Being Human

[ivyfic]

In my overheated, internet-ish apartment last night, I was watching Being Human (UK). I'd been putting this off for a while, despite the Netflix discs sitting on my table. I watched the unaired pilot before the show came out and really liked it. I watched it a few times, in fact, since there was such a lag between it and the series being greenlit. Then I watched the actual pilot and was appalled--the recast everyone except Russell Tovey, and I was not a fan. But, I figured, I should give it a shot. So I watched the second episode and really hated it.

Now I'm trying once more to watch it. Since it's been a few years, I rewatched the first two eps, and the second episode really encapsulated what I don't like about the show. It was one exact moment: when George returns to the abandoned shed where he is going to transform and Tulley, his sire, is there, noose around neck, standing on a chair, just waiting for him to show up before he kicks the chair out. That moment. Because that is ludicrous. He could have been predictably just waiting for George. He could have hanged himself knowing George would find him. No. It's the ridiculousness of standing on a chair and waiting for him to show up before hanging himself. I get that the writers are trying to create a dilemma for George--save him or let inaction kill him--but there are more organic ways to do it than that. I mean, this just leaves you with a picture of Tully standing on that chair for hours until George shows up.

It's not just angst, it's thirteen-year-old emo angst. It's angst set to Torchwood (which, as we all know, is waaaay past eleven).

There's also the fact that Tovey only has one setting for anxiety, and that is all out, shrieky voiced panic. So every time his character is faced with a stressor, it's the same thing. And I know he's meant to be a woobie but...he's not. We're meant to see him as vulnerable because he's so insecure and impressionable. But you know what a guy who does whatever's he's told to to fit in is? An asshole. And George is an asshole.

I'm going to give it a few more eps to see if any of the subplots get interesting, but I think I'm sticking with my initial assessment.

Comments

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

They're all assholes. Uh, spoilers, I guess.

The thing is, in the UK version, I can put up with parts of it for a lot while longer. Russell Tovey is a panicky ninny in an entertaining way (most of the time). Whereas his American counterpart is just a jerk or a wuss. That makes his being an asshole (because they hit a lot of the same plot points) ever more obvious. Which has, in turn, soured me on the UK version a lot.

I liked Being Human, the UK version, through about season two. There was enough to interest me despite my deep and abiding dislike of certain developments and character moments. Third season, though, eeeeeugh.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

So far, it's riding along in my head as "better than Hex." Barely.

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, that bar is set REALLY low. Says the girl who's really been considering doing a Hex rewatch. Because I don't know why, but it's been on my mind.

[mithras03.livejournal.com]

OMG IF YOU DO I MUST BE THERE. AHAHAHAHAHA.

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

While I agree about George, and about preferring the original Mitchell, I quite like the show. And especially the most recent season (season four). I could tell you why I preferred this season, but that would be very spoiler-ish. Suffice to say, there are some new characters in the mix. :)

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't care about spoilers. I'm not going to stick with it through four series, and I already know they changed the entire cast. I only really care about the mystery of the ghost's death. Everything else? Feh.

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

But there may be others reading the comments who are watching, and I don't want to spoil it for them, either.

But yes, new cast members. Less whingeing. More humor.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I think I said this to you already, but you know what really grated on me was the inconsistent characterization (way worse in the US version, too) and the fact that there are some things where, despite so-and-so saying this is the line and no further!, lines are crossed and everybody just shrugs. Graaaaahhhhh.

[natashasolten.livejournal.com]

There is a lot of character inconsistency on this show but I thought emotionally it was quite well done. There were some awesome episodes that wrung me dry. I fell for Mitchell completely. To me the emotions are very deep and I actually prefer overwrought British shows quite often to cold, silver American ones if the Brits manage to keep playing it straight and don't get too silly (thinking of some Dr. Who I recently tried out...sigh.) I thought this show did some daring things and went out on a lot of limbs. When I was finished watching straight through the available dvds (which includes all but the current new series) I was a bit awe-struck actually. I have never seen the American version (so far.)