Being Human: UK vs. US
So I've been in a funk today and Cat told me to do something not J2 for a change. Since I DO watch other shows, here's something that I've had on my mind these days:
Being Human UK vs. Being Human US
The original show Being Human is in it's third season in the UK and I have to say that I have been enjoying it for over two years now and still do. I'm always sad the seasons are so short but I really have fun watching it. Now it's always difficult to see a different version of a show you already love. The US version of Being Human is in its first season now and today I persuaded myself to watch the first two episodes. So now I am trying to make a pro and con list for both versions of the show. I'll probably always like the UK version better but I'm trying to be objective here!
I gotta say that the idea of a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost being housemates sounds a bit cracky but that's just the fun of it! Now I'll tell you my impressions and those of you who saw either show can tell me later what you're thinking.
Being Human UK:
Pro
1. The Cast is terrific. Aidan Turner (Mitchell, the vampire) has a charisma that just blows you away and although he broods very well and knows how to be a tortured soul he also does a great job at cracking me up every now and again. He's got the most mischievous grin and evil suits him very well. Russel Tovey (George, the werewolf) is an incredible actor if you ask me. I haven't seen a bad moment from his character yet and his accent and geeky looks are just perfect for the role. He's not a beautiful man but he has so much character, damn! Lenora Crichlow (Annie, the ghost) cracks me up so much, I can't even say and she's a very beautiful woman as well. I also saw the pilot with a different vampire and ghost cast and although the script was hilarious the final cast is a lot better.
2. I adore the little details like Mitchell's mittens or Annie's tea.
3. The extremity of some of the guest characters is hilarious, shocking and superb.
Contra
1. The seasons are too short for my taste (8 episodes a season is just not enough).
2. The effects are often simple or possible effects are not being made rather letting things be worked by cuts or simply not doing it, even though the prosthetic work is really good.
3. The story line and environment seems very narrow to me in a way of "small thinking", if you get what I mean. It's like Bristol is all there is (although they move but it's just like relocating the bubble).
Being Human US
Pro
1. Great special effects. The ghost smoke is superb, really! And also the cinematography seems "fresher" sometimes than in the UK version.
2. Sam Huntington is such eye-candy!
3. I think the writers have humor and appreciate the original. The vampire's name was changed to actually go by the first name of the original UK actor: Aidan. That one really had me laughing.
Contra
1. I'm not in love with the cast. Sam Huntington, Josh the werewolf, had some really good moments in the first two eps but he's also my favorite of the three. Sally, the ghost, seems to fall a little flat. I don't connect to her emotions and she is not at all funny. I still got hopes for her though since I'm only 2 eps in but up to now she looks typecast to look like Annie. I hope she won't stay as grey as her sweater. Sam Witwer, playing Aidan the vampire, is my least favorite of the three. I'm not in love with his performance. He seems to have watched the original show and try to be broody and emo and "Edward", if I may say so. It seems very forced at times and although he had some great vampire moments he doesn't seem to have the feel of the role yet lacking in the charisma department and not at all having the charm that his UK counterpart uses to counteract the emo.
I also have a problem with the two men on the cast looking kind of the same in the first shots together. For a moment I really had problems telling them apart. Where I think the typecasting went a little far with the lady of the team, the vampire is a little too far away from the original if you ask me especially when they went to such lengths to make other characters look pretty much exactly the same. And as much as I appreciate the eye-candy that is Sam Huntington, I kinda miss the geeky look.
2. Aidan is very "Angel". Some changes were made in the character's history that don't really thrill me but are actually not of much importance, however I am missing the oddity that makes the sexy vampire in the UK version so weirdly human in his flaws and his tics. Aidan seems too groomed and his looks and the tortured 200 year old vampire act remind me painfully much of Angel from the Buffy verse (down to the hairdo, really!). It seems like some of the originality of the character got lost. I also don't really care for the change of his profession to nurse instead of cleaner. Of course it's more glamorous but it goes against the whole plotpoint of living below their actual talent level to keep out of the mainstream realms of society. A nurse is very much socially included in their work team and place.
3. The generally beautiful people and the "cleaned up" characters seem too main-stream in my opinion. I don't want perfect nice little monsters.
In my personal opinion there are some good moments in the pilot episodes of Being Human US which was mostly exactly the same as the UK episode (like it was for Queer as Folk US/UK as well) but so far I am still rooting for the UK. I kinda hope the US version will find different plot twists so I can top comparing the two down to the smallest detail ;)
Of course I only saw the start of the US series so I'm not yet an expert but I'll keep an eye on it.
