Being Human isn’t your typical vampires and werewolves show. While The Vampire Diaries and True Blood are all about love and passion, Being Human is simply about, well, trying to be human.
But to call it simple is unfair. Being Human is a smart, refreshing change of pace for American audiences. I’d call it original, but since it’s based on a British TV series, that’s not true.
Being Human centers on a pair of male nurses named Aidan and Josh. Aidan is a vampire desperate to control his desire to snack on all the ladies who throw themselves at him while Josh is a nervous werewolf unhappy with the limitations his change put on his life. In a quest to try and live a normal life the two rent an apartment together, one that they’re surprised to learn is haunted by a ghost named Sally who can’t move on.
These three characters are essentially all searching for the same thing: normalcy. A lot of credit must go to Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke, the couple who brought Being Human to the United States. Not only are they married, but he wrote for Supernatural and she wrote for Everwood, making Being Human the perfect blend of fantasy excitement and earnest relationships, blended with a dash of whimsical comedy.
The pilot did a great job of establishing the characters and also setting some brilliant cliffhangers.
The Vampire
Aidan (Sam Witwer) has the biggest dilemma as the show starts with him killing a girl, which brings back the vampire who turned hi, Bishop (Mark Pellegrino). Aidan’s problem is simple: He wants to be normal, but Bishop wants him to embrace his vampire nature. An ominous threat of something big coming puts him directly at the center.
The Werewolf
Josh (Sam Huntington) is a fairly nerdy guy who has given up on his life ever since turning into a werewolf. He left his family and hasn’t had sex in two years. His life seems to change with the coincidental return of his lesbian sister Emily, but the premiere ends badly when she accidentally locks herself in his cage right as he’s about to turn.
The Ghost
Sally (Meaghan Rath) has the least to do in the pilot, but has plenty of mystery regarding how she died. Dead for six months she has no idea how to be a ghost or how to move on. Complicating matters is that her former fiancé is the landlord.
With the brilliant mix of intense drama, amazing characters and rich dialogue, Being Human is 100 percent fun. Hopefully viewers will be as hooked as I am.
(Image courtesy of Syfy)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
