Sunday, July 14, 2013

BBC's Being Human • The Trinity

'Being Human' is the BBC's series that inspired the SyFy Channel's retooling. The series follows the lives of a supernatural trio, a ghost, vampire, and werewolf, as they live together and attempt to lead a 'normal' live. It blends domestic comedy and horror drama to tell the story. The show was a breakaway hit in the 2009 debut, the show continued with the success, with a hot new cast! However, it has been announced this is the final season.

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Being Human stars (left to right): Michael Socha, Kate Bracken, and Damien Molony

When we last saw our sexy supernatural threesome, we were learning who the trio would be. You see, the last of the original three, resident ghost Annie, finally found her door, and decided it was time to take it, after she worked so hard to save Eve, the daughter of werewolves George and Nina, both of whom are dead. Tom, the handsome young werewolf we met with his 'father', McNair, moved into the B&B, wanting to avenge the death of his two friends. Last season we also met Hal, a handsome vampire whose quirks help him stay clean from drinking, yet add to his OCD. He moved into the B&B after his best friends, ghost Pearl and werewolf Leo, passed to the next life. After an uncomfortable time adjusting, they all gelled as a unit. But once Annie left, they added Alex to the fold, a ghost who was killed in the battle to save Eve. And about that battle, despite how Annie, Tom, Hal and Alex worked to save the baby, it was Annie who figured out it was not to be, and she blew up herself, Eve, and the vampire elders who wanted to imprison Eve. That left Alex and Tom to help Hal clean up his act. In fact, we last saw them at the B&B, with Hal lashed to a chair, which itself was ties to the floor. Plastic had been laid on the floor, and no matter what curses Hal through at them, Alex and Tom would not let him up. After all, is is Tom's best mate, right?

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The new season begins in 1918, somewhere in the north of France. A woman is running through the gates to a rather large estate. As she comes into her bedroom, we see a deliciously shirtless Hal on the bed. She pulls out a stake and raises it, only to have Hal smile and call her name, Lady Catherine. She calls him Lord Hal, so she obviously knows him. A scuffle ensues, and we learn the fair Lady is a werewolf, and knows he is a vampire. Much like the music scoring the scene, the battle feels like a choreographed and intense tango. It ends with his knife to her throat, but her stake to his groin. As they continue to speak, it feels more like foreplay than negotiation. While they speak of the ancient battle between the two 'clans', he believes there is something or someone fanning the flames. Are they fighting the devil?

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Alex is in the kitchen of the B&B, checking out the food. She tries to eat a chocolate, but it goes to the floor. Apparently, she is still adjusting to life as a ghost. She goes the the living room, and we see Tom feeding a bearded Hal mashed bananas, who is complaining about the utter mess the B&B is in, offending his very soul. Tom and Alex go to another room to discuss the situation, and wonder if Hal is over his bloodlust, as he is no longer cursing at them, but instead correcting their grammar and their lack of cleanliness. They talk to Hal, who explains his need for structure. Tom says he needs to steer clear of vampires, And if he drinks blood again, he must be killed. And they swear on the memory of Eve.

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Oh, did I forget to remind everyone about the planetary house cleaners, the people who scour the earth to remove all traces of the supernatural, save in their underground bunker of a library? That library also has a holding cell, where we find Hettie, one of the old ones, the ancient vampires. She was turned quite young, and remains looking like a young girl, even if she talks like an old and jaded soul. They think her the last, but she mentions that is not the case, there is also Hal. She strikes a deal, agreeing to spill the beans about Hal if she can go free to Bolivia. Back at the B&B, Hal is rejoicing in the scent of piney cleanser, and is drawing up a cleaning schedule so he doesn't have to wallow in filth again. Alex and Tom are distracted, however, thinking about getting Alex her door. She wants to tell her family what happened, but Hal knows that cannot happen. But back to the schedule, he assigned much to Alex, as he and Tom will have to pull extra shifts at the cafe to cover the rent. It is then he learns that as Tom was looking after him in the chair, they were both fired. So much for structure, eh, Hal?

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We cut to an insurance office, and a geeky guy not getting along with anyone. He is called into the office, and find out his job is up for review, and he will most likely be replaced by the boss' nephew. Back with the trio, they are walking up to the Barry Grand Hotel, who are hiring. Inside, they see a belligerent old man speaking badly to the staff, and a woman trying to calm him down. She comes over to the trio (only she sees only a duo), and is smitten by our Hal. Can't say that I blame her. The vampire and werewolf fill out applications, and soon Tom is brought in for his interview. It is then Hal hears from the head 'cleaner' guy, Mr. Rook, sitting directly behind him. He wants Hal to take charge of the vampires, and strike a deal with humanity so all can live together. But the dude offers money, housing, and blood to Hal. Although tempted, Hal turns it down. Then Mr. Rook warns Hal that his group has kept an eye on this hotel, for many suicides have taken place there. He might want to keep that in mind, and he gives Hal his contact info. Rook leaves, and doesn't pick up the flask of blood he had shown Hal. When Alex pops in the seat, Hal struggles to grab the flask and put it in his pocket. Then Tom comes out, apologizing for crying. Patsy asks Hal if he's had any experience in Hotels, and he mentions he stayed at the Savory. That is enough for her, he's hired, although I suspect he wants much more than just eye candy. Tom was also hired, but with far less fanfare and lust. Alex tries joking with Hal, who doesn't take it humorously. She then lets him have it, reminding him it was a date with him that led to her death, and her current state as a ghost. She suggests he needs to come with a warning, and Hal storms out, angry and hurt. On the street, he bumps into the insurance nurd Ian Crumb, knocking him over. He chases Hal down, who goes all vampirey on him, with black eyes and fangs bared. The dude runs away, and Hal feels bad, and tries to catch him. Of course,the geek runs in the street, and is hit by a car. Hal goes to him, fighting the urge to drink the blood. The dying man asks him for help.

