Cool Gothic at the BFI

Tuesday, 29 October 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The BFI Southbank will be looking closely at the emergence of Cool Gothic And The New Vampire next week with a host of special guests plus illustrative clips from TV series such as Being Human, In The Flesh, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Fades, and True Blood.

Taking place on Monday 4th November at 6.30pm, it will feature a panel discussion hosted by film critic Danny Leigh, who will be joined by actors Anthony Head (Buffy), Damien Molony (Being Human) and Lily Loveless (The Fades), creators/writers Toby Whithouse (Being Human) and Dominic Mitchell (In The Flesh), and director Farren Blackburn (The Fades).
Ever since Anne Rice gave the vampire a conscience in Interview with the Vampire, the Gothic myth has been reinterpreted for a new generation. Here, the creative teams behind such "new Gothic" works as Being Human, In the Flesh, The Fades, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are assembled to discuss the resurrection of Gothic myths on our TV screen and their vast appeal to today's generation. Illustrated with clips of these vastly successful shows and others, our panel will examine the whole "Cool Gothic" phenomenon.
Tickets can be bought via this link.

The event is part of the BFI's blockbuster project Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film.

UPDATE: THURSDAY 28th NOVEMBER: A clip of Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon talking about vampires - taken from the BFI's Joss Whedon In Conversation event of 12th June 2013 - was uploaded to the BFI's YouTube channel two days ago:


The full conversation can be seen here.




FILTER: - BFI - In The Flesh - UK - Being Human - Special Events

Being Human: The Last Broadcast

Tuesday, 5 March 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The BBC Three supernatural drama Being Human draws to an end next Sunday after five series.

The final episode, fittingly entitled The Last Broadcast, has been written by show creator Toby Whithouse and directed by Daniel O'Hara. It guest-stars returnees Louis Mahoney as Leo and Ellie Kendrick as Allison, while Gordon Kennedy plays Brendan, Peter Dobbie is a newsreader and Whithouse cameos as Alistair Frith once again.

The supernatural trinity has been broken.

There is little left of Hal's humanity. Having feasted on blood and recruited an army of vampires, he's ready to return to his hedonistic and debauched days. Tom is set on revenge and has returned to his default setting – vampire killer, with one vampire in mind. Alex is trapped in a hellish prison by Captain Hatch.

Unbeknown to them all, Hatch is no longer wheelchair-bound and weak; he's regained his strength and is determined to cause as much chaos, death, and destruction as possible.

Hal, Tom, and Alex do battle with the Devil in order to save the world - but at what price to their own humanity?
Damien Molony plays Hal, Michael Socha Tom, Kate Bracken Alex, and Phil Davis Hatch.

A preview clip has been released, featuring a macabre take on the musical number Puttin' On The Ritz :


Pictures from the episode were released by the BBC today:



In addition, an extra scene - written by Sarah Dollard - following last Sunday's episode and featuring Tom and Rook (Steven Robertson) was made available online yesterday evening:




The Last Broadcast airs on BBC Three on Sunday 10th March at 10pm.




FILTER: - Being Human

Being Human: No Care, All Responsibility

Tuesday, 26 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Next Sunday sees the broadcast of the penultimate episode of Being Human with all hell poised to be let loose.

Written by Sarah Dollard and directed by Daniel O'Hara, No Care, All Responsibility guest-stars Kathryn Prescott as Natasha.

Tom falls for a damsel in distress called Natasha when she runs into the hotel looking for a safe haven.

But Natasha comes to the attention of Hal for a darker reason when she offers him a way to control his bloodlust and prevent him from killing innocents.

Meanwhile, Alex is positive there's something suspicious about hotel resident Captain Hatch. But the more she investigates, the deeper into danger she gets.

Damien Molony plays Hal, Michael Socha is Tom, Kate Bracken portrays Alex, and Phil Davis is Captain Hatch.

The episode is the fifth in this final series, and pictures from it were released by the BBC today:



No Care, All Responsibility airs on BBC Three on Sunday 3rd March at 10pm.




FILTER: - Being Human

Being Human: The Greater Good

Tuesday, 19 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Next Sunday's episode of Being Human guest-stars Ricky Grover as Bobby and Caitlin Richards as Hazel.

The Greater Good, written by John Jackson and directed by Daniel O'Hara, also features Ruari Mears as werewolf Tom and Feth Greenwood as werewolf Bobby.

Crumb has found his bloody way in the world with a new pal in tow. When Rook approaches Hal to get them under control, Hal is unable to refuse: he owes Rook a favour after all.

But that's not the only favour Rook asks: he wants them to look after Bobby, a werewolf who has been under Rook's care for a very long time.

The task falls to Tom and he has his work cut out reintroducing Bobby to a world he's long forgotten.

Damien Molony plays Hal, Michael Socha Tom, Steven Robertson Rook, and Colin Hoult Crumb.

Pictures from the episode - the fourth in this final series - were released by the BBC today:



A preview clip has also been released:


The Greater Good airs on BBC Three on Sunday 24th February at 10pm. Meanwhile, an online-only scene, penned by Sarah Dollard and entitled Alex's Unfinished Business, was also released today, showing an attempt to rekindle the romance between Alex and Hal:







FILTER: - Being Human

Being Human: Pie And Prejudice

Tuesday, 12 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Next Sunday's episode of what will now be the final series of Being Human guest-stars Amanda Hale and Julian Barratt.

Pie And Prejudice, written by Jamie Mathieson and directed by Philip John, sees Hale playing Regency ghost Lady Mary and Barratt portraying a TV personality called Larry Chrysler. Also appearing in it is Ruari Mears as a werewolf.

