I Am A TV Junkie

Video -- First 5 Minutes of UK Being Human S3 Premiere

Fascinating that BBC America is starting up the third series of the UK Being Human in the middle of the US version's first season run. I thought there would be conditions set in the format licensing deal that would prevent them from airing at the same time.

Certainly awareness for the series, either one, is at its highest in the US right now thanks to all the promo Syfy has done to promote their version.

Our Boston-set series is certainly very compelling and for the most part the performances are as impressive here as they were for the BBC version. If anything (and I'm being picky) I would say I prefer Russell Tovey to Sam Huntington but then you have to give Sam survivor points for still having a career after ABC's Cavemen two years ago so maybe it's a wash.

And I love Sinead Keenan, maybe because I'm so reminded of Billie Piper from the first series of Doctor Who. She has that combination of sexy and plucky and smart that I enjoy.

The episodes ahead for the UK show will bring us a whole new crew of players per the promos BBC America is running. The key casting, though, was UK telly star Robson Green (Wire In The Blood) as the leader of a pack of wolves that figure heavily in this series' episodes.

Check out the first five minutes of Saturday's episode (9 pm eastern). It's after the jump.

Video -- Wanna Watch Your US Being Human Cast Play in Toronto?

Well, do ya? Because I've loaded that clip after the jump. Listen to Sam Witwer explain how the news is done in Canada starting at about the 2 minute mark. Fascinating insights!

About the show? I'm still watching. It's just different enough in story from the BBC original that I'm still entertained. I can't say the same about Skins, which just didn't translate for me.

About the UK version from BBC One, it returns this month in America on BBC America on Feb. 19. From the press release from the network:

Leaving the memories of their much-loved former house behind, George, Nina and Mitchell settle into their new home – a kitsch bed and breakfast named Honolulu Heights that boasts many benefits for supernatural sharers – a large basement providing a safe and sheltered environment on a full moon, for one.

Season three boasts an impressive array of guest-stars, including Lacey Turner (EastEnders) as Lia, who Mitchell meets in Purgatory, Robson Green (Wire In The Blood) as primitive werewolf McNair, Michael Socha (This Is England ’86) as McNair’s son Tom, Paul Kaye (It’s All Gone Pete Tong) as twisted vampire Vincent, Craig Roberts (Young Dracula) as teenage vampire Adam; Nicola Walker (MI-5) as social worker Wendy, James Fleet (Four Weddings and a Funeral) as George’s father George Sr; and Jason Watkins making an eventful return as vampire leader Herrick.

That's right, Robson Green, who any fan of Brit TV worth their salt knows and loves. In fact, Rob Buckley (his blog, this link) promises me that I'll be enjoying Green's turn as a werewolf, and especially his scenes with Russell Tovey, who I have newfound respect for since the US version has debuted.

The promised clip PLUS a preview of the UK show's third series are after the jump.

Video -- Catching Up With BBC America's Being Human

I'm behind on True Blood (Sunday's episode) and The Gates (the same), but I did spend some time with vampires, werewolves and a couple of ghosts this past weekend while playing catch up with the BBC Three series from Toby Whithouse, its second series running currently on BBC America.

You know the deal ... a vampire (John Mitchell), a werewolf (George Sands) and a ghost (Annie Sawyer, you can see them all above) live in a crappy flat in Bristol and try not to let their fangs or their teeth or their sudden invisibility get in the way of getting on with it, it being their attempts at ... Being Human.

(I like that they live in a crappy flat, btw. In fact, it's one of the rare shows where the people -- people? -- live somewhere realistic..)

With varying degrees of success, of course. Mitchell and George have crappy NHS jobs to go with their crappy flat, mopping up at a local hospital while Annie, because she hadn't mastered certain parts of the human charade (ghosty problems like not being able to eat or drink or accidentally disappearing) stayed home making tea and coffee that she couldn't even drink and figuring out that her pre-death BF Owen was a sonovabitch.

Owen freaked out when confronted by the three and went to the police with his info, info that quickly gained him entry to a local mental institution. But his story also tipped off an enemy of the otherworld, a man named Kemp. We'll get to him after the jump.

This season started with George's girlfriend Nina, also a hospital worker, living with the trio after the big first series finale where George transformed and killed the local leader of the vampires, Herrick.

(I miss Herrick, he was nasty and fun and a great villian. Watch this interview clip with the producers of the show talking about losing Herrick at this link. And, you UK viewers, NO SPOILERS please.)

