Abbey White
Staff Writer
@SmallTownFires

It’s not easy being human, especially when you’re a monster. Fans of Syfy’s hit Being Human know this adage well, having watched the series’ main characters (a werewolf, ghost, and vampire) juggle “living” with being the stuff of nightmares for going on four years.

Courtesy of Syfy

The show’s perfect mix of sentiment and action has earned Being Human several creatively solid seasons and a well-deserved following. But even monsters don’t live forever, and the story of these endearing co-dependent roommates will come to a close this April.

With the series finale fast approaching, viewers are discovering it’s not easy being a fan either, especially when your favorite show is ending.

Amidst all of the series’ fandemonium is Being Fans, a central destination for all things Being Human. Over the years, it’s connected the show directly to its fans and, starting Monday, they’ll help usher viewers through to its impending conclusion.

PopWrapped had the chance to chat with the faces behind the popular fansite and discuss their experience with the Syfy drama, its fans, and how they’re getting ready to say goodbye.

Like the show, the magic of Being Fans comes from its starring trio.

Burbank residents and siblings Kristi and Dana Hahn were the site’s original founders. The duo, who already had experience running their own Supernatural podcast, asked third member and Columbus, Ohio native Andrew Kintz to join a bit later in spite of their difference of location.

For the Hahn sisters, the site launch was a product of the first season’s offerings. “We all started watching the show out of general interests. We just had no idea the show was going to be as deep, dark and hilarious as it was.”

They continue, “We wanted to get in touch with Being Human fans in a different way than podcasting. We really just wanted people to be able to [go to] one place and get lots of news and geek out over the show with us.”

That’s a pretty good description of what Being Fans has become, and it is due in part to the group’s dynamic. Other than their family-like nature (the sisters say they “have dubbed Andrew their little brother”), the trio operates like a well oiled machine, working both together and independently to keep the site updated.

Through the site they’ve arranged interviews, rewatch gatherings, live chat events, and contests for fans. The trio have also had the opportunity to visit the show’s set in Montreal, attend San Diego Comic Con panels and were even asked to participate in the Being Human Google Hangout held prior to the season 4 premiere.

“We just wanted to promote the show, but the people involved in the show care so much about their fans that they’ve really been extremely open to us. We’ve met the cast and crew, and many of them know the three of us. We’ve been recognized as the official Fan Site by more than one company, including Entertainment One [and] Muse Entertainment.”

All of their work has provided the Hahns and Kintz with some pretty memorable moments. One of their fondest — and funniest — involved a live chat which they hosted for fans with series star Sam Witwer (Aidan Waite).

“We invited about 30 people because we didn’t want it to get too crazy. However, Mr. Witwer tweeted out the link and we had well over 100 people suddenly show up to our chatroom. If you don’t register for the room, you show up as an anon. So those of us who went through it and remained close after always say ‘we survived the battle of the 100 anons.’ It was chaos, but so much fun.”

At the end of the day, the Being Fans trio appreciate their time being fellow fans as much as anything else.

“It’s been an honor. It’s always so much fun to live-tweet with everyone and see people’s jokes and hear their ideas and where they would like to see things go,” the three say. “We’re particularly proud to have met so many amazing fans, many of whom have become actual wonderful friends in real life, and will remain so for, we’d imagine, the rest of our lives.”

That’s a fitting declaration about a fandom they describe as passionate, intelligent and loyal. These traits were perhaps most recently illustrated after Syfy’s February 25th announcement that Being Human would be ending its run with the season 4 finale.

At the center of it all, Kintz and the Hahns get to see and hear a lot of feedback, including everyone’s responses to the disheartening news.

They share that most fans were: “Devastated. Shocked. Angry. Most don’t understand why such a great show would not get picked up for 10 more years.”

The announcement might have been sudden, but it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision by the network.

Instead it was a choice by the series’ creators and cast, after some behind the scenes dealings may have cost the show more than just its quality. Wrapping the series after four years — properly, on their own terms and before the concept expired — was the plan before filming for the season had commenced.

“The three of us are extremely sad that TV will lose this diamond in the rough, but we also understand we’re lucky to have gotten this much and also how lucky we are to get a definite ending of the show, instead of ending on a cliffhanger.  Better to have four practically perfect seasons of TV then eight that ramble and lose focus.”

They jokingly follow up, “Or maybe that’s just denial talking.”

It says something when a show that’s fought to be seen as more than just a copy is, at its end, loved so rabidly. Most atlantic transports receive a heavy amount of scorn before they even air an episode.

Syfy’s take on the BBC series wasn’t much different. However, it’s also found a healthy and dedicated audience who have stuck with it for close to half a decade.

Being Human is swathed in monster metaphors, and its balance of raw emotion, dramatic tension, and a unique sense of humor have helped create a world that reaches beyond typical sci-fi fare.

