Aborted Reviews: 'Being Human': S1-3, 'Caprica': 1.14 - "Blowback", 'Dexter': S4 & 'Dollhouse': S2

I write a lot of stuff I never actually post here, usually because I proof-read and don't think it's good enough. It's true! I keep all my writing on a Word document that's currently 113 pages long, mostly consisting of hazy ideas for polls, talking points, random media-related articles, some research, etc.

Sometimes there are reviews (often of TV box-sets) that I struggle to find time to write from start to finish, so end up tinkering with them over a period of weeks, sometimes months -- mostly on afternoons when there are no reviews to write for shows I watched the evening before. Unfortunately, this means that these reviews can reach a moment in time where their "moment" has passed. Or, simply, I've become bored working on them, and they remain forever unfinished. Recently I've become frustrated with this fact, and increasingly aware that such reviews are destined to sit on my laptop forever, slowly turning into relics of my own mind. So, to hell with it, why not just publish what I have, in whatever state they're in?

And that's what we have here. A handful of TV reviews (mostly aborted or unfinished box-set appraisals) of Being Human, Dexter and Dollhouse, with a latter episode of Caprica thrown in for good measure. Obviously, these aren't finished (some are just "set up" really), but I think they're of sufficient quality to be posted. I hope. I don't think I'll ever find the time and proclivity to finish them, so hope you enjoy reading what I did manage to cobble together. Maybe this will embarrass me to finish what I started more often, or not start to begin with!

But that Firefly box-set review really IS coming. Honestly. Note its absence here. Trust me...

DVD Review: BEING HUMAN – Complete Series 1-3; kitchen sink supernaturalism

It's a peculiar premise that shouldn't work as well as it does: a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost share a house together. It's the kind of concept that could be taken in different directions, tonally, but Being Human goes for character-based drama with a gentle sitcom undertone, punctuated by moments of startling horror. It's a sweet confection that should delight most people drawn to Being Human, although the show's let down by several problems underpinning its mythology.

Mitchell (Aidan Turner) is a 115-year-old vampire who led a hedonistic lifestyle with his diminutive "recruiter" Herrick (Jason Watkins) over the 20th-century, before deciding to abstain from human blood, get an inconspicuous job as a hospital porter, and live with his werewolf friend George (Russell Tovey.) The two pals move into a pink semi-detached house in Bristol, later becoming aware they're sharing it with Annie (Lenora Crichlow), their landlord's dead fiancée, and a unique support group is formed as the trio attempt to "be human" without arousing suspicion from friends and neighbours.

The premise is actually quite flawed, as the idea of overcoming your nature to fit in with mankind only works in the case of a vampire going through withdrawal symptoms -- which act as a drug addiction allegory, natch. After all, George is perfectly human for 353 days of the year, while Annie has little choice but to accept she can't be seen by normal people to achieve "social acceptance". But still, the interaction of the three characters living under one roof is the focus of the series, and fortunately the actors have an engaging rapport. Mitchell is the mandatory brooder who struggles to turn his back on his debauched past, particularly with Herrick on every corner trying to coax him back into the fold; George is the intellectual, emotional, socially-awkward guy who's tormented by his werewolf curse; and Annie's the insecure, ditzy, and impulsive one trying to understand her situation as a spirit.

Series 1 deals with storylines that are most pertinent to the show's themes and intent, as each one neatly highlights the major issues and concerns the lead characters have. Mitchell exists in a state of constant temptation from the vampires beyond the sanctuary of his new abode; George starts having a relationship with a headstrong nurse called Nina (Sinead Keenan), while trying to keep her ignorant of his hairy affliction; and Annie starts to piece together the circumstances of her death and, after realizing her fiancé murderer her, decides to exact justice from beyond the grave so she can "move on" to the next life. Each storyline cuts to the core concerns of the characters and their struggles with their very natures, and it's a synergy that Being Human never quite manages to top in later years.

By Series 2, there's more confidence in Being Human's ability to deliver compelling drama and horror, so some of the humour takes a backseat. Instead, the mythology of the show widens to encompass the presence of an organization headed up by a Dr Jaggatt and a former-priest called Kemp (Donald Sumpter) who are aware "supernaturals" exist and intend to eradicate them. Added to that, Mitchell turns preacher in trying to get the city's vampires to join him in blood abstinence; George and Nina's relationship disintegrates in the wake of George passing on his lycanthropy to her (a thin AIDS allegory), which thus pushes George into a hasty rebound with a single mother; and Annie tries to find a purpose now that she's chosen to remain earthbound.

It's a strong series, but perhaps one that alienated fans who were attracted to Being Human because of its lead character's interactions and veins of comedy. The trio tend to get lost in their own situations too much, while there's a clear sense of desperation about how to deal with Annie (who's even given a corporeal body for awhile, almost out of desperation over the constraints of a character most people can't see.) But there's enough imagination and self-belief to keep you watching, together with some genuinely gripping sequences – like the moment when George loses track of time and starts to transform into a werewolf in the middle of a primary school. A genuinely tense and visually superb sequence of mounting horror and uncertainty.

Finally, Series 3 offers minor reinvention. Mitchell, George and Nina move to Barry Island in South Wales to escape the previous year's events and, after renting a former B&B called Honolulu Heights, Mitchell manages to rescue Annie from the purgatory she was banished to the year before. From there the show takes a more inward-looking approach to its drama -- as secrets, lies and lost memories play a part in tearing the four friends apart. Guest stars play a more active role than ever, often headlining largely standalone episodes that are scheduled to break up the year's deeper story. We meet a middle-aged vampire trapped in a teenager's body, a party girl turned into a zombie, George's milquetoast father, and new semi-regulars are introduced in haggard werewolf McNair (Robson Green) and his sheltered son Tom (Michael Socha), before the return of an amnesiac Herrick lends the whole series an unpredictable edge when he becomes their lodger in the attic.

DVD Review: DEXTER: Complete Series 4 (2009)

After the misfiring third season, Dexter needed to deliver a convincing comeback in its fourth year, and found the answer to its prayers in esteemed actor John Lithgow. The series went back to its roots of having Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) contend with another serial-killer on his patch; namely The Trinity Killer (Lithgow), a fiend who's escaped detection for three decades, but has returned to Miami to end his clandestine killing spree.

Retired FBI Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) has become a self-made Inspector Abberline to his very own Jack The Ripper, determined to catch Trinity while colleagues/friends treat his theories as bunkum. Meanwhile, new father Dexter struggles to find balance between his parental responsibilities and entrenched need to slaughter criminals. The twist to this particular tale is that Dexter comes to realize he has much to learn from Trinity; a wiser, more experienced killer, having apparently perfected the art of hiding in plain sight...

The common weakness of Dexter is that most subplots unrelated to its eponymous anti-hero play like dispensable off cuts from a formulaic cop show, and that continued to be the case here. Fortunately, season 4 finds a compelling way to involve Dexter in Trinity's life for an extensive period of time, and does a great job slowly unraveling the psychosis at the heart of season 4's villain. It has the backbone of an unraveling mystery, which takes the sting out of the more tedious subplots.

Lithgow uses his pallid features and piercing blue eyes to unnerving effect, acting a portent of what Dexter's life could become, yet he's still able to evoke sympathy when the root of his problem is eventually revealed. It's a performance that buoys the entire season, even when various leaks burst through the hull, bagging Lithgow a deserved Emmy award. More importantly, he provides Hall with someone of comparable skill to bounce off, and the season takes full advantage of these two heavyweights. A visual tableau at the tail-end of "Hello, Dexter Morgan" paints the two actors as boxers squaring up to each other in the ring. To continue the allegory: season 4 may have its weak rounds, but it ends with a chilling knockout punch.

