When the first series of the BBC’s Being Human hit our tv screens in 2009 it ran for six episodes. The BBC were rightly hedging their bets and giving it a shorter run, long enough to gauge popularity but not the full eight episode run that series two three and four would later be given.
With the show now a firm fan favourite and with viewing figures averaging, despite an overall down turn, around 950,000 per episode it would seem straightforward that series five would again have eight sixty minute episodes so it comes as a surprise to find that instead the BBC are giving it just six, two hours shorter than usual.
In with the old and out with the new? Annies exit leaves room for new ghost Alex to join the cast
But why?
The lower audience figures for this series did put the shows future in doubt, though they did improve a little it’s clear a number of people were put off of viewing this series for whatever reason with figures suggesting that some fans returned only for selected episodes and with talk on a number of internet forums suggesting that some were put off by the Eve story in which a time travelling ghost sought to change the future by affecting events in her past.
There are two equally valid reasons for series five having less episodes than normal. One is that the BBC are being cautious, seeing if the fans return but spending less on the show in order to be able to cut their losses if it doesn’t work out. The other is that series five could be the end, that the BBC are giving the show one last series to wrap up the Being Human story.
The original Annie (Angela Riseborough) in a scene from "The Devils Whore"
To be fair that second option is less likely, the BBC could have ended the series as it stands. The main characters have all now left the series and as such there are no loose ends that really need wrapping up, those that remain could be comfortably concluded in a one or two part special, so it seems more likely that the BBC are hedging their bets a little and giving the series a chance to re establish itself now that the cast has changed and now that the potentially off putting story of Eve has been resolved.
It’s been confirmed that Annie (Lenora Chrichlow) will not be returning for series five, which will be shown in 2013, but that Vampire Hal and werewolf Tom will be although no confirmation as yet on whether new ghost Alex also returns – although it’s highly likely she will indeed be the shows new resident ghost (but perhaps played by a different actress as happened with the character of Annie who was originally played by Angela Riseborough before Lenora Chrichlow took over after the pilot episode).
So it’s good news and bad news for fans of the series, good news – it is coming back, bad news – all the original characters have left and it will have less episodes. It’s not unusual for a series to have less episodes than eight (the popular Sherlock only has a three episode series, although each episode lasts longer than those of Being Human) but it is unusual for a series used to eight episodes to suddenly have its run shortened. Hopefully it is indeed just a case of the BBC adopting a cautious wait and see approach to the shows new dynamic.
For those who want a little more of the lovely Lenora she can be seen discussing the character she plays in a BBC video about Annie on the Being Human website, which can be seen below.
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