Film School Rejects » Heroes Recap

TV Review: Heroes – An Invisible Thread

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:13:23 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “An Invisible Thread” (Season 3, Episode 25)

Synopsis: Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) faces off against Sylar (Zachary Quinto) to keep him from meeting the President (Michael Dorn). Sylar has his own plans for his new partner. Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) learns that there are repercussions to regaining his ability. Elsewhere, Matt (Greg Grunberg) is forced to go to extraordinary lengths to protect his future with his family.

Review: Thank you, Bryan Fuller. Your return to the Heroes‘ staff has brought life back to the show, and I can say with a straight face that I am interested now. What a season finale it was, nothing like the end of the third volume.

The chapters of the “Sylar for President” story arc felt completely different than the rest of the 3rd season, and that’s ok. We finally are seeing stories with direction and actions that that have real consequences. If only George Lucas had been able to do the same thing with the prequels of Star Wars. Tell me that you all wouldn’t have cheered if he would have showed up on-screen during the opening crawl and said, “Ya know what? I am sorry. Jar Jar IS a bitch and was the result of a night of bad acid and a stale Pop Tart. Here’s the real movie.”

Someone pinch me. A main character in Heroes actually died. Without giving too much away for those who didn’t see the episode, the loss of such an important character changes everything and raises the stake, even for the villains. It was awesome to see Matt Parkman actually influence others long term, as opposed to the usual, “Hey, You don’t see me. Doesn’t it remind ya of the Jedi mind trick,” kind of way.

Please let us see a showdown between Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Sylar. The scenes where Sylar manipulated her by showing showing the futility of their battles were awesome, but it only makes us want to see what would really happen if the two threw down.

The biggest issue to be had with An Invisible Thread is that the climactic battle was a letdown as Nathan and Peter fought Sylar out of sight. What is this, Transformers? Heroes used to have actual fights that we saw, not heard, and we loved the show for it. Don’t try to be like the series finale of The Sopranos and make us guess what is happening. It’s the season finale, so give us the goods.

Season 5 has the chance to really turn the tide for the series, but it won’t happen if we continue to see Ali Larter’s 57 different characters. Just saying. It’s nothing against Larter, the character is just weakly written. We have time now to reflect on the past season. It wasn’t a great one but the end brought hope that the show is getting back on the right track. Isn’t that all you can ask for in a comic series, the ability to hope?

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Did you watch An Invisible Thread episode? What did you love or hate?

TV Review: Heroes – I Am Sylar

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:44:04 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “I Am Sylar” (Season 3, Episode 24)

Synopsis: Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continues his unusual partnership and begins to have an unexpected identity crisis. Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) take measures toward bringing down Building 26. Meanwhile, Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) new found fatherhood changes his priorities. Elsewhere, Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) sets a plan in motion to right the wrongs of his government operation.

Review: Oh, Sylar, how many issues you have. The shape-shifting ability he gained has started to backfire and now the psycho doesn’t know who he is. It definitely beats hearing him talk about his parents all the time. Instead, we get to see him talk to them. Oy. Now that Sylar has been confirmed dead, he has to act as so. That usually doesn’t work well for serial killers, if I am correct.

I was watching The Talented Mister Ripley last night and it occurs to me that Tom Ripley and Sylar are the same character, two lost souls that aren’t content living their own lives.

The seed was placed for the rivalry between Hiro and Ando, and it’s understandable why Ando would feel like he is second-best. Nobody likes to play Robin, well maybe Chris O’Donnell, but he needs all the work he can get. What is going to happen now that the two are partners, and what are the repercussions of Hiro changing the effect of his time-stopping ability? Things are going to get bloody.

A few quick questions: If Rebel (Noah Gray-Cabey) knows that he is being chased by agents and has to leave in a matter of seconds, why is he taking time to grab Wolverine comics? Why is Sylar sitting in Hunter’s office in plain sight with the blinds open if he knows that the agents are looking for him? It’s the little things that shake me from this show sometimes.

It was an unexpected twist for Sylar to let Rebel/Micah live, but then again he is self-serving and desperate to find answers. This is the second time he’s let children tag along for a bit. Maybe he should start an orphanage or institution to teach youngsters with special ability… oh wait. Been there.

Can we get at least one episode, even if it’s a what if one, where Sylar gets to play President. That’d be epic.

Reality is hard to come by in a story of superheroes, but it wasn’t in I Am Sylar. Matt Parkman made a lot of sense in trying to escape the responsibilities that come with his abilities. But we all know he can’t run from his destiny any more than Vin Diesel can escape The Fast and the Furious films.

Heroes has picked up the pieces from what was a lackluster season. Bravo. Now let’s see a showdown.

