Being Human’s bread and butter, the supernatural guest star, returns this week as The Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barrett shows up playing a former TV weatherman turned werewolf trying to muscle his way in to Honolulu Heights and take advantage of Tom. Meanwhile, Alex is introduced to Lady Mary, a ghost friend of Hal’s, who’s keeping some secrets of her own.
While undoubtedly a very funny episode (Being Human does do blackly comic better than most shows on TV) it also feels as if we’re treading water a bit, at least up until the final moments which itself is also something we’ve seen before. Last year we also had someone taking advantage of Tom’s naïve nature and it ended with more or less the same result, and while this episode gave even more background to Tom’s character and a lovely scene at his father’s grave, it’s nothing we didn’t already know from last year or could have worked out ourselves. And Hal giving in, once more, to his vampiric impulses was the whole crux of the story arc in the previous season, and also basically Mitchell’s entire character arc as well.
Thank goodness for Alex then, whose story brings something new to the Being Human universe; what if a ghost who has been refusing to move on goes a bit…well, do-lally? And we get our answer in Lady Mary. A ghost who, when not in Hal’s company, is quite mad, watching people get… amorous in club toilets; starting fights because she’s bored; pushing people over because she doesn’t like their shoes. All signs that a ghost shouldn’t stay on as long as she has and a warning sign for Alex to not stay on this plane any longer than she needs to.
Although, the well worn story did give us the chance to see something that we haven’t yet seen with this new trio; a reason to stay together. Alex needs Hal and Tom to stay sane, Tom needs Alex and Hal to stay tied to this world and not go off to live in the woods again, and Hal needs Alex and Tom to keep from killing again. Finally the new trio has ties besides just living in the same house. It’s old ground but trodden on by new characters.
This week’s guest star is one of those love to hate characters, and has a touch of Alan Partridge about him but not in a lovable way, and the way he treats Tom throughout the episode almost makes you glad that Hal gives in to his bloodlust but at the same time you don’t want him going down that path. Still, at least it’ll give the ambiguous Mr Rook something to do besides contemplate suicide.
Some other thoughts:
• Love that the Glade air fresheners are still hanging around the house.
• Also, Tom wearing the far-too-big for him suit was a highlight.
• Anyone notice the game on the fridge?
• “He’s got the skills, and the looks, and the motivation…and the skills.”
3 out of 5 Nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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