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Being Human Episode Review: “I’ve Got You Under Your Skin”

Published on March 12, 2012, by in Uncategorized.

Sorry for the delay on this. My week has been MADNESS!

Episode Summary (*Spoiler Alert):

Sally is pretty angry. She has come to terms with the fact that the Reaper is coming for her, but then…he doesn’t. He makes her wait, anticipation and fear mounting. When he does finally come to collect her, he has a proposition. Became the new reaper, or be shredded. She doesn’t like this choice, so she goes to her favorite therapist/Aidan for advice. He has a great idea, why doesn’t she just reap the Reaper?

Brilliant.

So when Reaper comes back she does.

Well, she tries to. He’s too powerful, so it doesn’t really work…but she gets a bit of a rush from it, anyway. Its decided. She’s a Reaper-in-training, but the first person she needs to reap is her high school/ghost friend, Stevie. It seems that he’s been going around shredding all his friends, and stalking the guy who bullied him in high school, just waiting for him to die as well.

Sally tries to defend Stevie, and even goes so far as to confront him…But Sally gets the truth from him, and she has no choice. It has to be done. Enter Reaper.

Josh is distressed. His relationship with Nora has come to an end and he’s blaming himself, which totally don’t get, but more on that later. Anyway, so little sis, Emily comes to the rescue armed with booze and the promise of sisterly affection. When Josh meets up with his drinking buddy, however, she is at the bar with Julia, Josh’s scorned ex fiance. Its not a trap, Josh is just like 3 hours early, but even so, the two end up drinking together and even taking care of Emily when she gets too drunk.

The two of them, half drunk themselves open up about everything they felt and still feel towards each other. Julia still loves Josh, and came to Boston with hopes of running into him. Josh obviously loved her very much to leave her the way he did. When you run away to protect someone, do you ever really stop loving them?

With the mounting pressure of an impending visit from mother, Suren needs to take serious action to cull bishops orphans. Especially since she told mother it was already handled. Aidan and his returned progeny gather all of the orphans, and presents them with a plan for escape. What a guy. I knew our Aidan would never let so many innocents die.

Right?

But while Aidan is giving the escape plan to the orphans, Suren is drawing up the deed to the house they are all convened in. And, after throwing a large chunk of change at the current owner, she convinces him to sign over the house to someone new.

New owner, new invites, Vampires.

And at the stroke of 11…all the orphans burn.

Aidan only narrowly gets out with Henry. And the entire time, I’m thinking, Suren did all this without Aidan’s knowledge…but I was wrong. Aidan was in on the plan, and the Orphans have been culled.

But why? Why would Aidan do such a thing? It’s easy. You always choose your child over strangers. Aidan did it for Henry, so that he might be given a place in Boston. But he’ll still need punishment for his crimes…and Suren has the perfect one to appease herself and mother.

She skins him alive.

And while this would kill a human, a vampire will just suffer in agony until it grows back. Uh, twisted…

What I Loved:

I’m glad Reaper is staying around for a bit. I really like his character. Does that make me crazy?

I super adored Josh’s story this week. It felt so personal, listening to him explain to Julia about how he became a monster, and hearing her tell him how she still (and will probably always) feel about him. Don’t get me wrong, I love Nora…but Josh and Julia’s love story is heartbreaking. Kudos to both actors. I cried.

Aidan. Boy, do I like dark Aidan. But I also love fatherly Aidan, doing anything he can to protect his child. I’m interested to see if Henry will prove worthy. My money says, no.Though I’m hoping all these years forced him to grow up.

What I Didn’t Like:

I miss the original story. About three people who are monsters in their own ways, but bound to each other in a quest for a certain normality of their respective existence. The show is starting to feel very separate now. I don’t feel that the story lines are all the connected, and worse…I’m not sure they care about each other like they once did. I mean, Sally missed her door for Aidan. And though, he is a good therapist to her, I need more. I want to see these three aligned once more.

