When I first heard of this show I expected a strange, comedic rip on the "Underworld" movies. It turns out I was very wrong. "Being Human" has a very realistic feel to it, thanks to its low budget, I presume. But it somehow all works. Beyond the genre conventions there are certain details about the mythos behind each "race” that seem to be moving the show in a different direction from what I’ve seen before.

The pilot episode introduced us to Mitchell and George, two guys looking for a place to call home, away from all the "monsters". They are trying to find a sanctuary where they can regain some sense of normalcy, and live human lives like everyone else.  George is very neurotic, wimpy, and socially awkward, while Mitchell is more of a "cool guy", less inept around strangers. They both take low-key jobs at a hospital and begin dealing with everyday issues; however they both haunted by their pasts. George struggles with the physical and emotional pain of becoming a savage monster every full moon and Mitchell is possessed by a strong addiction to fresh human blood, and the pain he has caused others. Soon after moving in they discover that their home is haunted by an attractive ghost named Annie. She brings with her a whole new set of issues from the mystery surrounding her own death (slowly revealed as the show progresses) to her coming to grips with the fact that life her life has ended and she’s faced with finding a meaning behind her existence.

The show is not all serious. The duo of Mitchell and George are often perceived as a quirky gay couple - something that doesn't seem to bother Mitchell at all. The gay jokes aren’t gratuitous by any means. The laughs usually are circumstantial, and the character's reactions are dead on. In one episode Mitchell befriends a young boy and his mother.  The boy makes a negative comment about gays, and his mother quickly reprimands him saying something, "Don't you talk like that. How would your uncle feel if he heard you speaking about people like him that way?  You should be ashamed!” George's emotions are less in check than his vampire partner. His tantrums run from hilarious to annoying back to hilarious, usually within the same scene. His random, girly screams - both during his transformations and when over-stressed - have tested my boyfriend's patience on more than one occasion. But I find them cute and an integral part of his character. The drama is laid on very thick; the circumstances around Annie's death and how she deals with it are heart-breaking. Mitchell's inner struggles are brought to the fore in almost every episode. This is a man with a wicked past, committing evil acts for so long that his quest for salvation now possesses every waking moment. George seems to have the hardest time accepting himself. He feels disgusted by his lycanthropy and wishes to keep it as far away from others as possible, unable to embrace the reality of what he has become.

The real-life metaphors are plenty. Mitchell walks the path of an addict; the vampire's need for blood near impossible to ignore. Like many of us Annie fights for meaning in her existence, although the effects of her feelings are more tangible. Her insecurities cause her to become invisible to regular humans, and her anger and stress cause poltergeist-type events to occur (furniture moves, things fly about, pottery breaks). George sees his plight more like an illness, and suffers extreme guilt for the things it’s driven him to do. The parallel between lycanthropy and STD's are very upfront.

All in all, I find this story to be very charming and progressive (with the pro-gay tones they manage to squeeze in every now and then). Episodes are exciting and unpredictable. I strongly recommend "Being Human" to anyone interested in the well crafted supernatural stories. Season one (six episodes) is available on iTunes, and season two is set to premier late this summer. If you like True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Angel…then you’ll be adding "Being Human" to your “must see” list.

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