Being Human

A new series began this week on BBC3: Being Human. The adverts for the show made it look like a sitcom or light drama, when in fact it is a well written, superbly acted and thought provoking drama series with hints of comedy. It has been marketed as a supernatural This Life and, having just watched the first episode, I can see why. It is a strong drama that focuses on the lives of three flatmates who happen to be a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire.

Exploring human emotions and situations through the eyes of the superhuman (sub-human?) is an unusual medium for studying social situations and interactions but it works.

Annie, played by Lenora Crichlow who you may remember from Sugar Rush, is a likable ghost who has to deal with grief from beyond the grave over the loss of her fiance when she died and the fact that he has moved on since. I guess this is the same as dealing with a relationship that has ended against your will and you are being forced to watch as your ex moves on with their life. Her confidence waxes and wanes like the Moon which affects her ability to be seen by the real world.

Speaking of the Moon, George, played by Russell Tovey (famously NOT the new Dr Who), is a werewolf who has difficulties during his "time of the month" and also lacks confidence in himself at all other times of the month too. He also has feelings of guilt over surviving when he was transformed, when another man died. He is the moral compass of the group but has he secrets in his past that he has kept hidden?

And finally, Mitchell, played by Aiden Turner, is a vampire. Typically handsome, alluring and sexy. He has spent hundreds of years surviving while fighting his urges, analogous to an addiction, for drinking blood. With a local network of vampires attempting him to do their work he has to fight temptation and peer pressure to do what is right. He also has a psychotic ex (who he "turned") to contend with.

All three have come together through circumstance and forged a fairly strong friendship. Will the friendship survive their various individual trials? Look beyond the supernatural nature of the characters, which the excellent writing allows you to do easily, and you will see a modern social drama series that will soon become a cult hit moments before becoming a more commercial hit.