Tags
aidan turner, annie, bbc three, being human, damien molony, george, hal, herrick, lenora crichlow, Mitchell, nina, Robson Green, sinead keenan, toby whithouse, vampire, werewolf
**MINOR SERIES FOUR SPOILERS**
At last we have some S4 news. Hopefully enough to quell the weeping and wailing about how the series is over and done without Mitchell (“Being Human is finished without Mitchell! Sob.”), George (“Being Human is dead without George!! Sob.”) and Nina (“Who? Oh yes…”) (Only joking! Sniffle…)
It’s an opinion that I don’t agree with and that, if I’m honest, drives me mad but it’s valid nonetheless and we’re all entitled to think what we like. From my perspective I watched Being Human because of the concept and the writing and it’s 
rather insulting to Toby Whithouse and all the others who are involved in the creative effort to imply that their success depends on one or two faces. How many people could – hand on heart – say they had heard of Aidan Turner and Lenora Crichlow before Being Human series one? Possibly a few more knew of Russell Tovey but there is no reason why the new cast won’t end up being just as loved and turn out to be equally as talented – and maybe they’ll be even better. And that original concept? It was a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire, sharing a house, trying to be human… and that is what continues.
I’ve never been a fan of shows that go on and on (and on) forever. Same cast, same set, same jokes, same circle of plots and devices… I like things to change, to be shaken up and moved on, I want to be surprised and challenged. Parting company with favourite characters will always be a sweet sorrow but, well, that’s life isn’t it? Nothing stays the same for ever. Not even vampires…
Will I miss the departed cast? Of course I will. However I do think that this is the right way for the show to go if it wants to develop and survive.
Mitchell’s story came to an end, maybe unexpectedly soon due to the lure of a cloak and a pointy hat. I think he must have spent far too 
much time looking at the wallpaper in George’s pink house bedroom. But really – where would Mitchell have gone next? We’d seen him being as human as he could, being back in the clans but trying to subvert them to his way of thinking and then back to the darkest heart of all as he munched through a train. After that it was a spiral into desperation, despair, furrowed brow and tangled fringe as he tried to marry up the human and vampire sides of his nature – yet knowing that he never could. If he had survived, then what? Better to go at the end of a cracking tale than totter on through ever decreasing circles. He said it himself – after the Box Tunnel 20 he could never go back to the sofa with Annie and George and to take him into a different world, maybe the world of the Old Ones, would have been too far from the concept of the show..
George is also running out of fresh meat. He’s accepted his wolf – probably as much as he ever can, found family with Nina and killed his best friend. We need to see what happens to him next but he can’t ever go back to squeakily endearing George so what will he do? I hope he gets a good send off and a dramatic and fitting story.
Nina was never intended to be a regular but bought her place fair and square with her acting talent. Trouble is that lack of background showed, bolting on some occasional titbits of history felt clunky and Nina’s rather one-dimensional morality also painted her into a corner. Toby Whithouse has said in the past that he doesn’t like settled couples – it takes all the drama away – and so I do feel that for that reason alone Nina and George were always doomed. Whatever the reasons for Sinead Keenan’s departure and her non-appearance in S4 (and I doubt we’ll ever really know why) it does pave the way for George to leave too. I’m not sure that watching the domestic tribulations of a happy wolf couple plus baby would ever have fitted into the Being Human world.
Oh Herrick, I will miss you the most! (You guessed I’d say that didn’t you?) He had to go – Herrick without Mitchell is a bit like chips without vinegar. A nice treat but missing something to give it the necessary edge. I think his end was rushed and somewhat wasted and I do regret that. Unlike the others it feels to me that his story isn’t complete, there was so much more to know about that character and he suffered the most from the last-minute changes. But even though I adore Herrick I would plead for the sake of the show that he isn’t brought back on some spurious excuse – one resurrection was enough. Staking has to be final and non-negotiable.
So – new people. I’m liking the sound of Hal. 500 years old and that makes Mitchell and Herrick look like little boys in the playground. Not only old but many years clean and friends with a ghost and a werewolf. That sounds interesting, someone should write a TV show about that…
The guest stars announced so far look interesting and if they continue with the precedent already set with some pretty amazing past guests then we are in for a few treats. I’m sorry not to see an episode written by Sarah Phelps in S4. “The Longest Day” is my all time favourite and her take on all the main characters was perfect, while Wendy was an absolute classic. I’ll look more at the prospects for S4 and ponder on potential plots in another post but for the moment I’m in a reasonably excited state of anticipation.
Over all it seems that Being Human is in great fettle and I’m very happy to believe Toby when he says that this is the best yet. 
After all, you have to remember that this is the show that has already done the impossible – it made Robson Green cool!
I’m one of the people who is struggling to be enthusiastic about series 4. I’ve tried to work out why, and while Aidan not being in it is a contributory factor, I can hand on heart say it’s not the main one. It was the right thing for both the show and his career that he go. Yes, I mourned Mitchell almost like I’d lost family, but it’s a TV show. We all move on.
The previous 3 series have been fabulous, and I really shouldn’t have any doubts that TW can pull it off. I think what’s going on though, is that I’m protecting myself. The last 3 things I’ve really looked forward to (Outcasts, The Fades, Misfits S3) have all disappointed me to a greater or lesser extent, and a bit like the unlucky in love, I think I’m trying to avoid looking forward to it too much for fear of having my heart broken.
I also came late to the BH party, so I’ve never had this long wait before, having gone straight from DVD box set to S3 with very little transition, so I don’t know if I’d have felt the same between the other series (it can’t possibly be as good, blah blah).