TV Review: 'CAPRICA' 1.14 – "Blowback"

"Blowback" kicked off the final five episodes in glorious style, delivering panache and forward momentum with the key stories: Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) discovered the Guatrau have been smuggling some of his Cylons off-world to fight in the Tauron civil war, so persuaded its leader to stop this illegality with the promise of quicker results with his life-changing resurrection program "Grace"; Lacey (Magda Apanowicz) was sent to Gemenon aboard an STO vessel with other young recruits, only to find herself embroiled in a violent hijacking by a group of polytheists; police Captain Duram (Brian Markinson) was pressured by his boss Gara Singh (Peter Wingfield) into revealing who his informant is working undercover at Sister Clarice's (Polly Walker) abode; and Clarice herself finally got her hands on Zoe's infinity broach, which contains a backup of the martyr's avatar software, which she hopes will form the basis of an STO "afterlife".

For once, there wasn't a single storyline that bored me here, which was a huge relief after a mid-season run of duds, which felt responsible for Syfy yanking the show off-air and deciding to cancel it. Maybe they should have waited a few weeks? Everything was very neatly handled and very entertaining, with Lacey's storyline being particularly gripping as the poor girl was forced to fight for her life before the hijackers executed her fellow "heathens" and ejected their bodies out of an airlock. The twist that the entire situation was a staged test of loyalty managed to fool me, despite being a common trick, and I enjoyed the final moments when Lacey realized those who failed the test were blithely executed by an armed Cylon. The penny seemed to drop for Lacey that she's joined a religious cult that are actually as crazy as the fake polytheists.

Blu-ray Review: DOLLHOUSE - The Complete Second Season (2009)

Joss Whedon's Dollhouse was given a last-minute reprieve by Fox after its low-rated debut season in 2008, but after being transferred to the "graveyard slot" of Friday nights, the network announced its cancellation barely four episodes into its sophomore run. Fortunately, the axe fell early enough for Whedon's team to condense their potential five-year plan into the remaining half-dozen episodes. This resulted in a rip-roaring season that, while unsurprisingly hectic and devil may care in attitude, birthed so many interesting ideas and surprises that the loyal fan-base were given a satisfactory conclusion and several of the year's most exciting hours of sci-fi drama last year...

To recap the premise, Dollhouse concerns a secret organization that has pioneered mind-altering technology, enabling them to erase and implant memories into human brains. They currently use this technology to create "dolls"; willing volunteers who sign away periods of their life for financial recompense, allowing their bodies to become the shell for various personalities that a client demands. The dolls can become the world's greatest midwife, hiking companion, prostitute, soldier, secretary, pop star, or any other occupation desired. More controversially, dolls can be given the personality and memories of actual people, living or dead (provided they've had their minds copied and stored for future use). The very idea throws up an abundance of existential questions and ideas, most of which Dollhouse explores throughout its two seasons: from "sleepers" who don't even know they're dolls, sent out into the real world to keep tabs on people trying to expose the Dollhouse, to questions of mortality if one could continually inherit a host body and transfer your consciousness to a new one when age or health becomes an issue.

"Echo" (Eliza Dushku) is our heroine, a feisty volunteer for the program's Los Angeles facility, run by the authoritarian Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams), who has the unique ability to retain her memories of past experiences and personalities after the obligatory "treatment" (mind erasure) that followers every assignment. In season 2, Echo's ability will prove instrumental if they're to destroy the Dollhouse from the inside-out, with the help of Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett), a former FBI Agent who attempted to rescue Echo in season 1, but is now a double-agent working for the enemy, and Echo's former "handler" Boyd (Harry Lennix), a fatherly figure who's questioned the morality of the Dollhouse from the very start.

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'Being Human': Toby Whithouse on the show's future

Being Human's creator Toby Whithouse has been interviewed by Entertainment Weekly, in the wake of the show's third series finale airing on BBC America. Consequently: beware spoilers! It's an interesting discussion, focusing on the departure of Aidan Turner, but he also confirms the return of werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) next year, and the possibility of bringing old characters back (like Craig Roberts' Adam and Paul Rhys' Ivan.) However, it looks like anyone hoping for Mitchell to return in flashbacks are in for a disappointment...

To be honest, the first time I met Aidan. I knew he was somebody we’d only be borrowing from movie stardom. In the U.S. you’ll contract actors for seven seasons -- we don’t have the finances to do that. So every time we start a new series, we have to renegotiate with the actors and see whom we have left. Sure enough, Peter Jackson came along and saw Aidan and whisked him away to New Zealand. The thing is, I was kind of preparing myself for that on series 2 when I wrote the sequence where he kills all those people on the train. I always knew that would ultimately be the reason for the character’s exit, whether it happened at the end of series 3 or 33. Continue reading...

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'BECOMING HUMAN'; for whom the school bell tolls

Head over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed BBC3's BECOMING HUMAN, the 50-minute compilation of Being Human's online spin-off, starring Craig Roberts, Leila Mimmack & Josh Brown.

After the success of webseries Becoming Human (which attracted 1.5 million hits online), BBC3 were encouraged to stitch the eight episodes together into one 50-minute special that aired last night -- premiering the story's conclusion in the process. But I'm sure this was the Beeb's intention from the start, considering the production standards of the webisodes, and its clear intention to become a full-blooded TV spin-off to Being Human. Continue reading...

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'Being Human' back for series 4; 'Outcasts' gets cast out

There are no surprises here. If you were crazy enough to consider the BBC may axe Being Human, you were proven wrong today with confirmation an eight-part fourth series has been commissioned for transmission in 2012 (most likely January.) The third series finale attracted 1.05m viewers for BBC3 on Sunday evening.

Harry Lansdown, (Acting) BBC Three Controller:

"Being Human's brilliant mixture of fantasy and everyday life continues to provide must-see, ground-breaking drama for BBC Three, and I'm delighted to announce a fourth series for 2012."

Toby Whithouse, creator/writer:

"We were overwhelmed by the response to series three, and so we're absolutely thrilled that the BBC have given us this opportunity to continue our show into a fourth year.

"We've got another intense and epic story lined up for you, with some new faces and old, and even more horror and mayhem and mugs of tea. I can't wait to get started."

In a similarly predictable but far less positive light, the BBC have decided to axe their troubled sci-fi drama Outcasts. The eight-part series struggled in the ratings from the start, which led to it being moved to Sunday night from its primetime Monday slot. The last episode attracted 1.5m viewers last night, down from the premiere's already disappointing 4.8m. My post-mortem interview with Outcasts' creator Ben Richards can be read here.

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.8 - "The Wolf-Shaped Bullet"

The finer points of this finale were a cop-out, I can't deny it, and I'm sure that irritated many people. The situation with the stabbed Nina (Sinead Keenan) was resolved credibly but too easily; the compos mentis Herrick (Jason Watkins) met his sticky end (pun intended) prematurely; Lia's (Lacey Turner) "wolf-shaped bullet" prophecy was revealed as bunkum; and the Box Tunnel 20 investigation was contained and suppressed by vampire overlords "the Old Ones", led by new villain Edgar Wyndham (Lee Ingleby.) However, there was such a cocktail of emotion and well-calibrated performances that its disappointments didn't spoil the overall effect. It would be churlish to nitpick this finale, as there was a stream of wonderful moments that prevented "The Wolf-Shaped Bullet" from collapsing, together with a daring final scene you'll rarely see in other genre TV shows.

