Being Human asks a simple question: what happens when a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost share a flat? The answer is a show that balances horror, comedy and quiet character drama, often in the same scene. Toby Whithouse’s creation for BBC Three ran five seasons, from 2009 to 2013, and it remains a sharp slice of British supernatural television.
Trailer, via MeAndMyOldLadies.
The Flatshare Formula
The premise is a classic sitcom setup dressed in supernatural skin. A vampire, a werewolf and a ghost rent a house together in Bristol, trying to pass as human. The show leans on the contrast between their monstrous nature and their desire for normalcy. That tension fuels both the jokes and the emotional weight of the series.
The first two seasons set the pattern in Totterdown, Bristol, before the show moved 25 miles across the River Severn to Barry, Wales. The shift changes the tone slightly, but the core dynamic holds. The flatshare format means the show never loses its grounding, even when the monsters are fighting off a vampire leader or tracking a killer ghost.
Cast Changes and the Third Season
The show changed casts several times. Guy Flanagan played Mitchell the vampire in the pilot, then Aidan Turner took over. Andrea Riseborough played Annie the ghost, and Lenora Crichlow took over that role. Russell Tovey stayed with George the werewolf through all five seasons, the only original main cast member to do so.
Tovey’s departure was announced in November 2011, after the first episode of Series 4. He cited his other show Him & Her as the reason for leaving. The loss of Tovey reshaped the show, but it did not break it. New characters like Tom McNair and Hal Yorke arrived to fill the gap, and the series found a new rhythm.
“They are constantly threatened with exposure or persecution, with pressure from other supernatural creatures, and with problems caused by their attempts to deal with their own natures.”
What Works
The strength of Being Human is its specificity. These are not generic monsters. Mitchell is a vampire who struggles with his thirst. George is a werewolf who despises violence. Annie is a ghost who wants a body. The show spends far more time on their inner conflicts than on battles with other monsters.
The comedy is gentle, built on awkward conversations and social misunderstandings rather than slapstick. The horror is grounded in dread and isolation rather than gore. This balance is rare in the genre, and it is what makes the show distinctive.
Where It Falls Short
The later seasons suffer from a lack of focus. The show introduces new characters and plots at a fast pace, and some arcs feel rushed. The relocation to Barry dilutes the intimacy of the flatshare formula. The show becomes more episodic, losing some of the serialized momentum that defined the early years.
The replacement of Tovey also changes the emotional center of the show. Without his presence, the series feels less anchored. The new leads carry the load well, but they are not the same gravitational force.
Final Word
Being Human is a smart, funny, and occasionally moving show about loneliness and identity. It is not perfect, and the later seasons show cracks in the foundation. But the best episodes hold up as some of the finest television of their kind.
The show earns a 7.1 out of 10.
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