Being Human – The Pilot

For the record, I haven’t seen the original series. In fact, I wasn’t even planning to watch the remake until I discovered the pilot this past weekend — which is why this review is up just a few hours before the next episode. I’ve promised myself I’ll go back and watch the original series, but I’m waiting until this version’s season is over. For now, I am new to the story and will be reviewing the show as a newcomer. And as a newcomer, I have to say I really did like the pilot.

First of all, I am very glad the pilot started with Josh and Aiden already friends. For them to meet, become friends, discover each other’s secrets and meet Sally in one episode would have been tough. I’m not even sure how they could have found out about each other, but I’m sure that will make a great origins episode down the line. For now, it was smart to have them start out moving in together and trying to get their lives back to “normal.”

Josh (played by Sam Huntington) is always anxious, but can you blame him? If blacking out and only killing a deer is a good month, you’d probably be nervous, too. The interaction with his sister was nice — and a change from the BBC series, I’ve been told. When she closed the cellar door behind her, I gasped. It’s the big cliffhanger of the pilot and I’m wondering how they’ll handle it.

Aiden (Sam Witwer) is played a little stiff, but considering how most vampires are portrayed in TV and films nowadays (Edward and Bill especially), Aiden is not nearly as brooding. I would say he’s even likable! After all, he’s the proactive one who came up with the apartment idea. And the struggles with his former master and the vague secret plan that was hinted at make things very interesting down the road — after all, that and the death of his date seem to be the only things he doesn’t let Josh in on. But between him and Josh, Aiden is the more optimistic person, which makes me really like him, especially considering his past. Did I mention he actually SMILES? I don’t know, it’s just refreshing.

Sally is the least fleshed out of the trio, but she’s also introduced so late in the episode. It doesn’t help that she’s forced to stay in the house and can’t physically interact with her “roommates.” I enjoyed Meaghan Rath‘s performance, but her character seems really limited, at least for now. She was, however, the character to get the Twilight reference over with (if you’re going to have a show in 2011 with a werewolf and vampire as roommates, you kind of have to acknowledge it).

For a TV show, the special effects aren’t too bad. I really wish they would have hidden a lot of Josh’s transformation in the opening scene. It’s the Jaws effect: the less you see of the monster, the more terrifying it is when you see more of him. But the ethereal mist when Sally disappears is cool.

The only negative thing I can say about the episode is that the characters are all just a little stiff, but it’s also the pilot and I’m not too worried. Considering I discovered the show by channel flipping and eagerly watched it from opening to end credits, it has a lot of promise. A couple guesses on later storylines: 1). I’m pretty sure Sally’s fiance killed her. 2). Kara the nurse is more than what she seems. I’m betting she’s the little girl from Aiden’s flashback that saw him kill the wedding party. She’s tracked him down and is planning her revenge.

Clacked by Katie Schenkel
on Jan 24, 2011 @ 15:00 EST5EDT