Earlier in the week, our sainted editor Deb, asked the CliqueClack listserv about Becoming Human‘s, Being Human’s new webseries with supernatural teenagers, child appropriateness. Although Katie sang Being Human‘s Syfy praises, getting grounded with a cold virus over the weekend forced me to actually watch the first two episodes. Surprisingly, I found myself pulled to its unabashed portrayal of the nude male body, the ethereal beauty of its lead characters’ angst, and the blood-letting sensuality of Aiden’s nocturnal encounters. So, I started to wonder – how does Being Human compare to Vampire Diaries and True Blood in terms of vampire violence?
Despite having watched Twilight (against my intelligence), Moonlight, Vampire Diaries and True Blood, the vampiric seductions within Being Human still struck me as more erotic yet more confident than the others through the casual portrayal of male nudity and the seductive yet voyeuristic elbow-cutting scene of the vampire courtesan. While Moonlight and Twilight leaned towards the romantic portrayal of both vampire violence and sexuality, True Blood towards the more explosive, ‘in your face’ and Vampire Diaries serving as a cross between the two, I decided to ask the group if Being Human appears different in its portrayal of vampire violence than the others.
An: In terms of kid-friendliness, it’s less friendly than Vampire Diaries. So, I would list Being Human as PG-13, Vampire Diaries as PG and True Blood Rated R. Being Human is heavily sensual and adult, but tame compared to True Blood. But, in a way it’s beautiful. I loved the focus on male nude bodies in the pilot and Aiden’s erotic blood sharing (even though one ended in death).
While the second episode might prove slightly closer to PG-type violence, it’s still a step ahead of Vampire Diaries. While True Blood features on-screen violence, Being Human displays the results of off-screen violence i.e. we see a head dropping blood (but we don’t see the cause) or we see a torn throat (without seeing the catalyst).
Either way, I found the series so far haunting and beautiful. I don’t want to watch the BBC series yet (lest I compare the two), but it definitely made its way to my must watch list.
Katie: While Being Human has less blood than True Blood so far, when blood is shown it becomes that much more shocking. Case in point: this week when Aiden feeds off the blood bag. It’s a short scene and it’s not like there’s gore involved, but seeing him going to town on that bag was a quiet sort of horrifying.
Carla: I have only seen the Syfy version of Being Human, but I think the violence in Vampire Diaries is so far much worse than in Being Human. Actually, I think Being Human has been the most tame of any vampire show I have seen. I expect that might change, but it has been fairly harmless. Vampire Diaries has had some quite bloody and violent scenes, plus I think they are compounded by the fact they are well-known characters and not nobodies. True Blood is definitely the worst of the bunch for violence and sex. Sometimes, I think it is overdone, but I keep coming back and watching so they must not be too bad.
Michael: I watched the first season of True Blood for several reasons: 1) I was given a copy of Charlane’s book at Comic-Con some years back, read it and was intrigued; 2) Alan (Six Feet Under) Ball’s attachment to the project. I was on board the True Blood train that first season.
On watching the sophomore effort, I completely lost interest. I cannot imagine any comparable discussion between Vampire Diaries / Being Human to the practically X-rated imagery so gratuitously thrust on the viewer as to render True Blood comical.
To be fair, I’ve seen nary an episode of Vampire Diaries or Being Human, but — outside the vampire element, True Blood is not only radical but a hot, hot mess in the same breath as the other two shows, in my opinion. Apples and oranges.
So, am I the only one who sees Being Human’s portrayal of vampire violence and sensuality as slightly different than other shows, or am I just blinded by the sight of naked male torsos that don’t belong to Ryan Kwanten?
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on Feb 02, 2011 @ 10:30 EST5EDT
I’d say there is barely any vampire violence at all. Most of it is shown in the just before and just after stages. And that’s what you can continue to expect, I’d guess, since his focus is on being human and therefore NOT killing. He doesn’t want to do it anymore.
By the way, not to be nitpicky, but his name is spelled Aidan, not Aiden. :-)
That’s odd, I had typed them as Aidan. Anyhoo, when I talk about vamp violence, I don’t just mean gore, but sensuality. TB gives us straight up gore and sex on the R level, but with BH it’s the first time I felt touched by the seductivveness.
Well, just look at Sam Witwer. What else would you feel? ;-)
Can you really rate violence without context and tonality? I also would guess it is what you like or don’t and what your willing to put up with.
True Blood for me was violence for violence sake. A lot of it was done because of the “hey, were on cable” and was only violence porn along with the actual soft-core that was happening. So the shows violence is only worse in that regard.
From what i have seen of the BH remake the violence, what little there is, is not shocking or interesting and and blood/practical effects look cheap and lame. The blood in Aidan’s mouth in that one seen looked like kool-aide. Yes, you can say it is more an “adult” and subtle violence but it is a show with adults in it and well its on scifi not much chance its going to get much darker or compare to the original. So its tame, very, in comparison to the original or anything else on the list.
I have also seen VD and if you are going for how many times someone has been stabbed, killed, eye gouged out, finger chopped off (and shown), heart ripped from chest and etc… then this show wins in spades. But again its tone. the show is fast-paced and glossy and while you see a lot of blood its never shocking or gory its more, “look at the pretty young people and oh blood” its more in attitude then full on disturbia graphica like True Blood.
I know you didn’t mention the original BH but in my crappy grain-of-salt opinion it is a show that, at least in the first couple of seasons, did violence correct and in a way that was visceral but an important part of the story. i don’t think it was ever over the top but it was at time in your face, the season two arcing theme of the bus and Mitchell come to mind. however, on a level of violence and just that i would put it under TB with VD under that and the remake at the bottom.
but its all, again, what you like and can justify and spend, like myself, way too much time analyzing and leaving a comment about it. i’m going go switch on my life now.