Being Human

A vampire, a werewolf and a ghost share an apartment. The question is, who tells the story better? The Brits or the Yanks?

I'm going to run with the Yanks (shock, horror). While Being Human US is set in Boston and screens on America's Syfy channel, pedantic fans will tell you the show is actually produced by a Montreal company. This doesn't surprise me; I generally like shows that have a touch of the Canadian aesthetic to them.

(*Note: I'm only comparing the first seasons, because the US version is still fresh blood... excuse the pun!).

The English version of Being Human is definitely enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but I agree with a random comment I read somewhere on the web, pointing out the British industry's tendency toward 'gritty' television could be viewed as code for 'poor production values'.

I also found the British version of Being Human a touch Torchwood in tone; ie too dramatic slash over-emotional. I lean more toward a hint of subtlety when showcasing tortured characters. If you love the BBC version, props to you. Personally, when it comes to this tale, I favour the storytelling across the water.

Word on the web says the series began as an odd housemates concept, following the adventures of a sex addict, an agoraphobe and a guy with violent tendencies. The creator chose to throw in a dash of supernatural flair later on, dipping into the current zeitgeist. Personally, I prefer the supe take myself (no surprise there).

In terms of casting, I love the vampire/werewolf combo in the US version. Sam Witwer is great as the tortured vamp. I liked Witwer in Smallville, and apparently he also had recurring roles in Dexter and Battlestar Galactica. Those with good eyes and a memory for bit-part appearances may also recall Witwer from one-off ep appearances in Angel and Dark Angel, but that's almost a decade ago now.

Sam Huntington is quite an inspired choice for the werewolf role. He plays the woosy, socially inept character as such an unlikely violent type, his performance makes for riveting viewing. Huntington's face is familiar from Veronica Mars, but he's been around for years, popping up in generally b-grade movies (Fanboys isn't b-grade though, just to clarify). He's also done the pre-requisite procedural tours, ie NCIS and Law & Order.

Weirdly, I thought it was the actress who made me dislike the female ghost character in the British series, but I don't like the ghost in the American series either. This made me realise it's not the actresses, so much as the way the character is written.

What is it with the need to make women so lame onscreen? The girly ghost is kind of simple; moping around, missing her fiance. I think she's meant to be 'sweet', but sweet comes off as a bit dense and two-dimensional here. I wish they'd overhauled her character and added a bit more edge this time around.

The worst casting in the US version, to me, is the inclusion of actor Mark Pellegrino. I thought he was terrible in Supernatural last season, and I don't like him here as the prerequisite baddie. Maybe he rocked the small screen in Dexter and Lost, but I'm not familiar with either show. He's one of those actors you're always being told is talented, yet as a viewer, I'm never particularly moved by his performance?

I'm glad they kept the hospital backstory in the US series. I really like the banality of the vamp and werewolf's day jobs as orderlies. The mundanity of the setting really grounds them in normality; the complete contrast to their tortured supernatural lives outside of work makes their internal struggles even more poignant and jarring.

The visual aesthetic is lovely. Sure, occasionally quite dank settings, but I like the lighting and angles in both series. Not as moody as Supernatural or The Vampire Diaries (ie not many true blacks), there is, however, still a kind of pall cast over each shot. Every day, regardless of how much the sun shines, comes across a touch grey onscreen. A fair reflection of the state of mind shared by our suffering protagonists, I guess.

Hopefully the US narrative will diverge from its British counterpart more and more as the series unfolds. Personally, I found the Herrick storyline a bit tacky/tiresome, and wouldn't want to sit through that 'evil world domination' thing again...

But it does seem likely the two shows' season arcs will part company before long. The latest ep of the US effort included (what appeared to be) a True Blood-inspired, slightly gory sex scene that I don't recall from the first season of the British series!