User reviews

Excellent off-beat drama about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who share a flat in suburban Bristol. The script was intelligent, with thoughtful but compelling story lines that did not treat the audience like complete idiots, was perfectly paced and matched to the main characters. The entire cast was excellent, with quality supporting performances as to be expected from Adrian Lester, Natalie Armin & others. The audience response was so good, it has now been remade by the BBC as a full series. As a whole, this was a perfect short film that deserved a lot more recognition. Sadly only one of the original main actors makes it into the remake, but hopefully the BBC won't screw up by trying to overplay their hand. If the rest of the production crew and cast have been retained this could be another classic in the making.

Drama, mystery, self discovery, angst and "desperation for relief" comedy is spattered through out this well written and acted show. In 2 very short runs (16 in all?)I care more for these unlikely group of supernatural misfits than all the seasons of "Friends". Annie, Mitchell, George, and Nina sit on the fence between worlds, running from what they are and leaving claw marks in their past. The third set of shows have just started and I can't wait to see my friends again. I think it is best to watch the show, if you can, as they aired on BBC. When the shows makes the crossing on the pond some of the grittiness gets watered down. On a personal note, if you have watched the SyFy version, it pales by comparison.

Intelligent script great acting from the three leads and a menacing performance from Eric the chief vampire. You really should give this series a go I missed the pilot so episode 1 was my first taste of this it was a slow start but interesting and has got better and better each week. I have found no-one at work who has seen this and whenever you try to tell them about it you find yourself saying " Well its about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost who live together " you find them looking at you as if your mad or thinking you have discovered Rentaghost ( 70's BBC Kids series ). But the point is it is so much more than the thread of its story it deals with friendship,love,isolation and many other human emotions and it is very funny at times. Give it a go this series is original and you don't get that too often these days do you ........ Life On Mars was the last time that happened

When I first saw the pilot episode, I had several problems with it, all of which were fixed in episode one. It's my first foray into British television and I'll admit I'm confused by "remakes" and other such terms, but whatever; I don't care what they're doing as long as they keep this show on the air. It's smart, witty, funny, interesting, and manages to avoid being a tired rehash of the same monster mythology running around the entertainment industry. Lenora Crichlow is a greatly improved version of Annie, and something about her performance makes it far easier to find the character likable. Aidan Turner is an even better Mitchell than Guy, and thankfully Russell Tovey is still around; he's absolutely perfect as George. I haven't been so excited about a new show in years, and I love the way they blend the dramatic, the humorous, the mystical and the mundane. This show takes all the appeal of myth and legend and flawlessly applies it to modern life, allowing us to connect to the characters on a human level while still giving us a well-done version of the occult. No other show on the air today delivers so many forms of entertainment at once.

"A ghost, a vampire and a werewolf walk into a..." Okay, I'm sure you've heard it a hundred times and it sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke but it really is the beginning to some of the best spec-fic TV you'll probably ever see. George the werewolf, Annie the ghost and Mitchell the vampire are roommates in an apartment in Bristol where they try to live a "normal" life. But they find that life after life is complex and unforgiving. And the "normal" people can be as frightening as the monsters. Dealt with allegorically in the show are addictions, clinical behavioral problems and mental illness to name a few. Well-rounded characters and oddly familiar situations tinged with the supernatural keep us eager to walk the road with the series' three protagonists. Be advised...this is not Twilight. This is grown-up TV with all the blood, sex and blue language that keeps it interesting for the post-pubescent set. The writing and acting are top-notch and each ensuing episode makes you ravenous for the next. Season II can't come soon enough.

A werewolf and a vampire, co-workers at a hospital, happen to also be roommates in a house that is haunted by a ghost that only they can see. It's a lot like Three's Company if it was written by Anne Rice.

The first ~dozen episodes are great. You'll sit there watching, trying to figure out where exactly this is all going while very entertained. The story dives into the immortal vampire's past, the newbie werewolf's future and the mystery behind why the ghost is dead and haunting their house. Eventually, like all character-based tv shows, the characters get stale and the plot needs to be changed in order to keep the audience. Just as the writers get back on track, The Hobbit trilogy happens and Aidan (the vampire) leaves the show... because yeah, Peter Jackson and the Hobbit!

