Last week, in conjunction with his upcoming appearance as a guest judge on Face Off (February 8th), Sam Huntington answered questions about his Being Human character, Josh.

As the latest season's progressed new characters have been added resulting in less time spent between the core trio, how has this change affected the dynamics between the central characters? Sam explained, "Yes, there are a lot of new characters this year which I think broadens and makes the show more rich. But at the same time, yes, it means that the three of us, Sam and Meaghan and I, didn't get to spend as much time with each other this year. The funny thing is it didn't change the dynamic between the three of us at all. In fact when we do get to work together, which is less often - but still often, we're like school girls. It's ridiculous and it makes the silliness and stupidity on set just - inappropriate." Chuckling, he confesses, "We love each other like siblings. I mean, it's really truly the closest I've ever been with my cast mates, for sure."

Still, Sam can't help but miss them since they now spend more time apart? "Oh yes - yes, I miss them desperately. Because the other thing is not only do I miss them personally and we have such - this crazy and amazing bond, but we know that when we're working together, when we walk on a set, we're all working together. We know what we're doing is going to be great. It's just comfortable and natural and organic as it comes out. And we're able to help each other, and guide each other through -- it just works. It's like we were meant to be put together, to work together. It's just a bizarre thing, it happened immediately and it's only gotten better. So I love them so much, it's crazy."

Fans praise Huntington's ability to inhabit his emotionally complex character with seeming ease. Is it because he and his alter-ego share some personality traits? "Oh so much, so much. His nervousness, his eagerness to please, his guilt, his... a lot of his humor. A lot of the humor that you see on the show is just me being me. So much, so much. I look just like him. Yes, all those things -- all those things. A lot of what makes him him."

No doubt a large part of Sam's believability comes from the discipline born of theatrical training. Thanks to his mother (a talented playwright) running a children's theater company Sam was performing on stage by age seven. At age nine he joined a New Hampshire regional theater and the rest is, as they say, history. "I pretty much knew at that point that not only did I love acting, but I was decent at it and I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. So I feel really lucky to have found something that I'm not only so passionate about, but have been able to make a living doing."

Would Sam like to direct an episode if the opportunity arose? "If they'd let me, I'd do it tomorrow. I'd do it now. But you know what, we're extremely lucky to have such talented directors on the show. People who inspire me and people who help me and challenge me. Adam Kane, one of our executive producers, is one of the more talented directors I've ever worked with and he's always, always, challenging me to be better. So that being said, I would love to direct an episode of Being Human - I would absolutely love that. Someday maybe they'll let me."

* Be warned, the following paragraphs contain spoilers pertaining to the rest of this season.

This season Sam has had a lot to chew on as his character's fraught relationship with Nora (Kristen Hager, Valemont) has taken some unfortunate turns, but, it's clear their bond is deepening. When asked to expound on Josh and Nora's relationship Sam earnestly confided, "Well, Kristen Hager is for all intents and purposes the fourth roommate, right? I mean she, especially this season, she's as much a part of the show as any of us I think and is such a brilliant actress. So for me, I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet. My scene partners are so, so, brilliant: Sam and Meaghan and Kristen. But yes the cool thing is, like, I have a deep connection with Kristen. So when we are in these scenes that are so very heavy and so relatable - I mean they're real relationship issues. Between the miscarriage, and, also like a pregnancy that's probably too soon; way too soon in a relationship. These are things that people, I think, can probably really relate to and Kristen and I take that into everything that we do. She does such a beautiful job that it makes me have to work harder to keep up." And as for the writing? "They continue to write their relationship like a rollercoaster. I mean, it's - Josh's - basically his main thing this year and it's all over the place and it really has to do with her being -- without revealing too much -- it really has to do with her being a werewolf, the kind of trauma that causes to the relationship and how Nora reacts to it." Concluding the subject of castmate Kristen Hager Sam shares, "That party scene where she breaks down is one of my favorite scenes I've ever been a part of - ever. It's so amazing. It's just so crushing."

One inevitable question remains. What would Sam Huntington like to see happen in Josh's future? "Well, a lot of what I'd want to happen actually happens this season. Ultimately, somewhere down the line, I'd like Josh to find his inner peace and I'd like him to be able to have the normalcy that he so desperately wants. I'd love him to have a family. Playing Josh everyday, I - I feel for him. I feel for his want and need for normalcy. So that's what I would want for him,... because he's a great guy."

Watch what happens between Sam and the gang tonight in, "(I Loathe You) For Sentimental Reasons," at 9/8c on Syfy.

