TV REVIEW: Being Human Says Goodbye to the Neighborhood

Dear Being Human,

I’ll just say it now, goodbyes suck.  If I never had to say one more emotionally charged farewell I would be content.  But that’s what you were – an emotionally charged, heartbreaking, and bittersweet goodbye.  No words can adequately describe how much I had come to love you in these past few years.

You were a genre show that showed it was okay to make your monsters human.  You took a popular subculture and stripped it to its bare bones, eliciting raw and real emotions in characters that may not otherwise be sympathetic.   You showed that it was okay to put two boys and a girl in the same house and not start a sexually charged love-triangle; friendship and family were the crux.  Overall, you showed television that a show about a vampire, werewolf, and ghost can play against the big boys, set itself firmly apart from its competition, and win over an audience.

In the end you left us too soon.  I would have screamed tears of joy for just one more season with my favorite roommates.  But such is the world of television.  Shows come, go, and if were truly lucky we get to watch a show go out in its prime, in the fashion it’s meant to.

As Sally sacrificed her soul for Aidan’s humanity, Josh and Nora geared up to start their family, and Aidan took on the house and Ramona for the last time, I felt nothing but reverence for these characters.  Everything had truly come full circle; the ending fit the bill.  The ghost who gave up her door to save the vampire in season one had made it to the other side just in time to welcome the newfound soul of the man she loved.  In a nod to their courageous best friends, the wolves bestowed their fallen friends’ namesakes upon their children; a nice salute not only to fans of the show, but to Josh’s Jewish religion where it’s customary to name your children after loved ones who have passed on.

The series culmination as a whole was admirable.  The unique humor remained intact even throughout the final hour.  We laughed, we cried, and we cheered for these characters.  You wrote two strong-willed women and gave them a real voice.  You took two men and showed that true love can be encapsulated in a friendship.   You made secondary characters that were just as important as the main foursome, ones we all loved and felt for.

Today’s television world if chock-full of rebooted series from overseas.  Fans of the original series often have trouble excepting a remake, especially an American one.  US television has a tendency to water down and pick apart shows until they’re unrecognizable, but Being Human did no such thing.  It took its predecessor, held it tight, and when it was ready, veered off on its own path that not only was fearless, but smart.  It showed audiences that two shows with the same name and general design can stand on its own two feet.

But most importantly, Being Human, you didn’t forget your fans.  You cared what we thought, you cared about our voices, and you showed it to us in the fullest.  Not many other shows today can tout a strong fan base that interacted with the show like we did. Not many actors and creators can brag and take pride in getting to know its audience.  You were true and genuine.

So, it comes with great sorrow that our time has come to a close.  Sure, we may not always receive everything we want in an ending, but a truly great series finale is one that remembers its characters journeys, ties together its stories, and goes out with a bang.  An astounding ending is one that makes you want to go back to the beginning and start all over again.  You did it, Being Human.  To that I tip my hat to you.  So I won’t say a goodbye, just a simple “see you later,” because I know I can always turn to my favorite vampire, ghost, and werewolves to show the true meaning of humanity.  Thank you for a great four years of astonishing and beautifully written television.

Love,

Erin