being Human

[alinda]

Hey gang, I have discovered a new show ( new to me) and wanted to know what you all think of it, if youve seen it and for my english friends....how is it you never told me about this showI love it! to death! :lol:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/beinghuman/

[lophophoras]

The American version has been playing on the Scifi channel for about three weeks now. It is pretty good.

[alinda]

My charge nurse had only just told me there is an american version.....
but alas I am in love with the britsh humor you see...how or why we need an american one
will have to be explained, I think I usually always prefer an original to a copy.

[DoctorDodge]

Well, i've talked about it quite a bit Linda, and love the original to death, so I got apprehensive when, just a few weeks after an american version starts, someone starts a forum about BH! :lol: Glad to hear you love the UK version, though. That reminds me, i still haven't watched last week's ep yet! Need to sort that out asap!

[alinda]

Isnt the show fab? The priest who is out to rid the world from the pure evil that these 3 beings representis IMO the bigest monster

[DoctorDodge]

Ah yes. That's what i really love about the show: how it truly explores what being human and being a "monster" really is. I think one of my favourite episodes is in series 1 when Mitchell was mistaken for a peadophile, and was unsurprisingly attacked by the community for it along with George. It's a great episode that shows how ordinary, normally decent human beings can be turned into spiteful monsters not by vampires or werewolves but by the most basic human fears. The priest has his reasons for what he does beyond the usual "vampires and werewolves are evil to God", and i think that's great, since i think sometimes religion is all too easily attacked on its own these days in films and tv series, but yes, he certainly is one of the more horrific characters in the show, i think. I remember at the beginning of series 2 where he had a werewolf in a "decompression chamber"...ugh, the moment i heard those two words, i knew it was not going to be pretty!

Oh, and I also love the show for the fact that, instead of being angsty, tortured, whining little wimps, vampires in this show are full blown drug addicts and Mitchell's just trying to "kick the habit", essentially. The fact that all of this is balanced with some really great comedy makes this one of my favourite shows at the moment!

[alinda]

You have listed a few really epic shows....yesterday was a marathon bh day on satilite tv here, prior to the series
new show which I sadly fell asleep before it came on.

I agree on all your points however, those shows were awesome

[pathoftheturtle]

My charge nurse had only just told me there is an american version.....
but alas I am in love with the britsh humor you see...how or why we need an american one
will have to be explained, I think I usually always prefer an original to a copy.Yeah, it's daft -- most shows don't get remade because they're not good enough to bother. They only remake the ones that are too good to top. :wtf:

[alinda]

hahahaha:lol: precisely right my friend, and with this show...they certainly have that recipe correct (imo)

A couple of things... its over cool that the charactures both the vampyre& the werewolf work in a hospital...where else??:lol:
also, I have view the us version thanks to hulu and a found computer in my hospital with speakers, I still like the BBC show better.

[OchrisO]

I was pretty wary of the American version because I had already seen and loved the original, but I am actually enjoying the American version quite a bit.

[DoctorDodge]

Well that's good to know. I'm not keen on checking out the remake any time soon though, especially since the 3rd series of the original is currently being so brilliant. Tonight's episode in particular was fantastic! For one thing, he's back! Yay!

[Yaksha]

i have only seen about 3 episodes of the UK version but i have to admit it was pretty good. I have seen the US version and i like them both equally. But i am sort of inclined to the US version cause Sam witwer is one of my favorite actors

[Gris]

I never saw the UK version, but stopped watching the American version after 3 episodes. It just seemed extremely boring, and overall very whiny, to my wife and I.

Do you guys recommend the UK version?

[ICry4Oy]

I never saw the UK version, but stopped watching the American version after 3 episodes. It just seemed extremely boring, and overall very whiny, to my wife and I.

Do you guys recommend the UK version?

I'm lol'ing because that's exactly why I quit watching the UK version :lol:

[OchrisO]

I never saw the UK version, but stopped watching the American version after 3 episodes. It just seemed extremely boring, and overall very whiny, to my wife and I.

