10 Years Later, This 100%-Rated Supernatural Series is Available for Free - Finally
Ghosts, vampires, and werewolves can have very human affairs and responsibilities.
Summary
- British television has produced many excellent fantasy series over the decades.
- However, none have managed to deliver such an original story, combining the supernatural and the mundane, as the creators of Being Human.
- The series is now available to stream for free.
Speaking of the supernatural genre, it was British folklore, speculation, and fiction that gave us vampires, ghosts, and werewolves as we know them in modern pop culture. Each of these elements became so popular that they could be found in such ultimate sci-fi shows as Doctor Who and Torchwood.
But in addition to those two, the BBC produced another remarkable series in 2008 that was incredibly well received by critics, but also undeservedly fell into the abyss of oblivion - now is a great opportunity to check it out, as it has become available to stream for free.
What Is This Supernatural Comedy-Drama About?
We're talking about the supernatural comedy-drama Being Human, which ran on BBC Three from 2009 to 2011 (there was a pilot episode in 2008, creating no small amount of hype as fans petitioned the BBC to greenlight the series). The show's creator was Toby Whithouse, who wrote scripts for a number of Doctor Who episodes featuring the 10th, 11th and 12th Doctors. And it is the Doctor Who charm that is incredibly present in Being Human.
The plot follows two unlikely friends, the awkward vampire John Mitchell (Aidan Turner) and the no less awkward werewolf George Sands (Russell Tovey), who suppress their urges and try to fit into human society. One day, they move into a small, shabby house that, as it turns out, already has an occupant. It used to be the home of Annie Sawyer (Lenora Crichlow), a young woman who accidentally died in the house and has since failed to make the transition to the afterlife.
Throughout the series, the friends navigate both mundane human and supernatural life: Mitchell tries to quell a bloodlust that resembles drug addiction, George tries to come to terms with his werewolf identity while trying not to hurt others, and Annie tries to deal with an overwhelming sense of loneliness while finding meaning in the afterlife.
Critics and Viewers Alike Have Embraced the Series
If we look at Rotten Tomatoes, literally each of the five seasons has received a perfect 100% score, even though the penultimate season featured only Annie from the original cast. Almost every reviewer was pleased to note how deep and uplifting the story was, with no emphasis on the supernatural, but on real human problems. At the same time, the show managed to deliver a few chilling horror elements, as well as great jokes along with very mundane scenes.
How to Watch the Series?
American users (or those using a VPN) can watch Being Human for free. For example, the show was recently added to Tubi, a free, ad-supported platform that does not require a subscription. However, only the second and third seasons are available there, so you can return to Tubi after watching the first season on another platform.
Meanwhile, all five seasons are available on Prime Video with an additional BritBox subscription. For new users, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial on Prime itself and a 7-day free trial on BritBox. After that, subscriptions to both services cost $14.99 and $8.99 per month, respectively. For UK residents, prices are £8.99 and £5.99 per month.
If you're not ready to binge all five seasons in seven days, the ones that aren't free on Tubi—the first, fourth, and fifth seasons—can be purchased through Google Play. The price for unlimited ownership of the series in HD quality for each season is $10.99.
But UK viewers (and again, those with a VPN) can stream all five seasons for free on ITVX, simply by signing up. Subscription is optional, as ITVX is an ad-supported platform.