Review: Being Human 2.5

Herrick saves Mitchell in 1969.

Our mid-series slump brings with it another episode of middling quality, again due to issues with subplots. This was better than last week however, as an interesting flashback dynamic allowed the return of the always excellent Jason Watkins. Outside of Mitchell's storyline it was quite dull, but overall I thought that 2.5 was a step in the right direction.
     Annie spent her time this week looking after the baby of another ghost; both of them had been killed in their sleep by Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Annie becomes attatched to the baby and when the mother ultimately returns she's forced to consider how many things she can never do. George, in his irritating storyline, found that Sam lived with her mother and tried to appeal to her ridiculously savvy daughter Molly. These storylines often felt like they were getting in the way; Annie's ultimately added nothing to the character and George's was so absurd (trying to move in with Sam after two weeks) that even the episode commented upon it.
     The flashback, running throughout the episode, saw Mitchell in 1969 cleaning up after a drunken (and bloody) night. Running from the police, he finds himself holding a girl hostage who is able to sympathise with his pain and convinces him to finally get clean. Herrick arrives as his saviour, and in a woderful monologue tells Mitchell that his conscience (the reason why the girl, Josie - from the last two episodes of Series One - is still alive) is a lie and that the darkness of his existence is a sign of his freedom. He appears to kill the girl and they escape.

Stakes are high.

     This is contrasted with the culmination of Mitchell's relationship with Lucy. Kemp is preparing her to assassinate Mitchell should the time come, and provides her with a stake. Mitchell is being harrassed by Constable Ian Puleston-Davies, who wants him to kill a peadophile who had managed to avoid jail time. Mitchell refused point blank, and when faced with the criminal he told him to hand himself in. Facing the Constable, Mitchell loses control and kills him, then running to Lucy and ironically spilling the beans about everything. Played against Mitchell returning to a living Josie, Mitchell explains that he needs someone to stay dry for - it was Josie in 1969 and Lucy in 2010. Lucy later poises to kill him, but is unable to.
      Charlene McKenna's Young Josie was instantly charming and had striking chemistry with Mitchell. The way she sp realistically softened the animalistic Mitchell was a joy to behold, and coupled with Jason Watkins penchent for monologues she made the episode worth the watch. Mitchell had... less chemistry with Lucy. They were brilliant in 2.1 but now that we know her identity the focus is shifted more onto the inrony of her situation and the comparison with Josie felt all ther more poignant because of it. One of these women wanted to save him, the other to kill him.
      Mitchell's storyline this week saved the day, and the hour to me at least was far more enteraining than last week. The irony and discussion of human nature inherant in Mitchell's story makes this the most compelling part of the episode, but it's so stifled by the other storylines. Like in Series One, I would have much prefered if George was given some time out so that his relationship with Sam could be further developed off-screen, which might lend itself to more realistic ideas than what we saw on screen. Annie too could have done with a break, as this added nought to her character and felt a little dull after last week's conclusion.

Mitchell holds Josie captive.

     Episode 2.5 was one that contained a strong central storyline bolstered by brilliant writing and star turns from Jason Watkins and the relatively rare Charlene McKenna. The other storylines often got in the way, but the power of those storylines was potent enough to make this episode stand out and turn the show back in the right direction.

Thanks.

NEXT WEEK: Simon Day is excellent, George is less so and Mitchell feels the heat. Literally.