Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Being Human, Season Four Episode Seven: Gallows Humor


Aidan is siting outside when he is joined by Kenny.  Aidan expects Kenny to judge him because he just finished slaughtering a human but Kenny calls it a slip up and adds that one slip up does not invalidate Aidan's way of life. Kenny tells Aidan that he should become back to the office because he believes that all of the fresh blood is reeking havoc on Aidan's system. Aidan leaves asking Kenny to take care of the body

Back at the house, Sally, Josh and ghost Robbie stand over his body when Nora enters wondering what is going on. Robbie asks why he can be seen by Josh and Nora and Nora reveals that they are werewolves. Josh offers his condolences and then says that they need to figure out what to do with Robbie's body. Robbie wonders if this is really happening and asks Sally what happened to her.  Sally explains that Danny killed her. Sally beings to wonder if there is a way to bring Robbie back from the dead.  Upstairs, Josh pleads with them to wait until Aidan returns home because of the drawbacks of raising a corpse.  Sally makes it clear that she would never do to Robbie what was done to her. Sally demands that no one touch Robbie's body. Aidan enters and realises that Robbie is now a ghost and he offers his condolences to Sally.

Aidan heads downstairs to supposedly grab blood and leans over Robbie's body.  When Sally appears, she finds Aidan kneeling over Robbie's body with all black eyes. Aidan immediately apologises and Sally blows it off then brings up using magic to save Robbie.  Aidan tells Sally that her power is part of who she is now and that this is a good use of her power.  Sally reveals that she needs to summon Donna because there is no spell to save Robbie in the book.

Upstairs, Josh tells Robbie that him returning to life is between him and his sister.  Sally comes upstairs and says that she needs to go and find Donna and rejects Robbie's offer to help.  Josh and Nora volunteer to watch over Robbie and Sally leaves instructing Nora and Josh to stop Robbie from going through his door if it arrives. Robbie begs Sally not to walk out on him again and she promises that she will come back.

At a department store, Sally exists the body of a woman who she used to move a riser.  As she climes the stairs, the pilgrims appear again. Donna begs to be left alone and Sally drags her through her death spot.

Aidan pays a visit to Suzanna and he says that he needs something to control his hunger.  Suzanna says that it took her years to wean herself and hands Aidan a small bottle of blood to comsume.  The blood makes Aidan sick and he collapses across the bed.

Nora and Josh head into the kitchen and Josh assures Nora that Robbie is just terrified and not himself. Nora says that she is feeling out of her league with the whole ghost counselling. It seems that Nora is concerned about sending the message that the paranormal world is grand.  Josh admits that he has not been the same person since he was brought back and he wonders if Donna can fix him. Josh argues that it was the magic that did this to him but Nora is not convinced and argues back that the magic didn't make him like it. Nora adds that the magic didn't make him lie to her.  Robbie suddenly appears in the kitchen interrupting the conversation.

Back at the department store, Donna tells Sally that she didn't save her from anything and that as long as her death spot is intact, it's a two way door. Sally asks why Donna asked her to summon her the last time and Donna reveals that coming back through her death door forces her to relive it.  Donna says that she has a story just like Sally.  Sally says that Robbie is dead and asks for help bringing him back.  Donna replies that her magic has limits and that bringing somebody back from the other side goes against nature. Sally asks if there is another way.  The two end up in the woods and bicker about Sally's plans and the consequences of her actions.  They are transported back to Donna's death scene, where Donna is hung for being a witch.

Aidan is now passed out on Suzanna's floor and she reveals that she could smell the live blood on him and asks who it was. Suzanna has a stake in her hands and says that she is now going to force Aidan to dry out. Again with the comparison to substance abuse.

Sally and Donna are in the past and Donna reveals that they are in the year 1692, as they watch a group of women prepare for some sort of ceremony. Donna says that if this happens each time Sally time travels each time she does magic that means that the tether holding her in place will eventually snap, leaving her lost in time for good. The women now uncover past Donna's body and she explains that this is how she died twice.

Suanna pours water over Aidan to wake up and says that the pain of withdrawal is a reminder of what he has done. Aidan cowers as Suzanna asks for the name of the girl he killed. When Aidan replies that he doesn't remember, Suzanna says that remembering her name would be to honour her death.  Suzanna orders Aidan to picture the girl's face and tell her the victim's name.  Aidan says that the girl had pretty eyes and talks about how the life drained out of them. Suzanna  tells Aidan that she is not going away, so Aidan reveals the victim's name was Amy.  Suzanna demands that Aidan talk about Amy and he talks about how her blood tasted and how the life ran into his mouth.  Suzanna tells Aidan that remembering what he did and the person he did it to is what is going to stop him from killing ever again.  Aidan says that he does not understand because this is what they are and that punishing him isn't going to work because the only thing that makes him feel good is blood.


Donna and Sally watch as the women continue on with the ceremony.  Past Donna is brought back in the circle of women and present Donna tells Sally that she was not guilty at the time convicted.  Sally begins to wonder if there is a zombie free way to bring someone back.  The women conjure up another spirit who is now trapped in the circle with past Donna. The spirit then transfers itself into past Donna's body and the women celebrate.

Aidan is on the floor and is listing off the names of the people he killed as Suzanna listens. Suzanna says that barking out random names won't get them anywhere and Aidan clarifies to say that these are a list of people he killed on one night.  Aidan asks if Suzanna has ever unmasked her victims and Suzanna wonders how he can look himself in the mirror.

