Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a mixed bag of fractious supernatural beings is forced to cohabitate in an out-of-the-way corner of the globe, navigating life in the mundane world while concealing their monstrous natures from the human herd.
No, it’s not Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s perennially popular What We Do in the Shadows franchise, it’s the BBC’s Being Human, and all five seasons are now streaming at SBS On Demand.
For one thing, it beat 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows to the punch by a good six years, the original pilot having aired back in 2008. For another, it milks its supernatural sitcom set-up for drama and horror as well as laughs.
Housemates just trying to be human: George (Russell Tovey), Annie (Lenora Crichlow) and Mitchell (Aidan Turner). Credit: BBC / Touchpaper Television
Created by Doctor Who scribe Toby Whithouse, Being Human sets its scene in the suburb of Totterdam, Bristol, in the UK, where two old friends are setting up a new household. You wouldn’t think that John Mitchell (Aidan Turner) and George Sands (Russell Tovey) would be close, what with the former being a century-old vampire trying to kick the red stuff and the latter a recently-bitten werewolf trying to get a handle on his carnivorous lunar activities, but what they have in common is a desire to live a quiet life. No rampaging across the moors, no thrones of blood, piles of skulls, or plans for world domination – the pair work as hospital porters and keep their noses out of any apocalyptic occult nonsense.
But they’re surprised to find their new pad already occupied – but not by the living. Annie Sawyer (Lenora Critchlow), a previous tenant, died in the apartment and now haunts it as a ghost. Mitchell and George, being creatures of the night, can perceive her, which does a lot for her loneliness. And so, as they say, three’s company.
Annie (Lenora Crichlow). Credit: BBC / Touchpaper Television
Of course, living a quiet life is a big ask when supernatural machinations abound, and the trio find themselves battling ancient vampires bent on enslaving humanity (Jason Watkins and, later, Mark Gatiss), the odd ancient prophecy, and their own particular monstrous natures.
Still, “monstrous” is a pretty weighted word, and while our trio might be monsters in the classical sense, what they really are is marginalised, and on the subtextual (and not so subtextual) level, Being Human is all about finding a family that accepts you – something many can relate to.
Some metaphors are obvious: Mitchell’s blood-drinking is treated like an addiction, while George’s lycanthropy, which can be transmitted by bite, is handled like a disease, and as for Annie… well, without giving away any spoilers, there’s a reason she hasn’t headed off to the next life just yet.
Mitchell (Aidan Turner). Credit: BBC / Touchpaper Television
This central idea is what keeps Being Human utterly enthralling over the course of its five seasons, allowing it to survive massive changes in both location (the series shifted to Barry Island in Wales from season 3) and cast.
While the secret supernatural machinations are fun, the share house comedy tropes given a fresh coat of paint, and the horror elements genuinely impressive (the first season contains one of the best accounts of a werewolf transformation ever – ), what really resonates is the ingrained need to find some measure of solace in a hostile world. To be surrounded and supported by people who may be different from you but understand and accept your struggle. That’s a big part of Being Human – and a big part of being human.
STREAM FREE AT SBS ON DEMAND
Being Human - season 1 episode 1
