Views from the Stalls and Views from the Sofa - My reviews and thoughts on all things theatre and television. Follow me on Twitter @LikeTheMonth_

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Being Human - Series 4 - Preview


Sunday 5th February - BBC3 - 9pm. BEING HUMAN IS BACK. 


 
A year after starting this blog I have to admit that my blogging has been more sporadic that I initially intended but the return of ‘Being Human’ on the 5th February is sure to change that.  ‘Being Human’ was the show that inspired me to begin this blog and I am still hugely grateful to all those who read and commented on my episode reviews last year and voted in our very own Fan Awards!!   I hope you will be pleased to know that I fully intend to review Series 4 too, though be warned, this time last year I was unemployed with no life and this year? Employed full-time with no life! I will do my best to have the reviews up as soon as possible but I might not be as quick off the mark as last year!  

After the finale of Series 3, I think it’s safe to say that most of us were complete emotional wrecks.  There was much discussion at the time about how the show would survive without Aidan Turner’s popular and charismatic vampire Mitchell.  I was a firm believer that the show could survive this loss but I have to admit I very surprised to discover during the break that things have changed a little more than expected for Series 4. 

I was very vocal about my love of George and Nina last series, proclaiming Nina my favourite character here and believing that Russell Tovey and Sinead Keenan had formed such a warm, entertaining and, wolfiness aside, realistic partnership.  Both characters complemented the other and I can’t deny that I was very much looking forward to seeing how their relationship developed further in Series 4 with the addition of their little hairy baby.  We now know of course, that this is not be; with the departures of both Tovey and Keenan now common knowledge. I am very sad about this, particularly as I feel both characters had a lot of dramatic potential left, but they had formed such a good team that it would have been impossible to imagine one staying without the other.  I also do hate when characters leave off-screen and although I know actors other commitments often come into play here, expect me to gripe about this some more before the series is out!  Although I am incredibly sad to see both depart, I wish both actors all the best for the future and I’m sure there are great things awaiting them both.  I think all of us on Twitter would also agree that Sinead in particular has been an absolute joy, the first ‘celeb’ I ever tweeted let alone first who replied; a lovely person and great champion of the show. 

With Series 4 almost upon us, we are actually in a very different position than I expected after the events of ‘The Wolf-Shaped Bullet’ but I have every faith in Toby Whithouse and the other writers that the show can remain as strong and compelling as ever. It will be different, there’s no doubt about that but I have faith that despite everything it will remain the show we all know and love. After all, we still have the wonderful Lenora Crichlow as Annie, who has always been at the heart of the show. I am expecting this to be her year, the year when Annie steps up and fulfils the potential that has been bubbling away in her since the beginning. The character is capable of showing enormous strength when needed but her ‘ditziness’ has occasionally hidden that and I expect strong, loyal, brave Annie will come to the fore.

I am also looking forward to the return of Michael Socha as Tom McNair, who was so loveable in his appearances last year and is a character that really embraces both the dramatic and comedic elements of the show.  I can’t wait to see the introduction of new vampire Hal, played by Damien Molony. His prequel is interesting and though he shares some immediate characteristics with Mitchell, I expect as the series goes on we will see a very different style of vampire emerging.  

I hope everyone is as equally excited about episode one and will join me again to read my thoughts and share your own.  ‘Being Human’ may be entering a new chapter, but I for one can’t wait to see how it plays out and will be glued to my TV come Sunday, fully expecting tears to be shed.  That’s right, this Sunday 5th February, 9pm, BBC3.  If you’re new to the show, this is the time to jump in and enjoy the ride! 

Check out the Being Human blog at www.bbc.co.uk/beinghuman  for chat, behind the scenes videos and exclusive web content and clues and follow @bbcbeinghuman on Twitter!

5 comments:

  1. I loved george, his best line?" we're like the gayest ninjas ever" have you had a chance to see American Horror Story?

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    1. Haha, yes I agree! Brilliant line! Tovey can do the heartbreaking and the humour equally well!
      No I haven't seen American Horror Story yet, I've heard good things about it so I hope to catch up. Do you recommend it?
      Thanks for commenting :-)

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  2. I love Being Human and two of my best friends had never watched it...one of them is trying to watch all the previous episodes before Sunday! I am disappointed that Russell Tovey had left also. I wish they could take a page out of the US TV show book and keep key characters for longer, especially as each series is so short and they do have so much more to give. I think after surviving the move from Bristol to Wales and a very different feel to the show in Series 3 that it would have been good to have them together for a little longer. Saying that I have seen Michael Socha in other things and was pleased when he was cast in series 3 and am glad he is back. Anyway, I just wanted to say re. excited to for Being Human series 4...me too!!

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    1. Hi thanks for commenting! :-)
      Yeah, I think I am sad mainly because I genuinely think there was still a lot of story potential in both George and Nina and in an ideal world I'd have liked to have explored more of that. With the last image of Series 3 I was kind of looking forward to them fighting the vamps together. Don't begrudge both actors decisions though and wish them all the best. I have faith that it can survive these changes as well!

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  3. While AHS left more unanswered ? that answered ones I would recommend it. The US version of BH was unwatchable imo. I don't think I made it to the 3rd episode.

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