My Predictions:

I’m not gonna do predictions anymore. At least…for now. Especially considering that all of last week’s predictions fell flat on their face and made me look stupid. Also, the episode already aired on the East Coast anyway. If I’m right, people may call me a cheater. :)

Next Time:

Tune in tonight to SyFy at 9/8c for the next episode, “When I think About You I Shred Myself,” and be sure to live tweet with the girls from @beingfans at 9:00 PST. I’ll have my opinions when I watch the episode later this evening once Mark is home from work.  @SamanthaMason.

And guess what tonight brings? Fanboys Reunion!!!!!

Jay Baruchel guests on tonight’s episode.

As always, please share your thoughts.

Starring: Sam Witwer (Aidan), Meaghan Rath (Sally), Sam Huntington (Josh), Kyle Schmid (Henry), Natalie Brown (Julia), Robert Naylor (Stevie),  Dusan Dukic (Reaper), Alison Louder(Emily), Dichen Lachman (Suren)

Writer: Nancy Won, adapted for U.S. television by Jeremy Carver & Anna Fricke, created for U.K. television by Toby Whithouse
Director: Stefan Schwartz
Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 9 PM
Original Airdate: March 5, 2012

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Being Human Episode Review: The Ties That Bind

Episode Summary (*Spoiler Alert):

We begin at the end…what a lovely place to start. And the tone is dark. Something is lurking, chasing Aidan and Atlee through the Massachusetts woods…no. Four somethings…and they are getting closer.

Cut to 21 hours earlier in a familiar Boston house with a not so familiar design scheme. Is Sally uncontrollably upset again or is someone else calling Josh a “whore” on the steam filled bathroom mirror?

My money is on another unearthly visitor, creating dinning chair art on the kitchen table. Though obviously troubling and moderately scary, I found the poltergeist pretty amusing. You gotta hand it to this wayward spirit, its got style. We are going way beyond the normal electricity craziness when we start stacking furniture.

But its time for work for the sort-of humans, and today’s work day is gonna be explosive. Nora is back from her almost month long exile, and Josh isn’t happy. He thinks what she did by running away was selfish, and feels that she wasn’t the only person hurt by all this. Though, it does turn out that the twins were lying. She hadn’t been in contact with them. Anyone else not surprised the pure-breds are liars? But she loves Josh. She wants to turn with him tonight at the storage unit.

Back at the house Sally gets attacked by invisible knives and hears the ominous sound of her ex-fiance/murderer, Danny. She hurries to see Aidan at the hospital, certain that Danny sent a reaper to kill her. But it can’t be. Danny is locked up in prison, right?

A quick glance at the computer shows that Danny was murdered the night before in his cell. Can’t say that I’m said he met the end he deserved…but now he is tormenting our much loved Sally from the beyond. What a jerk. Hasn’t he done enough?

Aidan sends her away, with a few tips on how to disperse the ghost of her evil ex, but promises that he will be along shortly to give her a hand. But his help in the matter suddenly seems impossible, because guess who else shows up at the hospital? A frantic Atlee, and he’s not going away so easily.

Aidan MUST help him avenge the death of Hegeman. Oh, and guess who else is missing? Police vampire Cecilia. And Aidan only has one suspect in mind.

When confronted by his roommate, Josh confesses to lying to Cecelia. He gave her Hegeman’s werewolf gun and sent her after Brynn and Connor, making her believe that they were the wolves who killed the Dutch leader. Aidan is furious. He begged Josh not to get mixed up in this. But what’s a wolf to do? He had to protect his beloved Nora…even if she’s not acting like she appreciated the effort.

When Nora asks the twins why they lied to Josh, they tell Nora that Josh’s best vampire bud, Aidan sent Cecilia to kill them, and Nora is enraged. These are her friends! How dare Josh keep this from her. Josh tries to make her see that what Aidan did was for her. To protect her from the law and other vampires. It was to keep her safe. Nora won’t hear it. She storms off. She won’t be changing with Josh tonight after all. She’s going to the shed to be with her pack.

Meanwhile, Aidan discovered what happened to Cecelia. The twins have her. She’s alive, and he can have her, if he meets them tonight…during the full moon. Uh, scary. Two against one are not such great odds, so Aidan recruits Atlee to the cause. They can kill the wolves that killed Hegeman together.

