Maaaaaaan!!!! This is tough. I've copped out and gone with both equally.
If truth be told I prefer the more realistic storylines of the first three series but the interactions between all 3 trios is brilliant (yes, I'm counting Annie, Tom and Hal as well)
-- Edited by yekim_mikey on Friday 12th of April 2013 02:43:08 PM
I too have gone for the new trio. Its such a shame that we didnt get to see them reach thier full potential or get to dig into thier characters more!
The original trio have a firm place in my heart but Hal is just my all time favourite character ever, Tom is so cute i cant stand it and Alex is just bloody awesome! xx
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"What none of you realised is the desire to be human is the end, your not wasting your time Tom, youve already won"
I couldn't choose between the two trio's either - they're so different, but I love both. What makes both trio's strong is that no attempt was made to make the second one have the same feel and dynamic as the first one.
I voted Hal, Tom and Alex just because I would like to see more of them. I feel that I've moved on from Mitchell, George and Annie; their stories were played out over 3 whole series - and reached a conclusion - but the relationships between Hal, Tom and Alex still have so much more to explore. My favourite thing about the extra scene is that it was the 3 of them sitting round a table together. This series (this trio's only one!) was too story driven, and too short, to allow for much of this type of scene....and I feel cheated!
As much as I love the original group and feel a lot of nostalgia for those stories, I have to go with the new Trinity. To me they are more robust and dynamic, less mopey and depressive.. Now I'm not criticising the old gang at all, but I'm glad the show moved on from the melancholic tone it used to have. There's still darkness aplenty, but now the characters throw themselves into everything, whether that be for good or ill. Alex is a real firecracker - honest, mischievious, good-hearted. Hal has a much more convincing backstory than Mitchell (I never fully bought Aidan as a WWI vet!) and Damien juggles all the complex contradictory aspects and deep history with breathtaking vituosity. Damo and Kate also have a more natural chemistry than Aidan and Lenora ever did. And Tom and Hal's unlikely friendship is one of the highlights of the entire series; they're the perfect foil for one another!
fifi wrote:
I voted Hal, Tom and Alex just because I would like to see more of them. I feel that I've moved on from Mitchell, George and Annie; their stories were played out over 3 whole series - and reached a conclusion - but the relationships between Hal, Tom and Alex still have so much more to explore. My favourite thing about the extra scene is that it was the 3 of them sitting round a table together. This series (this trio's only one!) was too story driven, and too short, to allow for much of this type of scene....and I feel cheated!
This exactly! We need more. It'd be nice to see Tom as the 'bad guy' for once, maybe tempted by forming a pack with Milo and others, exploring the darker side of being a werewolf for once. Wouldn't it be great if this spell as a 'human', however delusory, allowed Hal to reconcile his conflicting sides and gain a new mastery of his blood addiction? Halex still has loads of mileage as well. And I think in general the new trio could adapt to all sorts of different story lines. Ah well, we can hope! :)
Even though I've been watching Being Human since it started. I've gone with Tom, Hal and Alex. I can't really explain why. . . but i guess Annie, Mitchell and George never quite did it for me. . .
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And every thing you love will die. And every thing you are scared of will come true.
I think the original trio started falling apart during series 3 and so I almost wanted their trinity to end.
With the new trinity they were still new and fresh and so I was still majorly in love with them. Perhaps if the series had progressed and continued on to series 6 we would have felt both trios were equal? Xx
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"What none of you realised is the desire to be human is the end, your not wasting your time Tom, youve already won"
Yeah I feel the same about the old trio. At the start of series 4 I wanted George gone. I think the new trio have more of a comedy about them. They seem to bounce off each other more, if you get what I mean. :) I would have loved to see them progress in series 6 but we will only have to use our imaginations now. :( xx
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"Evil doesn't die, it just passes like a parcel. Year to year. Body to body."
I felt Mitchell just started to moan all the time, if I had a stick id have put it through him to stop his winging. He turned into your drunk mate who fecks up when pissed then moans how his life turned out so badly. Now, an OCD vampire, different story! The early George & Mitchell banter such as the "Polo, do you have a hole" etc was immense! It just got too dark and needed the new three to inject some fun back into it.
I've gone with both equally, because the new trio were definitely the most exciting, but the old trio have a special place in our hearts, and Annie was always my favourite character, even after she'd gone!