So what do you say? UK or US (and don't just decide due to the fact that the other half of the world has such a 'weird' accent ;)
*hugs* Birdie
ETA: Mark Pellegrino cracks me up! Who would have thought he could look so much like Jason Watkins! O.o
Being Human UK vs. Being Human US
The original show Being Human is in it's third season in the UK and I have to say that I have been enjoying it for over two years now and still do. I'm always sad the seasons are so short but I really have fun watching it. Now it's always difficult to see a different version of a show you already love. The US version of Being Human is in its first season now and today I persuaded myself to watch the first two episodes. So now I am trying to make a pro and con list for both versions of the show. I'll probably always like the UK version better but I'm trying to be objective here!
I gotta say that the idea of a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost being housemates sounds a bit cracky but that's just the fun of it! Now I'll tell you my impressions and those of you who saw either show can tell me later what you're thinking.
Being Human UK:
Pro
1. The Cast is terrific. Aidan Turner (Mitchell, the vampire) has a charisma that just blows you away and although he broods very well and knows how to be a tortured soul he also does a great job at cracking me up every now and again. He's got the most mischievous grin and evil suits him very well. Russel Tovey (George, the werewolf) is an incredible actor if you ask me. I haven't seen a bad moment from his character yet and his accent and geeky looks are just perfect for the role. He's not a beautiful man but he has so much character, damn! Lenora Crichlow (Annie, the ghost) cracks me up so much, I can't even say and she's a very beautiful woman as well. I also saw the pilot with a different vampire and ghost cast and although the script was hilarious the final cast is a lot better.
2. I adore the little details like Mitchell's mittens or Annie's tea.
3. The extremity of some of the guest characters is hilarious, shocking and superb.
Contra
1. The seasons are too short for my taste (8 episodes a season is just not enough).
2. The effects are often simple or possible effects are not being made rather letting things be worked by cuts or simply not doing it, even though the prosthetic work is really good.
3. The story line and environment seems very narrow to me in a way of "small thinking", if you get what I mean. It's like Bristol is all there is (although they move but it's just like relocating the bubble).
Being Human US
Pro
1. Great special effects. The ghost smoke is superb, really! And also the cinematography seems "fresher" sometimes than in the UK version.
2. Sam Huntington is such eye-candy!
3. I think the writers have humor and appreciate the original. The vampire's name was changed to actually go by the first name of the original UK actor: Aidan. That one really had me laughing.
Contra
1. I'm not in love with the cast. Sam Huntington, Josh the werewolf, had some really good moments in the first two eps but he's also my favorite of the three. Sally, the ghost, seems to fall a little flat. I don't connect to her emotions and she is not at all funny. I still got hopes for her though since I'm only 2 eps in but up to now she looks typecast to look like Annie. I hope she won't stay as grey as her sweater. Sam Witwer, playing Aidan the vampire, is my least favorite of the three. I'm not in love with his performance. He seems to have watched the original show and try to be broody and emo and "Edward", if I may say so. It seems very forced at times and although he had some great vampire moments he doesn't seem to have the feel of the role yet lacking in the charisma department and not at all having the charm that his UK counterpart uses to counteract the emo.
I also have a problem with the two men on the cast looking kind of the same in the first shots together. For a moment I really had problems telling them apart. Where I think the typecasting went a little far with the lady of the team, the vampire is a little too far away from the original if you ask me especially when they went to such lengths to make other characters look pretty much exactly the same. And as much as I appreciate the eye-candy that is Sam Huntington, I kinda miss the geeky look.
2. Aidan is very "Angel". Some changes were made in the character's history that don't really thrill me but are actually not of much importance, however I am missing the oddity that makes the sexy vampire in the UK version so weirdly human in his flaws and his tics. Aidan seems too groomed and his looks and the tortured 200 year old vampire act remind me painfully much of Angel from the Buffy verse (down to the hairdo, really!). It seems like some of the originality of the character got lost. I also don't really care for the change of his profession to nurse instead of cleaner. Of course it's more glamorous but it goes against the whole plotpoint of living below their actual talent level to keep out of the mainstream realms of society. A nurse is very much socially included in their work team and place.
3. The generally beautiful people and the "cleaned up" characters seem too main-stream in my opinion. I don't want perfect nice little monsters.
In my personal opinion there are some good moments in the pilot episodes of Being Human US which was mostly exactly the same as the UK episode (like it was for Queer as Folk US/UK as well) but so far I am still rooting for the UK. I kinda hope the US version will find different plot twists so I can top comparing the two down to the smallest detail ;)
Of course I only saw the start of the US series so I'm not yet an expert but I'll keep an eye on it.
So what do you say? UK or US (and don't just decide due to the fact that the other half of the world has such a 'weird' accent ;)
*hugs* Birdie
ETA: Mark Pellegrino cracks me up! Who would have thought he could look so much like Jason Watkins! O.o