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THE BIG QUESTION: BEING HUMAN THE MUSICAL?

  

bhmusical.JPGBH fans, I think we've struck gold.... LET'S MAKE BEING HUMAN THE MUSICAL.

 

Now, you might think we've gone utterly loopy, and, erm, you'd be right.  But the combination of Russell's amazing singing and Aidan and Lenora's dancing got us convinced we could easily pack those West End theatres with a Being Human song and dance spectacular.  So tell us...

 

"If you were to create Being Human The Musical, who would play the lead roles and what would the big numbers be?"

 

Just imagine, Jason Donovan as Herrick? Denise Van Outen as Annie? Gareth Gates as Mitchell...? Ok, dodgy suggestions, maybe yours will be a little better.  But between us I'm sure we can get a stellar cast list and some top-class song lyrics for our new venture.

 

And then it's only a matter of time before Mr Lloyd-Webber comes knocking...

 

VAMPIRES: THE LEGENDS

herrick3.JPGEveryone thinks they know a thing or two about vampires, especially that pesky Toby Whithouse... I mean, really, what does he know about the subject!?  What's that?  Oh, right.  I'm told he knows lots, apparently.  So I'll let him off.

 

Anyway, the internet has created a boom in this centuries-old discussion and so, in this special update, the BH Blog team have brought together a selection of vampiric legends currently circulating on the web.

 

But do you know of any others?  Share all in the comments section...

  

THE BIRTH OF THE VAMPIRE

Bram Stoker's 18th Century creation 'Count Dracula' is undoubtedly the most famous vampire of all time.  However, it's said that the first fictional vampire was actually created by a young physician named John Polidori in the short story 'The Vampyre,' which was believed to have been based on his master, Lord Byron. The gothic story was a great success and vampirism exploded on a global scale, with gothic writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and William Blake all writing vampire fiction in later years.

 

THE LEGENDARY 'DRACULA'

Stoker's infamous Count was based on an historical figure known as Vlad Tepes, a ruthless ruler of Wallachia, a province of Romania.  'Big bad Vlad' is said to have tortured his victims by driving a stake through the body until it appeared through the mouth. (Ouch...)  It is believed that these were acts of vengeance against those responsible for his father's and brother's premature deaths. The story goes that his father, Vlad II, was a member of the Order of the Dragon and due to this became known as Dracul, meaning 'Dragon' in Romanian. The name was then inherited by his son who was branded Dracula, son of the dragon, which in Romania has connotations with the devil.

 

COFFIN CULTURE

Ever wondered why vampires are often depicted in coffins?  Well, a few centuries ago it's said that vampirism was becoming a serious fear for ordinary citizens, sparking hysteria in many regions across Europe.  Apparently, part of this hysteria involved coffins being dug up and the bodies inside decapitated, staked or burned to ensure that the 'vampires' were truly dead.  And thus the coffin became the home of the vampire forevermore...  well, until Being Human, when it became a flat in Bristol.

 

A STAKE IN THE HEART

As I'm sure Lauren and Seth will tell you, stakes are bad for vampires.  Legend has it that this comes from suspected vampires' bodies being dug up and staked in the chest to kill the 'undead' corpse.  When this happened, gases would leak from the corpse, creating a squealing sound. Many presumed this was the soul of the vampire escaping as it died, hence why staking is seen as the ultimate vampire-killing act.

 

DAYLIGHT

Folklore has it that vampires have an aversion to light and can spontaneously combust if exposed to sunlight. However, Stoker is one of many gothic authors to employ poetic license in his writings, as his vampire is able to endure the sunlight.  However, his powers are reduced and acts such as shape-shifting are no longer possible. 

 

BLOODSUCKERS

As a body decomposes, gases put pressure on the lungs and force the liquid from blood-filled organs into the mouth.  Years ago, when people looked into the mouth of a dead body and saw blood, they often came to a ghoulish conclusion... that the corpse must have risen from the dead and been drinking from a living victim.  An alternative reason why blood and vampires are synonymous is because blood is often portrayed as the elixir of life, so helping the vampire to live for eternity...  

 

But this is just a legend, so don't go trying it at home.

 

THE BIG QUESTION: ARE ANNIE AND MITCHELL THE PERFECT COUPLE?

 

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New to BH?  Watch out, this post contains spoilers...

 

 

Ok, ok, I'm going to ask you the hugest question ever asked in the history of Being Human, but stay with me on this one...

 

Annie and Mitchell... are they the perfect couple?

 

Think about it.  They're both immortal so neither of them age... they've got a spark, we saw that in the accidental kissing moment... and it's much safer because Mitchell can't bite her and send her crazy like some people... *cough* Lauren *cough*

 

So, does it ruin everything or does it totally make sense?  And what would the implications be?  It's so huge... WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

 

Give us your thoughts and help us see sense...

 

NEW TO BEING HUMAN?