Sometime during all of this, Sally prepares to confront poltergeist Danny. But her plans go array. Despite being the more experienced ghost in terms of time spent in the spiritual form, Danny learned some tricks in prison, and he seems to have the advantage.

Lucky for our girl Sally, she’s being haunted…by a reaper. He breaks form and shows himself after reaping Danny. He was sent for her. She caused a disturbance when she didn’t take her door, and he is here to deal with her. She tried to explain that not taking her door wasn’t a choice. She was saving a friend. Reaping Danny bought her some time, but he’s coming back for her.

She ends up seeking him out herself when she visits her own grave. It’s an ominous backdrop, the graveyard at night, but there is something beautiful about this moment, too. Reaper is obviously taken with Sally on some level. There is something special about her, and I suspect he regrets what he must do. He has done something unusual by showing himself, and he is also giving her the time to say her goodbyes. Favorite moment in this scene was the star of episode 7: The adorable raccoon that scurries across the graveyard behind the pair. He was a much tweeted topic, and pretty adorable. He has been named “Spooky, the Being Human Raccoon”, and me and the girls at Being Fans hope to see more of him.

Back at the shed, Josh can’t bear fighting with Nora. Despite his reservations about the twins, he has come to change with Nora, which causes a bit of a problem when Aidan shows up. Josh finally admits that it was he, and not Aidan who sent Cecelia after the twins, but there is no time for the anger of Nora or the siblings. It’s time to change and that means it’s game time. Cecelia has been tied up and is in the woods with the gun. If Aidan finds her first, he can have her, but if the wolves find her first…

Oh, and here’s the twist. Its pretty hard to tell which wolf is which. So if Aidan kills one, he’ll have no way of knowing which of the four it is. Would he risk killing his best friend or her girlfriend?

The chase is on, and we end up back where we started, but Hadley won’t take on four werewolves. Not for Cecelia and not for Hegeman. So Aidan is left alone, grasping the silver dagger Josh gave him when they became roommates. But we see it in his eyes. He can’t go for a kill.

He finds Cecelia, but she has lost a lot of blood and is too weak to go on her own. The wolves have found them too. One springs at Aidan and he cuts them across their flank with the dagger. Cecelia begs him to leave her and run. She’s already as good as dead, and it’s Aidan’s only chance. He takes the gun and reluctantly leaves her to the pack of hungry wolves.

The next morning, Josh and Nora awake in the woods, wrapped in each other, and covered in blood and mud. Nora doesn’t remember all the details of the kill, but she’s certain it wasn’t Aidan. She finally confesses what we already suspect. She hates the morning after a turn. She hates it, because she isn’t a wolf anymore. And she doesn’t regret what her wolf did her ex boyfriend. Josh doesn’t know how to deal with the news.

They dress in silence and clean up back at the shed with Connor and Brynn. The twins commend Josh for what he did, and congratulate Aidan for a great hunt when he suddenly appears. But without a word, he shoots Connor and watches as he turns back into the beast.

Side note: Do all werewolves turn back into wolves when they die, or is that just a purebred thing?

Brynn is devastated, and Nora has to hold her back in her agony. I suspect, she won’t take this well.

Aidan gives the body of the dead wolf to Atlee, and tells him to take credit for killing the murderer of Hegeman. But Aidan wants Boston to be left alone from now on.

What I Loved:

The story. These plots are incredible, and writer Céline Geiger does a good job keeping the action up, and the storyline moving. This episode had more than a few unexpected twists. I also loved the raccoon, though I’m not sure anyone knew how much that little guy would be talked about. The reaper story-line coming to a head was also nice. Its been quite a few episodes of what the hell is going on with Sally, and it was great to finally see that revealed. Also, Nora is back. Yay! I hate this whole back and forth thing they have going on with her character. Let’s keep her around or let her go. But make up your mind already! She’s easily the best supporting character of the series. I was also happy to see a few of the extra characters disappear. It was starting to be a lot to keep up with, and with Atlee and Connor gone, I’m hoping the show can return to the original core about three roommates.

