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Nina Pickering

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Nina Pickering
Being Human character
First appearance"Tully" (2009)
Last appearance"The Wolf-Shaped Bullet" (2011)
Created byToby Whithouse
Portrayed bySinead Keenan
In-universe information
SpeciesWerewolf
GenderFemale
StatusDeceased

Nina Pickering is a fictional character in the comedy-drama TV series Being Human, portrayed by Sinead Keenan. Nina Pickering was a recurring character in the first two series of the show and a main character in the third series of the show. She appeared in 19 episodes of the drama.

Television series

Background

Series 1

Nina is working as a nurse in a hospital when she meets co-worker George, who is a werewolf.[1] They start to date. Some time later Nina realises that her boyfriend George and his friend and co-worker Mitchell have a secret. She follows them into a cellar where George transforms into a werewolf, planning to kill the evil vampire Herrick once and for all.[2] When George kills Herrick he accidentally scratches Nina during his transformation.[3]

Series 2

George scratches have turned Nina into a werewolf as well. Nina has to cope with this and with seeing George killing Herrick.[3] Annie is the first person Nina turns to when she gets to know that she is a werewolf. Annie helps Nina during her first transformation and stays with her the first night, providing her with coat.[4] As Nina can not cope with being a werewolf she leaves George and joins CenSSA, an organisation that promises her to get rid of his condition once and for all. She also tells George about this opportunity. At first George is not thinking that this works, but when his condition leads to some bad events in his life he decides to join Nina and goes to the CenSSA organisation along with Annie to finally get rid of his condition.[5] George, Annie and Nina finally figure out that the organisation can’t keep what it has promised and that a lot of werewolves are killed during experiments. George, Annie and Nina are able escape the organisation. For Annie however it is already to late. She is sent to hell by the leader of the organisation, Kemp. Later George, Mitchell and Nina move into a new home in Barry.[6]

Series 3

Nina and George are finally back together and are living in the same house with Mitchell who saves Annie from purgatory.[7] Annie is moving into the new house. Nina and George get on very well and soon Nina becomes pregnant.[8] Nina worries about her baby. She wonders if she and her baby will survive the monthly transformations. However, in the end everything goes well and the child survives.[6]

Series 4

Nina's death happened between series three and four. In series four, the audience learns that Nina has been beaten to death by vampires, only a few days after her daughter Eve is born. Soon George also dies, sacrificing his life for his daughter by triggering a werewolf transformation without the influence of the moon, his last words being to entrust Eve to Annie.[9]

At the end of the series Nina is joined by her friends Annie, Mitchell, George and baby Eve in the afterlife.[10] A reunion scene with the friends is never shown on television.

Relationships

George Sands

Lenora Crichlow believes that George and Nina support each other a lot. Nina often pulls George back so that they both stay close to humanity and their true selves. Furthermore, Nina always listens when George says something and is looking after him.[4]

Annie Sawyer

Lenora Crichlow says that when Nina gets to know that she has become a werewolf, Annie is the first person she turns to. Annie helps Nina through her transformation and provides her with a coat which is covering her when she wakes up.[4]

Casting and Development

Sinead Keenan played Nina

Sinead Keenan got told by her agent told her she would be auditioning for a show about a werewolf, a ghost and a vampire. She then auditioned for the show and got the role of Nina.[11] The first plan for Sinead Keenan's character Nina was to be written out of the series at the end of season one. When creator Toby Whithouse saw Keenan's and Tovey's great dynamic on set while filming he decided that the character Nina should stay.[12] Since the producers enjoyed the relationship between Nina and George very much they decided that Keenan should become a series regular within the third season.[13] Nina remained in the series for another year until Keenan decided to leave the series.[12]

Leaving the series

In January 2012 Sinead Keenan announced on Twitter that she would not return to Being Human. She said that she had a heavy heart but also felt a little relief. For her it was a difficult decision, after having three wonderful years and one of her best in her acting career. She also said that her departure would happen off-screen since she hasn't filmed anything for series four.[14]

Characterisation

Nina is a headstrong woman in her mid twenties.[15] Nina is tough and has her own physical and emotional baggage to deal with.[16] During her childhood Nina has been beaten up by her mother. She wonders if she can be a good mother herself.[8] Nina works as a Senior Staff nurse in the hospital in Bristol.[6]

Reception

Mark Oakley from Den of Geek thought that Keenan had a „rather thankless role in Doctor Who“, however he thinks that Keenan is much better in Being Human, „lending a bit of weight to the character of Nina, who is going to have a larger role to play“ in series two.[3] According to The Daily Telegraph Nina’s relationship with George was perceived very well by fans and critics.[13] Matt Risley from IGN thinks that Sinead Keenan and Russell Tovey "bring an intimacy and humanity" to Nina's and George's relationship that "effortlessly straddles the line between horror, comedy and drama".[7] Matt Wales from IGN praises Sinead Keenan's "mesmerizingly broken performance as Nina" when the werewolf-in-waiting tries to deal with her new nature.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Being Human Review". burrunjor.com. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  2. ^ Crystal Coleman (19 April 2011). "Being Human Recap: U.K. Series 1 Primer". persephonemagazine.com. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Mark Oakley (11 January 2010). "One of the BBC's best geek shows of 2009 returns for a second outing and it's a strong, if uneven, start for Being Human series 2..." Den of Geek. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Christina Radish (10 August 2010). "Aidan Turner, Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and Sinead Keenan Interview BEING HUMAN". Collider. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Being Human: "Series 2, Episode 7" Review". IGN. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Black, Joane: Being Human, Cambridge: Classic TV Press 2011, S. 248-264
  7. ^ a b Matt Risley (24 January 2011). "Being Human (UK): "Lia" Review". IGN. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  8. ^ a b Mark Oakley (6 February 2011). "Being Human series 3 episode 3 review: Type 4". Den of Geek. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  9. ^ Aubry D'Arminio (26 February 2012). "'Being Human': Michael Socha, Lenora Crichlow, and Damien Molony bite into season 4". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  10. ^ Natalie Corner (6 June 2016). "Original Being Human cast to return? Aidan Turner, Russell Tovey and Lenora Crichlow up for reunion". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  11. ^ Michael Deacon (8 January 2010). "On the set of Being Human". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  12. ^ a b "'Being Human' Boss Toby Whithouse on Season 4 Cast Changes, Challenges and 'Doctor Who' (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  13. ^ a b "'Being Human' Boss Toby Whithouse on Season 4 Cast Changes, Challenges and 'Doctor Who' (Q&A)". The Daily Telegraph. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  14. ^ Morgan Jeffery (9 January 2012). "Sinead Keenan: 'Being Human exit was difficult decision'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  15. ^ Matt Roush (23 July 2010). "Roush Review: Weekend Roundup (Who, Human and Mad Men)". Den of Geek. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  16. ^ Mark Oakley (17 August 2009). "Being Human: "Episode 4" Review". IGN. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  17. ^ Matt Wales (22 February 2010). "Being Human: "Series 2, Episode 1" Review". IGN. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
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