Being Human episodes 3 and 4 of Season 2
Aug. 14th, 2010 11:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatFinished watching episodes 3 and 4 of Being Human tonight. Hmmm, this show is just like Vampire Diaries and True Blood - it gets really good after the second or third episode. Goes to show you, that with certain television series you really have to stick with them at least five episodes before making up your mind. In all three series - the first two or three episodes sucked beans, but by about the third, fourth or fifth episode - it takes a turn via Alberqueque and gets really good. Sort of like some books I can think of - Dorothy Dunnett was like that, as was George RR Martin, and about every literary novel I've ever read and loved. Others, such as well any procedural, mystery thriller, or reality show on the planet - you pretty much know what you are in for with the first one. (ie. If you did not like the first episode of Bones or The Closer, you will not like the series.) This is why I don't agree with publishers and editors - you don't judge a book by the first chapter or read the first chapter to see if you will like it - you skip to the fifth, read the middle, look at a few pages towards the end, and see if the blurb interests you. Same deal with tv - give it a few episodes before you give up. Farscape - unfortunately took about 17. That series took a left turn by Alberqueue around A Human Reaction and became a completely different show.
Anyhow, Being Human picks up speed in the third episode. Less monologues, and more well, interaction. It's also rather funny in places. There's a scene where Mitchell and George have a hissy fit over the fact that their favorite tv show has switched time slots without their knowledge, so as a result they missed the episode they were looking forward to and may not be able to watch the show any more. (I laughed my ass off during this bit - because, I can identify. Stupid networks. Nice to know this is an universal problem.)
Watching Being Human - makes one aware of a couple of cultural differences. Such as the two finger hand gesture - which is basically two fingers, the middle and ring fingers held up in a "v" sign. What does this mean?
Brit: Fuck you with two fingers.
American: Peace or Victory
LOL! That pretty much says a lot right there. Note - the American gesture for Fuck You is just giving the "middle finger". There's a saying - or rather there used to be saying - about the difference between American and British tourists. Americans expect everyone to like them and get really upset when they don't. The Brits don't care.
The other difference is that British Television seems to be less obsessed with casting magazine pretty, young, and skinny people in roles. Or having them made up and filmed to look amazing. Also the film stock is more realistic and less ...perfect. People look drab, they look pale, their hair is messed up, and well normal. Not like movie stars. Compare the actress playing Nina to Anna Pacquin for example. Can't decide if this is deliberate or (far more likely) they just don't have the money. I rather adore British Television for this. Wish the Americans were a bit less shallow. Life would be so much easier.
In the two episodes, I just saw - I was fascinated by the metaphor being presented with Annie.
Annie is noticeably the only black person or minority in the cast. The only other minority introduced was killed and went through the gateway to hell to save her, after trying to pull her through - after this happened, Annie went back to being invisible and ghost-like. Prior to this point, she'd become more tangible and was visible. Could even pretend to be human.
I can't help but wonder if what they are doing with Annie is a subtle and in-direct commentary on how British Society views Minorities? As not there, or invisible? Or intangible. Not worth notice? Something to overlook? Being Human like True Blood seems to portray supernatural creatures as a metaphor for minorities or people that those in power wish to ignore or cast out.
The misunderstood. I'm not sure this is a good idea - since they are also exploring things like suppressed rage, inability to control anger, bloodlust, addiction, and sexual craving. Mixing these metaphors can...well be dicey. Also, I'm not sure minorities appreciate being turned into vampires, werewolves and ghosts in tv shows produced by white guys. Reminds me a bit of what they did with District 9 - which played with similar types of metaphors - albeit with aliens.
Also reminds me a little of Farscape and Star Gate - which did the same thing. For once, I'd like to see the humans be portrayed by minorities and all the supernatural/alien creatures played by white guys. That said - Being Human is actually sort of ground-breaking in that Annie is a black woman. I'm only bringing this up - because it feels as though the writers are exploring a theme of how black women are invisible in Brit society, that they are like ghosts,
murdered and unseen. Annie is murdered by her fiance in the first season. She takes control - by ensuring that he does pay for his crime. But, she is in an odd way...forced into the background time and again.
The fourth episode focused on Annie getting some of her mojo back - facing her murder, facing her fears and letting go of them - with the help of a British solider, who felt guilty for the lives of the men lost during his service. She is able to close the door on whatever lies on the other side, death, hell, she's not certain. But there's a price - as Sikes, her mentor, states - you can't fall in love, have kids, or family. She remains outside the glass.