Being Human: Sam Huntington Talks about Josh, Nora and More!

It may still be several months before Being Human returns for its second season on Syfy, but we've now gotten the first big news since the show was renewed this past March. Dollhouse alum Dichen Lachman will be joining the show as Izumi, a vampire royal who will be making waves with her return to Boston. It seems that Aidan is the member of the show's main trio that will most be affected by Izumi's presence on the show, so they're bound to have some type of deliciously complicated history that will be unraveled when the show returns in early 2012.

No other details have been released about her character, but it's safe to say that Izumi will be a magnetic mix of sophistication and intimidation with a seductive edge, a character that will add even more tension to an already volatile situation. Before she dons a set of fangs, though, Dichen Lachman can next be seen in the upcoming season of Torchwood, where she'll join John Barrowman, Bill Pullman, and Eve Myles, among others, for the popular British show's first American-set series. Torchwood: Miracle Day debuts July 8th on Starz with a July 14th premiere on BBC.

What do you think about the casting of Dichen Lachman? Do you think Izumi will be an interesting addition to a pretty solid unit? Are you missing new episodes of Being Human yet?

Dollhouse Alum Set to Join Being Human

Hot on the heels of renewing reality competition series Face Off, Syfy has given a renewal to their much ballyhooed adaptation of Being Human, according to Deadline. The show is said to be one of "Syfy’s most successful winter scripted series launch in 6 years" and will likely bow its second season in January 2012. The UK edition of Being Human, which first debuted in early 2009, has been a monster success for BBC3, recently wrapping up its own third series and receiving a renewal the following day. The US edition of Being Human will air its first season finale on April 11th.

Being Human tells the story of a vampire and a werewolf who move into a new apartment and discover that it's haunted by the ghost of a previous tennant. While it sounds like the start of a bad joke ("so a werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost walk into a bar..."), the show explores aspects of what it means to be human, warts and all. It stars Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, and Mark Pellegrino.

How have you enjoyed this season? If you also watch the UK edition, how do they compare? What do you think will happen in season 2?

Syfy Renews Being Human for Season 2

Being Human is a huge success for Syfy, becoming the cable channel's top winter scripted effort since 2005.  Judging by the critical side of things, it looks like Being Human is going to be one of Syfy's little darlings.  Expect a renewal announcement soon.  Here is the official brag-sheet from Syfy.

SYFY’S NEW ORIGINAL DRAMA BEING HUMAN SINKS ITS TEETH INTO NEARLY 2 MILLION VIEWERS AT 9PM AND 3.8 MILLION VIEWERS OVERALL

MOST WATCHED SYFY WINTER SCRIPTED PREMIERE SINCE 2005

SYFY’S FIRST EVER ORIGINAL SERIES LAUNCH ON A MONDAY NIGHT SETS RECORD FOR YOUNG FEMALE VIEWERS IN THE 18-49 DEMO

NEW YORK – January 18, 2011 – Syfy’s new original drama series Being Human got off to a supernatural start Monday night at 9:00PM ET/PT with a 1.6 HH rating and 1.961 million total viewers (1.005 million Adults 18-49 and 984,000 Adults 25-54), and becoming the channel’s most watched scripted winter series launch since 2005.

The series about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who share a Boston brownstone and the secret of their true natures, set a network record for Syfy.  Of the 1 million Adults 18-49 tuning in, 58% (582,000) were women -- the highest percentage of female viewers ever for a Syfy original scripted series telecast

Overall, with repeat airings on Syfy at 10:02PM and 11:02PM on a highly competitive night, Being Human reached an unduplicated audience of 3.8 million total viewers for the series’ debut episode (1.867 million Adults 18-49 and 1.967 million Adults 25-54).

Additional Ratings Points of Note:

• • The premiere of Being Human marks the largest female audience (18 to 49) for any original scripted series telecast on Syfy since episode 104 of Warehouse 13 (July 28, 2009).

• • The premiere of Being Human attracted 272,000 Women 18-34 representing the largest female audience in that demo for any Syfy scripted original series in over three years and the third highest audience in the demo for any scripted original series telecast in the network’s history.

In Being Human, leading normal lives is a lot harder than it looks for three paranormal roommates – vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer), ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath) and werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington) – who share their secrets and a Boston brownstone. Together they try their best to be human while navigating the complexities of living double lives. Mark Pellegrino (Lost) co-stars as Bishop, Aidan’s charismatic but menacing vampire mentor. Being Human is based on the acclaimed British series of the same name created by Toby Whithouse.

