Third Season of BEING HUMAN Released

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Being Human - The Complete Third Season' on Blogcritics.

Being Human (soon to be returning to Syfy for a fourth season) is releasing its third season on Blu-ray and DVD. The four-disc set contains all 13 episodes, as well as a handful of special features. It will be on sale January 7th, and is a great way to catch up on a very exciting  batch of installments.

In case you’re not familiar with the series, Being Human revolves around three friends living together: a vampire, a werewolf (actually, two), and a ghost. The friendship of these usually conflicting supernatural types, earns them attention in their social circles, both positive and negative. The series explores how they cope with their relationships and special “gifts.”

When season three begins, 15 months have passed since events in the second season finale. Aidan (Sam Witwer) has been buried in the ground, and Josh (Sam Huntington) and Nora (Kristen Hager) continue to search in vain for Sally (Meaghan Rath), still trapped in limbo. Our favorite characters are now split up, having gone through some experiences on their own.

They soon reunite, of course, and their fondest wishes begin to come true. Sally is brought back as an actual, live human. Aidan is free of other vampires, who are plagued by a contagious, deadly disease. And Josh is no longer a werewolf, having killed his maker. On paper, it looks like everyone has found their happy endings, and they can finally enjoy their existence in the house.

But, as one might expect, this utopia doesn’t last long. Nora still has to answer to Liam (Xander Berkeley) for the death of his daughter. Josh finds himself feeling a little left out, no longer being supernatural like those he loves most, which is really too bad, since he is finally ready to accept the beast inside of him. They both have to decide how much they value Aidan. This does come between them in some ways, but in others, it allows both Nora and Josh to find themselves before permanently committing to each other.

Sally gains a new boyfriend, Max (Bobby Campo), who runs a funeral parlor. Their relationship gets complicated, though, when she begins to rot and develops a taste for human flesh. She really struggles with what to tell Max about the weird stuff, if anything, and it seems unlikely they can maintain a relationship while death hangs between them. Especially when the witch that resurrects Sally, Donna (Amy Aquino), sees something special in Sally that she wants for herself.

Aidan’s story is more rooted in the past. We see flashbacks of his relationship with Susanna (Katharine Isabelle), just after he turned, and how is family is torn apart. This informs his present situation, as he falls for a girl named Kat (Deanna Russo) and considers making a sick boy, Kenny (Connor Price), his new son. If only Blake (Janine Theriault) and the rest of the vampires would continue to leave him alone.

The American version of Being Human has the luxury of a lot more time to serve larger stories than the original British series. One thing I really like about the American series is that is often brings back characters seemingly killed off. Death does not necessarily prevent a character from popping back up when not expected. The series has definite through lines over multiple seasons with its recurring players, and it will be exciting to see how this element informs the show over its lifetime. Season three leaves fans with some major, excellent cliffhangers that will definitely have lasting impact into the fourth run.

As far as extras go, this set is a little light. There are no deleted scenes or audio commentaries, the two most common inclusions in such releases. There are a couple of minutes of OK bloopers for each installment, organized by episode, though they go a little long, and a minute and a half teasing the cliffhangers, but not providing any information about them at all, really. Better is a forty-five minute behind-the-scenes featurette, and fifty minutes of the cast at last summer’s Comic Con are included, which is actually very cool. I wish more shows released their Comic Con panels on disc.

This season is a terrific one in story, even if the special features could use just a little more. Being Human The Complete Third Season is available for pre-order now and will be released this week.

Nikita follows the "Guardians"

     The CW's Nikita completes its fall run with "Guardians." Michael (Shane West) is away with his son and Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford) is recovering from his injuries, so a stressed out Nikita (Maggie Q) goes looking for another black box to replace the one that was destroyed on her own. The hopelessness of her situation threatens to crush her spirit, and she longs to stop fighting. Luckily, she finds Owen (Devon Sawa), who reminds her what she should be doing. Together, they attempt to use Gogol to help them get another box, but in the process learn that Percy (Xander Berkeley) should not be counted out yet.