What I Didn’t Like:

Why is everyone whining so much? Don’t get me wrong, I’m still fan of our characters, but in an attempt to push the show further into the realm of darkness, Sally and Josh (and Nora) come across too sullen. Take back the power! You are in charge of your own destiny. Even if you are dead, Sally. Aidan is excluded from this. “Dark Aidan” sort of rocks. I didn’t get to see enough of him this week. Despite the fact that I like the plot, I’m sort of tired of Josh and Aidan fighting. Aidan has a point. Josh promised he would help pull Aidan back from the darkness. Aidan did warn him, after all, of how deep he would have to get. But rather than help him out, Josh is cutting him down, and pushing him further into despair. Man up, Josh and help out your friend!

My Predictions:

Sally is going to reap the reaper. I would rather suggest another option. What if Sally becomes a reaper, and you are actually seeing her reap another spirit? I wish it were this one. I sort of love the reaper. He’s handsome and way into Sally. But it seems pretty clear that what we think is the reality. She’s gonna have to take him on.

Josh leaves Nora. How can he not after this? Love can only go so far, but she is turning her back on all of his beliefs. His sister tries to come through for him, and puts herself in more danger.

Aidan is trying to deal with the orphans while preventing needless death. I don’t see this going well for him, and I think we are going to see a war with the vampires.

Next Time:

Tune in next week to SyFy at 9/8c for the next episode, “I’ve Got You Under Your Skin,” and be sure to live tweet with the girls from @beingfans at 9:00 PST. I might even join in the live tweet this week If I am off work @SamanthaMason.

Check out this sneak peak for Monday!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfetAl7zP8E]

What are your thoughts? Agree, disagree? I’d love to hear it either way. Throw out your predictions as well.

Starring: Sam Witwer (Aidan), Meaghan Rath (Sally), Sam Huntington (Josh), Kristen Hager (Nora), Tracy Spiridakos (Brynn), Jon Cor (Connor), Olunike Adeliyi (Cecelia), Gianpaolo Venuta (Danny), Kyle Gatehouse (Atlee), Dusan Dukic (Reaper)
Writer: Celine Geiger, adapted for U.S. television by Jeremy Carver & Anna Fricke, created for U.K. television by Toby Whithouse
Director: Stefan Pleszczynski
Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 9 PM
Original Airdate: February 27, 2012

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Part Three: A New Beast Emerges

February 29th.

It is the rarest of days, and I have picked this magical day to finish my blog series on Being Human. I want to warn you, these blogs DO contain spoilers for season one of the British Version (in case you were thinking about checking it out…which you should) and spoilers of the American Version (but only if you have not seen the episodes yet. I promise, I have no insider knowledge).

That being said, if you missed the other blogs:

Part One: Confessions of a British Television Junkie: “Being Human”
Part Two: Similarities and Differences of Parallel Being Human Universes

How is it possible that a television show can consistently get better with ever single new episode?

It’s hard to imagine that any show, no matter how good, can maintain that kind of forward momentum. But season one of the U.S. Being Human managed to top itself every single week.

A confessed British television junkie, I was completely hooked. I’d abandoned the show’s British sister, and committed to the American show with open arms.

This is the best it can get, right?

Right?

Wrong. If I had been expecting the same greatness from season two, as I got in season one…I was sorely mistaken. Season two isn’t great.

It’s mind-blowing.

I’m not sure why I am so surprised. I mean, season one always managed to out due itself…but in television, season two is notoriously difficult. Call it the “sophomore slump” if you will. It’s always hard to maintain the success of a stellar opening season. And the expectations are always unrealistically high.

But Being Human seems to completely blow by the sophomore slump. Hell, it’s not even junior level. This is like a master’s level season and a lesson in what TV remakes should be.

I wanted the similarities in season one of the American version, versus the British version. I needed to know that the show I loved was still there somewhere, on some level. And when I found those similarities in episode two, I reveled in them. But the show’s brilliant creators also saw what I didn’t at the time.