"Rule one of vampire club: do not get arrested." -- Herrick

It was inevitable that Herrick would spring Mitchell from jail, then destroy the evidence that he's a vampire before the discovery spread to the outside world. Less predictable was Herrick's intention to again try and turn Mitchell into his obedient lieutenant, as he was before blood abstinence and living as a human entered his lizard brain. Mitchell was thus thrown into the dog fighting cage, together with the captured George (Russell Tovey); there to be provoked into embracing his dark nature and kill his friend -- if only in self-defense, after Herrick told George that he's (probably) killed his pregnant girlfriend, and it's ultimately Mitchell's fault. Terrific work from Tovey in these scenes, who can always be relied on to deliver tragedy, despair, tears, anguish, and pained fury. But there was also a lovely explanation of why Herrick's been so determined to see Mitchell relapse to his darker days: he simply craves a kindred spirit to rule the world by his side. Or, as Mitchell put it so ironically, "you want to look in the mirror."

The Mitchell/George friendship has been the cornerstone of Being Human, so much of this finale's power came from watching it disintegrate. The pair have weathered so many storms as housemates, with their "buddy system" to live ordinary lives, but "The Wolf-Shaped Bullet" pushed their amity past breaking point. The reveal that George suspected Mitchell was the BT20 killer all along was good, as it meant George has been carrying a seed of hatred in his belly for months, unhealthily bottling the shock and loathing Nina felt when she learned the truth. It was easy to see why George would be tipped over the edge by the suggestion Nina's alleged death was Mitchell's fault, as through his own inactio he's complicit in Mitchell's crimes and its knock-on effects.

Another instigator of this mess was revealed to be dead Box Tunnel victim Lia, whom Annie (Lenora Crichlow) went to visit after she was summoned the Other Side by the reanimated corpse of a dead policeman at the hospital. Lia's been a sly puppetmaster all along; exacting her retribution on Mitchell by turning him into a paranoid wreck (her so-called prophecy of a wolf-shaped bullet was just a cruel mindgame), while utilizing Annie as a "weapon" -- ensuring Mitchell's downfall was twice as agonizing because it involved the loss of her love. While it initially felt like a huge disappointment that a key mystery of series 3 was founded on a silly lie, the story managed to course correct with a "self-fulfilling prophecy" angle, as Mitchell sealed his own fate...

But first, Mitchell had to take care of business: agreeing to become Herrick's comrade in his revived plan for world domination, only to stake his maker in the chest as they sat in a car watching the sun rise on their first new day together. It was an abrupt second death for Herrick -- particularly considering the time it's taken to bring him back, physically and mentally, and perhaps it was too easy a death. In this episode, Herrick was almost defeated by orphaned werewolf Tom (Michael Socha), out to avenge his father's murder, whereas last week Herrick managed to singlehandedly slaughter a squad of armed policemen ? Did the element of surprise help him in episode 7? Vampires aren't superhuman in this universe, remember, but the consistency of their abilities is very elastic. But more than that, Herrick was far too trusting of Mitchell. He wasn't suspicious that Mitchell drove him to a remote seaside spot, to talk ominously about their shared history? In many ways, he deserved to die for being such a dope.

As I said, many of the threads dangling from "Though The Heavens Fall" were resolved with minimal fuss, which was a pity. In a few instances, Being Human undid its own messiness in blunt ways, particularly with the BT20 investigation. That said, I was satisfied with the arrival of the ancient vampires (referred to as the "Old Ones", led by Edgar) to clear up the situation, mainly because their arrival had been foreshadowed all year. I can suspend my disbelief that the Old Ones have the necessary power and influence to shutdown a big police investigation and arrange a conspiracy to protect Mitchell by framing someone else.

Naturally, thoughts will be focused on the astonishingly tense and emotive final scene, with a repentant Mitchell returning to the B&B, asking George to fulfill Lia's phony prophecy by killing him with a stake to the heart, having come to terms with the fact he's beyond salvation and can't rise above his nature as a bloodthirsty killer. Cozy domesticity, playing house with a werewolf and ghost, just didn't work for vampire Mitchell. The show's called Being Human, but Mitchell only achieved that bliss very briefly, and has instead realized his best friend must end his life as both a punishment for his crimes and a means to give George closure on the matter.

George: What if you ran away to Scotland?
Mitchell: I'd kill people in Scotland.

The tension bled through the screen in this final scene; with everyone deliberating whether or not to give Mitchell the release he desires, or talk him out of it. Thanks to the inherent unpredictability of British drama (which isn't as hogtied by public opinion, ratings, contracts, and commercialism) the outcome really did hang in the balance. Even knowing Aidan Turner's started work on two major Hobbit movies in New Zealand. Would George go through with the deed? Would Mitchell be convinced to give himself another chance if George, Nina and Annie forgive him? Would something else happen to take the responsibility away from George? Toby Whithouse had enormous fun teasing us about how things would play out; letting us come nanoseconds away from one outcome before pulling back.

The surprise interruption by Edgar wasn't expected, and his arrival quickly setup series 4's agenda, by outlining the reasons the Old Ones will be keeping the B&B's residents alive and under scrutiny: Nina's baby will be the first ever child born a werewolf, and there's a feeling in vampire circles that Annie will grow more powerful than she realizes. The residents of Honolulu Heights are of great interest to the vampire leaders, it would seem. Mitchell's fate was then swerved towards becoming Edgar's allegiant assassin, only for George to deny his friend this ugly future by quickly, mercifully staking him. A kindness that briefly reignited their friendship, as Mitchell faded to ash before everyone's eyes. And then, finally, four became a traditional trio once again; Annie, George and Nina staring down Edgar with a call-to-arms: "I think you've got a fight on your hands."

Forgiving some issues with how the finale untied last week's knots, the performances were absolutely fantastic (particularly from Tovey and Turner) and the episode's two shocking deaths were heartfelt punches, delivered with precision. So what does the future hold for Being Human? Will the show embrace a "two werewolves, one ghost and a baby" setup? Is that too sitcom? Will Mitchell be replaced by another vampire, who also wants to abstain from human blood? Edgar is almost definitely the new Herrick, albeit with considerably more power and authority behind him, but is he too much to handle? It's only because the Old Ones are intrigued by George, Nina and Annie that they're even being allowed to even live, so what happens if the vampires lose interest? Being Human's a tricky show to tell True Blood-sized stories with, as it's fundamentally a character-driven piece with a humbler scope and scale. And while that's always been part of its beauty and charm (it feels more real when everything's taking place in a humdrum world), the show can't just coast by. It has to keep moving and evolving. I just wonder if it has anywhere left to go that's within its creative and financial grasp, or if Toby Whithouse should consider calling it a day soon.

In a few years, will Mitchell's death be seen as the moment Being Human ended, spiritually, or is there afterlife in the old werewolf yet? What do you think? Is this the beginning of the end, or a wonderful opportunity to transform and revitalize the show? And what did you think of Being Human's third series, as a whole?

Asides

• You may recognize Lee Ingleby from Mark Gatiss' spooky drama Crooked House, and he also played Sam Tyler's father in Life On Mars. Also, one of the Welsh policemen was played by Giles Thomas, who was the boyish lead in Dennis Potter's Lipstick On Your Collar miniseries from the early-'90s. (I guess I'm in the minority for caring about that.)
• Amusing to hear The Real Hustle mentioned for the first time this series, as it became something of a running joke how often Mitchell or George would name-check that BBC3 conman series. Or was I the only one who noticed that?
• A beautiful voiceover from Robson Green, reading Anthony Michael McNair's note to Tom about putting aside a desire for vengeance and live the normal life he was denied. The fact Tom didn't pay heed was perfect for his character, but I hope there's some resolution for Tom in series 4. Will he become a regular/recurring character next year, or has the McNairwolves storyline been told?
• Vampire lore: Edgar proved that ancient vampires don't need to ask permission to enter residences. They've found a way around that particular weakness, perhaps to aide the surprise interruption in this final scene. Will Toby Whithouse come to rue that decision in series 4?
• I'm slightly confused about Herrick's secret to surviving death as a vampire. It seems to boil down to the fact he wasn't staked, which is the only surefire way to kill a vampire. Okay, I can accept that. But there was clearly some kind of ritual being performed when we saw Cara and Daisy resurrect Herrick at the end of series 2, but that was never mentioned.

written by Toby Whithouse / directed by Daniel O'Hara / 13 March 2011 / BBC Three

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'Becoming Human' webseries comes to BBC3

I thought something like this would happen. The BBC have announced that the popular webseries Becoming Human will be shown on BBC3. The eight-part online drama will be edited together to form a 50-minute special, broadcast on 20 March @9pm. Becoming Human will thus air its online finale simultaneously with BBC3.