     It is interesting that Nikita allows its titular character to suffer emotionally in "Guardians," expressing frustration and exhaustion. Nikita shows emotions from time to time, but considering how dedicated she is in her mission, fans may assume that she is one hundred percent dedicated to completing it, no matter what. To let the stress of everything show in her is cool, because it humanizes her in a way that she needs in order to be relatable. Nikita is a real, layered person.

     Owen returns not just to help remind Nikita of what she is doing, but also to provide, once more, a choice for Nikita. Should things with Michael not work out, or should he choose his recently discovered son over her, Owen is more than willing to take his place by Nikita's side. It's not that Owen doesn't understand that Nikita's heart belongs to Michael. He just wants to be there is she ever changes her mind, and wants her to know that. However, he is not a true obstacle, as he calls in Michael to help when things get dicey, knowing Michael will ride to Nikita's rescue.

     Amanda (Melinda Clarke) think she maintains the upper hand on Percy, even after Percy sends Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) off to kill Semak (Peter J. Lucas). Amanda strips Percy's cell of amenities, and taunts him. Yet, viewers and Nikita know that Percy is not out by any means. In "Guardians," Owen discovers that Percy has managed to activate secondary protocol, gathering the Guardians for some unknown move. Also, Percy has help inside Division, who is passing his orders on. No matter how much Amanda tries to contain him, Percy keeps pulling tricks out of his sleeve. This is one villain who is not going to be dispatched with easily.

     Alex's mission of revenge needs to come to an end. It consumes her, and leads her to work with unsavory characters. Not that Nikita doesn't use the enemy from time to time, but Alex is awfully close to Division. Plus, with a single-minded mission of retribution, she is not being her full, healthy self. As she moves in for the kill in this week's Nikita, she is startled to encounter her mother. Will this change Alex's plans? What secrets will her mother share about Alex's history? It's a game changer, but one that leaves fans very much in the dark as Nikita goes on hiatus.

     Nikita will return in about a month to the CW.

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     To order the Nikita DVD or Blu-ray, or catch up on streaming episodes, please click here.

"Falling Ash" raining down on Nikita

     The CW's Nikita returned last week, and this past Friday brought the season's second episode, "Falling Ash." Michael (Shane West) convinces Nikita (Maggie Q) to put their main mission on hold when a former Division operation causes trouble. On the scene, they run into Owen (Devon Sawa), who thinks this case might hold they key to get him off of his Division-caused chemical addiction. Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) also investigates at Amanda's (Melinda Clarke) behalf. But Pierce (new series regular Dillon Casey, Being Erica) from Oversight notices when Alex doesn't take an obvious shot at Nikita.

     Spy games continue to dominate this action-packed drama. Alex is in the most precarious position, considering she still works for Division, albeit, by freelance. Alex thinks she has the upper hand on Amanda, and she may, as, at least for now, they both need each other. But Pierce is onto Alex, knowing there is more than meets the surface. He is suspicious from the beginning, but after seeing how Alex lets Nikita operate unhindered, even after Nikita injures Alex, he now knows for sure there is still affection between them. This can only make Alex's job harder, as she will have to keep Pierce happy, and still do the work Amanda wants her to do in order to reach her own goals.

     Alex isn't the only one under Amanda's thumb. Percy (Xander Berkeley) is in a basement cell of Division, with few comforts. He gets a handful of perks in trade for giving Alex information. Percy's insistence on speaking with Alex does make her even more valuable to keep alive, but surely that is not why Percy is doing it. He's either just trying to annoy Amanda, or he has long-term plans for Alex. It's hard to tell which, but Percy doesn't seem scared or impatient in the least, meaning he must have something up his sleeve.

     Meanwhile, Nikita and Michael have a lot to decide when choosing what to do next. Nikita wants to stay focused on taking down Oversight, while Michael still feels a nagging guilt over some things he participated in while with Division. This does cause a minor clash in "Falling Ash," which is resolved when Nikita lets her love for Michael sway her. But Owen complicates things even more when telling Michael he should run away with Nikita, and forget the whole dangerous game, a tempting thought. How long before Michael starts to feel he's done enough, and pushes Nikita to consider retirement? This should provide much story fodder for the season to come, if not beyond.

