Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Being Human, Season Four, Episode Eight: Rewind, Rewind...


Still in the past, Sally watches herself, tell Danny that she lost her engagement ring down the sink.  Sally screams at her past self to defend herself because Danny is going to kill her.  Sally hops into her old body and tells Danny that she is leaving him and that she doesn't have to listen to him ever again. Danny grabs her but Sally knocks him unconscious and then makes her way outside.  Sally is now at the hospital - the same hospital that Aidan and Josh work at with Bridget. When  Bridget starts questioning Sally's actions, it dawns on Sally that what she did will seriously mess with the timeline and so she begs Bridget to leave with her. Bridget tells Sally to sit and Nora approaches and asks to see Sally's wrist. When Sally comments on how good Nora looks with bangs, Nora questions if Sally hit her head when she hurt her wrist. Nora promises to send someone over with a wrist brace and leaves.  Sally says that she just wants to leave, when Aidan walks over asking to look at her arm.

Aidan takes Sally to an exam room and declares that she is going to be fine.  Sally giggles as Aidan puts a brace on her arm and instructs her not to lift anything heavy.  Aidan leaves and Bridget enters the room.

Back at the house, it's now six months later and Bridget questions why Sally bought out Danny if she has no intention of doing anything with the house.  Sally says that she just wants to keep the original charm of the place and that it is going to appeal to some specific renters.  Sally assures Bridget that she has a plan but Bridget wonders if she is just stalling. Bridget brings up the break up with Danny and Sally assures her that this has nothing to do with Danny. Sally questions why Bridget is pushing her to move on, and Bridget reveals that she is dating Danny. When Sally says that it is a bad idea because Danny is abusive, Bridget reminds Sally that she is the one who kneed Danny in the balls and punched him in the face. Sally is adamant that this is not what happened and that Danny was going to kill her.  Bridget tells Sally that she is making it difficult for them to be friends.

Sally sits on a part bench and watches Aidan and Josh hang out.  When Josh leaves, Aidan is joined by Rebekah.  Sally pauses and the scene flashes to Aidan calling for a clean up crew after killing Rebekah.

Aidan is at a bar with Rebekah and there is some heavy flirting going on. Rebekah says that she is a nice girl with a bright future.  Sally interrupts them and thanks Aidan for never calling her back and giving her raging genital warts before leaving.  Aidan turns to Rebekah and says that Sally is lying, but Rebekah grabs her things and leaves. Aidan is stunned and heads outside to find Sally waiting for him.  Sally asks for a chance to explain and she says that she is from the future so he starts to walk away.  Sally calls out that she came to stop him from killing Rebekah and that he was staring at her carotid artery.   Sally tells Aidan she knows how hard he has worked to stay on bagged blood and that Rebekah was way too much temptation. Aidan thinks that Sally is working for Bishop and Sally denies working for anyone.  Sally starts mentioning names like Henry, Surine, Celine and Issac and adds that they lived together for years in the future. Sally tells Aidan that Bishop is going to get his claws into him soon and that he is starting to slip.

Aidan and Josh are at the house and Sally is sitting on the counter top.  Aidan asks about the rent and she says eight hundred and steps back.  Josh and Aidan step aside and Josh suggests that Sally must be mentally ill but says that they need to rent this place; Aidan  agrees and Josh gets excited.  Sally interrupts to inform them that she will be living with them and walks away.  Josh starts to panic and Aidan tells him that they don't have to hide from Sally because she is just like them. Sally explains that she in tethered to her body and has all of the knowledge of what happened to them in the future.


Later, Sally watches as Aidan and Josh begin to move furniture into the house.  Now siting together at the table, Aidan asks what they were paying for rent in the future.  Sally replies 750$ but reminds them that they got a deal because she was murdered there.  Josh starts to panic about the basement isolation room and Sally tells him that there are other ways he can do it.  Aidan worries that by giving him this confidence about the future will mean that it won't work.  Sally tells Josh how to change in a public place and he storms off.

