Being Human US 1x5 slashy review
Some comments on the latest Being Human US aka The Aidan and Bishop Show.
IS ANYONE ELSE WATCHING THIS?
In the original, my favorite storylines (besides the OT3 bonding, of course) centered around Mitchell's relationship with the vampire community. I always found it fascinating to watch him try to negotiate that aspect of his life. He never truly turns against the vampire community at large during Series 1&2 (I'm not keeping up with S3, so can't speak there) - only against some vampires during certain periods. Despite claiming "them" in the human vs. vampire divide, there was always a certain amount of kinship and loyalty towards his species.
So the fact that they're continuing to pursue this inner conflict in the remake is what has kept me watching. This was an interesting episode for that. I liked how he felt out the priest first, trying to get a handle on him, before deciding that the guy was just unhinged and taking him out. (also interesting: remember how in S2 Mitchell wouldn't kill the vamp who kept attacking people? Only bashed out her teeth, same as he did here. Of course, in the UK version it was more poignant. He was a lot more conflicted about it. oh, S2!Mitchell. ♥)
The slashy subtext between Aiden and Bishop continues, and the relationship continues to function differently than in the UK version. (I really didn't care there when Herrick died; I'm going to be heartsick when it happens here and likely not continue with the show.) There's this communication gap that they both do seem to want to close, despite the extreme resentment and frustration, though they don't know how. And OH HELLO SUBTEXT "Since when do you need to sell it? Any time you want someone, you just take him... or her." The sex sex sex is all in the pause, the breath, and the head turn.
I think Bishop's aims come off more logical and convincing in this version. These two are so fucked up and interesting. Aidan has a bit of honest concern when he starts with, "What happened to you?" And I think that's what sets Bishop off here -- he doesn't let it get to him when Aidan is simply mouthing off, but this was Aidan being completely serious and actually worried about him for a second, which likely seemed obnoxiously hypocritical to Bishop and also somewhat humiliating.
I loved how they finally lost their tempers with each other and decided to throw down, but then afterward Bishop carefully smooths Aidan's jacket back, strokes Aidan's face(!), and then rubs some of Aidan's blood off lick from his thumb(!!). You can see why Aidan classifies his confrontation with Bishop as "an accident" to Sally -- instincts took over and things got out of hand quickly. The difference in the violence between Aidan and the priest is profound. In comparison, Bishop wasn't doing anything truly damaging to Aidan. To a vampire, getting punched in the face a few times is fucking painful but heals completely within a few hours. The shock value (for both Aidan and the viewers) is really about seeing Bishop strike Aidan in anger. Aidan was seriously freaked out at first, and perhaps that's where the laughing came from... release of tension, tragic amusement at the place they've come to, and relief that the fear was unfounded.
The end scene between Bishop and the de-fanged priest was so much about Bishop/Aidan that it made me seriously consider if the priest's introduction into the hospital had been Bishop's way of opening the conversation with Aidan about conversions. ("Bishop's the one who brought me here.") Did he intend all along to give Aidan someone to take his frustrations out on? Bishop doesn't appear to even be pissed at Aidan about what happened. (He's upset initially, but that shifts once he hears who did it.) Instead he now seems bemused and perhaps charmed at evidence of Aidan's savagery. THE SMILE. Even if Aidan persists in his ridiculous diet, here is proof that he is very much still Bishop's old companion in spirit. And Bishop understands and perhaps even approves that Aidan felt the need to reassert his dominance.
IS ANYONE ELSE WATCHING THIS?
In the original, my favorite storylines (besides the OT3 bonding, of course) centered around Mitchell's relationship with the vampire community. I always found it fascinating to watch him try to negotiate that aspect of his life. He never truly turns against the vampire community at large during Series 1&2 (I'm not keeping up with S3, so can't speak there) - only against some vampires during certain periods. Despite claiming "them" in the human vs. vampire divide, there was always a certain amount of kinship and loyalty towards his species.
So the fact that they're continuing to pursue this inner conflict in the remake is what has kept me watching. This was an interesting episode for that. I liked how he felt out the priest first, trying to get a handle on him, before deciding that the guy was just unhinged and taking him out. (also interesting: remember how in S2 Mitchell wouldn't kill the vamp who kept attacking people? Only bashed out her teeth, same as he did here. Of course, in the UK version it was more poignant. He was a lot more conflicted about it. oh, S2!Mitchell. ♥)
The slashy subtext between Aiden and Bishop continues, and the relationship continues to function differently than in the UK version. (I really didn't care there when Herrick died; I'm going to be heartsick when it happens here and likely not continue with the show.) There's this communication gap that they both do seem to want to close, despite the extreme resentment and frustration, though they don't know how. And OH HELLO SUBTEXT "Since when do you need to sell it? Any time you want someone, you just take him... or her." The sex sex sex is all in the pause, the breath, and the head turn.
I think Bishop's aims come off more logical and convincing in this version. These two are so fucked up and interesting. Aidan has a bit of honest concern when he starts with, "What happened to you?" And I think that's what sets Bishop off here -- he doesn't let it get to him when Aidan is simply mouthing off, but this was Aidan being completely serious and actually worried about him for a second, which likely seemed obnoxiously hypocritical to Bishop and also somewhat humiliating.
I loved how they finally lost their tempers with each other and decided to throw down, but then afterward Bishop carefully smooths Aidan's jacket back, strokes Aidan's face(!), and then rubs some of Aidan's blood off lick from his thumb(!!). You can see why Aidan classifies his confrontation with Bishop as "an accident" to Sally -- instincts took over and things got out of hand quickly. The difference in the violence between Aidan and the priest is profound. In comparison, Bishop wasn't doing anything truly damaging to Aidan. To a vampire, getting punched in the face a few times is fucking painful but heals completely within a few hours. The shock value (for both Aidan and the viewers) is really about seeing Bishop strike Aidan in anger. Aidan was seriously freaked out at first, and perhaps that's where the laughing came from... release of tension, tragic amusement at the place they've come to, and relief that the fear was unfounded.
The end scene between Bishop and the de-fanged priest was so much about Bishop/Aidan that it made me seriously consider if the priest's introduction into the hospital had been Bishop's way of opening the conversation with Aidan about conversions. ("Bishop's the one who brought me here.") Did he intend all along to give Aidan someone to take his frustrations out on? Bishop doesn't appear to even be pissed at Aidan about what happened. (He's upset initially, but that shifts once he hears who did it.) Instead he now seems bemused and perhaps charmed at evidence of Aidan's savagery. THE SMILE. Even if Aidan persists in his ridiculous diet, here is proof that he is very much still Bishop's old companion in spirit. And Bishop understands and perhaps even approves that Aidan felt the need to reassert his dominance.