Agreed Rob. Mitchell just got to much, I got fed up of him. He got a bit samey. Hal on the other was a breath of fresh air with his awkwardness and oddness. George and Mitchell at the start were brilliant, like the Real Hustle tantrum classic. But I think Hal and Tom have such love for each other. True Love. Haha! :)
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"Evil doesn't die, it just passes like a parcel. Year to year. Body to body."
Heya, I just voted. It will come as no surprise that I prefer the new trio, but it's not just because of Hal. I first started watching BH when S3 had just finished up, so I got to see the story of the old trio (and Nina) all at once. I'm not sure how that influenced my bias as compared to the new.
What strikes me most is that with the old trio I always felt like they were flat mates - and that's it. They hung out, they supported each other, but they each lead most of their lives independently from the others. They kept alot of secrets, they hardly "opened up" unless Annie made them do a counseling session. We got a brief view of how Mitchell and George met, but didn't see the bonding over the couple of months before they met Annie. Annie and Mitchell - the seeds were sown early on with the kiss they shared in was it E2? But overall that relationship felt sprung out of the blue, forced. Annie seemed deluded and dependent, Mitchell was as wishy washy as he was with everything. I started watching BH because of Mitchell (yes, I'm shallow. and a vamp girl) and while I was shocked that George staked him, I was ready to let him go. As others have said, too mopey. Man up already!
For the new trio we were treated to the beginnings of their friendship and it felt more natural. We got to see the instant dislike between Tom and Hal and the steps it took to overcome that. Their lives quickly became dependent on each other, more so than George & Mitchell and their "bromance" blossomed in such a sweet, believable way. I agree with Mike - Annie, Tom, Hal were their own trio as well, and while it was short lived, it was a very strong relationship. They had secrets as well of course, but it felt like day to day they spent more time together overcoming common problems/foes, unlike the originals who had largely separate issues that converged occasionally. That trio truly felt more like a family to me. I do miss them.
Then came Alex. Again, we were there the instant she came into Hal's life, we saw all the gory details that rooted her to Hal and Tom. Right away they were thrust together with common goal (s) - Snow & old one's, Hal's Detox, so that it naturally felt like a strong relationship. S5 did a disservice to them in that it focused so much on the overall arch, but still we saw them at the Hotel and at HH constantly together, strengthening their ties. A new family. And while the rivalry & distrust sown by Hatch threatened their bond, in the end their love for each other conquered the Devil. (sorta)
Also I love the personalities of the new trio the most. I never really bonded with George and Nina, though unlike some I liked Nina. Annie I alternated between feeling sorry for (if I had a dollar for every time I've said 'poor Annie'...) and getting annoyed at sometimes, but after S4 I love her to pieces and realize in most ways she's the strongest character of the whole series. But it took Tom and Hal in her life for me to see this? Mitchell - well what can I say that hasn't already been said. Love him, pity him, annoyed with him, want to slap him....
Tom I want to adopt, of course, he's just so sweet and naive, and badass and sweet and I love him! It's just a breath of fresh air to have that type of personality associated with a werewolf, instead of the stereotype alpha male looking for a fight. Him with Eve - my heart breaks! Alex is just so much fun! She's had the guesomest death, tied to the man she has so many mixed emotions for and faces an eternity with, and she's had the least amount of time to come to grips with it all before having to deal with all the supernatural bull****. She just kicks ass at it all. Then there's Hal. Oh Hal. *sigh* When I tell people about an OCD, awkward, multiple personality vampire, you say WTF were they thinking? But oh my god how awesome is he?! I'll stop now because this post will only double in size if I keep going on him. Let's leave it at Being Human once again provided a breath of fresh air in breaking the stereotype mould on a supernatural with a believable, empathizable, complex character.
Whew, I type too much! Last thing I want to say about old trio vs new - the comedy. S2 & S3 got so dark and draggy. I almost didn't want to watch what was coming next. The new trio has been put through the ringer as well, but S4 & S5 still kept a lively beat, kept the laughs coming. Like so many I long for a continuation of the new trio's story.
Not sure I can manage "seriously" right now but I'll give it a go:
0% for the "protest vote" because I've only seen trailers on YouTube and it wouldn't be fair to sneer at Random Gobbets (yes - one if my favourite wine bars back in the day... )
But my big, happy vote is for both combos equally, because of celebrating the luxury of having two triads to enjoy... like the eternal Pratchett quandry - sex OR chocolate - life offers both and we don't have to choose one or the other outright.
