Aidan and Bishop

Last night was the premier of the third episode of SyFy’s “Being Human”. The show, again, did not disappoint. However, there were some definitely highlights as well as some speed bumps along the way.

The thing that irritates me about the show right now is that there is more potential that hasn’t been fully realized to this point. My husband hit the nail on the head when he said he hasn’t connected with the characters yet. Three episodes in or not, there should still be a stronger connection felt between the audience and the cast. BBC’s first season had only six episodes to accomplish this, but it had me from the first one. I’m hoping that SyFy is just being slower to develop the personalities and that some more heartfelt moments are forthcoming.

That all being said, I see a glimmer of something deeper shining under the surface of what SyFy has given us so far. There were some moments where Aidan actually had a personality outside of the brooding vampire stereotype, and I want them to give the actor more of a chance to explore that further. The problem I see them facing is that they’re competing with a number of other supernatural shows that have done very well, so it’s hard not to follow the formula that so obviously works with an American audience. I’m seeing this trickle down even into what powers the vampires possess. Super speed? Mind control? Needing permission before crossing the threshold? All unnecessary. Part of the reason the vampires in the original are so interesting is that they don’t really have a lot of creepy supernatural whatsits going for them. They are simply that scary without the aid of “trendy” vampire abilities.

The ante was upped on Josh’s werewolf abilities in episode three. We got a glimpse of a nearly full moon and it was having a definite effect on him. I think what happened because of it was a little forced, but making him wolfier outside of a full moon night is alright with me if done correctly. They might have done better employing a little more subtlety, but the idea that he’s fighting his nature even when he still looks human makes things interesting.

Sally is still the least interesting character to me. She got a bit of a boost in the last episode, but there weren’t any real breakthroughs by way of her personality. Sure, she learned to do some new things, but did the character really grow because of them? I feel like she’s very apart from Aidan and Josh when they should feel more like three peas in a pod.

Speaking of ghosts, Sally’s plot was pulled from an episode of the original series, and it wasn’t done nearly as well. Those that have seen both shows likely know what I’m talking about. To me, it felt rushed and a little less than genuine. They should have taken their time instead of trying to cram it into one episode.

There were some very genuine laugh out loud moments last night. The cast and writers seemed to have loosened up a bit, and it made a good balance to the drama. Of course, there were a couple of unintended laughs. (A little over the top werewolf sniffing definitely didn’t help.) Still, it was needed after two episodes that had very little real humour in them.

Based on the preview for next Monday’s show, I’d have to say we’re in for more plot pulled from the original. I got the impression that they’re going to attempt another cram session, but we’ll see. It’s still a fun show and worth the watching.

Oh, and SyFYI…I still liked it better when you were SciFi.

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At least they're easy on the eyes.

This is my status report for SyFy’s “Being Human” as of episode two. The final report? Still pretty decent.

I won’t go into the nitty gritty specifics of the second episode so as not to spoil it. I will say that I found it to be a little anti-climactic after the last one. The episode is a lot of set up, and the pacing seems a little rushed. The dialogue is decent, but there were a couple of bumps. It appears to be one of those bridge episodes where you need to see it to understand certain things, but not a lot really happens either.

To me, the one thing the show suffers from is the fact that it’s an American remake. For some reason, we just can’t seem to get it quite as right as the people across the pond. Now, that’s not to say the show is bad. (I already said it was decent.) It’s just that it seems to pale in comparison. Maybe that will change when they deviate from the source material, but we won’t know until the series gets further in. Last night’s episode had some nearly shot-for-shot scenes and some mildly altered dialogue, so the differences between the two versions of the show were a little jarring.

I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is that makes the BBC’s “Being Human” work better, but I think that a part of it is how genuine it feels. In the original, you really sympathize with the characters. It’s almost heartbreaking at times. The American version feels a little more scripted and packs a little less punch. For example, in the original, the character George is often very awkward. In the remake Josh (their version of George) feels like he’s TRYING to be awkward. The intent is still there, but it doesn’t deliver.

The character that I’m finding the most different from their British/American counterpart is Herrick/Bishop. Herrick is just so much more creepy. I’m not sure how to describe it, but he makes my skin crawl. Bishop, while pretty good, doesn’t give me the same sense of dread.

I’m also not particularly keen on Sally, who is the series’ ghost. I’d read one review that said this character really stole the show, but I firmly disagree. Annie, from the original, is far more sympathetic, and I’m much more emotionally drawn to her.

Overall, the show has piqued my interest enough that I’ll be tuning in next Monday night for episode three. If you’re interested in catching up, SyFy is putting episodes online for your viewing pleasure. They also give you three chances to watch new episodes each Monday night. (Check local listings, blah, blah, blah.)

So give it a looksee, and as always, SyFy is still a stupid name.