People don’t want to watch the exact same TV show twice.

Sure, it might be fine for movies, with their two hour running times. People like to relive that magic film memory. But a TV show is weeks, months, and (hopefully) years.

So the US Being Human gave us the similarities, and blatantly, the differences.

I have already gone on for two posts about this, so I won’t again. Let me just say that I loved the similarities in the first season. It is what drove me through the series in under a month.

But I love season two for all the other reasons.

This is a new television show.

As a  matter of fact, very little remains of the British plot lines. And I’m thrilled.

Nora is the exact opposite of Nina. Though she is tortured, and you don’t really know why…yet. But she and Josh are so in love, which is sweet.

And Aidan is trying to save himself and rebuild…but he’s falling and I’m still not sure how he’s going to find his way out of this.

And Sally….she is trying to move on, and trying to enjoy the new world she’s forced to stay in…and she’s haunted.

And Josh is trying to find a cure…and he’s dealing with some pretty carnal pure-breds. Which is a great twist.

And its…perfect.

I can’t even say more.To try and describe every reason why I love season 2 up to this point, would be a serious injustice for the show. So I won’t. It’s way too much to try to catch up on.

This is my final blog on all the reasons I fell for Being Human. From now on, and hopefully starting tomorrow, I will be reviewing each episode…week by week.

How can I not? How can I resist the chance to write a weekly commentary on one of the most successful story and character driver plot lines I have ever seen.

And there are adorable spooky racoons. Which is a serious plus! :)

So, good bye for now…all of my Being Human Junkies. Until the first review on the most recent episode, “Ties that Blind,” I will bid you adieu…

Happy Leap Day!!!!!!

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Part Two: Similarities and Differences of Parallel Being Human Universes

Published on February 19, 2012, by in 2011, 2012, television, TV.

Did you miss part I? Check it out here!

***Spoiler Alert! If you have not seen season one of the British Being Human (Or the American Being Human for that matter) this post contains some spoilers.

I think one of the big contributing factors of my new found fandom of the American Being Human is the length of the season. And its funny, because at first, I disliked that the US version was a bit slower paced.

I mean, in the BBC version the show is just action packed and gripping from the very beginning, but working with a seven episode season, I guess it has to be. I never faulted the British version for that, but I have really grown to appreciate the slow build, the anticipation, and all the character development that can evolve from a longer season.

We got back story from everyone.

In the original version, it seemed like only Annie (played by Lenora Crichlow) had much of a character exploration…because uncovering the truth about her death was so vitally important.

But in the US version we get to see a slightly different reason why Sally (played by Meaghan Rath) was murdered, which was a nice surprise.

We learn very little about George (played by Russell Tovey) and his past life, but we learn a lot about Josh (played by Sam Huntington) and even get to see his family.

While Mitchell (played by Aidan TurnerPS can’t wait to see him in the new Hobbit Movies) is always somewhat of an enigma, we get to peak in the past of Aidan (Played by Sam Witwer) and really discover the depth of his affections for Rebecca (played by Sarah Allen).

And though the plot lines in season one mirrored those of the British versions, there were enough key differences to make you, the viewer, realize that you don’t really know anything.

Mitchell never killed the boy vampire, but instead chose to turn his mother as well. And Annie still died when her fiance accused her of infidelity, but this time because of a thong…but Sally’s beau was still angry and jealous but because she lost her engagement ring…and I loved the incorporation of that ring and making it important.

Where, Annie always wore hers.

And Josh…still awkward and adorable as ever…but again, new surprises. George morphed into his wolf and willingly killed Herrick (the British version of Bishop) but in the American version, of course, Aidan tricks Josh to save him the pain of murder.

So key differences that make the viewer realize they have no idea what is going to happen. It makes it exciting, and keeps you on your toes. I mean, no matter how much you love a show, do you really want the remake to be exactly the same?

So, when was the moment that I was hooked?

I’m gonna say it was somewhere in between episodes 4 and 5. Watching Josh try to ask out Nora (played by Kristen Hager) by “letting his wolf out” was so uncomfortable it somehow managed to be adorable.

