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LOCATION: Syfy

THE SKINNY: While most American TV remakes of hit Brit shows tend to miss the magic of the original (unless you’re THE OFFICE that is), Syfy is taking a chance on redoing the hit BBC genre series BEING HUMAN about a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost living in a loft.

Recently, iF spoke with Syfy president David Howe, and was able to get some interesting tidbits about the development of BEING HUMAN for the network.

iF MAGAZINE: What’s the status of BEING HUMAN?

DAVID HOWE: I think it’s very difficult to adapt. I think it seems easy, but so much of that show depends on the chemistry and execution and otherwise it could really easily go off the rails. We hired some great writers and they are in them midst of adapting it and we’re hoping to have it on air in the summer.

iF: Who’s the writing team?

HOWE: Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke. Jeremy comes out the SUPERNATURAL world, so he has the genre cred, and Anna comes out of the more character based scripted drama world. The two of them are interesting together. The process has just started.

iF: What’s the biggest challenge in taking what is essentially a six-episode BBC season and turning it into a 13 or 22-epiosde Syfy series?

HOWE: You have to carry it out. I think the biggest challenge is how much do you take from it that’s there. Where are you getting repetitive and derivative and how do you not retread? We talked a lot about the U.K. OFFICE and the American OFFICE. So we’re about making it our own and yet holding on to what’s great about the original.

iF: Have you picked a city to set it in?

HOWE: I think it’s going to East Coast because there’s something about that New England Boston sensibility that feels right for this, but we haven’t decided yet.


CLICK HERE FOR iF'S REVIEW OF THE BBC VERSION OF 'BEING HUMAN'

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