The next day, Josh finds himself naked outside and when he wakes up he finds a man staring at him.  Later, Josh and Aidan arrive home to find Sally screaming at the cops that Danny is a murderer.  Aidan explains that he is Sally's nurse and that he shouldn't have left her alone.  The cops warn Sally not to attend the memorial service because then he will be forced to book her. The cops pull Aidan aside and say that Sally cannot go around accusing people of murder before leaving.  Sally tells Aidan that Bridget is dead and that she knows Danny killed her.  Sally says that when she heard Bridgette was dead she called the cops and Aidan tells her that she cannot bring the cops there.  Danny apparently told the cops that they broke up because Sally was deranged and dangerous.  Aidan says that he knows what kind of person Danny is and that she cannot blame herself.  Sally says that she has to think like that because it's true.  Sally explains that now she has the chance to change everything, she has the feeling that she is not doing things right.  Aidan tells Sally that when she stopped him at the bar, he listened because he recognized how right Sally was. Aidan acknowledges that Sally helped him and adds that he is lucky to have her in his life because it makes him feel like they can do everything right. Sally and Aidan kiss.

Three months later, Sally and Aidan are cuddled on the couch and Josh is in the kitchen making appetizers. Sally reveals that she invited Nora .  Aidan asks why Sally invited Nora over and Sally reveals that in the future, Josh marries Nora. Aidan says that he never would have suspected that matchmaking was the best part of time travel and Sally says that is not the best part.  The two then kiss.

Later, the foursome are at the dinner table and the evening is going well. Aidan and Sally excuse themselves telling Josh and Nora not to wait up for them.  Sally and Aidan hit the bar and they swing dance together. They are interrupted by Marcus who wants to know when Aidan is going to fall off the wagon. Aidan pushes Sally behind him but she steps forward and asks Marcus how much longer it will be before Bishop finds out that he is in bed with the Amish. (Ooooh please, please bring back the vampires of the corn.)  Marcus asks who Sally is and she tells him that she is the ghost of Christmas suck it and Marcus backs away. Aidan asks what is going on and Sally explains that Marcus wants him back in Bishop's pocket.

One month later, Sally and Aidan are making out in the kitchen when Josh walks in. Sally tells Josh that he is probably going to want to be with Nora tomorrow because he is going to have a little something left over from his change and Nora says that it was best around that time. Josh is surprised that Nora told Sally that but Sally explains that in the future, she and Nora are good friends. Aidan encourages Josh but he worries that he is putting Nora in danger and he is worried that he will not be able to keep what he is from her. Josh says that he needs to end this but Sally stops Josh and tells him that Nora will be his future wife. Josh is still panicked but he leaves.

Later, at the hospital, Josh is making his way down to the basement when he is stopped by Nora, who wants to talk.  They head into an empty room and Nora tells Josh that there is something wrong because he constantly runs. Josh says that he has to go and so Nora asks if he is attracted to her.  Josh tells Nora that she is beautiful and the two start to kiss. They start having sex and Sally bursts in.  Josh rushes out of the room saying that the moon is coming.  Sally helps Josh down the stairs and yells at Nora to stay back.  Sally manages to lock Josh in a room but not before he swipes her leg.

One month later, Sally and Josh are walking through the woods and Sally explains that in the alternate future, Nora was a wolf too.  Josh says that Nora is better off without him.  Sally tells Josh that her life is so much better than it used to be and she is over the little hiccups.  Josh tries to assure Sally that this is a big deal and he apologises to her saying that she doesn't know what this curse is yet.  Josh adds that the wolf changes who you are and that Aidan blames him for Sally's change. Sally assures Josh that she is with him always.

Three months later, Josh is scrubbing floors watching as someone chats up Nora  Aidan approaches and says that he doesn't know what Nora sees in the man chatting her up and Josh replies that Nora doesn't see a wolf. Aidan points that Nora does not know that he is a wolf. Josh argues back that Nora thinks he is a mental case. Aidan tells Josh that the man is going to propose to Nora and Josh replies that he is happy that she is going to have a normal life but this means that he is never going to have a normal human life.  Aidan tells Josh that he could have a normal human life and suggests that he look at him and Sally.  Josh says that Aidan could use a dose of caution and questions whether or not Sally has helped them.  The two men go their separate ways.

Later, Aidan and Sally are in bed together and he asks where they sleep together in the future.  Sally informs him that they don't sleep together because she doesn't get her body back. Aidan is shocked that in the future they didn't have sex together because he was immediately attracted to Sally.  Aidan drops her off at a spot to change and he is worried about Sally going alone because Josh isn't there. Aidan tells Sally that he loves her and the two kiss.  Sally hops out of the car.