And then Sally started to discover the truth about her death, and Aidian’s feelings for Rebecca intensified, and Bishop’s evil became addicting (Bishop is played by Mark PellegrinoAny Lost fans out there?)…and it just spiraled out of control.

I was watching 5 episodes at a time, tweeting (to Being Fans of course) and squealing about the joy of my new found fandom. And I thought I knew what was coming, but the shows producers added twists and turns and plot changes and new characters and romance and comedy!

Sally wasn’t solid as Annie had been, at least not to the guys and that introduced a whole new group of challenges…but then suddenly she was solid because she turned down her door…which at least made sense.

I couldn’t stop watching, and in a mere 5 days from the moment I began episode 2, I had finished an entire season.

I knew I was hooked. I knew I would now join the fandom and follow the show to the ends of the universe….but if I thought I couldn’t love the show more, I was wrong.

My love for the show was only scratching the surface.

To be continued…

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Confessions of a British Televsion Junkie: “Being Human”

I need to be honest about something really important. I just…don’t think its good to let things build up and fester. So I have to get this off my chest.

I love the BBC.

I’m sorry. I can’t help it. I do. :) I love all their shows both old and new. In just the past six months I have blown through every single episode of Dr. Who (well, the last three reincarnations anyway), all of Torchwood (though that does include America’s Miracle Day), Coupling, the Jekyll and Hyde miniseries, and both seasons of Steven Moffat’s Sherlock.

However, one of my first experiences with BBC television was with the show, Being Human.

It was a few years ago and I was lying in the living room of my old apartment. My roommate was out of town, and Mark was staying the night. I’m pretty sure it was Thanksgiving weekend, and while channel surfing we came across episode 2 of the series.

Without really caring that we had missed an episode, we jumped in and tore through the next 3 episodes that evening. It only took 1 or 2 more days to finish the season (British Season’s are way short) and we were hooked.

The problem? A few days after finishing that season, we discovered a new one wouldn’t come out for over a year.

We were devastated, of course. How could we live without a show that portrayed werewolves, ghosts and vampires? This was a problem.

But like all things, time healed the pain…and we actually forgot about the show. We never did go back and find season 2 when it aired, and the show had left my mind until last year, when I heard about the American remake.

I scoffed at it, of course. Americans always mess up remakes. And a series? No, that must be awful. I tend to be judgmental about things of which I know nothing. Its a flaw.

Fast forward to this year, about two weeks ago. The second season of the US version is well underway, my good friend Kristi is now running a Being Human fan site with her sister, and my boyfriend is hooked, swearing that especially season 2 is better than the British version.

What? No, surely not.

But the show is gaining serious chatter at this point, and I respect the opinions of both Mark and Kristi…so I give it a go.

I’m going to be honest about my feelings for episode one. It took me two days to get through the show. Sally’s personality was grating on me, and I couldn’t stop making comparisons to the BBC show. What bothered me the most?

Their names.

I respected and even appreciated that SyFy was trying to take the show in a new direction. But if you wanna be unique and different, why dress Sally in the exact same outfit as Annie?

I don’t know why it bothered me so much, but it did. Sally is dressed the same, but acts totally different. No similarities in personalities, while the guys at least share common traits. That sense of danger Aidan/Mitchell possess…and the adorable awkwardness of Josh/George. But there is Sally/Annie, looking all identical and being nothing alike.

I wasn’t super impressed with episode one, but I didn’t hate it. I even found a bit more humor in this version. It wasn’t quite as sulky as the Brit’s.

It took a few days, but I finally started episode 2…and really enjoyed it. Episode 2 of the US version is basically episode 1 of the BBC version, except you get to see a bit more back story on the characters, and I liked the addition of Josh’s sister.

Now I was intrigued. I was starting to understand why SyFy gave the characters new names. They wanted to change the show up, while paying homage to its predecessor. I was happy to finally find the similarities, which somehow made me more okay with the changes.

But I wasn’t hooked. Not yet…

To Be Continued…

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