I shall watch it. I am hoping that this time it’s a match made in heaven, and although I’m not getting the Hal vibe quite yet, if TW tells me he’s another find in the Aidan Turner mould, that should be good enough for me.
I get exactly what you’re saying Annie and it’s an interesting point you raise about the wait between series. I’ve been in from the pilot so this is normal for me and I have no idea what it would have been like to see all three series together without that time to reflect in between. When I watched the first episode of series two I remember being initially unsure about where it was going but that concern didn’t last long! They had me completely by “deadly furniture”!
I’m optimistic because I enjoy the way TW writes and the way his mind works – although I don’t profess to even begin to understand how it works!
You’ve hit the nail on the head, Jo. It was the writing of this series that hooked me to start with, and that is what has kept me coming back for more! Of course, I’m still not quite over Mitchell’s death and I’ll be firmly in denial about George’s departure for the whole series, but I will be watching avidly if the writing continues to be so sharp and witty—and I’m convinced it will!
Although there are going to be so many character changes, I hope it will turn out to be like Mitchell’s snowstorm analogy – it has to be a bit mad and shaken up for a while before we can accept and love what’s new.
The snowstorm – of course! And thank you for that memory. Yes, everything is going to be shaken up but it will all setltle down and look just as pretty as before.
What I like with the previous seasons is what for me will be essential to be kept for the coming season. The most elegant and refined metaphores TW uses to discuss the failings of our society. And everybody is in for a salutary mirror reflection of what is wrong or false in our lives…
Is there hope… somewhere… not a happy fluffy cheesy ending. Just a normal life, work then a beer, keeping to oneself one’s pains and indignities. A parabole for dignity. One thing is sure: the actor who plays young Leo is bursting of qualities.
I loved JM , yes, OMG and weeped when he died; GS is a cuddly WW but as you say we know about everything from him. Annie was concerned to see him mutating into a bitter man, but then RTovey deserves to play something more than a squeaky one-side character… as for Nina, we only had glimpses of her prequel and her personnality was never developed though some -unpleasant sides were. Almost pharisian in her self righteousness and we know how Jesus did not like pharisians…
Why do I mention this name… think of it… this show is full of astute religious symbols, and copycat stories up to temptations. In those days and age where television sells its soul to reality telly and dubious celebreties (for what, what ‘good for humanity have they done?), it is refreshing to find a show which reminds us every action has a cost, every choice has a price
Great insightful points as usual Jo. I find myself teetering on the edge of excitement for S4, as if I’m scared to get really excited. Part of it is like Annie says, fear of disappointment, nagging worry that the show just won’t be as good with other characters. But it’s much more complicated than that. I have very strong emotional connections with the original characters and felt just gutted when Mitchell died. Seeing the pictures of George looking like an emotional wreck has reminded me that there will have to be at least some revisiting of the trauma of S3E8, and I don’t want to go back there emotionally.
I will also be battling with my feelings of loyalty to Mitchell, which might make it harder for me to accept the new vampire. I accept your argument that Mitchell’s story had reached a logical end, but that doesn’t really make it any easier to let go.
Of course I will watch it, armed with a box of tissues. But I have none of that “can’t wait-ness” I had this time last year.
Just looking at your header pics again and the title “Absent Friends”. As far as we know, only Honolulu Heights and Annie will remain in the show at the end of S4. High death toll in this show.
I hadn’t thought about that! (although we don’t know about Wyndam’s fate – or Trevors, he may still be in a jar somewhere…) (Trevor, obviously, not Wyndam)
It reminds me of the strength of talent in BH – even those who only appear in a single episode and what impact they had.
I really hope you regain the excitment, trust Toby… hard though it is at times
The fact that Nina doesn’t appear at all in S4, not even for a death scene, suggests that Sinead had a tiff with the production crew – much more minor characters have got spectacular death scenes, surely one of the S3 leads would too if it were at all possible?
Also, Toby Whithouse once said that any changes the fans doubt end up working perfectly – the cast change at the start, Herrick’s initial death, the move to Wales, Herrick’s resurrection… hopefully this will be in that category.
Looks like Hal’s an Old One, then?
Oh and *MINOR SPOILER FOR S4 EP1* The baby will be called Eve. Which leads to some interesting interpretations of the Ep1 title “The Eve of War”.
I couldn’t agree with you more on the points that you raised here. I suppose to some extent it is useful if people’s expectations are quite low at the start. Then they are surprised and delighted as the series unfolds. The crux of the problem seems to be in how successfully Lord Toby is at creating a character. People have fallen in love with Mitchell (okay with Aidan as well) but really with Mitchell – a fictional character. People love George and whether you loved her or hated her – people could never stop talking about Nina on the BBC Being Human Blog. There is real grief from the public about the loss of these characters, which is a huge compliment to Lord Toby in itself.
Recently Misfits lost one of its leading characters, erm… what was he called now? See I have forgotten already – and it devasted the Misfits fan world at the time. I watched with interest as to how they would take to the ‘new guy’ Rudy – and they were fine.
Here’s the thing. The people that are screaming and shouting about how awful Being Human will be without Mitchell, George and Nina now will not later scream and shout about how wrong they were and how they love series 4. And that’s okay.
The odd thing is, I actually haven’t seen that many people screaming and shouting in the first place. I think Lord Toby’s interview in the Guardian was purely an attempt to just pre-empty the screaming and shouting before it started. He is a clever guy. And he sounds pretty confident about series 4 to me.
Thanks – was fun reading your blog. Manc