Being Human: Season 4 (DVD)

The end of Season 3 to the beginning of Season 4 brought us some major cast changes. That was a very difficult thing to digest. Few shows survive these changes, transitional characters. Three that did were M.A.S.H., Cheers and E.R. If a show has to lose a main character(s), it can’t be done all at once. In this 4th season, we saw two of the four main characters go. That would be a total of three because the 3rd season lost one of the four in the very last episode. I don't think the show could've survived the loss of all four at one time. I think the writers took the correct route. They transitioned in new characters before the old transitioned out. Annie, the ghost, was arguably the show’s anchor. Keeping her character intact safely allowed the transitions to take place. At the end of Season 4, even her character transitioned out in a relatively satisfying way.One of my all-time favorite TV shows was called Northern Exposure. Rob Morrow's character, Dr. Joel Fleishman, transitioned out at the end of the 4th season. Apparently, Rob Morrow wanted to move on to a movie career. Northern Exposure was an example of a show that could not survive the loss of its central character. In the case of Being Human, the characters central to the show were written in a way where we understood there were no other options. They had to go. As a viewer, we realized this and accepted it as a reality of that world. Transitions can be very tough when you become so invested in certain characters. The writers of Being Human were smart about this. They introduced new central characters early on, which allowed the viewer to create new attachments.On my three previous Being Human reviews, I compared Season 1 through 3 of the US and British versions. The third and the fourth season had very few similarities. I liked that because both versions stood alone. It's very difficult to say which one is the better of the two. I'm going to go out on a limb and commit myself. The British version is extremely intense. It its environment and dialogue feels more real world. I really like the US version but the blue ribbon goes to the British Being Human. At least, that's what I think.

Our favorite group of supernatural's lives have changed forever. Mitchell had died at the hands of his best friend George. This started a war for the rest against the vampires that would see the world crumble beneath their feet. Meanwhile George has lost Nina to the very same vampires that wanted Mitchell dead. All he had left is the daughter that she brought into this world and with his dying breath names her Eve. Meanwhile Annie taking on the role of mother to baby Even invites werewolf Tom to live with her and the baby in the hopes of trying to get things back to normal for them. What none of them know is that Eve from the future has become a ghost to go to the past for some unknown reason. Trying everything in her power to figure out a prophecy laid out by the first vampires eons ago. As the mystery of Eve's future unravels something strange comes to there doorsteps. A vampire named Hal who has lived with a werewolf named Leo and a Ghost named Pearl. Together the three of them have kept Hal from drinking blood for over fifty-five years and things have been going well that is until Leo's old age is affecting him. For turning into a werewolf has taken its toll on Leo and one more transformation could very well kill him. That is until Leo receives a strange message about a baby that could help them all. As this all happens a former friend of Hal's has taken over the task of preparing for the arrival of The Old Ones. Vampires who have lived longer then recorded history lead by a vampire named Mr. Snow. For they want the Eve as well for reasons only they know. Will these new supernatural's be able to get along? Will Eve be able to save the future before its too late? And what of the Old Ones what are there plans for all this? You'll just have to check out Being Human Series Four to find out.

Having enjoyed this show since it first aired, the beginning of this season took a bit of getting used to--after all, Lenora Crichlow is essentially the only one left from the original cast.This season is all about resolving her storyline in a grand way--one that provides her with a door in the most meaningful way possible. But, I'm not going to lie, it was a wonderfully heart wrenching premise... I just think it was done in a very poor fashion. The writers attempt a bait-and-switch with what appears to be the enemy-cum-hero. Quite frankly, I did get emotionally invested in the storyline, but reflecting back on it, it has its obvious flaws like any show would.All in all, the new characters are promising for their ability to fill the roles left vacant for them. I especially enjoy the bromance between Hal and Tom, their antics are fun to watch. It's a different relationship than the one between Mitchell and George, whose friendship always seemed so tragic to me.Following in Annie's footsteps after the natural conclusion of her storyline, Alex is a wonderfully snarky character filling in the role of resident ghost. Having already explored the dynamics of being a ghost with Annie over the past three seasons, Alex stepped into her fate rather quickly and without having to walk down already well-trod ground.By the end, they introduce a new group of characters known as the Men in Grey, who prove to be very good at hiding supernatural messes. They are seen several times in this season, but are not officially introduced until the very end.So, I gave this 4 out of 5 stars mainly because there are so many things working for them: good characters, good relationships, good episodes, etc. But the whole season arc thing was just a little too shaky for my taste, which brought it down.