Up Next Week: Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) faces off against Sylar (Zachary Quinto) to keep him from meeting the President (guest star Michael Dorn). Sylar has his own plans for his new partner. Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) learns that there are repercussions to regaining his ability. Elsewhere, Matt (Greg Grunberg) is forced to go to extraordinary lengths to protect his future with his family.

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Did you watch this week’s episode? If so, what worked and what didn’t for you?

TV Review: Heroes – 1961

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:55:51 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “1961″ (Season 3, Episode 23)

Synopsis: Angela Pertrelli (Cristine Rose) and the heroes examine the origin of Primatech, revealing that the family ties extend beyond the ones they’ve grown used to.

Review: When we have criticized Heroes this season, much of it has come in regards to superfluous scenes of backstory (see Sylar’s (Zachary Quinto) search for his family.) Angela’s return to the Coyote Sands Relocation Center qualifies as important and 1961 gave an important piece of the puzzle to Heroes history.

George Lucas once explained that even evil people believe they are doing the right thing, and the episode helped us understand why Angela was so willing to be ruthless in her endeavors throughout the show. The past few episodes have made her a very sympathetic character, and the scenes with Rose and a younger version of Angela, played by Alexa Nicolas, brought us closer to the heroes, maybe more so the villains.

Learning about why Angela had to leave her sister Alice (played by Laura Marano as a child and Diana Scarwid as an adult) puts a face to her actions, something we haven’t been able to see much of this season. And yes, I am aware of the hypocrisy of me liking one family plot line and not another. Chalk it up to better execution.

While Angela was wrestling with sibling issues, the rest of the gang was talking about the merits of forgiveness. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) complained to Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) about his selfishness, Claire (Hayden Panettiere) ripped on H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) about his failed attempt to make things right, while also continuing her endless set of monologues about how hard it is being a teen (we get it). Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) worked towards forgiving himself. We walked away feeling like the group knows they can’t overcome The Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek) and Sylar if they tear each other down.

The best scene, in my opinion, came at the end as we saw that Sylar had shape-shifted into Nathan and is calling the shots as Senator. The ability to imitate others may be Sylar’s greatest superpower yet, and it’s going to be fun to see how the heroes are able to fight against it. In more ways than one, they will likely be fighting against themselves.

Some people will find 1961 to be slow and a bit too expositional, but sometimes you have to explain what is going on before we are willing to invest ourselves in big bangs and explosions. 1961 changed the mold of characters like Angela, something that isn’t easy to do after spending so long making her a villainous archetype. For that, 1961 soars.

Sylar continues his unusual partnership and begins to have an unexpected identity crisis. Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) take measures toward bringing down Building 26. Meanwhile, Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) new found fatherhood changes his priorities. Elsewhere, Nathan sets a plan in motion to right the wrongs of his government operation.

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Did you watch this week’s episode? If so, what worked and what didn’t for you?

TV Review: Heroes – Into Asylum

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:52:10 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “Into Asylum” (Season 3, Episode 21)

Synopsis: An alliance is formed between Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Danko (Zeljko Ivanek), wounds are healed between Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Angela (Cristine Rose) and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Nathan (Adrian Pasdar), and Heroes prepares to make the next move.

Review: Into Asylum put the heroes in the right place. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much done to move them around. The Wanderer, a song Sylar adores, was a perfect song for the episode as we saw a mass of meandering.

Nathan and Claire went to Mexico to hide out. Without any connections or cash, we had the chance to see a role reversal and that situation sort of played out. Basically we got to see Nathan try to drink some college students under the table in an attempt to get cash. When Nathan went down, Claire stepped in. Boo inebriation! Hooray, regenerative livers! I’m not sure why the guy she competed against was okay with going double or nothing after already having 22 shots, but maybe it’s best not to look into this. Still, 22 shots is a hell of a lot of liquor.

We found out that Nathan put Claire into experimentation in an effort to win her over in one fell swoop. Couldn’t he have bought her a pony? It seems like a strange way to win back a daughter who you abandoned.

Peter and Angela got holy on our asses in an attempt to repair the bond they had broken. Angela stated the obvious, that her and Papa Pertrelli weren’t supportive, and Peter had a talk with God about his troubles. In the end, the two Pertrellis walked out hand in hand and you get the sense that things may get better … until Angela turns on Peter again in the future. Maybe she won’t.

The most successful story of Into Asylum existed between Danko and Sylar, two villains looking for power in different ways. Zachary Quinto’s enthusiasm was much needed in an otherwise flat episode and getting to see how the two went about getting what they wanted helped us better understand what drives them. The hunt for the shape-shifter was a nice twist and it seems like there is no power that Sylar is currently without. So what can stop him? How long will it take before H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) finds out he is still alive?