The other story threads - are George struggling with his inner beast. He manages to put the physical manifestation of the wolf to sleep, but all this does is bring it out in other ways.
Repressed - the wolf comes out in his daily life - at first in a sort of terets syndrom of swearing. Uncontrollable outbursts of fuck you, shit, etc. Then gradually rage and insatiable appetite. In one rather funny bit of dialogue - he expresses to Mitchell and Annie how he wanted to smash a kids' noisy cell phone into his face while riding a bus. The cell phone drove him nuts. But you didn't, they tell him. I got off the bus, he says. (I identified with this - have similar urges. I really miss the days in which everyone on the planet did not have cell phones.) Meanwhile, Nina is doing the scientific approach via Dr. Lucy. Dr. Lucy is attempting along with Galvin (the villian - who basically looks like Dracula's Butler or perhaps, Batman's)
to quell the beast. Galvin tells Lucy that with werewolves they can save an innocent soul. But
vampires are pure evil, the soul is gone - there is no hope. (I found this bit interesting - in regards to its commentary on similar themes expressed in the Buffy series and Twilight films, along with True Blood. It's a common theme that has been addressed in different ways as far back as Stocker's Dracula. In Victorian times - the world was a bit more black and white, than it is today.) Lucy protests - stating that she will prove that Mitchell can change that he is not irredeemably evil. Something tells me that she will be disappointed - for Mitchell is hitting a brick wall at the moment. Ivan - demonstrates to Mitchell that there's a price, trade-offs. As does Daisy. The more he attempts to control the vampires under his direction, to stop them from killing, the more he is forced to compromise himself. It starts out innocently enough...but gets worse as we move forward. He knocks out one of the vamps under his protection, teeth and chains her up in a hole instead of killing her after she's killed a bunch of teens, he blackmails the forensics specialist into covering it up - by stating if he doesn't, he'll come after the man's family, and then the coup-de-grace - he feeds an innocent girl chained up in a room to Ivan. All in the name of keeping the peace, keeping everyone under control - for the greater good. None of these actions make him irredeemable nor are they necessarily any worse than Dr. Lucy's experiments on werewolves or Galvin's. But they are questionable. He can see no other way at this point, yet there is one - as the Forensic Expert states - walk away before you lose yourself. Perhaps, he is right. It's hard to know. Are the lives he's saving worth the one's he sacrifices, worth what he does?
At any rate, the second season is getting much better as we go along. Tonight's episode, which was longer than usual - was quite riveting. Well worth all the hype.
Off to bed.
Anyhow, Being Human picks up speed in the third episode. Less monologues, and more well, interaction. It's also rather funny in places. There's a scene where Mitchell and George have a hissy fit over the fact that their favorite tv show has switched time slots without their knowledge, so as a result they missed the episode they were looking forward to and may not be able to watch the show any more. (I laughed my ass off during this bit - because, I can identify. Stupid networks. Nice to know this is an universal problem.)
Watching Being Human - makes one aware of a couple of cultural differences. Such as the two finger hand gesture - which is basically two fingers, the middle and ring fingers held up in a "v" sign. What does this mean?
Brit: Fuck you with two fingers.
American: Peace or Victory
LOL! That pretty much says a lot right there. Note - the American gesture for Fuck You is just giving the "middle finger". There's a saying - or rather there used to be saying - about the difference between American and British tourists. Americans expect everyone to like them and get really upset when they don't. The Brits don't care.
The other difference is that British Television seems to be less obsessed with casting magazine pretty, young, and skinny people in roles. Or having them made up and filmed to look amazing. Also the film stock is more realistic and less ...perfect. People look drab, they look pale, their hair is messed up, and well normal. Not like movie stars. Compare the actress playing Nina to Anna Pacquin for example. Can't decide if this is deliberate or (far more likely) they just don't have the money. I rather adore British Television for this. Wish the Americans were a bit less shallow. Life would be so much easier.
In the two episodes, I just saw - I was fascinated by the metaphor being presented with Annie.
Annie is noticeably the only black person or minority in the cast. The only other minority introduced was killed and went through the gateway to hell to save her, after trying to pull her through - after this happened, Annie went back to being invisible and ghost-like. Prior to this point, she'd become more tangible and was visible. Could even pretend to be human.
I can't help but wonder if what they are doing with Annie is a subtle and in-direct commentary on how British Society views Minorities? As not there, or invisible? Or intangible. Not worth notice? Something to overlook? Being Human like True Blood seems to portray supernatural creatures as a metaphor for minorities or people that those in power wish to ignore or cast out.