     Owen's return is not unexpected, but there is a surprising twist at the end. It is obvious that someone in bankrolling Owen's activities, but it's not known who for most of the hour. Owen is not working for nice people. They have given him the means to break his addiction, sure, but only in that it frees him up to better carry out their plans. Which involve taking down Percy, not a bad goal. The real question is, what will they do once Percy is out of their way?

     Finally, Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford), an interesting character from the beginning, has become a true favorite on Nikita. Away from Division and feeling lonely, Birkhoff decides to throw his lot in with Nikita and Michael. He backs away from that soon after, but a pretty face sends him right back in. Birkhoff wants to help, but he doesn't know how to communicate that, which will be his real challenge. Luckily, the duo understand him enough to not make him ask to be included.

     Nikita airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To order the Nikita DVD or Blu-ray, or catch up on streaming episodes, please click here.

Nikita opens "Pandora"

     In the CW's Nikita first season finale, "Pandora," things come to a head in a lot of personal struggles, and allegiances are revealed or reformed. Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) now knows that Nikita (Maggie Q) is the one that pulled the trigger on her father, though Nikita disobeyed orders to save Alex, so the feelings are mixed, to say the least. Bottom line, Alex will no longer be working for Nikita for the time being. Understandable, given the circumstances. Percy (Xander Berkeley) struggles to grow his hold over the government, while maintaining power at Division. Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford) gives Michael (Shane West) unexpected assistance escaping, while Amanda (Melinda Clarke) does the same for Alex. Who will be working with who next season?


     While Nikita is certainly an important character, it can be argued that Alex is equally important. Her growth as an undercover operative has been a major focus in season one, and much of what Nikita has been able to accomplish on the outside is directly related to what Alex can do inside Division. As such, Alex and Nikita having a fall out is a huge revelation. It pits the series's two primary leads, who were teamed up throughout this year, at odds. Next season, should Nikita be renewed, will be a very different show.

     Why did Amanda help Alex escape? Amanda's motivations have always been murky, and she is definitely loyal to people above Percy, not her direct boss. Amanda actually gives the chance to Alex to get away from all of the power struggles though, a rare gift from someone who doesn't seem to do a lot that isn't self-motivated. Which leaves a big open ended question for next season, as Amanda seems to be the new supervisor in charge of Alex. Will Alex accept this? She likely will for exactly as long as it suits her purpose.

     The fact that Alex chooses not to take Amanda's chance to escape is not surprising, as she is stubborn, and will only ever answer to her own feelings. Even while working with Nikita, Alex frequently defied Nikita if she thought she knew better. This shows an arrogant streak that could be dangerous, considering how young and inexperienced Alex is. Alex has been through a lot, but that is not a substitute for wisdom and life experience. As to whether Alex will end up being far too stubborn for her own good, that is unknown, but a distinct possibility.

     Percy's hold is much more tenuous. His chances of getting to be head of the CIA, as he hoped, are low. His plan to take out the current head failed, and his two most important prisoners, Alex and Michael, escape right from his own facility. Next season's Percy may or may not know about Amanda and Alex's mission, but the leadership council bringing Amanda in instead of Percy speaks volumes. Percy will probably have to prove himself capable to heading Division all over again, and he will be lucky to stay in charge for another year, let alone beyond.

     Nikita has a new mission, and will have to come up with all new tactics. Last seen speeding away with Michael and a decrypted black box, the set up appears poised for Nikita to accomplish smaller missions next year as she tries to right the wrongs caused by Division, rather than spend all season working on one large foe. While Percy will still be an antagonist, Nikita seems to be less likely to directly confront Percy. Michael assisting her means she will be able to think moves ahead of Percy, even more so than she already does.