How can a person choose between a phase of gloriousness when Terry Wogan is the mouthpiece of sinister weirdness, and another where the Devil strolls out sartorially channelling his inner George Melly?
At the end of our journey with Mitchell I'd never have thought to watch the show again, let alone enjoy it again. But boy was I proven wrong.
At first I felt a little guilty for "cheating" on Mitchell, but I started to like Hal more with each episode. He has so much more depth than Mitchell, his backstory is richer, older and more believable. Compared to Hal Mitchell now seems like an overreacting, brooding adolescent to me - in a way he was, of course. Hal, however, all his OCD behaviour makes him even more likeable and "human", and don't you get me started on sexy bad Hal
Annie lost my love over the course of the first three series due to boredom, but got back my respect for blowing up the old ones. I didn't believe Mitchell's and her "one true love" story although I wanted to. That place for me was already taken by Josie. Full stop.
Alex on the other hand was like a fresh breeze, tons of fun, clever, not to be messed with. She delievered what we were led to believe Annie would, when we were always waiting for her potential power to finally show. Alex was spot on from the moment she planted her boots on the bloody floor next to her corpse. She didn't need to show off like Annie did at times. We just knew her power was there, without seeing it all the time.
Lovely George never got weak for me. I wish he could have become the master of ceremony among the other three, but it was not to be. Tom was the same, except that he got better and better over time. I loved him to bits in series 5.
Looking back George, Mitchell and Annie don't feel like a trinity to me at all. More like the housemates mentioned before.
So my choice is clear: there is only one true trinity for me - Hal, Alex and Tom.
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"This doesn't rob me of my humanity. It proves it."
I voted for both equally because plain and simply, i love them both, equally.
The original line up got me into the show and while Mitchell was my favourite, he didn't used to be, that used to be George, i still have a massive soft spot for him now. He still makes me laugh. I love Annie's maternal caring nature but what i didn't like was the Annie/Mitchell romance attempt, it felt too rushed, too false and far too contrived. It just did not work, they were better as friends.
I didn't think i'd get invested in the new line up but i did. They were nothing like their predecessors, they weren't even similar apart from being what they were, a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost. I liked their dynamics, their camaraderie and this time i liked the Hal/Alex relationship because it was implied before Alex's death and therefore didn't feel rushed, false or contrived. It felt believable.
So i can't separate into which line up i preferred because i loved both, equally. :)
Interesting that votes for the new trio and both equally have evened out.. aaand we finally have some support for Mitchell, George and Annie!! :D
I wonder if the skew towards the newer group is partly because a lot of fans of the originals basically abandoned Being Human with the death of Mitchell? Pretty sure that's reflected in the viewing figures as well and I know Toby is slightly resentful of all the flak he got during the transition and aftermath. It's quite sad really. I have a feeling the Beeb were uncomfortable with its presence ever since then as well - on reflection we're lucky we got a fifth series at all!
My vote mainly came down to Hal. The character's presence instantly deepened and developed the series and its themes. I honestly thought it would limp to a sorry death after Mitchell's departure and the seeming implosion of the show's ethos and warmth. Despite some growing pains, the last two series are a triumphant reinvigoration.
I also think Damien is one of the most promising young actors on British TV. His early appearances in series 4, especially, have a sort of raw brilliance and nervous energy that's a joy to watch. When he's holding Eve at the end of 'Being Human 1955' it's just stunning, heart-in-mouth stuff. All the shadings he has from OCD nervous wreck to twee cafe worker to masterful noirish manipulator to Shakespearean wooer to cackling villain to self-effacing friend. What can you say??
"When he's holding Eve at the end of 'Being Human 1955' it's just stunning, heart-in-mouth stuff. All the shadings he has from OCD nervous wreck to twee cafe worker to masterful noirish manipulator to Shakespearean wooer to cackling villain to self-effacing friend."
Great topic idea :) I voted for both equally because I cannot imagine choosing between them! Both the lineups have their upsides and their downsides. I grew in love with Mitchell, George and Annie (I'm afraid not so much Nina) and was undeniably dissapointed when it was the end of their era. However Hal, Alex and Tom are brilliant too. I prefer Hal to Mitchell ever so slightly but the others are about equal. And all the acting was fabulous too of course! I love them both and I will forever :)
Here here tree and marigold. I too voted for both. It it wasn't for the firt lot I wouldn't have fallen in love with the show and the second lot were just superb.