Executive producers are Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth), Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood) who are both writers/showrunners, and Rob Pursey and Toby Whithouse. Irene Litinsky is series producer and Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes) is co-executive producer. Muse Entertainment is producing the show’s 13 one-hour episodes, which is based on the acclaimed UK series created by Toby Whithouse.

Syfy's Being Human Rakes in Huge Numberage

There have been a lot of across-the-pond remakes in television (The Office and Life on Mars, for example), and Being Human is the latest show to join those ranks. But the creator and stars of the show are making sure that their version (which premieres on SyFy on Monday, January 17) isn't perceived as just being a remake. Star Mark Pellegrino, who plays the vampire Bishop in the series, recently stated that he understands how fans of the original are feeling toward the upcoming remake. "I was one of those British version of The Office guys and I was so upset [with the NBC version], even though Ricky Gervais was in on the creative process," he said. "I understand completely."

"[It] will probably be hard for the people who have preconceived notions based on the BBC version, but... [the remake is] just as good in its own way."

Sam Huntington, who plays the werewolf Josh on the show, has likewise stated that the stars of the show intentionally avoiding being emulations of their British counterparts. "We were all instructed to not watch too much of the BBC series because they didn't want it to affect our performance," he admitted. "Our show tonally is very different. The look of the show is different. We branch out and dive into the back-stories of the characters a lot more."

"I would say if you're a fan of the original, you're going to see a show that starts much in the same way," said the remake's executive producer, Anna Fricke to Zap2It. "We explore these moments and what the characters experienced in the British version and say to the writers, 'What if we do this differently?'" Fricke also clarified that the producers of the show made a point not to watch the show's second season, so as to avoid being influenced.

Perhaps star Meaghan Rath put it best: "We're not... trying to replace what their show is. But we're doing a version that... brings something fresh and original to the show that's already going on and is amazing. I just hope that [the fans] know that we completely respect and admire everything that the British show is."

Being Human premieres Monday, January 17, on SyFy in the U.S. and Space in Canada. Check out my review of the first three episodes here.

Being Human Remake Distances Self from Original

Let us put the original UK Being Human out of our minds. Not because it's not brilliant, but because it just doesn't matter. The Canadian adaptation of the series, which premieres in the US and Canada on January 17, is brilliant on its own merits. I thoroughly enjoyed the first three episodes of the series I was treated to, and was hooked enough to make the show a regular fixture of my television-watching week. And, when you notice just how finicky I've been with new midseason shows, you'll realize that's saying quite a lot.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the premise of Being Human, I have to admit it sounds rather gimmicky: a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost share an apartment. Sounds like the sitcom answer to True Blood, doesn't it? Thankfully, Being Human is nothing of the sort; the show is a healthy mix of comedic lightness and dramatic weight that it avoids falling into the gimmicky ditch dug by its premise.

The characters are, of course, the emotional center of the show, and they all do a fairly good job. Sam Witwer will probably end up being the face of the series for his role as the vampire Aiden. He seems like a fairly shallow character until the end of the second episode, where he (and the audience) are dealt a pretty solid punch that proves the character is one that will only prove to expand as time goes on. There's Sam Huntington as the werewolf Josh, who is essentially the comic relief of the series. Occasionally his antics grow stale, but he has some major character building in the first two episodes that makes any of his 'comedic' missteps forgivable. Easily the most solid character is Meaghan Rath's Sally, the ghost who haunts the apartment she shares with Aiden and Josh. She's truly the saddest character, and the juxtaposition of her bubbly exterior with her obviously frail emotional state is one of the most watchable things about the series. Sally really gets a chance to shine in the third episode of the series.

And let us not forget Mark Pellegrino (Jacob from LOST) who portrays the vampire leader Bishop. Bishop is one of the few antagonists of the show, but he's a sympathetic character; Pellegrino plays him as a sad figure who's simply just trying to help. The character's entire dilemma is whether or not this is a facade or not, but it's fun to try and unravel his motives.

The storyline itself is wrought with emotional peril, as one would expect. There's a look into the morals of being a "monster," which the three believe themselves to be. There are some absolutely tense cliffhangers to ensure you tune in from week to week. There are deaths, of course, but even the death of a minor character feels entirely draining -- which is strange, considering the character in question only sticks around for two episodes. As I said before, there's good characterization here.

I'll be reviewing the episodes individually as they air, but for now, I'm going to give the series a B+.

Being Human premieres Monday, January 17, on SyFy in the US and on Space in Canada.

Review - SyFy's Being Human Is Gripping, Biting