If you don't already know, Becoming Human continues the story of vampire Adam (Craig Robertson), who was introduced in Being Human's third series episode "Adam's Family", as he befriends werewolf Christa (Leila Mimmack) and ghost Matt (Josh Brown) to solve a mystery.

Since it debuted, Becoming Human has attracted an impressive 1.5m hits on the BBC's interactive "red button" service and online, and a BBC3 special will introduce it to even more people. I wouldn't mind this practice becoming typical for webseries, actually. I can never summon the enthusiasm to sit at my computer to watch a streamed 5-10 minute webisode, but I'd happily watch an assemblage on TV.

I heard good things about Becoming Human when it started, so I'll definitely be checking it out. I may even review it the next day. The premise sounds vaguely Muppet Babies-esque to me, but the idea of essentially recasting Being Human, shaking up the gender roles, and making them all teenagers is fairly appealing.

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.7 - "Though The Heavens Fall"

Creator Toby Whithouse returns to steer the ship towards port, as Being Human's third voyage draws to an end, with the excellent "Though The Heavens Fall". In retrospect, I like how series 3's mytharc-heavy episodes have been buffered by standalone stories, to give us a breather and time to assess the bigger picture, although I still think it was unwise to follow the premiere with two largely independent hours. That caused early shakes in my mind, but things have turned around since "The Pack". If you'd have told me in series 1 that Herrick (Jason Watkins) would be the catalyst for Being Human's best ever batch of episodes, I'd never have believed you.

This penultimate episode was a genuine sweet spot: a moment when there's been so much groundwork done that the story can capitalize with some huge developments, while never having to give us definitive, potentially disappointing answers and resolution. In this episode, the McNairwolves made a welcome return to the B&B, with McNair (Robson Green) needing Nina (Sinead Keenan) to tend to a leg wound before the Full Moon rises; Mitchell (Aidan Turner) began to lose patience with Herrick's inability to remember who or what he is; Annie (Lenora Crichlow) followed Nancy's (Erin Richards) investigation into the Box Tunnel 20 and came to the conclusion that Mitchell's been covering for his vampire friend Daisy, the real culprit; and Nina therefore started to doubt that Mitchell was responsible for the BT20 killings, if his incriminating scrapbook was merely a journal of his own private investigation.

There was a great deal to enjoy in how the storylines knitted together. A 20-year-old flashback revealed that McNair was once a human participant in a cage "dog fight" run by Herrick, who luckily survived a cage match but was scratched and developed lycanthropy himself, which led to the present-day situation with McNair noticing Herrick's scent from the attic and deciding to get overdue revenge by transforming and tearing him apart. Herrick's become so sympathetic this series that you can't help hoping he succeeds in rediscovering his humanity, which put us in the odd position of hoping McNair wasn't successful in his eliminating the threat Herrick poses. Kudos to Robson Green for his work this year, which has been a real highlight. The scene where the bare-chested McNair taunted Herrick with his necklace of extracted fangs (which also neatly revealed McNair has killed Mitchell's errant accomplice Daisy) dripped with tension, and his transformation scene worked well -- mainly because it focused on Herrick's petrified face, only occasionally cutting to the extending prosthetic makeup, and editing around the resulting shaggy dog suit.

Poor Annie's world was thrown into chaos as she vicariously discovered boyfriend Mitchell was responsible for the BT20 tragedy, but it was great to see her concoct a good explanation for why Mitchell owns a scrapbook about the massacre, which even managed to convince Nina. But the wheels of justice couldn't be stopped, as Nancy pried deeper; unconvinced by the existence of Daisy (a name traced back to a woman who died in WWII), and choosing not to take Nina's change of heart too seriously as the anonymous informant, because her intuition screamed that Mitchell is the sole perpetrator.

It was also great to see Mitchell properly explain his torturous dilemma to Annie: he so desperately wants to be punished for his heinous crime, but the judicial process will inexorably lead to the exposure of vampires (once the police realize he can't be seen in photographs.) From there, a collapse of society and religion would be the likely outcome, al because one officious detective was given a toehold on this case. Plus, the heartbreaking moment when you were reminded Annie's essentially lost her innocence, having been forced to kill someone; nicely played by Crichlow, whose quality wavers from scene to scene, but she tends to nail the important dramatic beats.

This episode really came alive in the last quarter, with some unexpected and thrilling curveballs that I hope the finale can bat out of the ballpark. The reveal that Nancy's boss Cooper (Justin Salinger) is a vampire was very nicely done, although you wonder why he didn't put an end to Nancy's investigation much sooner, and I enjoyed seeing Annie lend a ghostly hand in defeating him. It was particularly good fun watching Nancy return to the B&B with an armed team, arresting Mitchell and taking him for processing, only to make the mistake of going to see "Uncle Billy", unaware the taste of McNair's blood has restored his memory and turned him into a compos mentis Herrick. The episode wisely decided not to show Herrick's one-man attack on the cop squad, instead showing us the grisly aftermath of their broken bodies piled up in the front room, ready for Nina to discover when she returned home.

And what a perfect entrance for Herrick, having borrowed one of his victim's uniforms, assuming his identity so completely. After three few weeks spent watching Herrick as a bewildered, remorseful little man in striped pajamas, the difference in attitude and posture was brilliantly handled by Watkins (who has definitely benefitted from better material in series 3 than he ever had in series 1.) Seeing him clasp his hand over Nina's mouth, wondering if he should kill the only person who showed him kindness, just because he knows it would be the perfect way to avenge his death at the hand of George (Russell Tovey), was a truly chilling moment. A scene made all the more shocking when Herrick decided to show her mercy... for all of five seconds, before returning and stabbing her.

And Mitchell, dragged through a crowd of baying cops glad to have the infamous BT20 killer in custody, forced to have his photo taken. Such a seemingly innocuous moment, but charged with the power one photo can irrevocably change the world. That's not really very likely to happen, of course, so I assume Mitchell's going to discover a few more vampire associates are well placed to keep his cover. Ideally, the photographer.

It all set the stage extremely well for the finale. Will Nina survive? Her presence as a regular has, to some extent, upset the balance of the original trio's dynamic this year, so is she being written out now? If Nina does die, will her baby survive? It would seem a waste not to explore the idea of George as a werewolf daddy, and possibly a single parent? Will Tom (Michael Socha) assist George in going after Herrick to avenge McNair's death? Will the mentioned vampire "Old Ones" come to rescue Mitchell's rescue in jail? And who or what is the "werewolf-shaped bullet" Mitchell's been prophesized to die from soon, and can he avoid it? It certainly can't be McNair, so that only leaves George, Tom or maybe Nina.

Overall, "Though The Heavens Fall" was another really great episode of a series that, with a few caveats, has become my favourite in certain respects. It helps that we now know these characters very well after three years, which means the shocks hit you more forcefully. I just hope the finale can draw everything together as brilliantly as this episode blew everything apart.