Do you guys recommend the UK version?

I don't really see either version that way, but i think that if you see the US version that way, it is likely that you will see the UK version that way as well. The werewolf in both is certainly whiny.

[mystima]

I don't seem to remember the 'werewolf' having family in the UK version...although i have seen a few of the UK versions via Netflix. I haven't seen all of the eps for the UK version...does he have a family that visits him or is that something the American version just threw in there?

[DoctorDodge]

He did have a family, but they weren't really shown in the UK version, at least not as far as i can remember. So it sounds like the US version is taking its own direction. Could be interesting, i 'spose. Although i still think "Aidan" is too obvious a name for a vampire to have. That's one thing i love about the UK version - yes, the vampire can appear badarse sometimes, but most of the time he aims to be ordinary and blend in, and that's more believeable with a surname like "Mitchell"! :lol:

[alinda]

I dont care....I'm just amazed that I found a TV show I love....This show is lmost as good as a book, and funny! :lol: whoot!

[Darkthoughts]

It's something I randomly catch an episode of and love, but never remember when it's on. I've pre-ordered the complete season 1-3 boxset from Amazon (UK version).

[Yeah Sure Whatever]

We saw the first episode (US version) and while it was interesting, I was instantly turned off by the vampire being up during the day. I think we'll give it a shot though for a few more episodes anyway!

[Brainslinger]

Well that's good to know. I'm not keen on checking out the remake any time soon though, especially since the 3rd series of the original is currently being so brilliant. Tonight's episode in particular was fantastic! For one thing, he's back! Yay!

When they showed the snow scene at the end of series 2 I groaned a bit inside. I'm not really a fan of bringing back people who have been killed off, especially when considering what a major event that was for George. However, the route they took was really interesting wasn't it? I still think he's a nasty manipulative piece of work underneath, but I think his amnesia is genuine.

As for George's family, apparently they turn up next episode (tomorrow).

As for the name of the American version of the vampire 'Aidan', that's actually the British actor's real name. It was a bit of a homage to him. I'm avoiding the US version. To be fair, it might be good, I just don't really see a need for it to be remade since we speak much the same language. (That goes for the other way round too, i.e. UK remakes of American shows.)

Sure there are some cultural references that might blow over each others heads, but I'm sure there's enough plot to get what's going on. I can follow most American shows just fine and it didn't take me long to work out the differences in terminology. And enjoying the variety for that matter.

[DoctorDodge]

We saw the first episode (US version) and while it was interesting, I was instantly turned off by the vampire being up during the day. I think we'll give it a shot though for a few more episodes anyway!

Well, it was something that was done for the UK version, although to be fair, vampires being killed by sunlight is a relatively recent addition to vampire mythology, at least as far as vampire legends go! It's a little change i can forgive, at least. Especially since they don't sparkle in the being human universe and in fact are blood addicted monsters like they should be! I recommend the UK version, since, let's be honest, the originals are usually the best!

And darnit, i should've remembered the British actor's name is Aidan Turner! (Although to be honest, i rarely notice the names of a lot of actors on my favourite shows, although Russell Tovey who plays werewolf George is rapidly becoming one of my favourite actors in British tv right now, not just in BH but also from what i've seen of Him & Her as well as his appearances in other shows, since he's usually decent in all of them.) Well, as nice a tribute as it makes, it's still a bit of an uncommon name to hear. I think it would've been a bit more faithful in spirit to have the vampire given a more ordinary name, but since i've still yet to see the remake, i can't truly judge it on how faithful it is just yet. I plan on checking it out, though. Maybe when the current UK series has finished. I doubt the remake will suck as much as the Life on Mars remake did!

[alinda]

I've just finished watching another brilliant episode, Mitchell has managed to bring Anne back from pergotoryto the land of the living where she just happens to be dead.:lol:

[DoctorDodge]

You forgot the most important thing, Linda.

He goes through all the effort of getting her out of purgatory, and where does he bring her?
Barry, Wales.

"I think i preferred purgatory!":lol:

[Brainslinger]

I just saw the latest UK episode, the one with George's parents.

