Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Being Human (US) Season Three, Episode Ten: For Those About to Rot



Josh is walking through the woods naked and he calls out, "hello, you don't have to be afraid."  He finally comes face to face with his wolf and approaches slowly.  He tells the wolf that they should talk or commune but it runs off into the woods.  When he comes out of his meditation, he is at Pete's trailer complaining about how his meditation time went.

Aidan is passed out on the ground and we get a flashback to his human life, of him pacing as a woman screams in the background.  The midnurse walks out and informs him that the child is with God now because he was not strong enough but his wife Suzanna is going to live.  He rushes in to see her and comforts her.  In the present, he opens his eyes, and gets up.  Aidan then returns to the house to find Sally bouncing a ball in the kitchen.  Sally tells him that she couldn't sleep because she kept dreaming about eating in a bad way. Sally asks why he is walking around with no shoes on and if he was sleep walking.  Aidan replies that he does not sleep walk and Sally points out that he was on the street in bare feet and that he stinks. Aidan admits that he was in the garbage. Sally accuses him of going on a bender but Aidan protests that he has had one bag of blood.  Sally suggests then that Aidan is "backed up sexually."  She then asks when the last time he "broke off a piece" for himself was and points out that it has been more than a year.  Sally adds that Kat came along and they flirt and that she made him soup when he had vampire death flu, and now he wants to "get on that" but he can't because he's a gentleman.  Sally suggests that this doesn't mean is subconscious mind agrees and that it is sending him out into the world just looking "for some ass." Sally then says that she knows this because she was a psych major for one semester.  Aidan protests that he is not "backed up", so Sally asks if has slept with Kat and Aidan admits that he hasn't and points out that this is not any of her business.  Sally asks if he is over the bra or under the bra, and Aidan replies that they are going on a second date. Sally asks where they are going and Aidan says that she wants to keep it a surprise.  Realizing that this conversation is not going anywhere good, Aidan attempts to leave to take a shower.  Sally snarks about him needing a cold shower and Aidan replies, "you are the only person who is less weird as a ghost, than you are as a person, just saying."

Aidan leaves and the phone rings, it's Zoe.  When Sally arrives at Zoe's, she finds Nick dead on the floor covered in blood.  Zoe says that she doesn't know what to do.

Josh is still sitting at the trailer with Pete and he says, "I'm not sure this is for me - meditating and searching for my inner insides. I was just never much of a be the ball type of guy." Pete asks if he is experiencing self loathing or f it's the constant fear of hurting strangers. Josh responds, "for years all I wanted was to be rid of the wolf and then when it finally came true, all it did was shine a light on the fact that I'm still in this world; the friends I have, Nora. I will always be stuck in this world and I just have to find a way to live with it."  Pete asks Josh how long he has been fighting with his wolf and Josh says that it's been five years.  Pete then asks how long he has spent meditating and Josh says two days.  Pete tells him to bring a six pack tonight and that they won't stop until Josh manages to get some face time with his furry side.

Zoe says that Nick came at her and so she just grabbed a bat.  Nick's ghost appears and he assures Zoe that she was protecting herself.   Zoe tells him that he would never hurt her but Nick replies that he would have and so will Sally eventually.  Sally protests that this is not true but Nick tells Sally that she knows what the hunger is and that it's only a matter of time. Nick assures Sally that he is not saying this because he is hungry or because he is trying to blame her but because he is worried about Zoe.  Zoe says that Sally has to do something because  she got Nick back once and maybe she can do it again.  Nick replies that Sally cannot do anything and neither can Zoe, just before his door appears. Nick says, "see it's not an entirely an unhappy ending, I get my door. I guess I served my purpose by warning you." Zoe says that she is sorry but Nick tells her not to be sorry because he is grateful for the time they had together.  Nick then walks to his door, opens it and says, "stay away from Sally, she will kill you, even if she thinks she won't."  Nick walks through his door and Zoe says goodbye to Sally.  Sally begs Zoe not to cut her off and reminds her of all of the work she has done, but Zoe is adamant that she does not want to go through this again. Zoe tells Sally that she has to stay away from her. Sally heads towards the door and pauses to ask what Zoe is going to do with Nick's dead body.


