This show is: Rated 15 – Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over (UK Rating)
How can you not like a show about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost that are housemates in Bristol, England. This is another wonderful British television show that has it all; comedy, drama and horror. It is well written with an intriguing story line. The three main actors are fantastic together. I have heard that the BBC has commissioned another series of this show, I can’t wait!
Mitchell (Aidan Turner) is a vampire that has decided to give up drinking blood. The other vampires aren’t exactly thrilled with the fact that he has chosen this route. Previously, he was a hero amongst the vampires, so naturally the head vampire really wants to swing him back to their side. Obviously, this leads to many struggles for Mitchell, both internally and externally. Mitchell is sexy and charismatic. He can be very dark, but can also be very sweet and caring. Aidan is well suited to this role. He flawlessly portrays Mitchell as a complex but likeable character. It doesn’t hurt that he is lovely to look at and has a sexy Irish accent.
George (Russell Tovey) is human most of the time, but once a month on the full moon he is a dangerous werewolf. He really wants to disassociate himself from the werewolf and not acknowledge that it is part of who he is. His goal is to just lock himself away for the one night and try to have a normal life the rest of the time. However, he is afraid to form attachments with other humans because he is worried that he will end up accidentally hurting them. George is seriously lacking in confidence (especially around women) and is very goofy a lot of the time. Russell is wonderful as George. He has amazing comedic timing. His character has the potential to be annoying; however, Russell makes George very sweet and loveable.
Annie (Lenora Crichlow) is a recently deceased person, aka a ghost. She is haunting the house that she used to live in and subsequently died in. She is still trying to come to terms with her death and figure out why she didn’t move on. She alternates between being perky/upbeat to being depressed, especially with regards to her finance that she has left behind and still loves. Lenora does a great job. You really feel the emotions she portrays and she definitely makes you sympathetic towards Annie.
Mitchell and George became friends and decided to stick together to help each other battle their dark sides. They also work together as porters at the local hospital. When they move into a house together it just so happens to be Annie’s. She is thrilled to finally have someone that can see her and that she can talk to. Mitchell becomes sort of the father figure since he has been around for much longer and knows a lot more about the supernatural. They become their own unique little family.
As I said before all three of the main actors are great together. However, I have a soft spot for the times when Mitchell and George are together. They play off each other so well and seem so comfortable together. It really seems like they have known each other for a long time. Their banter and the way they deal with each other makes it feel like they could be brothers.
I absolutely adore the scene when George arrives home (right after changing back into a human) to find a bunch of their neighbors there. Mitchell has invited them over for tea and cookies. Mitchell is so funny; he is so excited about getting to know everyone. When he introduces them to George he starts rattling off everything he has learned about them. They both a great job and it is such a cute scene.
Another great one is when they are spying on Annie when she comes back from her excursion with Gilbert. As she heads to the door they run over to the sofa and try to be nonchalant, which leads to all sorts of silliness. It’s very fun to watch.
Some of my favorite quotes:
George – “Other people move in somewhere, they get damp, they get woodlice. Why do we get Casper the friendly ghost.”
Mitchell – “I can’t keep hurting people. I just want something good and normal.”
Annie – “All right George? What’s happening? I thought it was your time of the month.”
Mitchell – “It is. He’s doing it here.”
Annie – “I’ve just hoovered!”
George – “Now, remember, we’re two guys renting a house. It’s … it’s the most natural thing in the world. We just have to be totally and completely normal.”
Mitchell – “Yeah, good luck with that.”
Mitchell – “Let me talk to her. You see, I can actually talk to women without weeping or setting fire to myself.”
George – “I’d forgotten what they were like, the others. They’re predators; every inch of them is just hunger and fury. The energy it must take him every minute, not to be like that…”
Annie – “I feel safe here. There are monsters outside. When it’s just the three of us, it’s like none of them can touch us.”
Annie – “You were in Casablanca? How did you swing that?”
Mitchell – “I know people. I move and shake.”
George – “And where have you been, young lady?”
Annie – “I met up with Gilbert. We went to the cemetery.”
Mitchell – “He knows how to show a girl a good time.”
Nina – “George is … weird.”
Mitchell – “No one’s denying that. But once you get past the weirdness, he’s actually the nicest bloke you could ever meet.”
Mitchell – “You can piss your whole life away, trying out who you might be. It’s when you’ve worked out who you are that you can really start to live.”
Annie – “There’s a question you haven’t asked yourself yet. If I exist, what else does?”
Note: this is a British television show that has so far only been released as a Region 2 DVD. Which means in order to view it in the United States you need a player that can play multiple regions (most players here only play Region 1). In the Amazon.com section below you will see a link to the DVD player I use (see the customer comments section to see how to change it to a multi-region player).
Jan
Following is additional information about the show that contains spoilers. If you don’t want to be spoiled don’t read any further.
When George ends up having to make his change into a werewolf at the house and Annie watches it is such an intense scene. What George goes through in the transformation process is just horrendous. While Annie is mortified by what she sees she can’t make herself leave. Then seeing Mitchell sitting out on the front step (holding the TV) with tears in his eyes as he hears George’s painful screams; I just feel so bad for everyone involved.
I was so disappointed in Mitchell when he turned Bernie into a vampire. I know he felt so guilty about everything that happened and was having a hard time dealing with the fact that Bernie was so young. To be trapped forever as a child vampire is a terrible thing to inflict on someone.
Shocking, when Mitchell opened the door and Herrick staked him through the heart. It was all so moving, George and Annie trying to save him. Annie giving up the chance to move on. Josie saving Mitchell by letting him drain her blood. It was all so intense and moving.