With the trio broken up, they reboot the entire cast and you sit there, disappointed but still watching because you need to know how it all ends.

When you finish watching the series (and you will) you will probably come to the conclusion that the second story with the second trio was far better than the first and it was a shame that the writers had to spend so much time easing the audience into the drastic changes before moving ahead. What started out as a quirky little horror-drama turned into a cohesive final 10 or so episodes.

This was a great show under poor circumstances.

And now is the time to warn you against the American version of the show with the same name. Almost 100% of the time, when there is an American adaptation of a UK franchise, it's terrible. That's all I have to say about that.

I expected to hate this, yet it turns out I loved it. Great first series. Can't wait for the next one. The characters were interesting and funny, and dare I say it, you actually begin to care about them, (which is the cornerstone of any good drama). This took a tired genre and gave it a breath of new (after)life. The backdrop is very ordinary and mundane, and the characters are self-loathing. It gave it a different, quirky angle which hasn't really been explored before. I really hope the BBC have the next series lined up and ready to film. UK series are always woefully small. You just got me interested, and now I've got to wait for the next episode. Best character by far is George the dorky werewolf, who I suspect has unwittingly shacked up with a she-wolf. Mitchell is good as an on-the-wagon blood junkie. The bad guys were all nasty and loathsome, which was great. The first episode was slow, but stick with it!

I am very pleased with Being Human.

I believe that the US have lost sight of what's really important in film/TV, particularly depth of character. All I see in American film and TV these days are a bunch of clichéd characters who speak in one-liners and catch-phrases.

Not the case with British film and TV - apart from Guy Ritchie films, tic.

Like "Dog Soldiers", Being Human relies on old technology to make their Werewolf work. So what, the wolf looks fake. You can look beyond it as the rest of the show is excellent.

Being Human has stayed true to the crux of Horror, which is the Supernatural element. Nowadays too often we see "genetically mutated" monsters, which takes the fear factor out of it all. If it bleeds, we can kill it (and easier than we thought).

Being Human is beautifully written, superbly cast and has its own feel; one you can immerse yourself in. It's simple viewing without being too predictable or too tame.

I'm pretty sure I would be happy to watch further installments of this show for the next 5 years and not be bored with it, provided the writing remains as refreshing as it is at the moment.

For me, Being Human is about the relationships between the characters and the anticipation of something "big" happening in each episode. It hasn't let down so far!

one of the best shows me and my wife have seen and keep up with together.not to many shows at this level (as far as acting and interesting storyline )on TV these days.very original.we were not sure about the show at the beginning.but as we watched the show it got better and better.hopefully this show will stay on for a lot of seasons to come,just because of the potential.seems to be headed in the right direction.never before has a show defined the lines between vampire and werewolf this way ,but the ghost story is the best human story we have ever seen.very emotional.great cast and we hope to watch these characters evolve even more in the future.

Loved this show. Hal was the best. Wish it did not end so quickly. I never gave the US version a chance, because I know that the US often ruins things. So I stick with this UK version, and will always love it. Funny, interesting, and a good way to see parts of England that I never will. Also it does something near the middle of the series and I won't spoil it, but it has to do with characters who die, that was not done before. Now it happens in US shows, but Being Human was the first one to do this. A trendsetter.

The premise: a vampire, werewolf and ghost live together is about as silly as you could imagine. However the acting is so spectacularly good, you are instantly sucked in. There is some humour, (such as ageless vampire cutie moon-eyeing an aged past girlfriend), but they play it with a straight face. Russell Tovey as George the reluctant werewolf is perhaps the best actor I have ever seen in a TV series. He plays with his appearance to change from a Matt Damon clone to a complete dork to Truman Capote. He plays with his voice, ranging over every possible emotion. He is always surprising you with a new angle to his character. His screams of pain as he transforms into a werewolf are unbearable. He is completely convincing. I fell madly in love with with his character. He was just so open, with such heart, complex yet easy to understand.

