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Being Human – Bishop’s past

I guess when you're immortal, you have time to change your attitudes on life and the living. We got to see much deeper into the complex past relationship of Bishop and Aidan, but the present was complicated enough with Josh kidnapped by the vampires for sport.

- Season 1, Episode 10 - "Dog Eat Dog"

For most of Being Human‘s previous episodes, my main criticism has been the standard trio of separate and contained storylines. I was so happy that the roommates were together in one main storyline for the entire episode. Even Sally mentions that she wants to help and be a part of what they’re going through. I know they can’t have intense one-plotline episodes every week, but having them every once in the while will solidify these relationships. When Josh tells Sally that she is a part of something — their little family — it finally didn’t feel forced. And Aidan does point out that without Sally’s guidance, he wouldn’t have found the strength to do what he had to do to save Josh from enslavement.

Even though he’s had some great moments in the series so far, I really haven’t mentioned Bishop much in the reviews. I never got into Lost or Supernatural, but I’ve heard from my fellow Clackers that Mark Pellegrino was already amazingly good as Jacob and Lucifer, respectively. The best thing about Bishop as a character is he’s not Voldemort. He’s not just pure, unadulterated evil with no ties or relationships. He’s felt love and has wanted to reach back out to his former humanity, as we saw in the flashbacks this episode. I think what’s scary is the missing link between who he was then and who he is now. What happened in the years between the flashback and 2011 that made him so much more calculated and cold? Even now, you do see some idea of loyalty in him (like when he hesitates in sacrificing a follower for the sake of entertaining the Elders), but Aidan — and the audience — is never quite sure when he can trust his old master. That tension is a big part of what makes Being Human intriguing.

The other chilling part of this episode is seeing what Aidan was like half a century ago; he was so jaded, so willing to embrace his demon and so quick to judge Bishop for wanting something else. Again, what happened in between then and now that changed him so much? The Elders surprised me a little in just how rigid and vicious they were. We’ve seen a good amount of violence on the show so far, but the two Elders devouring Bishop’s master like they did made me jump a little!

Josh’s trust in Aidan wavered even more this week. After seeing his best friend stand there as he got stripped down and physically evaluated like an animal — added to the whole captured and fighting to the death thing — can you blame him for thinking his friend betrayed him? By the end, he even saw the sacrifice Aidan made as a betrayal of the family they’ve made for themselves. I’m still wondering how deep an impact that promise will have for the whole series. The character of Douglas had me questioning the logistics of certain things. Didn’t he mention having to fight every time he turned? Doesn’t that mean they had to kidnap a werewolf every month for fifteen years? How many werewolves are actually in the area for them to kidnap a werewolf twelve times a year? Of course, the other important part of the quickly exited character is the idea that the werewolf transformation could possibly be controlled or at least slowed.

Did anyone else wonder why Bishop killed his girlfriend? Maybe I heard it wrong, but the Elders just said to stop fraternizing with what they considered lesser beings. I get that he didn’t want to turn her against her will, but couldn’t he have just said he couldn’t see her anymore? That being said, the moment when he controls her enough to make him agree that it was the way it had to be was really powerful. That he had to hear her say it — even through force — took the scene to a whole new level. Of course, his revelation at the end was quite the cliffhanger … the thing is, I don’t want to see him leave the show! If he does, the main antagonist will be Marcus, who is not nearly as complex a character.

Also, was anyone else wondering the whole episode about what Nora thought after Josh just didn’t show up for their date? Of course, in the preview for next week she’s apparently pregnant, so maybe she had that on her mind. I would ask who the father is, but I think we already know.

Photo Credit: SyFy

6 Responses to “Being Human – Bishop’s past”

March 22, 2011 at 1:34 PM

I could be wrong but as Bishop was killing her he was saying something like he couldn’t have her around because she tempted him to be with her.

I really liked this episode as it did involve everyone, however the end conversation between the roommates was a little odd for me. It just reminded me a lot of a 6 year old talking to his 19 year old brother. I feel like Sally and Josh are, at some point, going to have to learn to live without Aiden, that their “don’t leave ys” attitude was a little strange. Also it’s not like Aiden has ever been a ghost or werewolf, and knows specifically what these two are going through.

I’m a little concerned with aiden’s inability to ask for help. Although he did ask rebecca for help this episode, he still shut out Sally entirely. Eventually this is going to bite him in the butt, because no one has any clue what is going on with him, where as sally and Josh communicate often. I liked that Sally knew immediately that Josh had been wolf-napped, and it wasn’t like “humph I guess he just took off.” And that is because she seems to really know him.

March 23, 2011 at 8:43 AM

good episode! but next week will blow minds!!!!! its a not to be miss or see later episode.

March 23, 2011 at 12:16 PM

I believe Bishop Killed her because he couldn’t stand her to be around if he couldn’t have her. He loved her so much that the thought of knowing she was alive and not with him would have been to hard to deal with, though I wanna know why he didn’t just sweet talk her (I don’t know exactly what to call that thing he does) into agreeing that she wanted to be a Vamp, or just change her and hope for the best.

Also, about the werewolves, I am not sure they had the fights every month, but you are right, seems like it would be hard to find 180 Werewolves just in that area, unless they have other areas, or change people for sport. I guess we may never know, as I would not like to see that plot again.

I don’t know if Nora is actually going to be pregnant or if it is just another one of Josh’s crazy imagination dreams. Seems really weird for them to bring a pregnant girlfriend in so early in the show, I would not, but I am not a writer. I think he may just be over thinking something that could possibly happen again, kind of like they did with the him changing in front of her. Just poor Josh’s brain over working itself.

I agree with you about Aiden needing to learn when to ask for help and talk to his roommates, they seem to be able to bring issues to him, but maybe he feels like since he has been around for the longest (and is the oldest) that it should be more like a Big Brother Kid Sibling relationship and that they should be able to ask for help and get advice from him, but that they are not old enough and don’t know what he is going through, so he will not ask them. It seems like that might be his issue, I hope he works through that because I would like to see more interaction between all of them. I was disappointed with the Sally/Josh relationship at the beginning, but that seems to be getting better.

Ok, My Comment is long enough. Thanks for the reviews though, I love to read them. :)

March 25, 2011 at 3:28 PM

i love this show!! is awesome!!

March 26, 2011 at 10:06 PM

I LOVED this episode and think Bishop is so sexy, especially after he showed how much he loved Jane. I hope they show more of this compassionate side to him, especially if creepy Marcus tries to move in on Bish’s boss role. Are the Dutch like the Volturri in Twilight or what? Also, I want to see how Aidan has learned from Bishop and the father-son role they have, even when Aidan despises Bishop and the ugly things vampires do, like capture Josh.
What a great show-women have our choice of Josh, Aidan and Bishop to plop into our immaginary love beds at night when we get bored or lonely.

March 28, 2011 at 3:56 PM

I just trully hope they don’t get rid of Bishop. I am also a fan of the BBC Being Human so I know what happened there at the end of the season…..

I seen somewhere that Aidan and Bishop square off….just hope they keep Bishop around cause he is a GREAT character…..

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