For four seasons, the Syfy drama series Being Human won over audiences with bold character developing, exciting plot twists and intriguing politics between supernatural species. Its premise was to follow a ghost named Sally (Meaghan Rath), a vampire named Aidan (Sam Witwer) and two werewolves, Josh (Sam Huntington) and Nora (Kristen Hager), as they struggled to keep their dark secrets from the world, while also helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives.
Now that the series is over, actor Sam Huntington spoke to Collider for this exclusive phone interview about how he feels that the show ended in just the right way, when and how he found out that Season 4 would be their last season, how grateful he was that they were able to end the show the way they wanted to, his desire for Josh and Nora to ride off into the sunset together, how concerned he was that Josh’s actions would lose the audience this season, and what it was like to shoot their last scene. He also talked about what it was like to be a part of the Veronica Mars movie. Check out what he had to say, and be aware that there are some spoilers.
Collider: As much as I loved how bold the British series was, in the endings for their first set of main characters, I was also really happy to see that these guys all got their own versions of a happy ending.
SAM HUNTINGTON: Absolutely! Me too. I think it ended just the right way. Honestly, it’s television and it should do that. We were making a different series than the BBC series, anyway. These people have all been so tortured that it’s not to see that everything can be okay. I thought everything was really appropriate. I didn’t think anything was gratuitous.
When and how did you find out that this would be the last season?
HUNTINGTON: After Season 3, we were on the bubble, not because the ratings were shitty, but there was a lot of behind the scenes stuff that was happening, finance wise. So, going into the season, all of us – the writers, the actors and the entire creative team – decided to write it to its conclusion, in the event that this was our last season. How often does it happen that you don’t know? You write this massive fucking cliffhanger, and it pisses everybody off. You can’t end the series, in that way. That’s just rude to your fans who have been loyal and wonderful. They deserve better than that. So, we were all thanking everyone.
It wasn’t until they turned in the outline for Episode 13, which was way late in our shooting as it always is, that they actually got the approval to write it to the conclusion that they had been planning, all season. So, we knew that that was the tentative plan, all season. I think we were shooting Episode 9 or 10, when they finally turned in the outline for Episode 13 and the network actually approved it. And then, we were like, “Okay, cool. So, we are wrapping it up.” Then it became, “Well, it’s TV, so you never know. We could always come back.” And that became terrifying.
We didn’t cover our asses, at all. This ending was so nice that we’d have ruined it, if we were to come back, which would have been so shitty. It was such a wonderful ride, but we were hoping that we would be able to do the dignified thing and end it in this way. You never want to wish yourself out of a job, especially one that’s been such an amazing thing. But we are very loyal and care a lot about our fans, so we wanted to do this for them, and I’m thrilled that we were able to. It’s nice that we were able to. People were pissed at Syfy that this was our last season, but Syfy did the right thing. It was the right thing to do, and I actually thought that they did it in a really tasteful and respectful way.
Did you get any say into how things would turn out for your character?
HUNTINGTON: That’s a great question. We’d had discussions, over the years. The characters were always changes and new issues would materialize. But, I had my dream ending, and I’ve gotta say that this is it. I always wanted Josh and Nora to ride off into the sunset with a couple of kids. I thought that they deserved it. I’m thrilled. I’m really, really happy. And I thought what they did with Aidan was just beautiful. I always had a weird thing, as did Josh, with the Sally and Aidan thing. I still have a weird thing with it. I don’t think it will ever be normal for me, but I’m happy for them, I guess. Sally and Aidan are so my siblings, so it’s just weird. But, I thought they way they ended it was so cool, with Aidan getting his soul back. What a neat way to do it, to get your soul back, become human again, actually die, get an afterlife, and then reunite with Sally. It was perfect. I don’t care if it’s sappy. That’s wonderful!
After some of Josh’s actions this season, were you concerned that he wouldn’t find his happy ending, or did you know that there would eventually be one?
HUNTINGTON: I knew what his arc was. My biggest concern was that the audience wasn’t going to be able to get behind Josh and Nora, after how, within the course of two episodes, he cheats on her, even though it’s morally blurry. He didn’t really cheat, his animal did, but people perceive it that way. And then, in the next episode, he nearly rapes her. I was like, “Okay, so the audience maybe won’t be able to get behind this relationship again. Also, am I going to be able to get behind it again? Do I think Nora should take Josh back, after this? Is that a strong position for a woman to take? I don’t know.” I had some big issues with it. It’s the worst thing when you’re feeling things deeply and everyone is like, “No, it’s going to be fine. People love Josh, and people love you. You could do whatever, and they’re still going to love you.” And I was like, “But, he does all of these awful things.” The good news is that, the way it was played, and I give all the writers credit, they did it right. They figured out a way for people to still cheer for them and root for them.
What was the last scene that you shot?
HUNTINGTON: The last scene we shot was at 3 am, after a 16 or 17 hour day, and it was when we were going through the door. I could not control myself. I kept having to walk away. As soon as they’d yell, “Cut!,” I had to walk outside. I couldn’t hold my shit together. It was weird. The show has been a huge part of my life and the lives of my family for a long time. It was a huge, transformative several years. And it just all slapped me in the face that night, which is what I think the sick producers and writers wanted. They wanted to torture me on the last day because they knew how sensitive I am. [Kristen] Hager and I were not in good shape.
Josh and Aidan had some big blow-ups this last season. Were those scenes hard to shoot because you’re so close, or does that make them more fun?
HUNTINGTON: It’s so fun. It’s the best. When [Sam] Witwer and I get into it, it’s so much fun ‘cause it’s so natural. And it’s always been that way with he and I. Not to pat ourselves on the back or anything, but he and I really do have amazing chemistry and are able to riff off of each other so well. Those scenes that we’re together are some of my favorite scenes. But, I could say that about all of us, and all of them together, too.
You’ve also had a really unique experience recently, with being a part of the Veronica Mars movie. When you originally did that series, could you ever have imagined that you’d return, so many years later, to play that character in a movie?
HUNTINGTON: Never in a million years. No fucking way! It was nice to go back. I was only in two episodes of the series, so it was fun to see everybody. A lot of those people are my friends. Ryan Hansen is one of my dear friends, as is Kristen [Bell]. It’s been a quiet decade for a lot of people, so to come back and all be together, and to be doing this thing again, it was really, really fun. I was just very flattered that they invited me back to hang out, and gave me this role that, although I was only in one scene, I was the red herring for a little bit there. That was cool. And I really thought the movie was fun. I was proud of it.
Previous seasons of Being Human are available on DVD/Blu-ray.
