After four seasons, Syfy's Being Human has come to an end. It's sad to see it go, but they planned for the final season and ended it on their own terms. If a television show is going to wrap up, that's the ideal exit strategy.And wow, what an ending.
Over the years, we've watched a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire wrestle with being like the rest of us. They've had varying degrees of success and encountered plenty of hurdles. Their efforts have ranged from serious to tragic to amusing, and the finale touched on a little of everything. It was like a cake made with only the essential ingredients and then topped with icing (the good cream cheese kind, not that overly sugary crap) and served to fans on a fancy dish.
Josh and Nora may have been the only survivors, but they weren't the only winners. Everyone found peace and in ways that were logical and right – not just for the sake of finishing the story and topping it with a bow. I'm so pleased that happy endings worked for the story because all of them deserved it despite their faults and missteps.How awesome is it that we leave the show knowing Josh and Nora raised a family together? Even in the last hour, their relationship was pushed through the coals with Josh's frantic bout of self-doubt. It's been a delight to watch Sam Huntington figure out that character over the years and to watch him grow along with Josh. He and Kristen Hager hit a solid rhythm with their portrayal of the couple, and it was rewarding to see them be blissful. There haven't been a ton of those moments over the years.
Aidan got closure, too. He's been around the longest and has a giant list of regrets so he has perhaps struggled the most with trying to live like a average person. I couldn't picture a future for him that wasn't riddled with misery and self-torture. So while I was surprised by Sally's sacrifice/gift, this series has been just cruel enough that it wasn't a given Aidan would get any shred of joy – besides the chili fries. The ending was a pleasant surprise.
Sam Witwer got to play a huge range of emotions over the finale from grief-crazed to silly to drunk to content. He nailed every facet, and his performance was layered and touching.
Sally was barely in the episode which feels weird from the surface but actually makes sense. It was a bold choice for the series finale – but the season has been building towards this ending, and Sally has played a crucial part in getting here. It was time for her to step out of the picture, and her final act as a ghost was so meaningful and her last appearance with Aidan was perfect. Meaghan Rath knocked it out the park. Hey, she got to not Sally it up for once!
The series finale was a love letter not just for the fans but for the story. Josh, Aidan, Sally, and even Nora to some degree, have been working on being normal for four seasons, and it's messy and hard and scary – but there's brightness, too. There were a lot of intense moments and some very creepy ones. Monsters who look like little girls are the worst. I cried more than once, but I also laughed at scenes like Aidan experiencing a cheeseburger and smiled at Josh's reaction to the news about Nora's baby. And that mix is life. That's Being Human.