Third-episode verdict: Being Human (US)

2nd February 2011 Rob Buckley Canadian TV, TV reviews, US TV 2 Comments
The CarusometerA Carusometer rating of 3

In the US: Mondays, 9/8c, SyFy
In Canada: Mondays, 10E/P, Space

So we’re three episodes into the Canadian/US version of Being Human and things have started to get quite a bit better. Episode one was largely a retread of the original UK pilot, but diluted, made more obvious and more cliched, with largely poorer acting. Episode two continued in the same vein, being a mix of pilot and the original first episode.

However, episode three saw a first blow for true originality in the show. While its b-plot was largely a retread of the "Mitchell invites everyone to meet the neighbours" episode, we got a new a-plot about an adult who had seen vampire Aidan kill his father when he was a child and is now a cop. Aidan, who is largely the focus of the show, then has to decide how to deal with the situation – does he sort it out himself or leave vampire boss Bishop to sort it out for him? Suffice it to say, there is an unhappy ending to this.

Where Being Human (US) differentiates itself here is by tapping into far more vampire lore than the British original. Unlike the British blood addicts, these vampires have super speed, super strength and they can influence people’s minds – even wiping their memories if necessary. Which does at least make the whole "being human" thing a little harder than "where am I going to get my blood fix today?"

Werewolf Josh also gets to man up in this episode, something I thought had gone missing from the pilot episode, and ghost Sally gets to have some fun with an 80s ghost (yes, another thread from the original). The actress who plays Sally is by far the weakest link here and it’s hard to actually like her character she’s so charisma-free.

The show suffers from a few other problems as well: Bishop (Mark Pellegrino)’s strange hair colour; a general blanding of things; and a lack of depth. However, provided Being Human (US) continues to plot its own path while steering away from the standard vampire cliches, it should actually prove a watchable series in its own right. It might never be as good as the original, but it’ll still be better than the average SyFy series.

Carusometer rating: 3
Rob’s prediction: Should run for at least a couple of seasons




  • Elias

    As a huge fan of the BBC version was a little worried the US version would muck things up and while there are certainly similarities in plot between the two shows I think the US version is coming into it’s own. The cliffhanger at the end of episode one was obviously the high-point of the first two episodes. As a DISH customer/employee I used their TV Everywhere app on my iphone today to catch up with this week’s episode and watched it on my phone on my lunch break. I thought it was great…the mullet-ghost, the insights into vampire lore (like why they can run around in full daylight and not burst into flame, for one). Can’t wait til next week!

  • stuart harrison-peters

    hm interesting review must admit as a an of the ORIGINAL show i cant wait to see the American version, you say that it draws more on vampire lore well im afraid apat from above human strength none of the other abilities appar in vampire lore the mesmerism of the vampire is mentioned in BRAM STOKERS : DRACULA but this is down to his own inate magnetism and charisma.
    universal studios with the epic DRACULA film starring Bela Lugosi amended the myths surrounding vampires,The fact that daylight kills vampires for instance, when he (Dracula) is seen quiet happily walking around London in the original book.
    BEING HUMAN has baically gone back to basics and other than the supernatural aspect kept it as close as possible and focussed on the acting, scripts and the dynamics bretween the core cast rather than special effects such as super speed, super strength, mind control perhaps this is why the character of “Sally” isnt working.
    in he Original version these three misfits find each other and help each other inspite of their differences and in the case of vampires and werewolves the hatred and animosity between the species.
    George is a pure out and out wimp but he faces his fear and defends his friends, Mitchell likewise is willing to sacrifice his life for his friends and Annie even turns down the chance of eternal peace to help Mitchell and Georgde and they in turn help her come to terms with her death.