Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Netflix Find #2


“Being Human” 

These days I rarely have the time to sink my teeth into episodic television. Being at the mercy of a show’s allocated time slot and having to make a date to catch each episode is beyond me. Thankfully Netflix has become a gateway to reintroducing me to the beauty of a solid TV series.


The British supernatural drama “Being Human” is certainly one of those. Imagine a monsterized version of “Three’s Company” without the bad sex jokes and studio audience. George (Russell Tovey), a werewolf, Mitchell (Aidan Turner), a vampire, and Annie (Lenora Crichlow), a ghost, share a flat. The trio also helps each other as they go through the trials and tribulations of being things that go bump in the night. 


Having made it as far as the first half of season two, I must say “Being Human” has remained strong and steady throughout. It’s managed to steer clear from potential shark-jumping moments and get back on track after the threat of derailment. Thrills and chills abound amid a myriad of plot turns that keep things exciting. Yet, it's not all blood and scares. The show runners inject the right amount of humor to help the laughs balance out the gasps. 


Season one is arguably the strongest thus far. Episode highlights include “Tully,” which finds George befriending a fellow werewolf who won’t go away. Mitchell becomes a virtual big brother to a neighborhood kid in “Another Fine Mess,” but a misunderstanding has dire consequences. “Where the Wild Things Are” is woven together with notable twists and turns as Annie haunts her ex-fiance after she uncovers his dark secret. 


The series isn’t complete perfection, however, among the landscape of contemporary monster fare, “Being Human” has more reliable juice running through its veins than “True Blood” and the rest of its undead competition.

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