Being Human: UK vs US
BBC's tv program Being Human is a fantastic show (especially for the first 3 seasons). It has complex characters and interesting plots, and I've re-watched the whole show multiple times because I enjoy it that much.
So, out of curiosity, I started watching the US version. I couldn't even get past the first episode. Even just the beginning and the introduction of the characters is so lazy. I am trying to explain the beginning of the US version but it's just so blah that there's nothing really to describe. The first shot is of "Josh" the werewolf walking down the street talking about how humans are forgiven for only "being human" when they make a mistake. It's obvious that he has been turning into a werewolf for quite some time as you see his transformation routine - going to the woods, neatly folding his clothes, etc. This is normal for him. Next you see vamp "Aidan" on a date and he continues the voice-over. The ghost "Sally" isn't even introduced until about halfway through the episode. Josh and Aidan are the entree into this world, and the voice-over is pretty whiney.
I don't think you can fully understand the weakness of the US intro unless you know the strength of the UK show's beginning. The first shot in this case is of soon-to-be-ghost "Annie" dead on the floor with a pool of blood behind her head. She is the only voice-over and tells the story of how death is not the ending for everyone. She introduces "Mitchell" by explaining how he was supposed to die but instead was forced to become a vampire, and we get to see that period of his life as well as his life now as he kills a girl without planning to, and there is so much emotion in his story in just a few moments. She introduces George's dilemma as we see him post-werewolf-attack when he should have died, but instead he became the thing that almost killed him, and we see his first ever transformation.
Just look at how both series portray the vampire immediately after killing his date:
The image on the left is from the UK version, whereas the image on the right is the US one. UK's composition alone is much more intriguing, pulling your eye around the entire visual as Mitchell and his victim form a circle. By comparison, character Aidan's odd posture/position while on his phone make it a weak shot, especially with the almost unnoticeable body in the background and obnoxious green filter. There's no composition. Mitchell's self-realization is much more meaningful than Aidan's immediate call for back-up. Aidan doesn't even take time to reflect on the kill which makes it seem like he doesn't care, even though a few scenes later he claims to have given up live blood in favor of not killing. Plus it took the US more than twice as long to reach this point without sharing any of the character backgrounds that the UK shared. Less information taking up more time means pandering on stupid details that don't matter in the long run, and weaker storytelling overall.
If you don't believe me, feel free to check out both premieres and share your response. Both shows are currently available on Netflix streaming.