Asides

• It seems that McNair's still treating his 19-year-old adopted son as a child, suggesting he go watch cartoons!
• Very funny moment with Nancy hurried away from Herrick's attic by Mitchell, oblivious to the fact he's suddenly sprouted fangs.
• I'll be in the minority, I'm sure, but I didn't like the use of The Propellerheads' "History Repeating" for the moment Herrick regained his memory after feeding. Bad choice of music because it was too upbeat. The use of Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" was better, for an earlier montage of the werewolves preparing for Full Moon, if a little too cutesy.
• Was the scene of Nina shaving Herrick a nod to Bram Stoker's "Dracula", reversing the classic scene where it's the Transylvanian Count who gives his human visitor Jonathan Harker a wet shave?
• Werewolf babies grow twice as fast in the womb! Nina's physically 16-weeks pregnant a few months after conception. If she survives Herrick's attack, she'll be giving birth in early series 4, surely. Or is there an emergency caesarian planned for episode 8?
• Idle thought: the situation with Mitchell can't ever be repeated on the Syfy remake, as vampires have reflections in that series. Considering how vampires are otherwise more supernatural in that show (with super-strength and speed) it's a little strange they ditched the classic lack of reflection.

written by Toby Whithouse / directed by Daniel O'Hara / 6 March 2011 / BBC Three

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.6 - "Daddy Ghoul"

A mixed bag this week, with another guest-star focused storyline, this time balanced with pertinent events back at the B&B. The latter was definitely the most engaging aspect of "Daddy Ghoul", although the former was decent filler because George's father was a more relevant character than vampire Adam and zombie Sasha from earlier this series.

After the cataclysmic events of "The Longest Day" there was a feeling of deflation with this episode, as the atmosphere returned to relative normality. Nina (Sinead Keenan) was still wary of Mitchell (Aidan Turner) now she thinks he's a sicko who keeps a scrapbook of death under the attic floorboards, but primarily she looked to be regretting ever having called the police with an anonymous tipoff about the Box Tunnel 20 massacre. The long arm of the law arrives in the form of DC Nancy Reid (Erin Richards), a beautiful blonde who attracted the furtive attention of Herrick (Jason Watkins) with her cut knee, as the amnesiac vampire is starting to suffer withdrawals. I guess I can accept that Nina has started to have second thoughts about bringing the police into the situation (if only because it may expose vampires to the world if they arrest Mitchell and interrogate him), but it still felt strange that headstrong Nina's shock and revulsion was diluted so quickly.

Elsewhere, it was frankly bizarre to see Annie (Lenora Crichlow) and Mitchell back on good terms, after their horrendous bust-up. You would hardly know a bad word was said between them from how they interacted here, which is perhaps a problem stemming from how UK dramas aren't written in teams. Did writer Lisa McGee get to read last week's script, or was she just briefed about the current state of things and someone forgot to mention Mitchell and Annie's explosive argument? Either way, creator Toby Whithouse could have smoothed the transition by rewriting dialogue to better reflect the repercussions of episode 5.

There was also some confusing series continuity, as a cold open flashback to Paris 1933 gave us a True Blood-esque scene between Herrick and Mitchell in an ornate hotel room containing a dead body and glasses full of siphoned blood. It was here that the debonair Herrick revealed to Mitchell that a vampire inherits the memories of their maker. An interesting piece of vampire lore, but we've seen Mitchell create progenies before now and I never got the impression they had inherited all his memories. To me, this felt like a retroactive way of explaining how Cara knew how to resurrect her maker Herrick. But did you ever get the impression dimwitted Cara had all of Herrick's memories and knowledge? Also, Mitchell himself was turned by Herrick during WWI, so if he was given all of Herrick's memories after becoming a vampire, why did he need to be told any of this? I'll leave that to the super-fans to debate or explain.

The situation at the B&B was suitably tense once Reid started sniffing around, especially when Annie turned Hopkirk to Reid's Randall and helped solve the mystery after realizing Lia (the girl she saw in purgatory) was one of the Box Tunnel 20. There was also some fantastically creepy sequences with Herrick throughout this hour, which are giving Watkins the best material he's had to work with that plays to his strengths. Here, he cut a peephole in the attic floor so he could salivate over Reid's fresh knee wound, before retrieving her bloodied bandages from a bin and sucking on them. But the pinnacle of the episode, for me, was the moment when "Uncle Billy" made himself known to Reid in the bathroom, and Herrick fought against his instinct to tighten his jaws around the policewoman's neck. Having him manage to pull himself back from the brink was unexpected, as was having him give Reid the incriminating scrapbook as evidence. Mitchell may have saved his skin by ensuring Reid didn't leave manage to steal his property without a warrant, later burning it in the garden, but there's no way Reid's going to let this matter lie. As a relative underling at CID, she knows solving this case will make her career.

The majority of the episode was spent elsewhere, after George discovered that his father, George Sands Snr (James Fleet), had died, and decided to attend his funeral. This was the first time we've seen anything of George's family, whom he ran away from after being turned into a werewolf (a decision that's never felt plausible to me), and the storyline here was engaging in the moment. I really liked how George caught his nervous dad's ghost watching how own funeral, and the two decided to reconnect in a nearby caravan, while trying to determine what George Snr needs to do in order to "crossover" to the other side. A kind of posthumous Bucket List that involved them watching Titanic.

I've always found James Fleet irritating, mainly because he plays the same fidgety, upper-middle class milquetoast role in everything he does, but that shtick was used well here. You could buy into George Snr as a spineless tool who let his marriage collapse when his wife Ruth (Marion Bailey) had an affair with bullying former PE teacher Marcus (Danny Webb) during salsa classes, and in death had to man up to win her back. Only, he wasn't really dead. In a beautiful subversion of the spectral cliché popularized by The Sixth Sense, George discovered that his dad unwittingly faked his own death when his shed burned down, toasting an unfortunate vagrant, and just decided to go with the flow when everyone assumed he'd died.

A marvelous idea, although the actual epiphany (with George catching his dad eating) was oddly flat - maybe because the rules about ghosts aren't so fixed in your head. George may have mentioned that ghosts can't eat, to help us out when the reveal came, but it still didn’t quite connect. It would have been better if George Snr was caught catching something thrown at him -- as new ghosts don't have that ability, right?

There was also a great moment when George summoned the courage to tell his parents he's a werewolf, which they didn't believe, but unburdening himself was enough. The moment was played like a "coming out" scene for a gay man (is that the core werewolf analogy in Being Human) which worked very well, and I had to wonder if George Snr spent this whole episode thinking George and Nina's "condition" is that they're both HIV positive.

Overall, I definitely rate this episode as an entertaining hour that ultimately served a purpose, even if the entire storyline with George's parents was just something to pass the time. I hope we'll see more of the Sands, despite the fact George now has less reason to be so tormented about his past. "Daddy Ghoul" was one of those episodes where the A-story was less compelling than the subplots, as everything going on at the B&B was effortlessly more exciting because it has more back-story and relevance to series 3's ongoing narrative. There were some frustrating slips and, for me, moments that didn’t quite make sense, but the situation with Mitchell and Herrick appears to be reaching a crescendo I'm keen to see.

Asides

• I didn't find Annie quoting Cheryl Cole lyrics to George in the kitchen very funny, mainly because the words to "Fight For This Love" have nothing to do with grieving a loved-one.
• There was a clear reference to The Shawshank Redemption with George and Nina's alibi about escaping from a cult by digging a tunnel hidden by a Raquel Welch poster, but was Herrick's attic peephole a nod to Shallow Grave?
• "I'm not very good with death", says Annie the ghost.
• "Daddy Ghoul" didn't really broach how death should mean something very different to Being Human's characters. They have empirical proof that there is an afterlife, so I thought the episode could have mentioned this when George read his dad's obituary. It would definitely change the way in which you mourn someone's passing, wouldn't it?
• So, uh, you don't want to tell your parents you're going to be a father yet, George? Again, did writer Lisa McGee know this was a storyline in-play?

written by Lisa McGee / directed by Philip John / 27 February 2011 / BBC Three/HD

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.5 - "The Longest Day"

Vampire boss Herrick (Jason Watkins) returned in surprising style, for a character-focused "bottle episode" (almost exclusively taking place in the B&B) that posed the moral question "can someone be forgiven for their sins, no matter how unforgivable?" It was an undeniably strong hour of straight drama, albeit one that I found rather shaky to begin with, partly because the comedy was played so broadly and, frankly, it took me awhile to warm to the concept.

