Posted on February 23, 2009 - by John

Being Human – Action At Last!

At last I think BBC3’s vampire/werewolf/ghost story is coming of age – and only in the penultimate episode too! The impending war of the vampires that was touted in the original pilot seems to be taking off, and the “taking sides” angle has borne fruit. The only issue left is whether or not this is going to turn into Angel…or something else.

I can’t see it going full scale sci-fi though. The slow burning pace has worked for most of the episodes and the title’s premise of exploring our characters ‘being human’, and even with the impending doom our three reluctant humans face, I doubt there will be any Buffy type action. Or even Twilight for that matter.

Being Human has been quirky and genuinely funny. Although slightly selective with Vampire mythologies, it still works quite well. Mitchell the vamp is a bit sensitive to daylight, but it does not seem to post much of a problem, and we don’t know about garlic or crosses either. However, a good old stake in the heart still does the trick, and it is only in the fifth episode that we see a vampire busy count begin.

The only downside to the series is that all three characters don’t seem to be that special – maybe I am missing the point somewhat but the werewolf transformations only occur every other episode, and poltergeist spookiness was a bit of a damp squib. So anyone looking for a British Buffy will be disappointed. That said ‘Being Human’ is far too intelligent with its drama and humour. It will be a shame when it finishes, but overall I have been really enjoying it. Let’s just hope that the final episode packs a bite.