Ask Matt: Being Human, Closer, Bones, Cape, Spartacus and More!
Jan 10, 2011 by Matt Roush
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... Question: I know you like the BBC version of Being Human, as do I. So I am curious if you have seen any previews of Syfy's version of Being Human. Are we looking at an Office-like success or a Coupling-like failure? I will take a peek. However, I am so in love with the original version, I am not sure if I can accept this version. — Pam
Matt Roush: I'm with you, Pam. I've seen three episodes of the Syfy remake, and while I tried my best to approach it with an open mind, I'm not sure I entirely succeeded. (Same thing happened when I watched episodes of MTV's truly lamentable remake of Skins and, to a lesser degree because I wasn't as familiar with the source material, Showtime's Shameless redo. This is probably not my favorite TV trend of the moment.) Of all the British-to-U.S. shows premiering this winter, I'm the most fond of BBC America's Being Human, so the bar is higher in accepting what seems a pale and unnecessary imitation. That said, many Syfy viewers are not likely to have seen the original, and the premise is so terrific that I'm betting many will be instantly hooked. For those who already love Being Human, it's harder to recommend the remake. I guess there are just enough tweaks to make it interesting, and it's possible that, as happened with NBC's The Office, the show will eventually forge an identity of its own. I plan to keep watching this version at least through the first season, but I feel like what I'm really doing is marking time until BBCA airs the new season of the superior original later this year.
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