Being Human

Do you dream of taking a grand tour of the United Kingdom, but don't have the cash on hand to make the trip? Join our blogger Carmen as she traverses this island that enchants us while presenting examples of television series set in each region of the country. You'll get a taste for the diverse natural beauty, history, landmarks and people of each unique area and no passports are required. This time we venture to Wales with stops in Cardiff, Barry and the South Wales Valleys.

Do you dream of taking a grand tour of the United Kingdom, but don't have the cash on hand to make the trip? Join our blogger Carmen as she traverses this island that enchants us while presenting examples of television series set in each region of the country. You'll get a taste for the diverse natural beauty, history, landmarks and people of each unique area and no passports are required. Our first destination is The South West of England with stops in Cornwall, Dorset and Bristol.

In case you haven’t heard the news, fan favorite Doc Martin is being adapted for American television. Believe me. I can imagine your collective grumbling and indignant protests as I write this post.

I guess we’re supposed to feel hope for this venture because the project is in the hands of Marta Kauffman, one of the co-creators of Friends. We know she can write a phenomenally popular American sitcom. Unfortunately that doesn’t convince me that she can achieve the elusive feat of turning a quintessentially quirky British dramedy into something typical US viewers will embrace. (You and I are not in the aforementioned demographic, by the way.)

Every time I turn on my computer these days it seems that a pilot has been commissioned by Hollywood execs in hopes that it will translate to big ratings just because it’s been successful in the UK. If this scenario sounds familiar it may be because the Showtime series Episodes mocks this very trend.

If you are a frequent visitor to Telly Visions, you may already know about the remake of the 1975 drama/romance series Poldark coming to PBS in June. If you haven’t heard, this new version stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, an English Revolutionary War soldier who has returned home to Cornwall only to find his world turned upside down.

The series was very well received by viewers in the UK earlier this year, particularly the female audience. Poldark and its star became a social media sensation evidenced by the fact that Twitter handles such as Poldark’s Hair and Poldark’s Pecs starting popping up. Not since Mr. Darcy in his wet shirt has such a swoon-worthy fuss been made about a literary page to small screen character.

Therefore, I felt it timely and appropriate to introduce those of you unfamiliar with Aidan Turner to this Irish actor and bona fide heartthrob. The following are examples of most of Turner’s featured roles leading up to Poldark.

The BBC has cast former Being Human star Aidan Turner in their forthcoming remake of the popular British classic Poldark. The new eight-part series is written by Debbie Horfsield and is based on the novels by Winston Graham.

The original 1970s Poldark was one of the BBC’s first and most beloved costume dramas. Set in Cornwall in 1793, it tells the story of a man named Ross Poldark, a brooding British officer returning from the American Revolutionary War who finds his home life much changed. He finds his father dead, the family mine long since closed, his house wrecked and his sweetheart pledged to marry his cousin.

Once upon a time Doctor Who was the standard bearer for British telly that made viewers want to hide behind the sofa. In recent years though, tales of vampires, werewolves and other paranormal beings have risen in popularity and by the look of UK television schedules, British networks have obviously picked up on the trend.

Always at a disadvantage over American horror series with much bigger budgets, the Brits have been able to figure out a way to be scary with more suggestion and less CGI. They also have a tendency to employ strategically placed humor to counter the tension and violence; thus making it more palatable to slightly sensitive audience members like me, for instance.

Seeing as Halloween is fast approaching, I’ve compiled a list of eerie series perfect for putting you into a spooky mood. So turn off the lights and settle in for a creepy telly marathon.

The end is nigh. The fifth and final series of Being Human is currently being broadcast on BBC America and only four episodes remain in this saga which tells the story of a unique threesome of housemates.

In the beginning there was George, a bewildered werewolf; Mitchell, the tortured vampire who befriends him; and Annie, the lonely ghost whose house in Bristol George and Mitchell find to let. After a bit of adjustment, these three paranormal black sheep learned to support and encourage one another in their attempts to “be (more) human.” However, at the end of Series 3 the trio starts to fall apart quickly. First we see the departure of desperate, defeated vampire John Mitchell. Actor Aidan Turner had to go off to Middle Earth to play a dwarf for a few years so his exit came as no surprise. Then, right on the heels of Mitchell’s sad end, besieged werewolf George sacrificed his life in the first episode of Series 4 because Russell Tovey had decided to explore other options as an actor. Fans were left wondering whether Annie’s (Leonora Critchlow) ghostly antics alone would be enough of a reason to continue watching the show.

If this was the case for you, I’d like to take this opportunity to convince you to stick with the series because I feel it accomplishes one of the best cast turn-overs I’ve ever seen. While it’s very clear the trinity of a werewolf, ghost and vampire is fundamental to the show, the writers didn’t just substitute impersonators - the same supernatural with a different face. They created characters that were unique and interesting in their own right and, I felt, worthy of my time. Let’s compare and contrast, shall we?

Supernatural drama Being Human returns for its fifth series this winter with a whole new feel thanks to the fallout from last year’s cast changes. Damien Molony, Michael Socha and Kate Bracken are back as the central trio of vampire Hal, werewolf Tom and ghost Alex, but this season will be the first without any of the original core Being Human cast members taking part. Dun dun dunnnn….

If you think that feels like a reboot, well, you’re probably right. Given the strange limbo feeling of last season, which tried its best to mix the old and the new Being Human together and threw in an apocalypse on top, it’s a move that’s probably for the best. It’s still a pretty big change to take in though, especially for those of us who’ve been here since Series 1. It’s going to take some adjusting. However, in the good news department, Phil Davis, formerly of Whitechapel and Sherlock, joins the cast as new (fairly disgusting) bad guy Captain Hatch. The first full trailer for Series 5 has also just arrived and even skeptical me has to admit that it looks pretty good. Here’s hoping!

Having just kicked off its fourth season in the UK, Being Human returns to televisions here in the United States beginning Saturday, February 25.

BBC America has just released the first promo for Series 4 and the way that they’ve chosen to frame up the new season is quite interesting, given the rather extensive behind-the-scenes changes happening to the show this year. Surprisingly, this approach actually sort of works for me, precisely because the tone is a bit unexpected. So, click through and have a look for yourself!

Supernatural drama Being Human returns to BBC Three in the very near future with a fourth series that features a shocking amount of changes, both on and offscreen. (Not to fret, American audiences, we can also freak out about these shifts ourselves very shortly, as Being Human will premiere on BBC America on February 25th). As a public service, all discussion about these changes will stay below the fold to protect those that might not want to know anything at all about the new series. (Though I doubt even the most stringent spoilerphobe has managed to avoid some of this news – better safe than sorry!)

So, click on through to get a first look at the brand new trailer for Series 4 and dish on some of the big changes headed our way.