I had to go with the final three because Hal was a phenominal character. I liked all of the main characters but Hal and Alex were my favorites. I don't think I'll ever get over Hal.
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
I get what people are saying about the first trinity being more like housemates but that's what they were really. They were thrown into their situation and we were watching them learn and get to know each other when they don't have a lot in common and i find that very realistic. George, Annie and Nina haven't had their condition that long in the grand scheme of things.
Tom and Hal have been supernatural for years and and though Alex is new to the world she's much more savvy than Annie was and learns it all quicker.
-- Edited by yekim_mikey on Saturday 11th of May 2013 05:49:49 PM
Gosh, what a difficult question - that's like asking you to choose which one of your kids you'd choose over the other if it came down to just having one of them !!
What can I say that hasn't been said other than without the original trinity we would never have fallen in love with Being Human (think Mrs Barrowboy already said that and is a good point). Like many others, never gave up on the show after Mitchell's death but wasn't sure I would love another Vampire quite so much. How wrong I was .... Hal is just so beautifully brought to life by Damien and for me, he is one of the best actors I have seen for some time, so diverse and brilliant - only hope he is spotted by others as Aidan was as he really deserves fame and fortune in bucketfuls !
Michael was the only one who had a part in both sets of friends and is the link between them all - fabulous actor and again should go far/further - just adore his character.
Too hard to come down on one set of characters so I'm going to sit on the fence and say they were both brilliant in completely different ways and shouldn't be compared as they both brought different elements to the show.
Of course, we had so much more to discover about our new trinity and in such a short space of time knowing them they certainly endeared themselves to us in a way I would never have thought possible after the originals but that's the brilliance of Being Human and all its creative originators. I felt the show was just beginnig to evolve into a truly classic, long running series and was cut short in its prime - I will never forgive such a dreadful error - shame on you BBC decision makers..... grrrrr.
Please don't ask me to choose cos I can't - I love them all dearly for their own skills, talents, characters and personalities - Being Human is firmly lodged in my heart forever.
And of course, my dream would be to see a film made where ALL the show's characters could play a part in a spin-off, delving back into past lives, maybe explaining why Hal had never met or known more of Mitchell - but I suppose that would mean getting all these wonderfully talented guys together in one place and maybe now some of them have moved on they wouldn't be interested in this kind of project.
Oh well, at least we have our memories and DVD's - and of course, this wonderful Forum.
Cheers guys ! (ha ha, just went to post and saw "quick reply" mmmm..... must stop waffling!)
I'll be the contrarian and vote for the first trio. The show was built around Russell, and he carried it like a boss, especially in the first two series. George was the moral center of the show, and he was hilarious too -- nobody panics better than Russell.
I thought Aidan did a great job showing Mitchell's disintegration. It was hard to watch but I think his arc played out in a way that made total sense given the logic of the supernatural world in the show. Annie was great in the first series but wasn't given much to do after that.
A lot of my choice isn't down to the actors, though. It's the amazing writing, the grubby, realistic feel of the Bristol sets, and the way you are viscerally drawn into the horror of our heroes trying so hard, and failing, to live as monsters among humans. You saw how much it hurt them to be excluded from the world. Toby and the other writers brought such a fresh perspective on the old tropes that they almost seemed like a completely new idea.
I like the other three quite a lot, but feel that the writers left so many cool opportunities on the table in exchange for broad comedy and warm fuzzies, especially when Alex was concerned, because gosh Kate Bracken has killer timing and a hot edginess that Lenora never came up with. Damien is super talented (and a very nice guy, as far as I can tell), but Hal's conflict didn't make as much sense to me as Mitchell's did. He's a much less tragic figure than Mitchell all around, so perhaps that's part of it. And I thought they wrote Tom as a dolt way too often. Michael deserved better.
I don't really blame the trio for the S5 arc, or the copout S4 ending, but it shortchanged their characters. George, Annie and Mitchell were people but Hal, Tom and Alex were more cartoony.
I first started watching BH when S3 had just finished up, so I got to see the story of the old trio (and Nina) all at once. I'm not sure how that influenced my bias as compared to the new. 
