TV Review: Being Human 5.5, "All Care No Responsibility"
rating: 4
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The penultimate episode of Being Human is a sombre affair, not because the end is now imminent but because poor old Tom is once again subjected to personal anguish. Opening with a brief flashback that reveals more secrets from Rooks past, we see a rare glimpse of compassion as he rescues a young girl from a vampire den who was the sole survivor. Attempting to stiffen the resolve of one of his fellow agents Rook tells him no care, all responsibility, these words echo through the episode which is home to some of the darkest moments ever seen on Being Human. Love is in the air for Tom again, this time in the shape of Natasha (Kathryn Prescott), hes not had much luck with ladies in the past as last years episode Puppy Love proved. Natasha coincidentally happened to be in trouble just as Tom walked outside the hotel, giving her shelter from her pursuer Tom finally gets to be a knight in shinning armour and offers her a job. After Hals slip off the blood wagon at the end of last weeks episode hes now struggling more than ever to maintain his condition.His cravings are getting so bad that he is resorted to begging Rook for any reserve blood stock, although as our grey suited frenemy is all out this presents a problems for Hal. Its difficult not to feel sorry for Tom as week after week hes taken one emotional battering after the other, by now as soon as anybody shows him the slightest shred of kindness I automatically assume they are going to hurt him in some new and terrible way. This week is no exception. Although Alex gave her the supernatural once-over, Natasha is hiding a darker side and seeing the tell tell signs of blood withdrawal from Hal she offers to let him feed on her to help him maintain balance. Later on we discover that she is the now grown up little girl Rook saved years ago, and it turns out Rook has little love for her; she is merely another pawn in his scheme to ensure the reinstatement of his department. Her task was to feed the vampire and charm the werewolf but she wasnt expecting to develop genuine feelings for Tom. One word from Hatch sets Natasha to purpose, she makes her way to the hotel and releases Hal from his restraints and slits her own throat. Tom and Alex arrive just in time to see her bleed out and their imagination does the rest. The penny starts to drop for Alex that there might be more than meets the eye to Captain Hatch, as her suspicions grow she begins looking into the recent suicides which leads her to spy on him. This backfires horribly towards the end of the episode as Hatch reveals his true identity casts Alex into her own coffin and into a nightmarish hell. Mirroring Mitchells the box-tunnel massacre from series 2, Hal gives into his thirst and slaughters a pub full of customers in a blood soaked rage. Hals tether to a normal life has always been possible through the trinity of his housemates, before he moved into Honolulu Heights Leo and Pearl gave him the strength to remain blood free for over 55 years but now it appears he is lost to Alex and Tom forever. Despite the heavy overtones there was still time from some trademark Being Human comic moments, Toms lack of understanding about the fundamentals of sex is as endearing as it is funny and Alex is only to happy to make fun of him. Overall this was a very intense episode that sets the finale up for an unforgettable showdown between Tom and Hal, can the former friends put aside their differences to save Alex and destroy Captain Hatch? The teaser for the final episode doesnt give much away but one thing's for sure and thats Being Human is going out on a serious high note. Being Human concludes Sunday on BBC Three at 10pm