DEMONS "They Bite"

I generally love BBC series. Some of my favorites have starred Robson Green, TOUCHING EVIL was one of the best as well as WIRE IN THE BLOOD. I'm a big fan of PRIMEVAL, although sad that Douglas Henshall decided to leave. But I do believe that Jason Flemyng is making it his own and with a bit of a funny action hero bent to it. Don't get me started on them changing the storyline midway through the first season and killing the budding romance between the two lead characters, but I digress.

In DEMONS, young Luke's world is thrown into chaos and adventure when his true identity is discovered by the "Inhuman's" or "Freaks," a different species that lives in the half-life. Luke discovers that he's the descendant of the Van Helsing line. He has abilities that most people don't, like heightened reflexes and extra strength. Luke's godfather, Rupert, shows up out of nowhere to tell him who he is and that its time for him to take up the fight. He has no choice since the freaks will be after him for what they think he may do. Luke blows Rupert off at first, not believing any of it because he's not ready for his life and plans to change. Once an inhuman arranges an attack and kidnaps Luke's friend Ruby, he takes up the fight, finding he enjoys it and has an affinity for it.

There's also Mina Harker, a blind, famous concert pianist and the descendant of Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing's assistant. She is the keeper of The Stacks, the Van Helsing Library, under the streets of London and full of writings on the inhuman's and weapons to fight them. She may not be able to see, but she has second sight. When she touches something she gets flashes of where people are, who they are and their intentions.

I like to give a show its time to make it or break it with me and I will give this one it's time, but I have to say I have two major issues with the show.

One: There's this constant mood music under the dialogue of the show. I know they use it to give the series weight and depth, but it's too much. So much that I can't understand half of the dialogue because the music is either too loud for the moment or they haven't filtered it properly so that the speaking voices and the music aren't on the same frequency. Sometimes the music and the speaking voices just meld together.

Two: Rupert talks about the inhuman's in almost religious terms. He says it's his and Luke's job to "smite" them. He also tells one of the freaks that he will turn over Ruby or "forever know his wrath." Is this a religious war? If so, then why wasn't this explained. If it's not a religious war, what's with the righteous dialogue. Rupert basically makes a blanket statement that all inhuman's are bad and must be killed. Why are they all bad? Is it genetic, is it in their nature, is it part of some natural order, why are they here, only for the purpose of being killed by this group? Too many variables in this.

There are other issues to the story and this episode specifically. Rupert goes in weapons blazing to save Ruby, not knowing how Ruby is being held or in what condition. The inhumans could have set it up where if one of them dies, Ruby would die. But no one seems to take that into consideration. It's as if he can kill them and know where to find her. I know Mina has abilities, but it's just too big of an assumption when it comes to someone's life. Rupert's also not very good at what he does. Twice he's thrown on his butt by one of them. I know he says in one bit, that's he's "getting too old for this," but he should be able to fight some. I mean, how has he survived all this time if he keeps getting knocked down. At the end of the show, Rupert gives Luke a phone and tells him to keep it with him at all times, but when Rupert gave Ruby his number, in case something happens, he left his in the car allowing her to be kidnapped by the freaks. I mean, COME ON! He just drops the girl off and doesn't walk her to her door after knowing that the inhuman's know who she is and that she's connected to Luke? No one thought that they could use her to get to him or follow her home?

Ruby is a barking mess. She whines, she complains and she has this mad crush on Luke where she is jealous of any other girl in his path, but is too self-conscious to say anything to him about it. That doesn't keep her from spitting venom towards any woman she thinks could be a threat. It makes no sense. If she can be territorial when another woman is around then tell the guy you like him and let the chips fall where they may. She's really nasty to Mina, using her blindness to made snide remarks.

The show needs to work on their special effects a bit. When Luke comes to Ruby's defense on the first attack by the inhuman's, the show tries for slow motion action fighting sequences, but it doesn't quite work. It seems as of Luke is very awkward in his movements. Something similar happens when the Inhuman who's kidnapped Ruby jumps from a height. The slow motion is a little off and he's wobbling in the air.

Then there's the corny dialogue that's supposed to be funny, like when Rupert tells Luke to "use The Force, Luke" when trying to open The Stacks using the watch and a series of rotating locks, which Luke seems to instinctively knows how they work. Sometimes corny is fun, but only if the rest of the show works.

I would have appreciated the show more if they had taken things a little slower and made a few more explanations, instead of just jumping in and not telling us the story. As I said before, I like to give a show it's due and I will give this one a few more episodes. I think I can already see the writing on the wall, though... FAIL


BBC America
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010
7:00 PM PST