Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Being Human, Season Four, Episode 13: There Goes the Neighborhood: Part 3


In a flashback Sally is talking about Josh and Aidan moving in and how it made her feel hopeful. Sally wonders if they would be friends if they met now.  We see a remembrance of Josh and Nora's wedding. We return to the present where Aidan is crying about losing Sally.  Aidan starts to snap Josh's neck and Sally screams no and that this has to be an accident  Ramona comes downstairs and tells Sally that it's never an accident.  Josh, Sally and Nora find themselves in one room with Aidan in another.  Aidan slams the door over and over again and Sally says that Aidan won't stop until he kills Josh.  Nora tells Sally that she cannot do magic because it's to dangerous.  Sally wonders what would happen if Aidan wasn't a vampire and she tells Josh and Nora that she loves them.

Aidan makes his way downstairs and when he approaches Josh, Sally uses her magic to throw him across the room, knocking him unconscious in the process.  They take Aidan to the bed and Sally does a spell. Sally says that there is always a sacrifice and Aidan sits up saying that she can feel his heartbeat.  Sally has gone deathly pale and she turns to Nora and says that she will be watching.  To Josh, Sally says that it's worth it and to Aidan that she wants him to have the life he deserves.  Suddenly, Sally disappears.  The house shakes and Ramona lets out a screech. When they head upstairs, Ramona is screaming that Nora, Josh and Aidan have ruined everything and promises that they are going to be in the house forever.

The roommates make it outside and away from the house.  Sally is narrating  about how the idea of home has changed to something they make for themselves. Aidan and Nora embrace, as Josh sits and stares off into space.  Nora offers to let them all stay at her new apartment but Aidan declines the offer saying that Josh and Nora need some space.  Josh talks about the many times Sally has managed to claw her way back but Aidan bursts his bubble by saying that this time he felt Sally go.  Aidan says that he doesn't know what to do and asks Josh when the last time Aidan ate food was.

They take Aidan to a burger joint and he is in ectasy over the taste of the burger.  Aidan says that it all feel strange but spectacular he does add that it's wasted because Sally had to miss it.  Later,  Aidan sits in front of the campfire drinking alone.  He says that he loves Sally and then starts smashing things in his grief.

The next morning, Aidan wakes to find himself still outside.  He heads inside but pauses when he sees his reflection in the mirror. Aidan now has grey hair.

A workman enters the house and is greeted by Ramona.  He tells Ramona that it is dangerous to be in the house and Ramona asks if he wants to see her room before running upstairs.  The workman follows Ramona upstairs and  into the hidden room. Ramona kills him and says that she shouldn't have been left alone and so is sending out a message.

Aidan is waiting for his medical test results.  Nora hands over the results and it seems that Aidan is ill. Aidan says that he's not meant to be alive but Nora points out that she saw what Sally did. Apparently, Aidan has the heart of a 90 year old man and his organs are failing.  Nora says that she is amazed that Aidan is standing in front of her right now and Aidan jokes about maybe having a week left.

Nora, Josh and Aidan are walking outside and Josh is talking about working in a restaurant.  Nora is upset and says that they should all be making plans.  Aidan reveals that he has a week to live and Josh replies that this is not something people say in real life.  Aidan believes that this is a consequence for becoming human and that this is the result of the years that he cheated. Aidan says that they should celebrate their upcoming baby and when they are shocked, Aidan reveals that he smelled it when he was still a vampire.  Aidan heads off, leaving Josh and Nora alone.  Nora admits that she wasn't sure she wanted the baby but now she does. Josh and Nora hug.

Aidan heads to the cemetery with a rose in his hand..He places a rose on Sally's grave site.  Aidan then makes his way through the city, clearly taking in every moment.  He ends up at a bar and has a vision of Sally sitting right next to him.  Aidan ends up sitting down next to a vampire and asks him what his plan is after he kills the girl he has been flirting with.  They end up walking together and Aidan advises him to get on bagged blood. The vampire asks how he can become human again and Aidan admits that this is something he wanted for centuries and now, all he can think about is going back.  Aidan attacks the vampire and tells him to turn him.


Josh tells Nora that he is not going to take the job at the restaurant because a baby needs different hours. Nora points out that this is something that was going to make Josh happy.  Josh says that he is elated because there are going to have a baby.  Josh brings up trying medication but Nora tells Josh that he can do this himself.  Josh points out that he killed 9 people last week and asks if this scares Nora.  Josh is worried that he will hurt the baby but Nora says that she is not scared because she knows who Josh is. For Nora, it's more important that Josh trust himself.  Josh leaves saying that Aidan asked to meet up with him.

Josh drives into an alley and finds Jeremy holding Aidan against the wall.  Josh realises that Aidan wasn't even fighting.  Aidan assures Jeremy that he should continue and that everything is alright. Aidan tries to walk away and Josh grabs him and says that Aidan cannot go spilling his blood and that Sally gave it to him. Aidan screams that he is afraid to die and that nothing happens after that because vampires don't get doors.  Josh points out that Aidan isn't a vampire anymore but Aidan does not believe that a week of humanity is going to clear the slate after a centuries of monstrosity.  Aidan says that he is a coward and Josh replies that he is human.  Aidan and Josh hug and Josh assures Aidan that it's going to be okay.