George (Russell Tovey) discovered Herrick in the hospital psychiatric ward, bewildered and suffering from retrograde amnesia. Fearing he'll innocently expose the existence of vampires when the police realize they can't take his photograph, George helps Herrick escape by having Nina (Sinead Keenan) pretend he's her "Uncle Billy", although the notorious vampire's presence at the B&B doesn't go down well with his former protégé Mitchell (Aidan Turner), who doesn't believe Herrick's unwell and demands they stake him before it's too late. Shortly after, a psychiatric nurse called Wendy (Nicola Walker) arrived to inspect the B&B's suitability and ensure "Uncle Billy" is happy with his new living arrangements, prompting issues as the housemates struggled to put on a united, compassionate front.

Let's get my two biggest gripes out of the way first: I've never accepted Herrick as a strong villain and was glad he got torn to shreds by werewolf-George back in series 1. The idea to present an incongruous little man as the head of Bristol's vampires was good (he's a fanged Napoleon), but Watkins was often an embarrassment when required to drop the comedy and go for the pure horror (to wit; his laughable, snarling resurrection from death, reprised in this episode's opening.) For me, there was too much of a gulf between my reaction to Herrick and the characters here; as George, Mitchell and Annie (Lenora Crichlow) spent the first 20-minutes looking inordinately petrified that Herrick's back. I wish I could share in their horror, but I don't think Being Human ever made Herrick into enough of a nightmare for their response to feel justified.

Secondly, there are times when Being Human's comedy misfires; either because it's nowhere near as funny as it thinks it is, or gets played so broadly by the actors that it loses the sense of realism I like about the show. Sinead Keenan's particularly guilty of overacting the humorous moments (the elevator scene, the telephone threat to nurse Wendy) and Tovey is a repeat offender when it comes to hitting comedy with a wrecking ball when a tack hammer would suffice. Subtlety would be appreciated on a show with Being Human's modest backdrop and everyday sensibility, but the laughs can be rather overblown and silly.

However, those two issues aside, "The Longest Day" was otherwise a very strong episode once it found its rhythm. It may even have been a extraordinary episode, had it not suffered from the aforementioned irritations, and filled its hour better -- as I remain convinced Being Human would be improved immeasurably if the BBC slashed its runtime by 15-minutes. They may even be able to afford two more episodes with the accumulated saving, right?

What worked about "The Longest Day" was seeing Herrick given far more compelling treatment by writer Sarah Phelps (Spooks), with Jason Watkins doing a fine job with the new demands of this suddenly downtrodden character. Herrick was sympathetic and even likeable in his deranged state (kept in the attic to play with a train set like a child), but he managed to keep the uncertainties of his condition prominent in your mind. A lurking creepiness was never far away, so when he finally started picking on Annie behind everyone's back, it was a suitably spine-chilling moment ("...you're a bit peripheral, like a regimental mascot.") I don't understand why Herrick decided to drop his façade in that moment, as his plan was working so well. Or was it unintentional and just a sign the real Herrick's still around, trying to reassert himself? Either way, I can't deny Watkins was fantastic throughout this hour. I like what he brought to the table, even if I'm still unconvinced when he's operating as the fully-fanged Herrick.

Toby Whithouse has claimed in interviews that series 3's threat comes form within, and "The Longest Day" delivered our first real taste of what he meant. The gang's close-knit harmony was thrown into chaos by Herrick -- to such an extent that their friendships look close to irrevocable damage! Mitchell admitted to Annie that he doesn't really love her, he just loved being valued as her saviour; George came round to trusting Herrick and didn't want to start fatherhood with another murder on his conscience, later giving Mitchell an ultimatum (if he kills Herrick, their friendship is over); and Nina developed a curious maternal bond with Herrick.

The latter became especially strong when Herrick shared with Nina his discovery of the scrapbook Mitchell's been keeping under the attic floorboards, which catalogue his many misdemeanors. While the newspaper cuttings were actually compiled by Mitchell's obsessed fan, they upset Nina to such an extent she turned white and vomited in the hallway. Did nobody tell Nina about Mitchell's ugly past? It appears not. Or perhaps it's one thing to know about someone's unspecified transgressions, but quite another to see it laid out for you in tangible print. And Mitchell obviously decided to keep the scrapbook; maybe using its existence as a figurative rod to beat his own back with in penance, or perhaps he gets a sick pleasure from reliving his past through this volume of "trophies"?

"The Longest Day" really ratcheted up the drama and tension in interesting, unexpected ways. The return of Herrick-obsessed simpleton vampire Cara (Rebecca Cooper) was also appreciated, before she sadly decided to commit hari kari (hari cara?), Mitchell now believes Nina's the "werewolf-shaped bullet" that Lia prophesied will end his life soon, and it's clear that Mitchell wants to know how Herrick managed to resurrect himself if he's unable to avoid his fate. All juicy, exciting stuff for the remaining few episodes to tackle.

Overall, this was a great episode from a third series that wobbled for a few weeks after its premiere, but is now starting to deliver compelling drama and unpredictable storylines. There were some letdowns, a few moments where the performances became too OTT for my taste, and some strained comic asides (sandwich in a laptop?), but when "The Longest Day" was focusing on Herrick and everyone's reaction to their guest in the attic, this was a fine example of Being Human, and a terrific budget-saving exercise.

What did you make of this fifth episode?

written by Sarah Phelps / directed by Philip John / 20 February 2011 / BBC3/HD

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.4 - "The Pack"

After a few weeks focusing on largely self-contained stories, Being Human returned to elements introduced in the premiere "Lia", with an episode that brought certain elements of series 3 to an unanticipated close. In many ways "The Pack" was the conclusion of a volume, while allowing the show to continue some plot-strands into the second half.

This week, George (Russell Tovey) and Nina (Sinead Keenan) were in turmoil over the prospect of having a baby together, unsure if their child will be born a werewolf and, if so, survive transformations in its infancy. Luckily, they cross paths with Tom (Michael Socha), the athletic young werewolf George saw preparing for a transformation in the woods recently, whom it transpires is cosseted by his tetchy father McNair (Robson Green), and has been since he was a young boy "wolfing out" while locked in their blue campervan. The "McNairwolves" are an itinerant twosome, who initially offer little sympathy or assistance to George and Nina's concerns about werewolf pregnancy, and the reasoning was quite intriguing...

McNair has filled Tom's head with lies all his life; particularly concerning the existence of "the pack", which has become a fable McNair uses to keep his son's libido under control, which itself becomes a problem when Tom's attracted to she-wolf Nina and believes his promise of a family "pack" is about to be satisfied. And, of course, there was the later shock reveal that Tom wasn't born a werewolf (as he's been led to believe his entire life) but was actually the sole survivor of a werewolf attack on his parents by McNair. McNair chose to atone by raising Tom as his own; a shocking truth for his "son" to deal with, while also leaving Nina and George without proof that giving birth to a were-baby is possible.

Socha and Green were both great throughout this episode. The former quite heartbreaking because of his isolation from society, which has turned him into a man-child who's only recently started pushing the boundaries imposed by his father; while Green's clearly having a ball getting to access the scowling physicality of McNair, but balancing that rawness with his character's politeness around women and embarrassment when trying to explain the birds and the bees to his boy. It was particularly good fun seeing McNair interact with Mitchell (Aidan Turner), given his hatred of vampires, who he only sees as malicious creatures who enjoy the blood sport of "dog fighting" (a pastime Mitchell's aware of but believed faded into obscurity years ago.)