Something else happened during Herrick's demise, though. During his transformation, George scratched Nina while trying to push her out of harm's way and gave her "the curse."

Which is where we picked up the opening episode of the series, with Nina dealing with her new circumstance, George not yet knowing what he did, Mitchell trying to keep the local vamps in check (filling the power vacuum George created when he killed Herrick) and Annie gaining control of her "presence," so to speak.

More after the jumperoo.

Being Human Series One Finale -- "We've Found Them"

First of all, can we stipulate to the fact that no one, human, vampire, ghost, whatever ... no one should look this good in a hospital bed? And, did Aidan Turner or the producers of this show stuff the blankets to make Mitchell look, uh ... the size of Aidan Shaw?

There's only a few of you who will get that reference, but do send along an email if you do, address here to the right.

This post is for Stacy, who as far as I can tell is the only person who reads this blog regularly who's watching Being Human. To the rest of you, you missed some very good TV.

It's certainly not as amped up and charged with adrenaline and sex and violence as True Blood, but it has its moments, and Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who, School Reunion) has proven himself with this set of shows one of the UK's best young TV writers.

He gave these actors a really strong first series where they all got a chance to take center stage for story arcs. They all delivered solidly, the audience figures on BBC Three were apparently good enough to warrant a second series of six episodes.

And committing to six at a time is a great way to be able to attract top acting talent to projects. Certainly the thought of signing a five-year US TV deal has been enough to scare some of our better actors back to the stage or on to feature films.

Not that there aren't wonderful actors working on network series in the US, there are. But they are fewer and further in between. You have to admit that the cable shows that only shoot 12 or 13 episodes get a class of actor that shows working nine months out of the year don't.

They (actors) seem to like to mix it up. Can't blame them.

Like a lot of the fans on the BBC Being Human blog (which we can now all read without the risk of spoilers) I'll miss the baddie, Herrick (Jason Watkins), but it seems that they do have a new adversary per the old guy interviewing the now-crazed Owen at what was either a mental hospital or a prison, couldn't really tell. More on that below.

Herrick just spat those great lines out with a particular verve that I enjoyed, like these from tonight's series finale:

"I'll chase you all to the end of the world and pick the meat off your bones."

"It's like Top Trumps, werewolf vs. vampire."

And of course, who couldn't just love histrionics that came from the hospital cafeteria worker (billed as Canteen Girl) played by Rebecca Cooper (to the left of Watkins in the image above) in her final scene of the episode with Annie in the funeral home.

Still, my favorite line of the episode was when the priest says to George, "Jewish people pray. I've seen Yentl." Must have been a Jesuit -- they're BIG Streisand fans.

But back to the tone of the show, I like to think of Being Human as the more cerebral creatures of the night series with a tad less violence that's a bit more introspective.

(And, if you think about it, all of this going on in Bristol makes sense in the Toby from Inner Toob sense of the TV universe where everything inside the box is a continuum. It really explains what happened to all those kids from the first two series of Skins, like Jal and Michelle and Cassie and Anwar and Maxxie. Effy and Pandora must have gotten high on spliff and just got on the wrong bus the night of some vampire feeding slaughter, I guess. Wouldn't you love, though, to see Kaya Scodelario pop up on Being Human as a old soul vamp with a hunger for some hot clubgoing stud blood? Doesn't that sound good?)

Much more, including a clip, after the jump.

A Vampire, a Werewolf and a Ghost Walk Into a House in Bristol -- This is Not a Joke!

But it is sometimes funny. Well, not gag-driven yucks but some clever and whitty banter and interaction between the leads in BBC Three's new across the pond import tonight on BBC America.

All this Torchwood stuff this week has been getting in the way but now the air (and, not too surprisingly, a committment-phobic leader of a certain group that arms the world for the 21st century from the trash of visiting aliens) has cleared for Being Human, which premieres tonight at 9 eastern.

Totally worth checking out. Great premise, great performances, some nice scripting by Toby Whithouse, who's written for everything from Doctor Who (the episode that reintroduced Sarah Jane Smith) to Hotel Babylon for the BBC. He now brings you an interesting cross between horror and continuing drama with a core of leads that have a great ensemble feel.

Ellen Gray in the Philly Daily News:

Mitchell (Aidan Turner) is one of those vamps with a conscience we hear so much about. He and George (Russell Tovey), a mild-mannered werewolf, work in a hospital, but Annie (Lenora Crichlow) mostly hangs around the house, mourning Owen (Greg Chillin), the fiancé left behind when she died.