Back in the present, Sally is shocked by what Donna has been through.  Donna says that by the time she met Sally, there was nothing left of the innocent woman she once was.  Sally asks how the spell will work to bring back Robbie.  Donna tells Sally she has to create a pathway of energy between the living world and the plane of death.  Donna reminds Sally that the girl in the ceremony lost any chance for an afterlife just so Donna could continue to exist.  Sally says that she has already hurt too many people and cannot sacrifice a random soul even for Robbie.  Donna tells Sally that this is the first sensible thing that she has said.  Donna offers her soul because she has lived a long time and claims that she doesn't have a right to anymore.

Josh comes back up from the basement and tells  Robbie that he does not understand how he could have been electrocuted.  Robbie says that it doesn't matter because he is dead.  Nora says that thinking about how he died will give him closure.  Josh brings up the door and Nora explains the realities of ghost life and admits that she doesn't know where the door goes.  Josh says that Sally doesn't want Robbie to go through the door because she is still trying to fix this but he believes the arrival of a door to be a good thing. Nora argues that any semblance of a human life ended the minute Robbie found himself trapped in the house with all of them. Josh and Nora leave the room and Nora says that she cannot do this right now and asks Josh to watch a movie with Robbie before she heads upstairs.

Aidan is now talking to himself in the mirror as Suzana is watching.  Aidan is talking about the time he discovered that he suddenly has a heartbeat and how he responded by killing a woman.

Sally pops back in to see Robbie and he tells her that she has been running around like a freak show. Robbie says that this is a lot for him to deal with and Sally says that she has figured out a way to help him.  Robbie asks how they got there and Sally explains that when this is over her won't be able to see her.  Robbie jokes about getting Josh or Aidan to bite him so that he can see her.  Sally asks about her father selling the house and Robbie reveals that their father feels as though he has lost too much. Sally brings up how Robbie reacted to Danny the way the day she and Danny moved into the house and she thanks Robbie for standing up for her.  Sally tells Robbie that he will get his life back and do whatever he wants.  Robbie replies that he has screwed everything up and Sally encourages him by pointing out that he can change things.  Donna appears and says that it's time. Sally heads downstairs and Donna tells Robbie that Sally is never going to give up on him.  Robbie asks Donna how she likes being a ghost and she says that it doesn't matter because Sally wants him to live and it's up to Robbie to decide if he will.

Sally is sitting over Robbie's body when Donna arrives to tell her that Robbie took off.  Sally brings up all of their planning and Donna's willingness to give up her soul.  Donna says that Robbie wanted to put an end to the cycle.  Donna adds that there are people who are relieved when death comes because they don't have to try over and over again to get it right.  Donna reminds Sally that she tried to help her brother.  Sally grabs a sheet and lays it over Robbie's body and starts to walk away.  Donna stops Sally asking for help..

They end up at the department store and Donna says that if she stays she won't be able to resist the temptation to use her power.  Sally points out that if she seals the death spot, Donna will never be able to come back. Donna assures Sally that this is what she wants, even though Sally has grown on her.  Donna asks Sally promise that she will never use magic again and Sally says that she will only use it on special occasions.  Sally says the spell and Donna begins to float until she once again finds herself hanging from a tree.

Aidan is talking about his murders and in particular one woman who died while they were making love. Aidan called it victim less and then he remembers that the woman had a child and how he thought about Suzanna.  Aidan asks for Suzanna's forgiveness and she tells him that he does not understand what he has done.  Aidan agrees that he has hated what he is and again asks for forgiveness saying that someone has to forgive him while crying.  Suzanna frees him from the handcuffs and reveals that her first kill was their son. Suzanna says that because of what they are, she drained all of the blood from Issac.  Aidan picks up the stake but he cannot bring himself to end Suzanna. The two then hold each other and cry.

Josh heads to check on Nora and finds her in bed asleep.  She wakes as he sits on the edge of the bed.  Josh and Nora kiss and he lies down next to her.  Between kisses, Nora tells Josh he should go downstairs but he keeps pushing.  Josh begins to get more forceful, as Nora tries to physically push him away.  Nora starts to cry and manages to push Josh off and when she looks into his eyes, they have gone wolf yellow. Nora grabs a knife and tells Josh that she doesn't know who he is, as he rushes downstairs, saying that he is sorry.

Later, Nora comes downstairs with a bag and tells Josh that she is scared of him.  Nora tells Josh that he has to deal with who he is because she cannot and leaves, as Josh begs her to stay.

Sally is back in the past watching her former past self brush her teeth and she snarks about her former self's obsession with dental hygiene.  Sally then watches as her past self accidentally drops her engagement ring down the drain and that this is how she dies.  Sally begs her former self to run, just as Danny enters the bathroom.

So, they are progressing Josh's storyline regarding his relationship with his wolf.  It's clear that he is not in control.  I fully understand why Nora couldn't stay there and her comment about fixing Josh is apt because women are often expected to fix a broken man.  Much of this is Josh's doing because while he explained that he is closer to wolf, he never discussed with Nora his limited control.  This must have been evident to Josh a few episodes when he found himself stalking the runner in front of him.

Aidan and Suzannna - just no!  I found myself disgusted by this story line because of the degree to which the substance abuse analogy was pushed.  Vampires drink blood, that is what they do.  Is it the act of killing that is abhorrent or the drinking of blood? It seems to me that blood is a necessary part of life for vampires and there is no way to do this without drinking human blood.  This analogy fails on so many levels and the guilt and the shame for consuming what they need to survive just makes the whole thing ridiculous. It needs to plain and simple stop.

Sally went back to her death scene and it is clear we are about to see history change.  She is not going to let herself die which will change her history with Josh and Aidan altogether.  I really do like the idea of the victim fighting back but I worry that this is once again going to pull Sally out of the story leaving her alone to work out her issues while Josh and Aidan team up.