My first boyfriend took naked pictures of me while I was asleep and put them on the internet. My second boyfriend got drunk and asked my mum for a threesome. My third boyfriend pushed me down a flight of stairs and killed me. I think a vampire's pretty much marriage material. -- Annie

The significant subplot of "The Pack" concerned Annie (Lenora Crichlow) and Mitchell coming to realize the problems inherent with a vampire/ghost relationship, particularly in the bedroom department. I'm not really sure why Annie (who clearly has a physical presence) isn't able to, uh, stimulate Mitchell in the bedroom, but maybe I've forgotten something the show explained in passing? Can Annie touch people, it's just that they don't feel it? Whatever the reason, Annie became desperate to satisfy her man sexually (even trying awkward dirty talk), and that led to the solution of having Mitchell bring a random girl back home to sleep with, because Annie can apparently experience sensual pleasure via someone else's body. This all led to a discomforting threesome, with Mitchell ruining the moment when he became too excited, exposed his fangs ready to bite his bedfellow, and frightened the poor girl away.

I can understand what this storyline was aiming to achieve, but none of it made much sense to me. It wasn't just the illogic of Annie being unable to arouse someone, more the fact it felt extremely out of character for Annie to even contemplate a threesome (she already blushes over simple dirty talk!), and the weirdness of the whole situation just didn't work for me. Even if Annie could get sexual release as an emotional parasite of the girl shagging Mitchell, how does any of this help Mitchell bond more with Annie? For me, this subplot was amusing at times (loved the hallway moment when George realized a threesome was about to happen), but it was ultimately flawed and silly.

Still, whenever "The Pack" focused on the McNairwolves, it was an example of Being Human at its best. It's still a worry to me that most episodes of series 3 have focused on interlopers (vampire Adam, zombie Sasha, the McNairwolves), but maybe that's just unavoidable because the regulars don't offer the same riches as they once did. At least the idea of George and Nina becoming parents has some freshness to it, although I'm uncertain about a fourth series with a baby and all that entails. Yes, I can't see creator Toby Whithouse being unable to resist pursuing the idea of making George and Nina into parents.

It's also been interesting to see how episodes this year knit together, what with the unexpected return of vampire swingers Richard (Mark Lewis Jones) and Emma (Melanie Walters) from "Adam", who were tipped off about McNair's presence by Mitchell, but instead captured George, Nina and Tom for a three-way dog fight. The unfortunate error thus necessitating a truce between McNair and Mitchell, who break into the vampire enclave to rescue their friends before they transform into slobbering beasts and tear each other to shreds. A great moment of action, climaxing with a group werewolf transformation.

The biggest surprise of "The Pack" was watching it conclude with the McNairwolves leaving the B&B, to continue their wanderings. I expected those characters to be the backbone of series 3, but instead their story was told in what amounted to a non-consecutive two-parter? I suppose there's a chance they'll make a surprise return, which would be appreciated. It feels like there's unfinished business between McNair and Mitchell. But for now, it seems the remaining four episodes will switch focus to former vampire leader Herrick (Jason Watkins), who made his belated return in the denouement, seen being pushed in a wheelchair down a hospital corridor looking quite deranged.

What did you make of this episode?

Asides

• I approve of "Gina" as a great compound baby name for George and Nina's unborn baby, even if there are probably 'shippers who use that term when talking about George and Nina as a couple. Yuck.
• Herrick-watch, week 4: he's back! Unfortunately, he's an invalid, but I'm sure he'll get better soon. Will the story be that he's a reformed character? Or that he has amnesia?
• Do you have a new theory on the "werewolf-shaped bullet" prophecy that's haunting Mitchell? If the McNairwolves are out of the picture for good, that leaves only George and Nina as suspects. Or will a new character enter the picture soon? Or maybe the prophecy shouldn't be taken literally?

written by John Jackson / directed by Colin Teague / 13 February 2011 / BBC3/HD

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.3 - "Type 4"

Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are the three "types" of supernatural creature in Being Human's universe, but we're introduced to a unique fourth in the aptly named "Type 4": Sasha (Alexandra Roach), a Welsh zombie chav killed in a car accident who wakes up on the mortuary slab and, naturally, leaves to continue partying in town. Unfortunately, Sasha's decaying body and gashed face don't get her past fussy nightclub bouncers, and after picking a fight with ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow) in the street, who's wistfully soaking up the atmosphere of kebabs and vomit, decides to follow her home to the B&B...

There's undoubtedly a comical, smart premise behind "Type 4" that's perfect for Being Human's sensibilities. Its zombie was initially treated as a figure of irritation and disgust (echoing many people's feelings towards Sasha's social group), until Sasha's humanity started to overshadow her putrid appearance and we could see the sweet fun-loving girl underneath. A woman who only in half-death, robbed of her good looks, realized she'd wasted her life as the WAG of himbo rugby player Gethin (Jonny Owen).

Sadly, "Type 4" was ultimately one of those episodes where the potential wasn't quite realized, as it didn't really have enough weight and complexity to it. It felt like a mistake to reveal Sasha lived in opulence above her own attainment, as it gave us the feeling her life had been quite charmed and, frankly, enviable to many women from her background. Wouldn't the story have worked better if Sasha didn't live in an expensive house with a locally famous boyfriend? The lesson she learned as a zombie ultimately amounted to: you're ugly now, so attractive men in nightclubs will only dance with you to win a bet, your idiot boyfriend wants nothing to do with you, so it's best to embrace your postponed death. I can't help thinking the story needed a different approach to do justice to its intentions.

Elsewhere, Mitchell (Aidan Turner) realized Annie may have developed feelings for him, but was distracted by the appearance of schlubby vampire Graham (Tony Maudsley), an admirer of his who uses his knowledge of Mitchell's train massacre to blackmail himself into Mitchell's life as a new friend. The idea behind super-fan Graham, who even copied Mitchell's straggly hairstyle, was arguably more entertaining than the main storyline with Sasha, although it followed a more predictable path. But it's a shame it couldn't have been given more prominence, as it was rather amusing to see Mitchell struggle to get rid of Graham without his guilty secret coming to light. He basically had to accept someone as a fake-friend, or risk losing his real friends.

Finally, Nina (Sinead Keenan) revealed she's pregnant to George (Russell Tovey); or, rather, he discovered her pregnancy test kit and forced a confession before she had time to get an abortion behind his back! This wasn't a big surprise, as we knew George and Nina had sex while in wolf form during "Lia", but it throws up some interesting prospects for the series. Will their child be a werewolf from birth, cursed to undergo painful transformations as a baby? Will lycanthropy only materialize in adolescence? Or will their child be born unaffected and normal? It's basically an allegory for any number of hereditary diseases, but naturally your mind wanders to the allegory of a couple with HIV deciding to be parents. It's rich material for great drama yet to come, although lazily throwing in the idea Nina's actually more anxious about motherhood because she was abused by her own mother felt unnecessary, despite a good performance from Keenan during that scene.

Overall, "Type 4" contained some entertaining elements, but it somehow didn't amount to much. I didn't particularly like Alexandra Roach's performance as Sasha when she was in her more abrasive phase, which to some extent was intended, but I thought the character lacked the charisma required. And despite a fun subplot for Mitchell and an exciting development for George/Nina, it wasn't enough to overcome this episode's biggest problem: it was mostly filler, and the second episode that's chosen to focus on a different character than the four regulars. It's almost as if the writers don't have enough material for the main cast, so have to bring in guest stars like vampire Adam and zombie Sasha. Hopefully the remaining episodes will shift the spotlight back on the regulars (especially now that Annie and Mitchell have kissed) and next week's preview at least confirmed the tardy return of the McNairwolves.