In the next scene, Sally and Josh are burying Nick, and she apologises for having to call him in for this. He asks if Zoe is okay and Sally replies that she is pretty far from that. Sally asks if Nick is going to be okay there and Josh assures her that the location is remote and that the hole is deep enough the animals won't dig him up. Josh pauses and says, "I can't believe how unremarkable it has become to bury a dead body." Josh then asks Sally if she will bring him up to speed and tell him what is going on. Josh goes over Nick's death and asks if Sally has the same cravings that Nick had and Sally says, "no not really, not yet."  Sally then admits that she has eaten small things like mice and that she quit cold turkey because once she ate the mouse, it just made her want to eat more things - bigger things. Josh says that they will go home and get Aidan on board.  Sally admits that Aidan knows and Sally apologizes saying that she didn't want to burden Josh.  They dig for another minute before Sally remembers that Stevie is out there and she wonders if he has the same flesh eating issue that she and Nick had. Sally says that Stevie is completely clueless and hungry.

We get another flashback to Aidan's life and this time he is at a church service. The minister brings up the loss of Aidan's child and says that it's tragic but it allows them to show that they deserve a place with God.  The minister begins to pray that one day the lord will grant them the gift of a child.  Aidan does not close his eyes, and instead stares at the minister.  As they are leaving the church, Suzanne says that the people pity them because of their tragedy but Aidan counters responding that the people pity them because the minister dragged their tragedy "up and down his aisles."  Suzanne admonishes him but Aidan says that the man is an ass and has had it out for him since the day he put a ring on her finger.  Suzanne instructs him to mind his pride but Aidan tells her that God would not want their child dead and that they will keep trying.  Aidan asks her not expect him to sit still while the minister uses his sermons to rub salt into their wounds.

In the present day, Aidan and Kat are on a date at Boston's rare book archive.  She says that it's nice to be there with a civilian.  Kat asks about his backpack and Aidan replies that he carries food around for a blood sugar thing but says that he already ate.  Kat tells him that she appreciates him embracing this scholar field trip vibe.  Kat tells him that this field trip is about a book called "Days of the Tribe." When she opens the book it turns out that it was printed by Edmund Waite.  It turns out that Edmund Waite is Aidan's father.  Suddenly, a former professor and lover of Kat's appears.

Sally and Josh head over to Stevie's old house and she asks what the plan is and if they are going to tell his parents, who are scared by Stevie's suicide that he is now a reanimated corpse, with a wicked craving for human flesh. Josh says that it will be quick and painful.  They knock on the door and Sally starts to cry and she says that she is emotional right now. Josh says that he should do the talking.  Stevie opens the door and Sally says that he looks good.  Stevie invites them into the house.

Jeff makes small talk with Kat and Aidan for a few minutes.  As they walk away from them Aidan asks if they should call it a day but Kat says that she just needs to go some place that serves alcohol. 

At Stevie's, he admits that he made it to Memphis before he ran out of money and that he tried looking for a job but it's hard to negotiate for work under the table when you look like a 16 year old.  He adds that he tried living on the street but it didn't take long before he got scared.  He says that his parents are at the lake house and he is hiding out here in the meantime. Josh points out that this is not safe and asks what happens if the come home, but Stevie says that his parents are not coming home and that they are like clockwork and he has at least another week.  Sally tells him that he does not have another week and that he needs to come home with them right now.

Kat and Aidan are continuing their date and she tells him all about her ex and that he was just telling her what she wanted to hear.  Kat says that this relationship taught her a lot about what she wants and that one day, she wants a house full of kids.  Kat says that this is not second date material because they should be talking about Thai food. Aidan admits that he cannot have kids and Kat says that she is sorry.  Aidan replies that it doesn't matter and that he understands the frustration of being denied a family, the desperation, the anger and the blame. Aidan then apologizes and says that because Kat was being so honest with him, he felt like he owed it to her.

In a flashback, the minister shows up at the home of Aidan and Suzanne and wants to know why they haven't been to church in two months.  Aidan responds, "please take no offense to my absence Reverend, I simply did not want to sully the souls of my fellow parishioners."  The Reverend says that it seems that Suzanna took his call to pray for her as genuine.  Aidan counters saying that women are the stronger of the sexes and rise easier from an injury. The minister suggests that if his words struck Aidan so deeply that he should look at the stain on his soul and ask why it offends God. Aidan says that if there was a speck of truth to what the minister was saying, that would mean his God was a cruel beast who would snuff out the life of an infant to spite the parents and he would want nothing to do with that God.  Suzanne pulls him back, and the Reverand says that he can see now that it's only one person who is unworthy in the eyes of the Lord and he is thankful that they will never have a child.  Aidan punches the Reverend and tells him never to come back. The Reverend leaves and Suzanna cries.