The next day, Sally and Aidan are in a panic but they find Ray sitting at the table with Josh.  Sally asks what Ray is doing there and calls Ray the man who tried to ruin her friend's life. Ray says that is going to circle back when it's not so crowded.  The moment Ray leaves, Sally informs Josh that Ray is evil and that he tries to kill Nora. Josh says that is not what happens because he will never have Nora and never have a normal life. Sally tells Josh that Ray is his maker and if Josh kills him, then it lifts the curse. Josh says that he is not a murderer and that he is not going to kill Ray.  Aidan adds that if what Sally said is true, then he can have a normal life. Josh argues back that this is his life not Sally's version of it.  Josh says that he doesn't fit in here anymore and the longer he stays, the worse he feels about what he is.  Josh screams that it wasn't supposed to be this way.  Josh adds that there is nothing left for him in the house except a failed experiment. Josh leaves after saying that he is moving out.

On the porch, Sally tell Aidan that this is all wrong and that she messed things up when she changed things. Aidan says that she didn't cause this but Sally replies that Josh is ruining his life with Ray because of her. Aidan says that Josh will recover and that different isn't wrong.  Sally says that this isn't how things are supposed to be.  Aidan asks when Sally is going to give up on this preconceived notion of how things are supposed to be and adds that this is the first time in over 200 years that he has felt human. Aidan asks if they are supposed to feel guilty because Josh refuses to get his life together.  Sally realises that she has changed Aidan because he would never give up on Josh.  Sally tells Aidan that she cannot do this and all they can be are roommates until she find a way to fix this.

One month later, Aidan and Josh pass each other in the hospital without saying a word.  Later, Josh is at a bar when Ray asks if he has ever been attacked by a vampire.  When Josh says yes, Ray comments that this happens all of the time, except for when the moon is big and round.  Ray pulls Josh out of the bar.

Aidan is at a vampire bar and he feeds off of a woman.  Marcus approaches and Aidan asks why they are fighting.  Marcus explains that they hate each other, but a blood drunk Aidan embraces him laughing. Aidan and Marcus both grab a woman and start to feed.  Outside of the bar, Ray tells Josh that this is the bar where the vampires gorge themselves and that he once saw a funeral van loaded with bodies.  Josh says that not all vampires come here but Ray argues that Aidan is not different and that vamps get so blood drunk they can hardly walk.

Before Ray and Josh can enter, Sally calls out and asks what Josh is doing there.  Josh asks Sally if she has any idea what this place is and she reveals that she followed Aidan there. Sally tells Josh that he shouldn't do whatever Ray is trying to get him to do because this isn't him.  Josh tell Sally that she doesn't know him.  A very drunk Aidan and Marcus leave the bar and  Sally tells Josh that they can stop this now.  Ray makes a move towards Aidan but he stops when Josh warns him off.  A fight quickly breaks out and Sally is knocked to the ground when she tries to intervene.  Ray ends up hitting Sally in the back of the head with a metal pipe and Josh and Ray take off.  Sally tells Aidan that she forgives him and loves him as Aidan begs her not  to go.

Holy retconn batman.  I did not see that coming at all.  It's a bold move to suddenly decide to re-write four years of the show's progress with this alternate timeline.  I enjoyed seeing Sally and Aidan as a couple actually. Josh without Nora is actually quite intolerable.  I am really interested to see where this is going but a part of me wants them to finish the story line in the alternate timeline.

As I said in this week's podcast, I am worried by the implication that all women have to do to stay safe is to fight back and leave their abuser.  Sally fighting back in this way reads as though she redeemed her character.  Bridget dying screams as this is what happens when women don't leave.  The truth of the matter is intimate partner violence is far more complicated that Being Human is making it seem.  Leaving can be a dangerous prospect as these abusive partner become more violent. Leaving didn't save Nicole Brown Smith and so many women like her. Instead of putting the onus on the victim to protect themselves or leave, I would have prefered a narrative which places the responsibility where it belongs - on the abuser.

This episode did tone down the horrible equation of vampires drinking blood to addiction which has been a strong theme throughout this season; however, we still got vampires getting high off of human blood.  Is blood a substance vampires need for subsistence or not? Being Human still needs to clarify this and stop engaging in the grey.

With this trip into the past, I so want to see the return of the vampires of the corn.  I love them and fine them super creepy.  I also want to see Bishop one last time for the series.  Bring back the creepy Being Human.