This is the kind of episode that slowly but surely sneaks up on you, lulling you into a false sense of security before dropping the other boot firmly on your neck. For all that I’ve criticized the pacing earlier in the season, it was all building towards something, and this is it. Toby Whithouse isn’t the best storyteller in the world, but he delivers a Whedonesque blow in this episode that works on every level.
For what it’s worth, I thought this first part of the third series finale worked far better than the culmination of the second series. So much comes together in this episode, yet it’s obviously just prelude, and that makes it so much better. I can’t say how this is going to work in terms of the overall “Being Human” universe, as the writers tend to foul up the larger implications, but the character dynamics will never be the same.
Actually, I should be more fair. This series has focused on the larger societal implications far more than usual, what with the massacre and its persistent prominence in the public awareness. This series is all about consequences, between Mitchell’s psychological breakdown and the rise of a semi-restored Herrick. Everything comes home to roost, and it’s not pretty.
I’m still not sure if Herrick was really suffering from amnesia, or just seriously messing with everyone’s heads. Doesn’t matter; the metaphorical time bomb that he represented finally went off. That Nina’s tip regarding Mitchell also hit at the same time was classic “Being Human”, to the point where the ever-piling consequences nearly became overwhelming.
Hottie Detective Nancy runs right up against what Mitchell calls the “system in place” to prevent widespread revelation of supernaturals, particularly vampires, survives thanks to Annie, only for that survival to result in Mitchell’s arrest and Herrick’s killing spree. I wager Herrick beat Mitchell’s record! I suspect that “system” will come into play soon enough to mitigate the damage of Mitchell’s arrest, and in terms of the public, it could all be pinned on Herrick, since lots of people were slaughtered after Mitchell’s arrest and Mitchell was on record telling them they were making a huge mistake.
Of course, it’s not likely to be so simple as that, and there’s that whole “werewolf-shaped bullet” thing to consider. It’s not going to be McNair or Nina, it seems, but it could be Tom. Or, worse, it could be a rampaging George, depending on Nina’s fate. If nothing else, it seems rather plain that this could resolve the whole pregnancy arc in the most heart-wrenching way. I’d be sorry to see Nina go, though, especially if Mitchell is set to exit. With a fourth series on the way, there needs to be some measure of cast stability, after all.
Not everything worked for me, which kept it out of the running as a “personal favorite” episode. This is how they resolve Daisy’s fate? And this is where McNair’s arc was heading? Granted, the cyclical nature of the story made this logical to a point, right down to the musical choice (which was genius), but it seemed too easy. Of course, to be fair, it could have been played that way to make Herrick’s threat level less obvious.
With the body count rising, I don’t see this coming to a happy ending. I only hope that it’s less disappointing than the finale for the second series, which seemed to squander much of the setup. Things are far more personal and gutting this time around (no pun intended), so it leaves me with anticipation of a solid finale to come!
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 9/10
