TV Review: Being Human 5.2, "Sticks and Ropes"
rating: 4
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Last week the BBC announced that Being Human was to die the true death at the end of this current series and wouldnt be returning next year. There has been a wealth of upset fans who are sad to see the end of their beloved show, but lets not get caught up in goodbyes just yet as theres still five episodes to go. Alex is front and centre of this weeks instalment and tensions are running high between Hal and Tom as they compete against each other for employee of the month at the hotel. The episode begins with a brief flashback that shows Alexs softer side as she takes care of her younger brother, in some rather shameless foreshadowing this scene does give us some much needed insight into her life before she died. Theres another ghost residing at Honolulu Heights and hes been there for over a hundred years, Oliver (played brilliantly by Benjamin Greaves-Neal) is a young Victorian boy and hes been hiding from the men with sticks and ropes who prey on lost souls. Those of you that have stuck with the show since its rocky pilot will recall that the men with sticks and ropes were mentioned, these ghostly terrors are the stuff of nightmares and boy did they live up to their reputation. These spirit hunters live on the other side so their presence in our world indicates that the walls between dimensions are becoming blurred. Oliver neatly explains away why he hasnt been seen before (he was hiding), Alex takes responsibility for him and despite not getting on with him to start with, the two form a strong bond as memories of her own family force her instincts to take over. Meanwhile at the Barry Grand Hotel, Hal continues to fend off the advances of the manager Patty, but following last weeks tragic events at the hotel Captain Hatch quietly suggests an employee of the month contest to raise the spirits of the staff. Tom is determined to win in an attempt to better himself, although with the Devils influence keenly felt this soon turns into a rivalry between Hal and Tom. It was more than just Captain Hatchs colostomy bag that was overflowing with foul things, his scheme now in motion he begins using the energy of the now feuding vampire and werewolf. Hatch grows stronger but the presence of a ghost threatens to unravel his evil schemes. Occasionally there is a bit too much going on and a few slight missteps clutter what should have been a straight up ghost story, the added element of Oliver's dead brother haunting him was perhaps one haunting too many. Rook sinks to new lows and forces a hungry Crumb into a sealed room with his sister and niece, making the poor wretch kill the only family he has, making Rook as much of a monster as any vampire his plan to reinstate his funding backfires horribly. After being turned away for aid by Hal a desperate Crumb fears that hes losing what little humanity he had left, however hes now recruiting a vampire army of fantasy role playing gamer geeks. Has he truly lost the last crumb of Crumb? Following a strong opener from last week the momentum continues, this was a lighter episode that once again struck the right balance of laughs and genuine frights. Minor grumbles aside this is shaping up to be a suitably epic final series and this episode was home to the creepiest supernatural kids since Doctor Whos "The Empty Child". Being Human continues Sunday at 10pm on BBC Three.