TV Review: Syfy’s ‘Being Human’ Continues to Mark Its Own Territory

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CHICAGO – I was adamant that the Syfy Channel remaking the British version of the spectacular “Being Human” while the original was still playing on BBC America and being steadily released on Blu-ray and DVD was a very, very bad idea. I can admit when I was wrong. This show is an often-fascinating mirror image of the original, a program that takes plot points and ideas from its source but has also carved out its own identity. It’s the best show on the creatively struggling network by far and returns tonight, January 16th, 2012, with a strong season-two premiere for people who know and love the original and those who have never heard of it alike.

HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 4.0/5.0
Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

The second season of the U.S. version picks up with a number of the same plot points as the second season of the British version but tweaks them in ways that make them their own while also spinning a few completely fresh ideas. To be honest, it’s exactly what a show like this should be — taking what works about your source but recognizing that it would be creatively bankrupt to just do a straight remake and so making it your own. This show works as companion or stand-alone and that’s the definition of a good remake. This is quality entertainment.

Being Human
Being Human
Photo credit: Syfy

It helps the success of “Being Human” that the casting directors for the show found three more-than-capable leads to step into the key roles of vampire, werewolf, and ghost. Yes, if you’re completely unfamiliar, this is a show about supernatural beings trying to fit in on Earth. Aidan (Sam Witwer) is the broody bloodsucker. Josh (Sam Huntington) is the conflicted werewolf. Sally (Meaghan Rath) is the self-conscious ghost. They live together and try to support one another through their near-constant dilemmas like a strong desire to eat human flesh, uncontrollable urges during a full moon, and an inability to shuffle off this mortal coil.

Being Human
Being Human
Photo credit: Syfy

At the end of last season, Aidan’s vampire leader (and his maker) Bishop died, leaving a vacuum of leadership and drama for the young man who was now tasked with dealing with all the new vampires created by Bishop. What happens to them now? And who takes Bishop’s spot? The Vampire Queen known as Mother comes to town in the season premiere to answer these questions and the glimpses into vampiric bureaucracy are pretty entertaining. This is the kind of material that walks a fine line between being utterly ridiculous camp and actual drama. They don’t do it here quite as well as the power structure on “True Blood” (in which Evan Rachel Wood and Denis O’Hare stole numerous episodes) but there’s something about this arc and the way it’s handled that gives it weight. They take it just seriously enough to entertain without going over the top.

Meanwhile, Sally finds out her high school reunion is happening and decides to attend to hear all the nice things said about the poor murdered girl that no one really got to know. While there, she runs into the still-lingering ghost of a classmate who killed himself during high school and a more-popular girl who has died since. The three have an interesting, engaging dynamic that pushes forward the main arc of Sally — she missed her opportunity to go through her “door” and move on to the next phase of the afterlife — while also being enjoyable as a stand-alone story.

Finally, Josh has yet to realize that he scratched Nora (Kristen Hager) during the last full moon and is about to get a rude awakening. Nora prepares for what looks like inevitable and tries to offer support for Josh in preparation for the next full moon while also mentally coming to terms with the fact that she’s probably going to go through many of the same things he does.

“Being Human” is smart, funny, sexy, and incredibly well-paced. It’s what we want from more Syfy shows (and why it was their most successful winter season scripted series launch last year ever). Much like the original, the balance of tone is perfect. The writers know that this is a show about the impossible but they try to ground it in relatable issues. Many of us know what it’s like to be unpopular at high school, to hold a secret from a loved one, to be given responsibility we don’t really want — these are the problems of Sally, Josh, and Aidan this week, respectively. They may not be, but it’s fun to watch them try their best at “Being Human.” And no one’s more surprised than me.

“Being Human” stars Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, and Kristen Hager. It returns on Syfy on Monday, January 16th, 2012 at 8pm CST.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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