Being Human: Too Far, Fast Forward!

[This is a review ofBeing HumanSeason 4 Episode 9. There will be SPOILERS.]

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Whereas last weeks episode ofBeing Human,Rewind, Rewind, almost felt like a new beginning for the series as it heads for its end, this weeks episode felt very aware of Being Humans mortality, pivoting off of last weeks cliffhanger with predictability and a sprint back toward the shows prime timeline comfort zone.

Inevitable? Probably, but in doing this so quickly, the writers shorthand Aidans emotional arc from vengeance monster to Bishops duplicitous house pet to penitent man following a convenient epiphany, robbing both the character and this episode of virtue and value.

Speaking of Bishop, last night was most likely a series wrap for Mark Pelligrinos wonderfully evil father-figure/blood monster and he parted with a mix of bombast and grace. Pellegrino is one of those actors that seem to pop up everywhere, but he really had a chance to put down roots with Being Human and he shined as a well-drawn character; particularly in later seasons after the characters death, when he appeared as a dominant figure in Aidans past -someone who represented Aidans debauched old ways, and an ideal to push back against.

Its symbolic that Bishops finest moment from last nights episode (though, his death-bed speech about Aidans move away from all the light in his life to become, essentially, the King of everything and nothing, was well-played and affecting) came in, presumably, the same warehouse where he died in season 1. This time, Bishop is devil-shouldering Aidan into killing Ray and Josh, with Aidan ultimately phasing through Josh (he can do that?) to jam Rays eyes out and toss him off the catwalk. An act that, once again, reveals Aidans monstrous capacity to Sally while also showing the ease with which Bishop can steer Aidan off a cliff.

One thing that Bishop couldnt push Aidan to do was kill Josh. Instead, Aidan put guilt on his shoulders and assigned him to a fate far worse for his role in Sallys death: life as a beanie wearing pie maker with the ghost of Sally trying to play matchmaker for Josh and his customers.

An Aiden-centric episode, Joshs arc does prove valuable as he is used to facilitate Sallys search for Alana (the medium that introduced her to Donna) and eventually Donna. Joshs blood also proves useful when the vampire virus rears its head, saving Aidan and equipping him with the tools needed to rebel against Bishop out of envy, not out of conscience.

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Being Human: Too Far, Fast Forward!