Annabel Scholey made me hate her so intensely the instant she came on screen. She projects such a strongly nauseating personality with just some fine control of her facial muscles. She has that knack like nobody else. She was also able to make her character gradually more sympathetic, all through body language. Other actors should study how she does this.

The other actors too are done in Kodachrome, a bit more out there, trying something unusual. This does not feel like TV or a movie for that matter, perhaps more like a play.

The episodes are quite long, and it feels like the writers could not come up with enough minor plot elements to fill them. So they pad with meandering dialogue, that feels much like real life, but left me itching for them to get on with the show. The ground rules of how reality works in this strange universe are just incidentally explained. You often see some strenuous conflict without knowing what fuels it. The major plot elements are full of big surprises, however -- very clever.

There are not many special effects. The ghost just appears without any fade-in. Most of the transformation to a wolf occurs off camera. The main thing you see are a series of bumps appear long George's back. Sometimes you watch people's reaction to what would be a special effect rather than the special effect itself. This works surprisingly well.

Fantastic Series, better than Buffy. It has been a long time waiting for a good supernatural show to fill the big hole left when that show finished. The only criticism I would give is that more episodes are needed in the series or they need to make the break between the series shorter. My favourite character has got to be Mitchell (Aidan Turner), although they are all fantastic, great actors and great characters.

Lenora Crichlow is a great actress and I have loved her since Sugar Rush, which, if you haven't seen you should download or buy. Russell Tovey is fantastic! Funny! He is a great comedy actor, although he does not have a huge role in the Gavin and Stacey episodes he is in, when he is on screen he is great.

More Please!!!!!!!!!

A vampire, a ghost and a werewolf living trying to be human in the suburban areas of Bristol. They are struggling to be both human and alien, that is to be both normal and special.

About the script@: The story is in line with the new wave of sci-fie/fantasy: it does not focuses on the various ways of drinking blood, on the special abilities of a werewolf. Its not about the metaphysical world where vampires and werewolves wage their never-ending battle (ok, a little bit). It focuses on the everyday life, struggles, emotions and the psychology of vampires, ghosts and werewolves. It is not hard to see that is all about us.

The plot is complex, it offers personal mysteries and inter-race conflicts. The characters really have a side they do not know and that they have yet to discover. So they are really 3D. On the other hand there are some threads that does not suit. Mr. Werewolf being a complete idiot with woman. That is like coming from a teen movie.

About other things@: There is nothing about the cameras. The special effects are a bit creepy, especially the werewolf. I don't know why they do average special effects instead of mysteriously hiding the transformation and then we could perfectly fill it in with our fantasies....

The acting is the worst part. It is very much overacted. Too accentuated emotions, cries. It nearly spoils the show.

To sum up: I will keep watching the show because I find the basic story and the plot advancements fascinating. But I don't consider this a good show because one of the important aspects of it (namely the acting and some parts of the plot) are very much below average.

So what I can advise is to: Check it out for yourselves!

I have to admit that I am completely underwhelmed by this series. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer my vampires, werewolves and ghosts to have some sort of scare factor going for them. Being Human reduces their existence to a particularly irritating episode of Thirtysomething. The supernatural elements seem like extraneous flourishes to a show that is basically just about a trio of whiners trying to make the best of the crappy hand that life has dealt them. I have endured five episodes of the first season and so far they are pretty much uniform in that the three leads basically spend the episode moping and whining about the unfairness of the universe. Rather than anything especially seductive or magical about any of this, they remind one of a psychotically depressed person who entered a party and then tries to bring the entire room down to their level of hopelessness. There are some fairly impressive werewolf transformation effects, but they are usually followed by the subsequently human werewolf kvetching about his sorry lot in life and how hard he has it. The acting is fairly solid, with both Aidan Turner (the vampire) and Russell Tovey (the werewolf) offering hints that they are better than the material they are handed. Some unintentionally comic elements emerge if you catch this on BBC America where the often naked Tovey has his bits blurred to protect us poor prudish Americans from being corrupted. This could have been an interesting concept if the makers offered some degree of levity, imagination or good old-fashioned entertainment value, but the final result comes off as little more than a yammering reunion of the worst relatives in the Debbie Downer family.