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Back in France, Lady Catherine and Lord Hal go to meet with a Necromancer, Emil. It seems Emil, a bit of lech, but they go to him to see if he could help with a spell that will protect the new truce between vampires and werewolves from the Devil, who is feeding off the energy of their strife. They leave him to come up with something, and we return to the present day, with Ian waking up, a newly-turned vampire in the basement of the B&B. Hal is hiding him from the others, pretending instead to be measuring for a sauna. They are joined by Tom, also wondering what Hal is doing. The vampire leads them away, telling them about Mr. Rook and his offer. Hal shares the location with them, but needs to stay close to home. Tom and Alex go to see if they can find her body. Hal stays behind to tend to Ian, who still has no idea what has happened, or why he wants to drink the blood of loved ones. Hal tells him he is sorry, but he turned Ian to a vampire. Ian is upset. Out by the Cleaner's library entrance, Tom tries to protect Alex, but she ignores him, and blinks inside to open the door. back in the basement, Hal is trying to prove the vampire thing, including 'Old Nick's Wink', when the Devil takes their souls, as well as their reflection. Hal ties Ian up, for the first few weeks are the hardest for the newbie to manage, with the whole bloodlust thing going on. Back in the library, Tom and Alex are exploring. Alex is also tired of Tom's incessant patronizing chauvinism. She wants to be treated as an equal, not a delicate flower. But soon she finds her file, and discovers her body was returned to her family.

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Rook is called into the Under Secretary's office, as it seems he is an employee of the British Government. Who knew? But the news is bad, for he is told his division is being dissolved, and he has three months to close up shop. He argues strenuously, but to no avail. Back at the B&B, Ian remains tied and gagged in the basement. Upstairs, Alex is reading her file, learning she had 'drowned', and was already buried. She is struggling with the situation, being a ghost. She can't love, eat, or anything anymore. She is crying, when they suddenly hear a clatter from the basement. They discover Ian, who tells them Hal is holding him captive. As he is a vampire, Tom is angered, for Hal broke his promise already. He storms off, leaving Alex with Ian, and he is increasingly freaked. HE feels his life has been stolen, and Alex identifies with him. She sets him free, and he returns to his office. But he is fired, not only for missing work, but for showing up covered in dirt and blood. As he leaves, he locks the door instead, and goes all vampy on the office. Back at the B&B, when Hal returns, Tom punches him him, and we cut back to France, and a ceremony mixing the blood of the vampire and the wolf, before calling the Devil to appear. Back at the B&B, Hal wakes up, once again tied up. Tom wants to know why he shouldn't kill Hal now, but the vampire just wants to explain. He caused the problem, and didn't want to see another death, like he had with Alex. But he needs to remain captive. Tom agrees. Alex admits to having released him. They fight a bit, but decide they need to find Ian. Back in France, they are performing the ritual to call the Devil, who will appear in the body of a local madman. Then they can bind him to the body, and kill him. Back in Barry, the trio head to his office, only to find a blood everywhere. They find him snacking on a co-worker. Hal threatens to stake him, but Ian calls him on it. Back in France, the darkness that is the Devil is swirling, and enters the chained human, bending him in the process. Lady Catherine calls out to Emil to complete the spell, and he drinks the combined blood, spilling some on the ground below him. Back in Barry, Ian is telling Hal he needs him, someone to be the bad guy. Hal puts the stake up to take both him and Ian. In France, the spell is going awry, and Hal admits he didn't use his own blood, but that of one of him men. This kills the trinity of the vampire, the wolf and the Necromancer. The Devil is crushing Lady Catherine, while Hal cradles her. The Necromancer disappears. In Barry, Hal is having another crisis, explaining how evil is never destroyed, and as proof, Hal continues to live, while good people die around him. Tom and Alex stop Hal from committing the murder-suicide staking, and Mr. Rook and his men come through the door, wanting to clean it all up.

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Back in the Barry Grand Hotel, the miserable man continues to curse the staff. At the insurance office, Alex toys with Rook, who can feel her but not see the ghost. She doesn't like him, and swears to get even one day. The Hotel staff are scurrying to help the crank , who seems to have calmed down. He wants to tell the young waitress something. He whispers to her, and she looks perplexed. The cleaners are closing out the case in the insurance office, but the boss won't buy into it. So he kills him, to keep it quiet. Now the boys are beginning their first shift at the Hotel, waiting tables. As they start, the waitress who heard the secret heads upstairs, and cuts herself with broken glass. In France, Hal wants the Devil found and brought to him. The Devil runs out, followed by some vampire guards. He looks up, and we sit is it the cranky old man at the Hotel. Upstairs, we see an open window, where the girl has leaped to her death. On the wall, she wrote "HE WILL RISE" in her own blood. Whoa. And check out what is coming next week...



'Being Human' can be seen at 10PM on Saturday nights on BBC America! For more about the show, visit the official website here. You can purchase previous episodes from the fourth season on both iTunes and Amazon. You can also follow BBC America on Twitter, or like them on Facebook.

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