Stevie tells Sally that he does not think it's a good idea for him to go home with them and that bad things always seem to happen around them. Sally tells them that he is and that Nick is dead.  She points out what happened to her head.  While they are talking, Josh is walking around the kitchen and he smells something, which leads him to a human hand in the cupboard. Steve says that he got scared and came home to see his parents because he thought it would make them feel better and that he explained everything to them. He admits that his parents died weeks ago. He then admits that he ate his parents already and is busy eating the mailman right now. Stevie says that he didn't know what to do and Sally says that he is coming home with them. Stevie tells Sally that there is one thing they can do for him.  He takes them to the garage where he has a noose set up but says that he is scared.  Stevie asks them to help him end this and Sally replies that he is not thinking clearly. Sally says that there is a different way and Josh adds that they are working on it.  Josh assures Stevie that he is not evil and that he is a good guy.  Stevie says that all he is now is hungry and he turns to attack Josh. They push Stevie away and Sally suggests that if Stevie is a danger then so is she.  Stevie tells Josh that he knows he is right and so Josh instructs Sally to leave the room because he has to help Stevie.  Sally asks if Josh has lost his mind as well.  Josh replies, "I think that I have figured  out how to survive in our world. You have to be able to make impossible choices, not run from them. I told you before, this is my fault.  Okay, I'm in this. I brought you all back and now I have to deal with the consequences." Sally tells him that this is not right, and Josh instructs her to go.

Sally waits in another room until Josh joins her and tells her that it's done. Sally asks if it's her turn now and that they need to get this over with.  Josh hugs her and tells her not to say that and not to think like that. Josh says that Stevie was too far gone and that she has not hurt anyone yet and that she is going to fight. Josh tells sally that they are going to save her.  Stevie's ghost appears and Sally says that she is sorry.  Stevie thanks her for the second chance and thanks Josh.  Stevie's door appears and Sally tells Josh that Stevie is going to be fine. Stevie tells Sally that she is his best friend, thanks her and then walks through his door.  Sally tries to stop him when she notices that Stevie door, is exactly the same as the door that Nick had but he disappears.

Aidan and Kat are still on their date and she says that next time they can talk about an ex who hurt him. Aidan is shocked that there is going to be a next time and Kat assures him that he is not a waste of time and that she is the one who shared too much tonight. Aidan says that he does not want to play games and the two start to kiss.  Aidan pulls back when he begins to vamp out and says that they are both a little to raw for this to be a good idea and leaves.  Outside on the street, he drinks a bag of blood and then returns to the house and says, "I don't care if it's a bad idea."

Josh is wiping down the house to get rid of his fingerprints and Josh says that ghost doors are never the same.  Sally assures them that each person gets their own door. Josh suggests that they add this to the list of things they need to figure out. Sally says that her clock is ticking and that she wants to eat the arm in the cupboard.

Vampires are feasting on Pete, when Josh shows up with the beers. The vampires says that they cannot eat Josh because he is off limits along with his girlfriend.  They toss Josh outside.

In another flashback, Aidan is praying to God as his wife is going through childbirth again.  He promises that he will live the rest of his life as a servant of God if his wife comes through this okay with a healthy child.  Suddenly he hears the cry of a child and the tears role down his face. The midwife come out and asks if he would like to meet his healthy beautiful son. Aidan enters the room to his Suzanne holding a baby and she says that he looks just like Aidan. 

In the present, Aidan wakes to again find himself on the ground and in an alley behind a car is kat's ex boyfriend, clearly dead from a vampire bite.

I really liked that this episode showed more interaction between the roommates. When these scenes happen they amount to the best that Being Human has to offer.   The scenes with Sally and Josh in particular were really compelling.  Since the begin of the show, Josh has always seen his wolf as the problem and not the supernatural world in which he interacts.  He has to deal with more than his change to survive.  I think it's the most honest we have seen Josh be with himself.

We have been getting a lot of Aidan flashbacks this season and I wonder where this is leading.  I already think that Kat is a direct descendant of his but I wonder if there is more involved that what I am seeing. As for Aidan wandering the streets, I wonder if it is some sort of side effect of the werewolf blood that he consumed.  The mere fact that he is waking up with no idea how he got there kind mimics what happens when Josh changes.

Things are getting more desperate with Sally and I would like to see the characters focus on what is going on with her for a change. Sally's storyline has always been extremely secondary to everyone else. The only good thing that I can say about this situation is that at least it was not of her own making this time.  She didn't ask to be brought back and while it was good to Josh taking ownership of that, I wish it was because Sally means so much to him, rather than a problem he created.