According to Being Human creator Toby Whithouse, “we’ve created what I hope you’ll agree is an epic, thrilling and shocking finale that’ll keep the fans guessing and speculating for years to come. Then Being Human will belong to them.”
In a blog post, Whithouse wrote:
Being Human really shouldn’t have happened. A preposterous idea, an epic and circuitous development process, a modest budget – no, we really shouldn’t have lasted. But Being Human was the little show that could, and that ridiculous idea managed to last 37 episodes, spawn an American version, 3 novels, an on-line spin-off and garner a shelf of awards…
I know many [fans] will be disappointed that the show isn’t returning, but all good things come to an end.
We must remember too that the remit of BBC Three is to encourage and support new talent, to give them opportunities to make television, to test out new ideas and formats. In that sense Being Human is perhaps a victim of its own success. We can’t really call ourselves a new show anymore, and much as I’d like to think of myself as a young thrusting new talent and not a bitter old war horse, the reality is we have a duty to move aside and make space for the next Being Human.
But much like the cast change from seasons 3 to 4, we viewed the news as an opportunity. It meant I could actually write a climax for the show, instead of it just popping out to the shops at the end of season 5 and never coming back. You’ve no idea how rare that is in television, and what a great opportunity it is to write something suitably definitive and satisfactory.
Consequently we’ve created what I hope you’ll agree is an epic, thrilling and shocking finale that’ll keep the fans guessing and speculating for years to come.
Then Being Human will belong to them. Once the credits on episode 6 roll, the future of all those characters will exist in the imagination of the audience, to do with as they please. But in a way the show always did belong to the fans. Their tenacity, passion and loyalty are what kept the show going and provided inspiration to everyone working on it.
I’m reminded of the scene in series 3, episode 8, with Mitchell and Herrick sitting in the car looking at the sunset. Herrick asks if Mitchell finds it amazing that soon this world will be theirs. And Mitchell says “It always was.”
(Yeah, and then he stakes him, I know. Ignore that bit.)
Season five of Being Human will air on BBC America in the spring. There are six episodes.
What do you think? Are you excited to see how Being Human will come to an end? Do you wish there could be a sixth season?
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