 

Being Human

There are no spoilers in this post... but watch out for the comments

 

The popcorn is overflowing here at the BH Blog as we gear up for Being Human night on BBC Three!  Coming to your screens this Saturday 28th March, there's the brand new documentary Being Human: Unearthed, an hour-long look behind the scenes of Being Human.  Then there's a new chance to see Being Human episodes one, two and three, with episodes four, five and six coming on Saturday 4th April. 

 

It's an actual feast of BH action.

 

So, with all this excitement we thought it would be a good chance to say hello to all you newbies out there who are checking out the blog for the first time (where have you been!?) and point you to some of our awesome, spoiler-free vids.

 

Such as Being Human creator Toby Whithouse giving you a lowdown on the series and discussing the characters... or a peek at the costume and make-up departments... or even Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner and Lenora Crichlow discussing their characters George, Mitchell and Annie.

 

We also have three amazing prequels that give you an insight into our trio's lives before episode one even begins.

 

Once you're fully 'recruited' (you might not know what it means right now but you soon will...), get involved by leaving us some comments and let us know what you think.

 

BEING HUMAN NIGHT COMING 28th MARCH

 

Unearthed1.jpg

There are no spoilers in this post... but watch out for the comments

 

BEING HUMAN FANS.  I take my hat off to you, you are an observant bunch.  

 

Many of you spotted the recent press release that announced a Being Human night coming to BBC Three on Saturday 28th March.  Well, I am very pleased to be able to give you a few extra juicy details...

 

The night kicks off with Being Human: Unearthed, a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the show.  It really is your most comprehensive guide to Being Human yet, featuring brand new interviews from the actors behind George, Mitchell, Annie, Herrick, Lauren and Nina.  On top of that there's more from writer Toby Whithouse, a whole bunch of the production team and even a member of the BH Blog team.  Who'd have thought!?

 

Oh, and one more bit of goss... the voiceover will be done by none other than Alex Price, the man behind legendary character of Gilbert , so Better dust off your Morrissey records in preparation for his return.

 

Following Unearthed, there's another chance to see Being Human episodes one, two and three, followed by episodes four, five and six the following Saturday.  So bagsy the sofa, put the cat outside and take the phone of the hook... that's some serious viewing time right there and you don't want to miss it. 

 

Right, we're going to don our ninja outfits and attempt to get you some sneaky Being Human: Unearthed preview clips... wish us luck!

 

THE BIG QUESTION: WHO WOULD YOU WRITE IN TO SERIES TWO?

 

Russ2.jpg

New to BH?  Watch out, this post contains spoilers...

 

 

We're starting a new strand here on the blog where every week we'll be throwing out a big question to you guys and we want to hear what you've got to say on the matter.

 

Now, in series one we had werewolves, vampires and ghosts.  But we want to know is...

 

"If you were writing a character into series two, who and what would they be?"

 

A leader of the werewolves, perhaps?  An exorcist?  Maybe even Vlad the Impaler himself?  Or perhaps another kind of mythical being?  We want all your weird and wonderful suggestions for series two in our comments section below. 

 

After all, anything's possible, right?

 

DID YOU REALLY THINK WE'D LEAVE YOU...?

  Being Human cast photo

New to BH?  Watch out, this post contains spoilers...

 

If Mitchell can receive a good old-fashioned staking and survive to fight Herrick, then the BH blog certainly isn't going to roll over and die just because series one is over...

 

That's right, the blog will continue over the next few months and right through into series two.  We'll continue to bring you insightful behind-the-scenes videos, keep stirring the discussion pot with ask-the-audience polls and bring you all the latest production news from the set of series two. 

 

So if you're looking for a place to chat all things Being Human, then look no further.  We might even steal Toby Whithouse from time to time to let you know how he's getting on with all that writing...

 

So chill out, unpack your bags and sit back down...  The next few months might feel like a long time to wait, but if we stick together I think we might just get through it.  We've got loads of ideas for great features, but what would you guys like to see?  Or know?  Leave your comments below and we'll see what we can do.

 

And stay tuned for more updates soon!

 

OUR JOURNEY'S END

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New to BH?  Watch out, this post contains spoilers...

 

 

Owen... Seth... Tully... Lauren... Bernie... so many characters have entered the Being Human world.  Some have remained.  Some have fallen by the wayside.  Some may even return. 

 

But none of them will be forgotten.  

 

Now, at the end of series one, we must pause for breath and see how far we've come in our very special look back at the series. 

 

Don't forget, If you want to watch the full episodes again you'd better hurry, as they'll stop being available on iPlayer this Sunday at 8:59pm.  But worry not!  We've also got one more exclusive video to bring you right here on the blog, because on Monday Russell Tovey will be answering your questions and leaving us with a very special end of series message.

 

So be strong.  Be brave.  Yes, this is the end.  But don't fear the men with ropes and sticks. 

 

Think of Lauren.  A happy end. 

 

Oh my...

 

See you Monday.

 



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