Maybe the annoying thing about "Type 4" was its placement in series 3? A bit of silly fun with a zombie WAG might have made a nice breather in episode 4 or 5, but as the third episode it felt like it was impeding the juicier stories set in motion by the premiere.

What did you make of it?

Asides

• "We're a supernatural hostel now, are we? What next, a mummy?" Nina swiftly deflates the concerns of an audience that Being Human's about to wander into OTT True Blood territory of were-panthers, shape-shifters and witches.
• Graham mentioned staying in to watch the assault course gameshow Wipeout. Has that replaced The Real Hustle as the show's pop-culture favourite? If so, shame. That's not even a BBC3 show!
• Did anyone else think Mitchell dragging Graham out of the train carriage, assuring frightened passengers he's a ticket inspector dealing with a troublemaker was in homage to the "no ticket" gag from Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade? Or a plain steal?
• Okay medical nerds: would the pill have no effect on a wolf?
• I liked the idea that Sasha was only created because her soul couldn't pass through to the afterlife because of Mitchell's rescue mission there. The Door was in use, so she couldn't pass through. That doesn't make much sense, and surely there would be thousands of zombies around the world, but it neatly stopped the existence of zombies becoming am everyday issue.
• Herrick-watch, week 3: still no sign.

written by Jamie Mathieson / directed by Philip John / 6 February 2011 / BBC3/HD

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.2 - "Adam's Family"

As a comedy-drama, I prefer it when Being Human's tackling serious subjects and significant situations with humour as a pressure release valve, as it did last week. "Adam's Family" was ostensibly an example of the show doing exactly that, but I thought its black comedy suffocated the sincerity and, frankly, Brian Dooley's script wasn't funny or dramatic enough for me to care. In some instances, it was also too self-consciously silly for my taste.

Adam (Craig Roberts) is a 46-year-old vampire trapped in the body of a teenage boy, since at least 1985, when his sympathetic mum and dad started to quench his rapacious thirst by offering him their own blood. It was an arrangement that has led to his parent's premature deaths, and Adam being mollycoddled into arrested development. Having spent the past few decades literally suckling his parents "milk", Adam's suddenly forced to cope with the realities of his vampire independence, after he's taken under the wing of George (Russell Tovey) and Nina (Sinead Keenan), to the dismay of Mitchell (Aidan Turner), who doesn't want a voracious young vampire as a lodger now he's resumed his blood abstinence.

Meanwhile, Annie (Lenora Crichlow) was so grateful to have been liberated from Purgatory by the selfless Mitchell that she decided to become his "guardian angel" and help him get a job at a local hospital. And later, Mitchell was approached by a representative of the vampire "Old Ones", affable Richard Hargreaves (Mark Lewis Jones), who want him to leave for South America to escape the police investigation into the "Box Tunnel 20" train massacre.

There was undoubtedly a strong idea beating at the heart of this episode, concerning parental responsibilities. The four regular characters offer us different perspectives on life with a supernatural condition, but Adam's arrival offered something relatively fresh; a smart aleck adolescent unafraid to make lewd or disparaging remarks. Unfortunately, while it was a fun idea to see everyone cope with morose Adam and his petulant quips, he lost his edge when he was palmed off to Mr Hargreaves and his wife Emma (Melanie Walters), who were soon revealed to be bourgeoisie vampires who siphon blood from a willing "gimp" (Morgan James) they keep locked in their basement, and host depraved parties with their fanged friends. Adam quickly shrunk into the background once the oddball Hargreaves's stole the plot, in a storyline that wound up feeling like a feeble League Of Gentlemen sketch.

My issues with Annie reared their head again, as I find Lenora Crichlow's lively performance often becomes irritating, particularly when she ruined Mitchell's job interview with hospital administrator Nita Mawulawde (Anita Reynolds) by accidentally making him appear to be insane. A scene ripped straight out of the Ghost Comedy Writing handbook that fell flat because it wasn't inventive with the clichéd "man talking to a ghost looks crazy to normal people" idea. Crichlow's far better when she's given serious moments to bite into (like her lovely scene with Mitchell on the pier), as broad comedy just feels forced with her.

On the plus side, partnering Annie with Mitchell and teasing us with the potential of a romance might help keep Annie more interesting than usual, as ghosts are so difficult to write (even with the irritating fact Annie can touch people and objects, which surely makes her more Invisible Woman than spirit.) The downside is that we'll maybe see less of Mitchell and George as buddies, and their close friendship is a big part of the reason Being Human works. In bringing Nina into their social circle, she seems to have become glued to George's hip and, while Tovey and Keenan are funny together (remember last week's prison break?), a part of me pines for the classic trio with Nina as a semi-regular. Obviously, TV shows evolve and we should be glad Being Human isn't lazily resetting things every year (as the Syfy remake is more liable to), so I'll reserve final judgement on the wisdom of splitting the characters into Mitchell/Annie and George/Nina double-acts, for now.

Craig Roberts (Young Dracula) left a good impression as Adam, despite being lumbered with awkward sexual dialogue even The Office's Gareth Keenan would be too embarrassed to say aloud, but it was a shame his character was overwhelmed by the Hargreaves's when the story shifted focus. The whole situation with George and Nina leaving Adam in the care of the Hargreaves' wasn't believable, either, which the script essentially admitted and tried to turn into a joke when they had seconds thoughts about their decision immediately after returning home.

Overall, I predict I'll be in the minority over this episode, if the Twitter reaction is anything to go by, but "Adam's Family" just didn't work for me. It was two half-decent ideas welded together, each one sucking the life from the other. I'd have preferred to see more focus on Adam as a problem child for the characters to contend with, which was working well until the Hargreaves and their hackneyed sex party took over.

Asides

• Knowing that Aidan Turner's joined Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, there's a distinct possibility he'll be written out of Being Human soon. Three years is a fairly long time for an actor to remain in a role that, frankly, doesn't seem to be offering much new for him. We're being teased that Mitchell's destined to die from a "wolf-shaped bullet" this year, so who else thinks Mitchell's a goner?
• You may not have known this, but "Adam's Family" also works as setup to the online webseries Becoming Human, which follows Adam's life.
• Week two and there's still no sign of the resurrected Herrick. Or the "McNairwolves", which was more of a shame. I've copyrighted the term "McNairwolves", by the way.

WRITER: Brian Dooley
DIRECTOR: Colin Teague
TRANSMISSION: 30 January 2011, BBC3/HD, 9PM

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Poll Result: What did you think of 'Being Human' USA?

Last week, following the debut of Syfy's Being Human remake, I asked you what you thought of the Americanized version. The results weren't very surprising, but here they are nonetheless:

35.7% - I had mixed feelings
28.5% - It was very good
17.8% - I thought it was quite poor
10.7% - It was absolutely terrible!
7.14% - It was excellent!

So, a mixed to good response. A vote for extreme love or hatred were the least popular, so Being Human USA has essentially intrigued people and wasn't a total failure from the start. Let's see how it matures.

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'BEING HUMAN' 3.1 - "Lia"

Enter Purgatory and open the door marked Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the series 3 premiere of BBC3's supernatural drama BEING HUMAN, brought to you by the makers of werewolf-fighting cages:

Series 3 of Being Human has a tough job on its hands. Can its high-concept premise of a cohabiting vampire, werewolf and ghost continue to hold audience's attention, now the novelty's worn off and there's a US version snapping at its heels? If the first series was skewed towards black comedy, and the second took things into more dramatic territory, will series 3 find a happy medium? On the evidence of "Lia", I certainly got the impression creator Toby Whithouse aims to blend the successes of previous years, as there was plenty of domestic/relationship humour, off-set with some mythology-building. Continue reading...

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