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Tonight I sat down, fully prepared to start drinking heavily if things went awry, to watch SyFy’s adaptation of the British show Being Human. But the moment for drinking never came. Be shocked and amazed when I say that SyFy’s pilot for Being Human was actually pretty good.

I LOVE the original BBC show. I’ve been a fan since the first one off that was produced prior to it being picked up as a regular show. It’s quirky, it’s heart felt, it’s even disturbing. I don’t know if the American version will live up to that in the least, but the first episode was a good start.

Despite the fact that they changed the character’s names from the original (not sure why that is), they seem to be on track by way of personality and trademark attitudes. Josh (the George of this series) still wears his signature Star of David and has OCD tendencies. (He’s a lot less whiny, but let’s face it, how many men can match Russell Tovey’s high pitched squeak?) Aiden (our Mitchell equivalent) is still a vampire trying to go clean. However, so far he seems a little less tortured about the whole thing. Then there’s Sally (the Annie of the group) whom I still have to make up my mind about. She isn’t in the pilot long enough to really form a full opinion of.

Being the werewolf fan that I am, I was mostly interested in seeing how they would handle the Josh character. I was already a bit of a fan of the actor (Sam Huntington) from his role in “Fanboys”. He seems to have this charm about him. Mix that charm with the torture of being a werewolf, and it seems like you’ve got a pretty good combination. As for his transformation; while I miss the practical effects of the original, the CGI wasn’t half bad for a television show.

It seems like the plot is going to be fairly consistent with its UK counterpart. At least, that’s what I gleaned from the previews they showed for the rest of the season. I do wonder how much deviation is planned and how much might come as a result that in the UK a six episode season is normal and Americans balk at such a small number. I could see SyFy exhausting its source material rather quickly if they keep at the pace of the first episode. You can also factor in that IMDB has 13 episodes listed for the first season. That’s twice the amount of the UK show, unless SyFy plans on backing the episodes down to 30 minutes apiece aside from the first one.

Some of the humour of the original show seems to have carried over. There is a lot of potential for the dynamic between the characters to be charming and genuine, but this is SyFy we’re talking about. I am well and truly shocked that the first episode was as good as it was. Of course, I’m rather spoiled after watching the BBC original.

What really kills me about this show is the marketing. It’s terrible. SyFy went the stereotypical route. “The Lady Killer”, “The Wild Man” and “The Free Spirit”. Give me a freaking break. We have so many damn shows running alongside this one such as True Blood, Vampire Diaries and The Gates. They couldn’t come up with a more interesting marketing campaign? I’m also not sure what is supposed to represent the “i” in “Being” in the show logo. It kind of looks like they were trying to make it a person’s outline, but right now it looks like someone accidentally smudged the ink on the logo before it could dry.

All in all, I wouldn’t be sad in any way, shape or form to have the US adaptation of the show be decent. I just have no faith in SyFy whatsoever. I suppose only time will tell.

…and “SyFy” is still a stupid name.

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George starting to transform.

I don’t watch much television these days, but when I do, it’s a lot of BBC programming. I don’t know what it is about British television that I like. Maybe it’s that they can push the limits further than our prudish US censors will allow. Maybe it’s because they have different and interesting shows like Doctor Who, Torchwood,  Coupling, and Top Gear, as well as the classics like Monty Python, Red Dwarf, and Are You Being Served?.

In Being Human I found yet another BBC show able to capture my attention. The show centers around a werewolf (George), a vampire (Mitchell) and a ghost (Annie) all sharing a flat in Bristol. That may sound like a flop waiting to happen, but the blend of comedy and drama strangely works.

There was a good chance in the beginning that Being Human was never going to become an actual show. It started life as a one-off hour long pilot, and it was only picked up for a 6-episode season because it received such positive feedback.

After the pilot they had to jump another hurdle as two of the original leads (Mitchell and Annie) were recast. (Something I was really worried about.)

The initial episode of the season had a somewhat rocky start as well. Since the pilot wasn’t technically the first episode, they had to recap everything at an accelerated pace which made it feel frantic.

Despite all of this, Being Human managed to smooth out by the second episode. I found myself wrapped up in the characters and the true core of the show which is what it means to be human. It’s funny, it’s sad and it’s got enough twists and turns to mix things up.

Being a werewolf aficionado, I was especially interested in the character of George. He really is a case of nice guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. He finds himself unable to cope with the wolf inside of him, and tries desperately to keep his “human” life and his full moon meanderings seperate.

I’m also impressed by the decision to keep the werewolf effects practical. There’s no CGI magic, just good old effects ala “An American Werewolf in London”. Granted, they’re not as polished as the effects from “AWIL”, but they’re pretty damn good for a television show.

I’ve now watched the full first season twice (even though they’re just now airing on BBC America). The show has been greenlit for a second season, and I’m going to eagerly await answers to questions the first season left me with as well as new stories and drama.

If you haven’t checked this show out yet, give it a try. It may not be perfect, but neither is being human.

Final Score: 5 out of 5.

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