Being Human Marathon

So, when I watch shows I watch either the episodes as they air, or if I'm getting into a new show I watch the whole series from the start in big marathons. When I started this blog I wanted to reflect that, so sometimes I'll be talking about one episode, sometimes I'll be talking about a show I'm really into.

This weekend me and my girlfriend (who also blogs) got massively into BBC3s 'Being Human'. I'd read a review saying that the show 'should not be this good', and I'm always on the lookout for quality English shows. I'd told my girlfriend the little I knew - it was about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost, living together and trying to live a normal life. If you say it like that it seems kind of lame, but there are loads of shows where the writing and characters outweigh a cheesy premise. I always felt kind of ashamed when I was younger and people said 'So, whats Buffy the Vampire Slayer about?'... actually the name said it all on that one, but you know what I mean. Also there were some seriously lame episodes of Buffy, so if someone said 'whats this one about?' I'd be forced to say 'erm... theres a demon... in the Internet...'

SO, I was a little surprised when Katy agreed to watch the show, and when she said 'oh god is this about vampires?' in the middle of the first episode, I thought I'd lost her. NOT SO. We were hooked by the end of the first hour episode.

The show just works, every step of the way. You believe the characters, you believe they're supernatural, you believe they're having problems. I think part of what makes it so real is some of the problems they have are so mundane they rarely get a mention on TV. Things like 'who's gonna do the washing up?' and 'I have to eat that steak 'cause it goes off tomorrow'. Also the casting and acting is so bloody brilliant, the sets are so real and gritty... theres no 'glossy tv' feel to the show. Also, I think the English, as a people, understand that truly scary people don't look scary, they look normal... but they're evil as fuck. The bad guy in the first season shows this perfectly. Herrick, season one's 'big bad' looked like just a bloke, but he was so god damn evil. When he spoke it gave you shivers.

The story's great as well, theres some twists and turns and some things you never see coming, its funny and it makes you think. Some of the time you're not sure if our heroes are good or evil, they work in a moral gray area and they feel the weight of their decisions when they've had to choose the lesser off two evils.

Also, I just love their house- its open plan and retro and awesome. I want to live in that house.

I can't really say enough brilliant stuff about this show, catch up anyway you can then you can watch season three on Sunday nights BBC3. If fact, buy them on Amazon now: Being Human: Season 1 and Being Human: Season Two.

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