Happy Monday, Paranormal Unbound Readers!
We’ve been on a paranormal television roll around here lately, discussing “hooks” in fantasy TV, voicing our thoughts on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and lamenting cancelled shows (Oh, Firefly, how I miss thee!)
I continue the trend with today’s guest. Please welcome fantasy author Rita Bay to the Paranormal Unbound blog. She joins us to shine a light on two underground favorites.
Take it away, Rita…
Syfy’s Two Power Hours: Being Human & Lost Girl — open thread
by Rita Bay
In 2014, my two favorite SyFy series—Lost Girl and Being Human—will return for their fourth seasons. Don’t know that they’ll run back-to-back, but one can hope. Both are Canadian productions featuring twenty-to-thirty-something casts and the hormones do flow. Both stories are set in “normal” worlds peopled with supernatural creatures living among humans who are unaware of their existence. World-building in both series centers around developing the supernatural societies and the characters that people them. Conflict arises in both series with the success, or lack of success, of the main characters in adjusting to their circumstances. Each also features a nice mix of drama and humor.
Lost Girl
Lost Girl is a supernatural crime drama in which Bo, a bisexual succubus raised by human parents, comes to terms with her recently-emerged supernatural persona, her place in the Fae community, and her origins. As a succubus, she feeds on her many lovers which can create havoc with her true love interests. Her love interest in the early episodes was Dyson, an ancient wolf-shapeshifter. In later episodes, Bo attempts to establish a monogamous bisexual relationship with Dr. Lauren Lewis, a human physician owned by the Light Fae. Bo also battles some major bad guys—Fae and human—assisted by her human friend Kenzi.
Being Human
Being Human is a remake of a popular British series that features a Boston townhouse inhabited by a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf. Two well-known actors play the male leads. Sam Witwer plays a 250-year-old vampire. Sam Huntingdon is a recently-turned werewolf. The third major character, Sally Malik, is a ghost who died in the townhouse under suspicious circumstances and is unable to leave the house or cross over. Unlike Bo in Lost Girl, the Being Human supernaturals, are trying to become human or live their lives as human—with varying degrees of success.
Being Human will debut its first episode on January 13, 2014. Lost Girl will also return at the beginning of 2014, but no date has been announced.
Sound Off: Sleeper Shows…Sleeper Hits?
Have you seen Lost Girl or Being Human? How do you think they measure up against this season’s prime time, heavyweight contenders? Are there other “sleeper” shows you love from this season or seasons past? Cult classics…? Tell us!
About Rita Bay
Rita Bay is an author of numerous paranormal and historical romance novels and novellas. She is published with Champagne Books, Secret Cravings, and Siren BookStrand.
Rita’s Latest Book
Finding Eve
(Shapeshifter – M/F – R)
When Eve observes Marie Maxwell—Atlanta’s most sought-after event planner—through the bars of her cage at an exotic animal sale, she has flashes of a different life – a life in which she was something other than feline.
Paranormal Unbound 
I love the UK version of Being Human! Sadly, it’s made me a bit wary of starting the US/Canadian version, though I’ve heard it’s good… it just wouldn’t seem right without the original characters. I lost interest in the UK version when the plot changed tack/the original cast started to leave.
It’s funny how we get an idea in our heads of what a series is, and then it’s hard to shake.
I hear you, Erica. I watched the first season of the UK version but haven’t yet watched the US/Canadian version. So many other things on my watch-list…
I read the summary of the UK version. I guess it would be like the Star Treks. Some of us never moved on from Kirk, even though others were outstanding. Rita
I’ll have to check these out! I recently just started watching Arrow on CW, and boy is it fantastic!
I missed the first season of Arrow but caught the first episode of the 2nd season. I like how dark it is.
The whole first season is avail on netflix ( streaming). Definitely should watch first season as it has an overall series arc
Hi Angela, I like them both, but they are somewhat dark. I’m not really in to angst, though. I missed Arrow when it first released and haven’t caught up.
It’s on netflix if you want to check it out 🙂
Love Being Human (Canadian version – I haven’t watched the UK), although I must admit I’ve got some catching up to do. The idea of a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf rooming together is so fun – why didn’t I come up with that one? 🙂
It sounds like the beginning of a joke, too… a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf walk into a bar… 🙂
Great idea, CJ. Put them on a spaceship and call it high concept. Rita
Thanks for visiting with us today, Rita. I’m a fan of Lost Girl. I missed one season due to my DVR forgetting to tape it, alas, but I’m up to date with the current season.
Thanks you for inviting me, Celia. Writing about the series forced me to think about them artistically. Both do great jobs of world-building.
Well I live in Canada but haven’t heard about either show. or maybe there’s just so much on tv that it passed by. My two fav shows are not paranormal, Scandal and Blacklist, and both are American….
Hi Sue,
So true — so many shows on TV. Another fantasy show I enjoy from Canada = Orphan Black. The actress plays several roles – she’s so good I often forget it’s one actress playing all of the roles.
Never heard of that one either. Sounds like the scific network. We watch 2 hours of tv a night and right now have a to be viewed pile that’s growing. Whoever said nothing good on TV just ain’t watching. We also have season 5 of Mad men to finish sometime…
I’ve seen Being Human and I really enjoyed the way the characters tried to integrate into the “normal” world. I haven’t seen Lost Girl, but WOW does it sound like fun. I’m going to have to find a way to check it out!
I think Lost Girl is a bit lighter. Not so many people chewed upon. I prefer the prospect of a happily ever after which Lost Girl might offer. A lot of back-sliding in Being Human. Rita