Meaghan Rath, Sam Witwer and Sam Huntington star in "Being Human"

Monsters are invading prime time, and viewers are eating it up. Supernatural creatures have been a staple of television for years, but the latest trend doesn't portray them as frightful beings to be feared. They fall in love, feel pain and have meaningful friendships. In the Syfy series "Being Human," a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf rely on each other while living together as roommates.

The premise may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but the show has actually proven quite popular since its premiere in January 2011. Boasting a young, talented cast, "Being Human" mixes elements of drama and comedy as the supernaturals try to evade detection while navigating their way through the human world. Season 2 of "Being Human" premiered last week, but viewers can catch the continuing story Monday nights on Syfy.

Produced by Montreal's Muse Entertainment, Syfy's program is actually based on a British series of the same name that has been a huge success across the pond for years. While its premise and characters are similar, Syfy's version is not a direct re-hash of the U.K. hit. The first season did follow some plot lines from the original, but the show's North American writers and actors claim they haven't watched the second season of the Brit series.

In the U.S. adaptation, Sam Witwer stars as Aidan McCollin, a vampire who works as a nurse at a hospital in Boston. Sam Huntington portrays McCollin's roommate Josh Radcliff, a Jewish werewolf who works as an orderly in the same hospital. Meaghan Rath rounds out the cast as Sally, a ghost who haunts the house where Aidan and Josh live.

A year after its debut, the return of "Being Human" is creating buzz in the blogosphere as anxious fans await Aidan, Josh and Sally's new adventures.

With an average of almost two million viewers per episode in Season 1, Syfy is throwing its faith in Season 2 with a huge promotion that began in Sin City on New Year's Eve. The "Temptation is a Beast" campaign encouraged Las Vegas partygoers to give in to their temptations while promoting the season premiere with in-room advertisements, themed drink menus and even a "Being Human" travel package that offered VIP access to hotel entertainment experiences.

"The television culture has a seemingly insatiable appetite for supernatural-based stories," explained Syfy executive Michael Engleman of the promotion. "Coming off a successful first year, 'Being Human's' edgy characters and plot engages the imagination while confronting the many temptations we all face, whether a vampire, werewolf, ghost or a mere human being."

Indeed, "Being Human" has struck a chord with North American fans, with all of them anxiously awaiting the fallout of last season's finale when last week's premiere aired. After missing her "door," Sally must deal with the consequences as this season picks up. Following what happened with Bishop, Aidan struggles against his vampire instincts while trying to guide the Boston community. Also, a figure from his past returns to both tempt and torment him. Meanwhile, Josh continues to search for a cure for his condition as he hopes for a future with Nora (Kristen Hager).

Season 2 welcomes actress Dichen Lachman as vampire princess Suren and Kyle Schmid, who appears as Henry, Aidan's former vampire protege.

"Being Human" has also given Syfy some cred among a group usually uninterested in the channel's prime-time offerings: women. It turns out the show's viewership is mainly female, which is uncommon for a Syfy series.

That may change as the channel introduces more female-friendly fare, including "Being Human" and another surprise hit, "Lost Girl." In October, Syfy announced it had picked up the Canadian series, which airs on Showcase in Canada.

Like "Being Human," "Lost Girl" has a far-fetched premise, but it's one that has intrigued viewers on both sides of the border. Anna Silk is the "Lost Girl," a seductive supernatural named Bo. Raised by human parents, Bo had no idea she was anything but until she "drained" her first boyfriend. She soon learned she is a succubus, a powerful creature that feeds off the sexual energy of humans.

The sci-fi drama follows Bo as she learns more about her origins as one of the Fae, a collection of supernatural beings who walk among humans. Determined to make her own way, Bo decides against forming an allegiance with either the Light or Dark Fae. Instead, she strikes out on her own with the help of her human friend Kenzi (Ksenia Solo). Along the way, Bo encounters a host of unusual allies and foes, including love interest and shape-shifting Fae as Dyson (Kris Holden-Ried), mysterious bartender Trick (Rick Howland), handsome male siren Hale (K.C. Collins) and human doctor Lauren (Zoie Palmer).

With a combination of fantasy, horror, science fiction and drama, "Being Human" and "Lost Girl" have the potential to break new ground on Syfy with a broader appeal than many of the channel's other series.