Series characters Josh (Sam Huntington), Sally (Meaghan Rath) and Aidan are some of the most genuine and moving examples of the basic human experience. And while all three actors make monsters pretty sexy, their characters’ stories have resonated with fans in a very personal and even transformative way.

“If you take away the supernatural elements, it’s people dealing with normal problems that people deal with everyday in real life. Vampires would be addicts, werewolves would be like having anger issues and a ghost trying to find how you operate in the world. It’s more relatable than most people would imagine a show with vampires,werewolves, and ghosts would be. And as the series goes on, it becomes less about those things and more about them accepting who and what they are. Sometimes we have to work on accepting who we are as a person.”

Despite the show ending, Dana, Kristi and Andrew are all appreciating the show’s final season.

“We’re all loving season 4 so far. It doesn’t feel quite as tight and clean as season 3, but the plot twists and character growth is so unexpected and surprising that it’s a blast to watch! We’ve all trusted the writers and they’ve rarely let us down, so we’re not worried about the ending at all.”

There is one thing they all agree has been especially tough to watch this season. But what has them equally “bothered”?

One of season 4’s most talked about developments: the romantic relationship between Sally and Aidan.

“You know most shows they want to set up your romances right away and this show didn’t do it,” explains Dana Hahn. “The way to us that they set up the roommates’ relationship was very much family, very much brother and sister support group and there was no romance at all. And that’s kind of what we all clung to.”

Despite their discomfort, they can laugh about it and also acknowledge that it’s something most other fans have been rooting for.

“We do know that probably the majority of people watching want that,” says Dana. Ultimately though, all three agree that “as long as they’re not ‘together’ by the end, and the events of the ‘alternate timeline’ episodes tie together what’s been going on at the start of the season — we’re good”.

With the finale only a couple weeks away, Being Fans is getting ready to say goodbye for the last time. The site has already hosted a chat with Muse Entertainment for fans to ask questions about this season.

“We also have a Being Fans finale video in the works to say goodbye and thanks to the show itself as well as all its fans.”

It seems, though, that our favorite Boston roommates’ final bow will be shared by its official fansite.

“Unfortunately, when the show ends, so will our site. We’ve actually had some issues with our site, and it seemed fate that it was time to end.  Kristi and Dana have been ‘leaders’ of both a Supernatural fan group, and now Being Human, and we’re ready to take a break for a while.  But it seems quite fitting that when the show goes quiet, so shall we.”

So what are some final thoughts from the Being Fans trio on their four years with this rollercoaster tv show?

“Let’s talk about how unreal it is that so many people didn’t know about it! We feel like so many people underestimated the show. Being Human always sort of felt like an underdog… that didn’t get the recognition it deserved. It packs a serious punch. Maybe there won’t be new episodes, but this series will still be relevant for a long time to come.”

Kristi, Dana and Andrew did some rapid fire with us about their Being Human favorites.

Read below to see their answers and find out which Being Fans member you’re most like. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for more on how you can get involved with the fansite’s farewell video.

Then catch the remaining three episodes of Being Human’s final season starting Monday, March 24th at 9/8c on Syfy.

Favorite Character

• Andrew: Sally. I’ve always been into ghosts and the paranormal so I was immediately drawn to Sally from the start (it certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty either).
• Dana: In season one it was definitely Aidan. I loved the relationship between [him] and Bishop. As the series has gone on, my favorite characters have shifted. I love Sally for her mistakes, Nora for her strength, Josh for his protective nature, and Aidan for his love of family.
• Kristi: Josh.  In season one it was simply because Josh is nervous and hilarious. But I’m quite pleased with his growth from season to season – going from being frightened of his monster to becoming more confident with it.

Favorite Relationship

• It’s unanimous for us: Josh and Nora. They’ve withstood test after test, and their love remains solid and grows stronger. Plus, they play games like “guess what’s in the sandwich”.

Favorite Episode

• Andrew: As of right now? 4.08 (“Rewind, Rewind”). It was an amazing trip down memory lane.
• Dana: 2.10 (“Dream Reaper”). All the characters go through SO MUCH development in ONE episode.
• Kristi: 1.13 (“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Me Killing You”). I love origin stories and seeing Josh and Aidan’s first meeting was just amazing!

Favorite Season

• Andrew: 4. It’s been like a “greatest hits” season. It feels like all three seasons put together.
• Dana: 3. I’ve never seen a more perfect season of TV in my life. The pacing, character journeys, and plot were practically perfect in execution, and introduced new elements as well as building on old ones.
• Kristi: 3. Season 2 left our roommates fractured, and season 3 reunited them in an amazing way while also giving us so many new interesting twists in plot and character story lines.

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