     Luckily, Nikita will have some help, besides Michael. Birkhoff has shown willingness towards their goals. Whether he maintains his cover in Division and feeds information, or works from the outside, he can be a real asset. His technological prowess is unmatched. Poor Percy will be hard pressed to find a replacement, and may even leave Birkhoff in place after realizing his betrayal because there is simply no one else that can do what Birkhoff does. Unfortunately, should Percy procure another technological genius, Birkhoff becomes the most in danger and expendable cast member.

     Another help for Nikita, once she manages to free him from prison, will be Ryan (Noah Bean). What he can contribute is largely unknown, as Ryan spends season one wanting to work within the system. By the time the events of "Pandora" unfold, Ryan is realizing that isn't going to work, and he casts his lot with the woman he knows is in the right, even if that ruins Ryan's reputation and earns him a cell. Will Ryan have knowledge that can help, or will he be dead weight that Nikita feels obligated to keep around after the sacrifices he makes?

     The title "Pandora" can refer to a number of things. It could be very literal, with Nikita and Michael stealing the box Birkhoff decrypts for them. They may be starting a whole lot of trouble with that information. "Pandora" may also refer to Alex, who has mostly been seen in a tamed version this season, trying to work her way into Division. We do not know her full capability yet, and with Alex determined to take down the man that betrayed her father, and Division's benefactor ready to help her, a whole new mess could be beginning.


     Nikita has proven itself fresh and somewhat original, a unique treat on television. No decision has been officially made about its second season yet, but it deserves one. Hopefully it will get it.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To pre-order the Nikita DVD or Blu-ray, or catch up on streaming episodes, please click here.

Nikita - "Covenants"

     Note to readers: This is a followup to a more complete article about Nikita published yesterday. This article only examines the twists at the end of "Covenants." Please click here to find the longer article discussing the season so far. As such, this article contains many spoilers, so if you have not yet viewed the episode "Covenants," please do so before reading this. My previous article is safe to read before watching.

     Were you shocked? What a twist! If there is anything that will make Michael (Shane West) betray Percy (Xander Berkely), it is that their whole relationship is a lie. Kasim (Haaz Sleiman) only killed Michael's family on Percy's orders. So Division is the big bad behind all of Michael's troubles, too. Is it any wonder he will now be joining Nikita (Maggie Q) on her revenge quest?

     But will they be joining each other in more than a professional way? That seems to be the indication as the episode ends. What about Nikita's thing with Ryan (Noah Bean), though? Will Nikita just sleep with any guy that has come over to her cause? OK, that is a little harsh. She has real feelings for both men. But she has such history with Michael! And I think the only reason she took up with Ryan is because she didn't think Michael would come around to helping her. Will she break things off with Ryan now? I hope so!

     I love that Michael is finally fully on the right side. Better yet, he seems to still have Percy's complete trust, and Percy is grooming Michael to go deeper with Division. Could there possibly be a better set up for a take down? This episode marks the turning point where the advantage in the war shifts from Division to Nikita.

     Be sure to keep watching Nikita to see what happens next; it airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.

Article first published as TV Review: Nikita - "Covenants" on Blogcritics.

Click here for an alphabetical list of all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Nikita - "Covenants" Preview and Season So Far

     Note: Spoilers will not be until late in this article, and I will warn you before I reveal anything. I promise not to spoil any big twists. It is safe to begin reading, even if you have not seen tonight's episode.

     TV Guide calls the CW's Nikita one of the "Seven Show You Should Be Watching". Overwhelmed with the amount of television running, and unsure if it was even worth checking out new shows, when many are so quickly canceled, I let Nikita build up on my TiVo without watching anything past the pilot until a couple of days ago. What I found is that Nikita is one of, if not the, strongest freshman series this season, though admittedly, the field is unusually weak.

     When Nikita began, it reminded me a little of the first season of Alias, before the show really found its legs and took off. Similarly, Nikita began with a mission-of-the-week format, only allowing a portion of each episode to deal with the bigger arcs, and could be classified as average, at best. But it soon began improving, and by the end of November sweeps, definitely became a must-watch. February's finale ended with a HUGE twist, when Michael (Shane West), having discovered that Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) is Nikita's (Maggie Q) mole within Division, waits for Nikita in her lair. Jaws dropped, and fans wondered what will happen next.