Not that he won't be dropping in from time to time: He's the guys' landlord.

You can imagine how this different take provides a real world look at what it might be like to have to be hiding your identity in the public sphere, which has ramifications that stretch all over the place in this story.

After the jump, watch and listen to creator Whithouse talk about the show and the road it took to being commissioned by BBC Three. Check it out tonight on BBC America.

Anyone have the channel in HD yet, by the way?

BBC America in HD? Time Warner Reps Have No Information

Update on my constant calling to my local Time Warner office -- as Hogan' Heroes' Sgt. Schultz says, "I know nothing! NOTHING!"

Can't blame Jennifer at TWC, she looked at every piece of paper on her desk, at my prompting, to see what she could find out.

And, you know, I've been trying to get a call returned from Time Warner in NYC also, but ...

... write your own caption, it's early and I have a very busy day ahead. If I find out anything ... ANYTHING ... before Monday at 9 eastern, when the big event starts, I'll get that to you.

In the meantime, watch yet something else that will get you all excited about it. AND ... tomorrow BBC America is running Capt. Jack episodes of Doctor Who, including the season one two-parter The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances, and the three-parter that ends season three.

For new Who fans, that means getting to see Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor (different, also wonderful, IMHO) and Billie Piper and Freema Agyeman (Freema, for me holds the distinction of looking the best while running in the companion category, not to mention her being very engaging on camera).

Of course, Rose Tyler is my heart. Spunky li'l shopgirl becomes time and space traveler, what's not to love?

Comic-Con Preview: My Inbox Makes Me Sure There Will Be a Doctor Who Movie

Okay, I'm sure of it now. Why? Because David Tennant and Russell T. Davies are doing Comic-Con, baby! And it doesn't make sense that Tennant shows up unless they're announcing something big, like a movie version of Doctor Who with Tennant and Piper.

Who's not going to Comic-Con? Me.

Sold out! I was pretty sure I'd be previously engaged, as I'm probably getting ready to move at just about the same time, so I didn't even look at their site until today when I got the email.

However I checked today and all possibilities of my getting into the Con Center in San Diego on Sunday are nill.

(You'll remember that last year I got only half way there before a flaming big rig full of meat products caught on fire on the 5 freeway and forced me to turn around and go home.)

It's okay, I'm sure they're staying in LA and just driving down for the day, and I'm just minutes off the 405 freeway, so I'm inviting both of them (and you too, Julie Gardner) to my place for a meal.

I'll cater the thing as my cookware will probably be in boxes at that time.

Here's the details for those of you who have their weekend passes already:

In support of BBC America’s U.S. premiere of four Doctor Who Specials, the Doctor himself, David Tennant, will appear alongside writer/executive producer Russell T Davies at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego.  They will take part in a Doctor Who panel along with executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn, Sunday July 26, 10:00-11:00am PT. 

David will travel to Comic-Con, fresh from the Doctor Who set, having shot his final scenes as the tenth Time Lord.  He and fellow panelists will discuss the latest incarnation of television’s longest running science fiction series and take questions from the floor. There will also be exclusive sneak peeks from the upcoming specials.   

Fans can visit the BBC America booth (#3629) to capture their own photograph alongside part of the Doctor Who set - as well as purchase exclusive merchandise including David Tennant figures.

Fans of BBC America’s highest rated show ever, Torchwood, which will have just completed the five-part special, Children of Earth, will get to chat with the stars and makers of the show first-hand.  Just 48 hours after the last episode, the show makes a return visit to Comic-Con with a panel featuring star John Barrowman, writer/executive producer Russell T Davies, executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn, Sunday July 26, 2:15-3:45pm PT. 

As part of the same panel, Sunday July 26, 2:15-3:45pm PT, catch the talent from BBC America’s most buzzed about new sci fi drama, Being Human.  Creator and writer, Toby Whithouse, plus lead actors Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and Aidan Turner, talk about the inspiration for the show and what it’s like to play three twenty-somethings with secret double-lives – as a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost.  All four panelists will be signing exclusively at the BBC America booth, Saturday July 25, 3:00-4:00pm PT.

And, btw, I've seen some of Being Human already and I love the show. And, I finally know now who Russell Tovey is. 

(Actually, sometimes he's this guy above right, but just in the show.)

So, I know that someone who reads here is going. Would you be my eyes and ears? Leave me a comment if interested.

After the jump, an introduction to Tovey's Being Human character George. There are little prequel stories for each of the leads at the BBC page at YouTube for you to review, digest and absorb in advance of their premiere.