When Tom meets minor TV personality Larry Chrysler he's inspired by Larry's lifestyle and goes about learning how to be successful from his new mentor - but is Larry everything that he claims to be?

Meanwhile, Hal is dressed to impress and secretly off to meet an old friend called Lady Mary. Alex's curiosity gets the better of her and she sneaks off to follow Hal, but soon discovers some worrying similarities between herself and Lady Mary.

Pictures from the episode - the third in the series - were released by the BBC today:



Pie And Prejudice airs on BBC Three on Sunday 17th February at 10pm. Last week, the BBC announced that the supernatural comedy-drama series would finish at the end of the current six-part run.




FILTER: - Being Human

Being Human Is Axed

Friday, 8 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The current series of Being Human will be its last, the BBC has announced.

Created by Toby Whithouse, the supernatural drama about a house-sharing vampire, ghost, and werewolf began life as a pilot episode in February 2008, with the first series airing in 2009. It started its fifth run last Sunday. At its peak, the show attracted a ratings high of 1.6 million, with an average audience of 1.2 million, winning the Writers' Guild Award for Best TV Drama Series in 2009, 2010, and 2012, as well as being named Best Drama Series at the 2011 TV Choice Awards.

However, it all comes to an end with the sixth episode of this series - currently due to air on Sunday 10th March. In a statement, Whithouse said:
Being Human really shouldn't have happened. A preposterous idea, an epic and circuitous development process, a modest budget - no, we really shouldn't have lasted. But Being Human was the little show that could, and that ridiculous idea managed to last 37 episodes, spawn an American version, three novels, an online spin-off, and garner a shelf of awards.

But Being Human was always a collective effort, and none of that would have happened if it weren't for five separate groups of people.

First, the various producers and execs and script editors. Rob Pursey, Matt Bouch, Phil Trethowan, Polly Buckle, and Laura Cotton. Every idea I had was enhanced, improved, enlarged, and enabled by their brilliance and creativity.

Then there are the numerous writers and directors who have had to endure my capriciousness, vagueness, indecisiveness, and propensity to steal their best ideas and pass them off as my own.

It's also given me the chance to work with - and write for - some of the finest actors working today. Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aiden Turner, Sinead Keenan, Jason Watkins, Michael Socha, Kate Bracken and Damien Molony. Looking at that list again now, I'm staggered by its ferocious talent and brilliance.

And I have to thank the BBC. Not because I'm obliged to, but because I literally have to. They gave us the opportunity to make Being Human and to make it in the way we wanted. Julie Gardner, Ben Stephenson, Danny Cohen, Beth Willis, Brian Minchin, Eleanor Moran, George Ormond, and Zai Bennett were unwavering in their support, guidance, trust, love, and enthusiasm, and gave us - and me specifically - an unprecedented level of creative latitude. For that I will always be grateful.

And finally - and most importantly - the fans.

I know many of them will be disappointed that the show isn't returning, but all good things come to an end.

We must remember too that the remit of BBC Three is to encourage and support new talent, to give them opportunities to make television, to test out new ideas and formats. In that sense, Being Human is perhaps a victim of its own success. We can't really call ourselves a new show any more, and much as I'd like to think of myself as a young, thrusting, new talent and not a bitter old war horse, the reality is we have a duty to move aside and make space for the next Being Human.

But much like the cast change from seasons 3 to 4, we viewed the news as an opportunity. It meant I could actually write a climax for the show, instead of it just popping out to the shops at the end of season 5 and never coming back. You've no idea how rare that is in television, and what a great opportunity it is to write something suitably definitive and satisfactory.

Consequently, we've created what I hope you'll agree is an epic, thrilling, and shocking finale that'll keep the fans guessing and speculating for years to come.

Then Being Human will belong to them. Once the credits on episode 6 roll, the future of all those characters will exist in the imagination of the audience, to do with as they please. But in a way, the show always did belong to the fans. Their tenacity, passion, and loyalty are what kept the show going and provided inspiration to everyone working on it.

I'm reminded of the scene in series 3, episode 8, with Mitchell and Herrick sitting in the car looking at the sunset. Herrick asks if Mitchell finds it amazing that soon this world will be theirs. And Mitchell says: "It always was."

(Yeah, and then he stakes him, I know. Ignore that bit.)

Rob Pursey, the show's executive producer, from Touchpaper Television, commented:
Working on Being Human has been a truly great experience. From the first one-hour pilot, all the way through to this climactic series, we've been given real creative freedom and encouragement. It's a credit to BBC Three that such an unusual idea has been allowed to flourish and evolve in its own unique way.

I'd like to take the chance to thank Toby Whithouse for his incredible writing and storytelling; the other screenwriters who've made the series their own; the three producers who've nurtured the show; and the many directors who've helped us establish the show's unique tone. Being Human has also opened the door to new acting talent, including some incredibly exciting younger actors, which is a legacy we all feel proud of. We will miss Being Human, but feel inspired that there is a place for series like this on British television.

BBC Three controller Zai Bennett said:
Being Human has been a fantastic and faithful friend to BBC Three. It's featured some truly exceptional actors and storylines through the years and I'd like to thank Toby and the production team for their vision and passion. However, all good things come to an end and at BBC Three we're committed to breaking new shows and new talent and who better to pass that baton on than Toby?

A trailer emphasising the fact that Series 5 is the show's last one has been released by the BBC:


Episode two of the new - and now final - series will air on Sunday 10th February. Entitled Sticks And Rope, it will go out at 10pm.

Last Sunday's episode drew an average of 731,000 viewers - its lowest first-episode audience since the first series. Series 4's opener had 1.1 million viewers, Series 3's 1.37 million, and Series 2's 1.41 million.




FILTER: - Being Human