     Tonight, you will find out. And it will not disappoint. But I'll get to that in a moment.

     Nikita is a series that does have romance, but does not bog itself down with constant changing of partners or shocking hookups. Chemistry usually slow boils, and happens for a reason, other than just hormones (Alex's new thing with Nathan (Thad Luckinbill) being the exception that proves the rule). The only current triangle involves Nikita and has not been fleshed out enough to be melodramatic. Instead, the show is about espionage, and the good guys taking down the bad guys. In that, they are really starting to illustrate a complex, very neat world.

     At first, it is just Nikita versus Division. She is once an operative of the shadowy government group, until she realizes they are pretty bad dudes, and decides to defect to try to take them down. It's a daunting task for one woman, though admittedly she is the best agent Division has ever had, and they are a pretty elite group.

     As time has gone on, Nikita is getting some allies. Alex is the first, obviously, being inserted as an undercover mole within Division in the pilot. Alex herself becomes interesting when her background is revealed, and she makes her first kill to avenge her parents' death. At first, Alex is just the protege. Now, Division wonders if she will become even greater than Nikita. I don't doubt the student surpassing the master is a likely future milestone. What I do wonder is where Alex's loyalties will ultimately lie, and what she will do, after Division is a smoldering shell.

     Then Nikita meets Ryan Fletcher (Noah Bean), a C.I.A. analyst that starts to put together the pieces of the Division puzzle. Ryan is demoted, than re-promoted, as he works with Nikita to bring Division's dark deeds into the spot light. It's a risky business, and Ryan constantly toes the line between exposure and safety. If he reveals too much too fast or in the wrong way, he will be killed. But he needs to release enough to keep the media focus on him so he is afforded a certain protection.

     Owen (Devon Sawa) doesn't exactly work with Nikita, except when he needs to, but is a former agent and has no love for Division, either, so he comes in handy from time to time. Word is, (slight spoiler) he will be returning to the show soon.

     Then there's Michael. A pretty close match for Nikita in brains and ability, their cat and mouse game influences much of the first season. It seems to me that Michael, with all of the resources he can muster, as compared to Nikita's small amount, could have captured Nikita long ago if he really put his mind to it. Despite being head of the task force to catch her, his heart really isn't in it, so he lets her repeatedly escape. Is it because he loves her, or because he isn't sure she's completely wrong? But Michael still has loyalty to the head of Division, Percy (Xander Berkeley), whom Michael credits for saving his life after his family is killed, so he isn't looking to join Nikita's cause.

     Then there are other villains, too. GOGOL is the Russian version of Division, led by Ari Tasarov (Peter Outerbridge), whom Nikita has ticked off twice. Kasim (Haaz Sleiman, Nurse Jackie) is the terrorist who killed Michael's family. Both Ari and Kasim are evil and smart, a deadly combination, and they keep popping up in various missions. So Nikita has a few other people to watch out for besides Division.

     I like that there are other forces at play. A simple two-sided battle can be fun, of course, but it is even better when there are many different players, each with their own motivations and goals. It not only keeps things interesting, but it gives the series different places to go to avoid being stuck in a rut. If Division's story gets a little bland after being pursued too many episodes in a row, the writers can take a break and move the action to the Middle East or Russia. I expect GOGOL is not the only international version of Division, and I look forward to meeting some of the other groups.

     Within the U.S. government, Percy actually controls quite a large number of powerful people, allowing him and Division to get away with plenty. Nikita knows that to bring him down, she must first take out seven black boxes that contain all of Percy's blackmail dirt. This makes the overall plot a quest type of thing, which is kind of cool. It gives a series of steps that must be taken. I assume it will not take Nikita seven years to take out seven black box hard drives, so I hope, like Alias, that Percy and Division, while being the main bad guys for now, will eventually go down, and the show ill move on. But I also like that there's still a long way to go, as she has only destroyed one box thus far.