A three disc dvd set, which contains all eight one hour long episodes of Being Human series four. A bbc series about a Vampire, a Werewolf and a Ghost sharing a house together and trying to lead normal lives. Supernatural distractions notwithstanding.This is not really a jumping on point, so new viewers should start with season one.Regular viewers, read on.Minor spoilers do follow. But you'll get those from the front and back of the box anyhow.This season changes the line up. As you can see from the box cover. Time has passed between the series three finale and the start of this one. During which time a major event has happened offscreen. That does feel a bit jarring at first. But the length of the episode does mean you have more than come to terms with it by the end.Annie is faced with having to bring up the Werewolf baby on her own. But manages to form a new family to replace her old one. Tom, the young werewolf from series three becomes a regular character. Then there's new housemate Hal. A five hundred year old vampire. Posh. Uptight. Obsessive compulsive. And hiding from his horrible past.Living normal lives and bringing up baby Eve won't be easy. Hal and Tom don't initially get on whatsoever. Someone is trying to expose the existence of werewolves. And the old ones are on their way...How you react to the changes is going to be a matter of opinion. But if you're prepared to accept them, then they're fine. Hal is a great character, an individual in his own right and totally different in many ways from Mitchell. He and Tom do, over the course of the season, make a great double act. And both characters do develop really well.Annie is a solid centre to the whole thing, because she is having to bear a lot of responsibility.There are individual storylines complete in a single part once again. Some of which are very good indeed. There's some really good black comedy at times. Some excellent guest characters. And a season long main plot that develops nicely and doesn't go the way you might expect.The eighth episode doesn't really have the budget to do the big scale thing it could have been. So it has to get by on character moments. As a result of which, you won't forget the last few minutes in a hurry. These wok because they do bring an end to all that has come so far, and point the show off in a new direction as well. Said last episode also does grab thanks to an amazingly good guest star turn from Mark Gatiss.A strong season. Which is no mean feat considering what it had to do. And a really good watch.Some may wish to watch out for flashing images in episodes five and seven.The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English.Subtitles; English.There are the following extras:Disc one has a four minute long trailer which recaps the events of the first three series.Plus three five minute long prologues to this series. Hal. Tom. The Old Ones. All need to be watched. Ideally before episode one.Disc two has interviews with the three main cast members, plus Russell Tovey, the producer, and the show's creator. All these run from six to nine minutes in length, and are very good watching.Disc three has six featurettes, all about various aspects of the series and how they were produced:Toby's guide. Two minutes long, and a brief introduction to part of the main plotline. So it could ideally be watched pre episode one.Goodbye Russell.The Fall of George.Adam Returns.Allison.The museum.These run from three to seven minutes. All are interesting and good viewing.There's also seven minutes worth of deleted scenes. These can only be watched all in a row. And it's worth doing that.

This program has grabbed me as no other (except the big bang theory)and on hearing most of the cast were leaving I was in a deep quandary about their replacements. I needn't have worried. Mitchell's replacement Hal, began to grow on me from the start as a deep, tortured soul, Tom as the new werewolf, had me jumping from giggles of mirth to extreme motherly affection instead of the frustration I always felt with George at his mumbling and self disbelief. I didn't miss Nina at all. Cutler was a joy. Get a copy and sit with the family on the couch and relive this magnificent series

Weird and wonderful comedy/horror drama from the Beeb.

When Mitchell left, alot of people said Being Human will never be the same. They were wrong, and I loved Mitchell. With the introduction of a new vampire, Hal, he was always going to be judged on how he compares to Mitchell. But no-one shouldve worried. The writers moved the story on, and away from Mitchell and then George, but they were never forgotten and are often referenced, which is nice to have the continuity, which alot of programmes forget when main characters leave. Gone but not forgotten. Dont stop at series 4, get series 5 aswell, which was even better than 4.

The first and the last episode are huge. This is great fantasy with such drama that i almost have a tear.The rest of the series is great but different with the arrival of the new vampire Hal. There is fun part between Hal and Tom. And the fact that there is more outdoor scene give more credibility to the universe.A very nice way to continu the adventure.