UPDATED w/VIDEO: BBC America Goes HD July 20, Debuting With "Sci-Fi Stack" Who, Torchwood, Being Human

Big BBC America news that also reveals some strategy on their part to beat down the illegal downloading of their most popular content.

It turns out that all this acquisition stuff going on from  the mothership (BBC One through Three) and rivals ITV and Channel 4 is in prep for bringing us quality HD programming every night of the week, per Multichannel News' interview with BBCA Chair Garth Ancier:

"It took some time to have the right programming mix coming down the pipe to say with a straight face that we have a great primetime high-def schedule," the BBC Worldwide America president said.

(snip)

"I would have loved to announced it a lot earlier and then gone to operators a lot earlier," Ancier said.

Now, BBC America and distribution partners Discovery Communications will have about seven weeks from today (June 1) to show cable and satellite affiliates demonstration reels on Blu-ray DVDs and sign up launches.

Ancier said he's confident there will be at least "a couple" of affiliates ready on day one.
"Sci-fi viewers tend to be very particular about their picture," he said. "And if you do a whole week of sci-fi in high-def, I think they'll want to see it in high-def. Is that cryptic enough?"

I know I wanna see it in high-def. In fact, I was discussing all this just the other day here on the blog.

Now the critical question remains, will Time Warner, my cable system, hook me up with the HD channel in time?

And, when is Skins coming back? You would think sometime before the school year starts in September, so all the cool kids could come back after vacay and tip off the 90210 crowd that there's something better to watch.

Anyone who reads from this space regularly knows Who, Torchwood and Skins, but Being Human (leads pictured left) may be a new one for you. I'll have preview coverage before its airdate.

In the meantime, beware British fan sites with spoilers as they have already seen the complete first series. Oh, and the same with those Skins fansites and of course both the BBC and Channel 4 sites for the shows, which both have episode recaps and stuff that might spoil your good time.

(I know I'm in the minority when it comes to spoilers. I just prefer that the show unfold in the way the people who created it chooses. I also don't read books backward.)

In the meantime, after the jump I have a spoiler-free short clip with Being Human creator Toby Whithouse, who you might know from acting in the Bridget Jones films, or from seeing his writing credits on episodes of both Torchwood (Greeks Bearing Gifts) and Doctor Who (School Reunion).

Just in case you need some sort of case presented in order to watch, those are pretty good exhibits in favor.

BBC America Acquisitions: Survivors, Being Human, Primeval Series Two

Good news, you don't have to illegally download any of these shows, they will be brought to you.

Which reminds me of this moment from The Office's post-Super Bowl special episode.

LINK

For those outside the US, it's Pam and Jim explaining that they are fine, law abiding  people who don't illegally download. Because they have no idea how.

Well Pams and Jims, you don't have to learn how now either.

BBC America is co-producing Being Human, which is about these three 20-somethings (including former rumoured 11th Doc Russel Tovy) who happen to be a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire, so that was an obvious call. No word on when it's coming, and it's currently airing on BBC Three:

Contemporary supernatural drama about George and Mitchell, a pair of perennial outsiders. Working in the anonymous drudgery of the local hospital, they live lives of quiet desperation - because Mitchell is a vampire and George is a werewolf. Deciding to turn over a new leaf, they move into a house together, only to find that it is haunted by Annie, the ghost of a woman killed in mysterious circumstances. As a threesome, they deal with the challenges of being supernatural creatures, bonded by their desire to adopt the lifestyle of their neighbours - humanity.

We know something about Survivors. I've seen the first episode, wrote about it at this link. Spoilers there, be careful. Features Paterson Joseph, another rumoured 11th Doc and the best man for that job, imho, but no one asks Joe who should be the next Doctor so you get what you get, world.

I really thought Survivors would go to Masterpiece Contemporary on PBS, it's very well done with some great performances, at least in the first 90-minute segment, especially from Julie Graham as a grieving mom.

Finally, there's the second series of Primeval, that ITV show that BBC America brought over last year. I just never caught interest in it, it seems to me like they went to the guy who created the Walking With Dinosaurs live show that's been traveling around North American sports arenas in the past year and decided to find a way to utilize the technology for a fictional series.

And then built the show around the tech.

The storytelling was week in my opinion. But certainly enough of you watched the first stanza so I'm sure there's someone out there looking to see what happens to this crew.

Being Human trailer after the jump. There are Survivors and Primeval clips all over the web, go find them.