Very amusing! And a nice twist later on.

I'm going to pop over and watch the web series Becoming Human (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/becominghuman/) in a bit.

[DoctorDodge]

Yeah, seeing the dad was really still alive was an excellent little twist. And Herrick remains as awesome and disturbing as ever!

Favourite quote of the episode, after that PE teacher prick sees both George Jr. and George Sr. come back from the dead in the same day: "Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding!" :lol:

[Brainslinger]

A Stephen King reference too!
"Isn't that the plot to Shawshanke Redemption?"

And Nina's comment to the Dad when he is rehearshing his speech for when he confronts his wife:
"That's a bit too rapey." (Or words to that effect.)

I know rape isn't funny but spoken in that context tickled me for some reason. And I love her delivery.

[DoctorDodge]

:lol: Yeah, Nina's line and delivery got a laugh out of me, too. Actually, that's another thing i love about this show: every character seems to get a classic moment of dialogue at some point.

[alinda]

Page two.....imagine that.:D

[fernandito]

Just a heads up, I'm moving this thread to Fedic Station :)

[alinda]

Fedic Station? Whats there? TV threads? awesome!

[Brainslinger]

I saw the last episode of Series 3 today. It felt a bit disjointed, but overall was very good. There's quite a change in store though that will divide viewers. Personally I thought it was a good brave way to go.


EDIT- Just to add, a fourth series has been commissioned. Many fans are split on this due to the big change evident in the last episode, but I'm very interested in the different focus this will make.

[Darkthoughts]

I saw the last episode of Series 3 today. It felt a bit disjointed, but overall was very good. There's quite a change in store though that will divide viewers. Personally I thought it was a good brave way to go.


EDIT- Just to add, a fourth series has been commissioned. Many fans are split on this due to the big change evident in the last episode, but I'm very interested in the different focus this will make.
Yes, I'm not so sure about series 4 - Nina is a very strong character and a good counter to George, but I just find her quite annoying sometimes, the stances she takes on alot of issues. But mainly because I think the character of George needed Mitchell's character and vice versa, to even each other out - plus I liked the dynamic of two guys and two girls.

Series 3 was my least favourite so far though. The dialogue remained funny and typically British and the protagonist/anatagonist plotlines were awesome - but what the hell was all the Annie and Mitchell bollocks about? That was so forced, and came from nowhere - I mean there they are, really great friends and all of a sudden he rescues her from purgatory and they start declaring their undying love for each other with no preamble. Plus Mitchell keeps saying how he's never been that way with anyone before like all the Josie stuff from series 1 and 2 never happened, and that Annie gives him a reason to try to be "pure", which is also ridiculous because up until that point he'd always said how George was the one to make him want to be a better person. I think the writers really failed with that aspect.

[mystima]

OK what the hell happened. i must have missed something...what happened to George and Mitchell? I guess i really need to catch up on this series...well ttfn.

[DoctorDodge]

I really haven't been watching the current series. At all. I know that, for Mitchell, he was killed off in the series 3 finale. But I am interested in what happened to George. I'll probably catch up soon, anyway.

[Yaksha]

Ah son of a bitch I totally forgot about Being Human. I have got to finish Series 3

[ICry4Oy]

We both managed to get a nice handfull of Sam Witwer yesterday. Super nice guy!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8383/8462237986_18703bee11.jpg

[DoctorDodge]

Heard it's the final season this year. I might get a complete series box set - be a nice, cost effective way of getting the first 2 seasons, which I really enjoyed. 3 wasn't quite so good, but it wasn't awful. No idea what season 4 was like, but I hope with series 5 it's ultimately a decent enough ending, at least.

[alkanto]

Yeah, I need to start watching series 4 of the UK show.

Has anyone here watched both the UK and the US versions? I tried to watch the first US ep, but it was so similar to the UK one - with just enough changes to make it a bit jarring - that I had no ambition to continue. Does it to that the rest of the show, or does the US one manage to separate itself enough to still be a good adaptation?