7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Being Human centers around the seemingly ordinary premise of three young people sharing an apartment – only they are a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost.
Starring: Lenora Crichlow, Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner, Sinead Keenan, Damien MolonyFantasy | 100% |
Horror | 9% |
Comedy | 4% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I want you to promise me you'll start to live your life now.
Give "Being Human" props for originality, or at least partial originality. Werewolves and Vampires have been done to death, but add a ghost into the
mix and suddenly an old and somewhat stale routine is given a breath of fresh air. "Being Human" doesn't glamorize the lives of its trio of
supernatural
characters but instead aims to humanize them, to show them not reveling in their extraordinary states but instead longing to lead more normal
lives.
They coexist with the normal, living, everyday people; they hold down jobs; make human friends; and fall in and out of romantic relationships not
with
one another but with
everyday human beings. Where the show works is in its ability to place its lead characters in a unique middle ground whereby they must fear both
others of their kind and a potentially prejudiced or ignorant human populace who may very well fail to accept them for who and what they are, even
if they've
done all they can to hide or otherwise mask their non-human traits. Where the show doesn't quite work is in its failure to put forth a more
cohesive,
tightly-woven plot structure. Much of "Being Human" feels haphazard and forced; the show either seems partially constructed of inconsequential
plot
developments or it gives off a vibe that it's simply trying too hard to be both "cool" and "relevant," with it sometimes not quite achieving the first
and
rarely enjoying the fruits of the second. It's well-cast and nicely-produced, but "Being Human" is an exercise in missed potential, but it's still just
good
enough to be worth a watch.
We're on TV!
"Being Human: Season 2" arrives on Blu-ray with a steady but somewhat underwhelming 1080i transfer. Other than some light background noise, poor color gradations in select shots, and slight blocking, BBC's "Being Human" looks fine for what it is, even if it does appear a bit flat and visually uninteresting throughout the season's run. The image sports a glossy, mid-grade video-like texture that doesn't do the show any favors; it delivers adequate detailing and color, both of which can spike to a higher and more stable level at times, but the general feel is that of a highly mediocre high definition presentation. When the image manages to impress in its detailing, it really impresses with several close-ups that border on the extraordinary. Daytime scenes obviously fare better in both detailing and coloring than do the many darkened interior and blackened nighttime segments. Blacks are mostly stable if not slightly too absorbing, and flesh tones appear naturally rendered. This isn't an eye-catching transfer by any means, but it gets the job and done and delivers an image that's obviously several notches better than a standard definition presentation.
"Being Human: Season 2" features a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack that's about as routine as they come. The track delivers both instrumental score and popular music well enough, though it comes up well short of the mark in terms of offering listeners the spacing, clarity, and seamlessness of better soundtracks. Light atmospherics and more obvious effects alike hover around the front and do little more than establish an environment or support the visuals. Unfortunately, many effects play as crunchy and lacking precise definition. Dialogue -- the season's most critical audible element -- is crisp and accurate. They don't get much more indistinct than this; the soundtrack is fine at a very base level, but it comes up well short of format standards.
"Being Human: Season 2" contains bonus materials on discs two and three. Disc two begins with Blood Bursting (480p, 8:51), a piece featuring series Creator Toby Whithouse and others discussing one of the first episode's most gruesome scenes -- featuring the decompression chamber -- and speak of its place in the series, set design, and the makeup effects that supported the scene. The Caves (480p, 6:28) looks at shooting at the Bristol Catacombs. Unleashing the Beast (480p, 7:02) looks at one of George's character arcs that partially defines his place in the season. Finally, The Swinging Sixties (480p, 8:52) focuses on the season's episode that flashes back to the 1960s. Disc three contains three more featurettes. Behind the Makeup (480p, 7:16) introduces audiences to the people behind creating the series' makeup. Making the New Werewolf (480p, 11:05) more closely examines the changes made between the werewolves seen in season one versus season two. Rounding out this collection of extras is Train Carnage (480p, 7:31), a piece that features a glimpse into one of the season's most horrific moments.
"Being Human: Season 2" nicely advances its characters' arcs and delivers several intriguing dynamics, but the season never really proves immediately or wholly gripping, instead playing out as somewhat piecemeal and, at times, laborious. Make no mistake, this is a fun series with intriguing characters, but it never approaches the upper echelons of televised entertainment and certainly never quite achieves the potential that seems always within grasp but never fully realized. BBC's Blu-ray release sports a midrange 1080i transfer, a workmanlike Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack, and a few extras. Recommended as a rental in conjunction with the first season.
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