     As the years go on, Nikita should not be constantly taking down Division-type groups. Of course, after Division falls, she may go after GOGOL. But there will need to be some bigger story arcs besides just a handful of noble, talented citizens fighting the big, evil corporations. Alias accomplished this with their Rambaldi theme, an artist who created secret devices. Even after the heroes defeated an organization or two, the full Rambaldi secrets were always still a mystery they had to uncover. While nothing along those lines has been introduced yet on Nikita, I'm sure that the writers can come up with something fresh and neat when they need to. But it's not necessary at this time. The show is doing just fine without it.

     And now for tonight's episode. The following paragraphs contain minor spoilers that will set up the premise, but not spoil the twists.

     Michael holds the cards, now knowing that Alex is Nikita's mole. As we begin the episode. Michael has not yet exposed Nikita or Alex to Division, but is threatening to. He is angry at Nikita, and has been, because she did not allow him to take down Kasim when he had the chance. Now he demands that she get Kasim for him, or he will give Alex over to Amanda (Melinda Clarke), not a pretty picture.

     One may wonder how Michael expects Nikita to find an elusive terrorist such as Kasim, but Michael has that all worked out. He knows Nikita has connections with GOGOL, though he does not understand the actual relationship, and demands she use those connections to get to Kasim. So we get Kasim and Ari back as guest stars! Yay! Any chance to see the two get their evil on is more than welcome.

     The other important thing going on is that Percy wants Michael to give up on his revenge bend and fully commit himself to Division. While Percy has allowed Michael to investigate his family's death before, he now suddenly decides it is time for Michael to move up in the company, and to do so, he must leave the past behind. I find this slightly odd, since it is so recent that Percy encouraged Michael on the mission, but with Nikita's threat to Division growing, it seems logical.

     This is definitely a Michael-centric episode more than anything, and it's about time. I love me some Michael drama, and he goes to a really dark place. He has some decisions to make, obviously, about his loyalty and where to go next.

     There's also a small subplot about Alex and Nathan, and if they should go forward in their relationship. But this one is really all about Michael.

     Now, I refuse to tell the really big reveal, because it is fantastic, and I would not want to lessen your enjoyment. Let's just say that Kasim knows something that he thinks Michael needs to know. You will not be disappointed. I will post a short review tomorrow about the twist, and the implications, so please check back here then.

     Nikita returns tonight, and airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.

Article first published as TV Preview: Nikita - "Covenants" and Season So Far Overview on Blogcritics.

Click here for an alphabetical list of all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Less than impressed with Nikita

     What can I say about the CW's Nikita? 'Lots of potential, slow start' sums up the pilot pretty good. Nikita is a character many audiences are familiar with, having been the subject of a movie and a cable series. But now she's back in an updated series, complete with action and espionage. And, surprisingly for the CW, a lack of teenage angst.

     Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) carries the title character in this incarnation, and it's hard to argue that she's not bada**. In the highpoint of the pilot, which was unfortunately spoiled in the trailer, Nikita confronts her enemies in a crowded party, and has an escape plan good enough that she can do so with confidence. What said enemies don't know is that she already has an hook in their organization, besides once being a part of it, but I'll leave that surprise for you.

     Nikita's foes are a government organization that train young people to do their bidding, whatever they decide it is. Nikita was once a member of that organization, but now wants to take them down. Fans of the previous versions already know that. This new series also stars Lyndsy Fonseca as a new recruit in the group named Alex, just beginning her schooling. Lyndsy is a fairly big television star, having had substantial roles already on How I Met Your Mother and Desperate Housewives, as well as appearing in the movies Hot Tub Time Machine and Kick-Ass. Shane West (ER, Once and Again) plays her trainer, Michael, who also has a history with Nikita. The cast also includes Xander Berkeley (24) and Melinda Clarke (The OC). So the new show brings a bit of star power with it.

     I can't put my finger on why I didn't love this pilot. Perhaps when I see it a second time, I will. There's obviously some great driving motivations, and there are a number of twists that surprised me, which I won't spoil for you, just in the first hour. But I will say check it out and make up your own mind.


     Nikita premieres tomorrow night at 9pm on the CW.