The misunderstood. I'm not sure this is a good idea - since they are also exploring things like suppressed rage, inability to control anger, bloodlust, addiction, and sexual craving. Mixing these metaphors can...well be dicey. Also, I'm not sure minorities appreciate being turned into vampires, werewolves and ghosts in tv shows produced by white guys. Reminds me a bit of what they did with District 9 - which played with similar types of metaphors - albeit with aliens.
Also reminds me a little of Farscape and Star Gate - which did the same thing. For once, I'd like to see the humans be portrayed by minorities and all the supernatural/alien creatures played by white guys. That said - Being Human is actually sort of ground-breaking in that Annie is a black woman. I'm only bringing this up - because it feels as though the writers are exploring a theme of how black women are invisible in Brit society, that they are like ghosts,
murdered and unseen. Annie is murdered by her fiance in the first season. She takes control - by ensuring that he does pay for his crime. But, she is in an odd way...forced into the background time and again.
The fourth episode focused on Annie getting some of her mojo back - facing her murder, facing her fears and letting go of them - with the help of a British solider, who felt guilty for the lives of the men lost during his service. She is able to close the door on whatever lies on the other side, death, hell, she's not certain. But there's a price - as Sikes, her mentor, states - you can't fall in love, have kids, or family. She remains outside the glass.
The other story threads - are George struggling with his inner beast. He manages to put the physical manifestation of the wolf to sleep, but all this does is bring it out in other ways.
Repressed - the wolf comes out in his daily life - at first in a sort of terets syndrom of swearing. Uncontrollable outbursts of fuck you, shit, etc. Then gradually rage and insatiable appetite. In one rather funny bit of dialogue - he expresses to Mitchell and Annie how he wanted to smash a kids' noisy cell phone into his face while riding a bus. The cell phone drove him nuts. But you didn't, they tell him. I got off the bus, he says. (I identified with this - have similar urges. I really miss the days in which everyone on the planet did not have cell phones.) Meanwhile, Nina is doing the scientific approach via Dr. Lucy. Dr. Lucy is attempting along with Galvin (the villian - who basically looks like Dracula's Butler or perhaps, Batman's)
to quell the beast. Galvin tells Lucy that with werewolves they can save an innocent soul. But
vampires are pure evil, the soul is gone - there is no hope. (I found this bit interesting - in regards to its commentary on similar themes expressed in the Buffy series and Twilight films, along with True Blood. It's a common theme that has been addressed in different ways as far back as Stocker's Dracula. In Victorian times - the world was a bit more black and white, than it is today.) Lucy protests - stating that she will prove that Mitchell can change that he is not irredeemably evil. Something tells me that she will be disappointed - for Mitchell is hitting a brick wall at the moment. Ivan - demonstrates to Mitchell that there's a price, trade-offs. As does Daisy. The more he attempts to control the vampires under his direction, to stop them from killing, the more he is forced to compromise himself. It starts out innocently enough...but gets worse as we move forward. He knocks out one of the vamps under his protection, teeth and chains her up in a hole instead of killing her after she's killed a bunch of teens, he blackmails the forensics specialist into covering it up - by stating if he doesn't, he'll come after the man's family, and then the coup-de-grace - he feeds an innocent girl chained up in a room to Ivan. All in the name of keeping the peace, keeping everyone under control - for the greater good. None of these actions make him irredeemable nor are they necessarily any worse than Dr. Lucy's experiments on werewolves or Galvin's. But they are questionable. He can see no other way at this point, yet there is one - as the Forensic Expert states - walk away before you lose yourself. Perhaps, he is right. It's hard to know. Are the lives he's saving worth the one's he sacrifices, worth what he does?
At any rate, the second season is getting much better as we go along. Tonight's episode, which was longer than usual - was quite riveting. Well worth all the hype.
Off to bed.
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Date: 2010-08-15 10:06 am (UTC)The pilot's ghost's actress was white. When they got the series order, she was booked to do another show and they decided they wanted to tweak the characterisations of Annie, Mitchell and Herrick and recast all three. Mitchell becoming Irish, more proactive and less fey. Annie mixed-race from Northern white and warmer over spikey. Herrick white and ordinary looking from black elegant and hot. I suspect that they went for colourblind casting, given its a contemporary BBC show, but the end result either way was replacing a black villain for a mixed-race heroine.