Aidan is back at the trailer making coffee over an open fire when Josh pulls up.  Josh delivers Aidan a burger.  Aidan's hair is getting more and more grey. Josh suggests that Aidan should travel or get laid  When Aidan sees the newspaper, he learns about the death of the construction worker.  They hop in the car and Aidan reveals that he never felt right running away.  Aidan suggests that Josh let him do this because he has nothing to lose and Josh has everything to lose.  Josh replies that he is not going to value his life over Aidan's. Aidan believes that someone should make it out of this. Josh again says that he is not going to let Aidan do this.  They make a plan for Josh to drop Aidan off, so that he can pick up supplies.

A frail looking Aidan enters the house saying, "sorry Josh."  Aidan drops his bag on the floor and slowly makes his way upstairs.  The house shakes and Ramona can be heard cackling. Aidan makes his way to the secret room and Ramona says that Aidan got her message.  Aidan tells her that there is nothing left for her to win because he is an old man with a few days left to live.  Aidan tells Ramona that Josh, Nora and their baby are going to move far away and that Sally is gone.  Ramona replies that someone else will move in and accidents happen.  Aidan says that he, Sally, Nora and Josh moved into the house to bring her down.  Ramona is not scared and replies that all of this tragedy is on him because though Sally brought her back, Aidan is the one who fed her with all of the blood he shed. Ramona tells Aidan that he is the true monster here and that a few hail Mary's won't get him out of this.  Ramona makes a stigmata appear on Aidan's hands.  She uses her power to crash him into the wall. Ramona says that Aidan won't be saved just because he died a mortal death and points out that he was a serial killer for centuries.  Aidan says that he is happy to die for his family. Ramona knocks Aidan down the stairs. Aidan lights a liter and then tosses it onto the gasoline he poured. The house and Ramona burst into flames.

We hear Aidan talking about the meaning of life and that all that matters is the people who you loved.  The entire house is now in flames.

Later, Josh and Nora arrive at the house to find it little more than a shell.  Josh and Nora embrace and Josh tells Nora that he never wants her to worry because he will always be there for her and the baby.  Aidan appears and tells them that he hopes he doesn't screw things up. Aidan says that it's all worth it because they won.  Josh asks Aidan if is going to haunt them but Aidan says that would be weird and that he needs his space.  Suddenly, a door appears behind Aidan and Aidan is shocked that his is for him.  Josh tells Aidan that he deserves the door.  Aidan tells Nora and Josh that the last few years of his life were the best.  Josh tells Aidan that they will miss him and live a ridiculous life in his honour.  Aidan opens the door and steps through it.  Sally is waiting for Aidan and Nora and Josh see Aidan and Sally kiss.

We get a flash to Aidan and Sally cooking dinner for Nora and Josh.  Josh says that he didn't think that he could feel human, or love before he and Aidan moved in.

It's now a few years later and Josh and Nora wake in a field and he tells Nora that he had an amazing dream.  They both admit to dreaming about the four of them altogether.  Nora asks if they dream about them because they miss them but Josh assures Nora that it's 100% Aidan and Sally.  They decide to gather their children who they have named, Aidan and Sally.

That was the series finally of Being Human U.S..  I really loved this season and the fact that they managed to neatly wrap everything up.  It was so very sad.  The house which brought them all together left as nothing but a shell but I suppose that was to symbolize that everyone had moved on. Everyone got the destiny that they deserved I suppose.  Sparky described it this way,  "there's a strange and beautiful symmetry, also a sense of the dead actually being where they belong - the vampire and the ghost sacrificed for the sake of the living werewolves: Sally so Aidan wouldn't kill Josh, Aidan so Ramona wouldn't kill Josh and mNora. The dead laid down their existence - perhaps even entered their TRUE state, their natural state - so the living could go on living as they should."  I have to admit that I agree with him on this.  As sad as it made me, it provided closure and made sense. My problem is that I wanted them all to be together in the end after having gone through so much. I suppose the dream sequence is to imply that someday, they will all be together again.

I am however disappointed with the redemption of Aidan.  Being Human has made it clear that blood for Aidan was food. There is no way that 200 years ago, Aidan would have had access to bagged blood and yet Being Human was insistent in framing Aidan as a serial killer. This is because they refused to move beyond the analogy of vampirism and addiction. Even if we accept the flawed premise that Aidan is indeed an addict and a murderer, how does one good act redeem him of his actions?  The answer is that it doesn't. redemption simply doesn't work with the complex scenario they created.

Being Human went on for four season and only had two GLBT character's - Zoe's VERY brief-post out appearance and Josh's sister.  The problem is that she was continually sidelined.  She wasn't developed and even for a side character was particularly hollow.  I suppose that is better than the British counterpart but that's not really saying much is it.

One of the things I liked most about Being Human was its strong stance on intimate partner violence.  Unfortunately both Sally and Nora were abused by their significant other's however one would be hard pressed to call them victims and in fact, they are the definition of survivor. Repeatedly, the writers made it clear that violence against women is wrong.  As much as Nora loved Josh, she was ready to leave him rather than taking the risk of being hurt again. No matter Josh's reasons for violence, it was simply deemed unacceptable.

Being Human may have been a show about werewolves, vampires and ghosts but it was so much more than that.  Essentially it was a show about friendships and love.  This made it unique in the genre and something I am going to miss.

I think what saddens me most about this final season is that I just feel like Being Human was finally coming into its own.  The first was season was pretty much a replay of the British series.  The second season was absolutely terrible leading me to wonder how they made magical leaps which made no sense.  It seemed to right itself third and become its own interesting entity in the fourth.