2, Mitchell, Annie, George, and Nina have relocated to try to once again pursue a normal life and leave their problems behind. The truth is the consequences of all of their old problems, especially Mitchell's, keep following them.
This season is very intense and emotional. The large overriding themes involve forgiveness and justice. Can an individual really change their inherent nature? Can other people forgive you for what you have done in your past? Can you forgive yourself? Can current good works make up for past evil? Do you eventually have to pay a price for your past misdeeds? All of these are questions that pervade this season. The answers, unlike most American shows, are not always full of sunshine.
One additional note, make sure that you are purchasing the BBC version of the show. This series is being re-made by the Syfy channel and both sets of DVDs are sold off of the same page. The BBC version is the one listed as starring Lenora Crichlow.
This season is very intense and emotional. The large overriding themes involve forgiveness and justice. Can an individual really change their inherent nature? Can other people forgive you for what you have done in your past? Can you forgive yourself? Can current good works make up for past evil? Do you eventually have to pay a price for your past misdeeds? All of these are questions that pervade this season. The answers, unlike most American shows, are not always full of sunshine.
One additional note, make sure that you are purchasing the BBC version of the show. This series is being re-made by the Syfy channel and both sets of DVDs are sold off of the same page. The BBC version is the one listed as starring Lenora Crichlow.
on June 15, 2013
This series keeps getting better with each season, and this is definitely the best so far. There are a lot of twists and turns, and of course the last episode is so sad, but it was really great. The cast is amazing, the crew is fantastic (watch the extras - all the work behind the scenes shows how much effort really goes into making this a great show), and the writers are just wonderful with their development of the characters and their progression. I really recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different but still containing that "hey, I know what they mean" feel.