Into Asylum lacked action, which we can accept, but it also lacked motivation in the dialogue offered. Words can be exponentially powerful than a fight scene but you have to work for it. It’s not enough to have children ask, “Why did you leave me?” and a parent say, “I was trying to protect you. You wouldn’t understand.” Into Asylum was an attempt to go deeper into the waters and understand the characters central to Heroes. Instead Heroes kept the floaties on and we kept rising to the surface.

Up Next Week: As Danko spearheads the government operation, someone close to him is put in the line of fire. H.R.G.’s life continues to spiral out of control and his marriage is dangerously close to the breaking point. Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) continue their road trip with a special delivery for Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg). Elsewhere, Angela Petrelli (Cristine Rose) unearths the demons of her past.

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Did you watch the Into Asylum episode? If so, what worked and what didn’t for you?

TV Review: Heroes – Cold Snap

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:47:06 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “Cold Snap” (Season 3, Episode 20)

Synopsis: HRG (Jack Coleman) convinces Emile Danko (Zeljko Ivanek), a.k.a. The Hunter, to release Tracy (Ali Larter) from Building 26, in hopes that she will lead them to Rebel. As Angela (Cristine Rose) evades capture, she turns to an old friend (Swoosie Kurtz) for help. In Los Angeles, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) continue on their latest mission from Rebel to protect the newest hero.

Review: So this is what happens when the show actually tries. Cold Snap gave us answers to questions, asked questions that were worth pondering and also offered a few twists along the way. If only all the episodes of this season had been on this level.

We appear to be on a path that will lead Sylar (Zachary Quinto) to joining The Hunter, which would provide for an deadly duo that would require all of the heroes to team up to face. We’re also going to come out and say it; The Hunter is much more interesting when he argues with HRG than with Nathan (Adrian Pasdar).

The stories of baby Matt Parkman (Quin and Reed Baron) and daddy Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg) were both interesting and actually moved the story along. Hiro got his powers back in a funny and unique way and we finally weren’t the only ones questioning the strength of Daphne (Brea Grant) and Matt’s relationship. It figures that Daphne, who seemed to be the most interesting and brightest character on the show in a while, would call Matt out on his fantasy. It also was a sweet little turn how Matt was able to show her that sometimes fantasies are better than reality. It’s a shame that Daphne is gone, well we think she is gone. As we have said a million times, nobody on Heroes really dies. If she did actually perish, the show found a very tender and surprisingly romantic way to send her off. She will be missed.

Speaking of nobody really dying, we felt that an incredibly chilling scene (Yeah we went for the pun) with Tracy was squandered by having her give a wink to the camera Freddy vs. Jason style. The entire weight of her sacrifice to save Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey), who we now know is Rebel (Another cool twist), was a bit flattened by showing that she is still alive. The scene still was one of the best we had seen out of the show this season.

Is it us or is Noah Gray-Cabey one of the best actors on the show? Just checking.

We even felt a hint of sympathy for Angela Pertrelli as she confessed her guilt over hurting her sons, something we never thought would happen. Apparently Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) did too. He did come to her rescue, after all. Maybe there is more to these characters than we thought.

If Heroes can pump out episodes like this, they have our interest. What might surprise some, not us, is that the episode didn’t feature Claire (Hayden Panettiere), Nathan or Peter really and it still held up. Hmm, should that tell us something?

Before we go, we have to ask what the hell NBC was thinking with their promo after the episode. It starts off, “He’s America’s favorite psycho serial killer …” Umm, what? How many serial killers do Americans really like? Hannibal Lecter, maybe? I guess they couldn’t say, “He’s America’s favorite villain,” because there is no way Sylar can compete with the likes of Darth Vader, Heath Ledger’s The Joker or other baddies. Hell, we aren’t sure he can match up with Martha Stewart. NBC, try harder with the promos. Love ya.

Up Next Week: As the game of cat and mouse escalates, Danko finds himself a surprising new ally. Angela and Peter try to mend their relationship.

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Did you watch this week’s episode? If so, what did you think?

TV Review: Heroes – Shades of Gray

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:07:29 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8 c

Episode: “Shades of Gray” (Season 3, Episode 19)

Synopsis: When Sylar (Zachary Quinto) comes face-to-face with his long lost father (guest star John Glover), the reunion proves to be what he least expected. Elsewhere, after receiving a tip from “Rebel,” Claire (Hayden Panettiere) must decide if she will help her sworn enemy, Eric Doyle (guest star David Lawrence XVII), evade capture. Meanwhile, as “The Hunter” (Zeljko Ivanek) plans to uncover the Petrelli family’s secrets and take control of Nathan’s (Adrian Pasdar) operation, Matt (Greg Grunberg) finds himself in the spotlight and on the verge of leveling Capitol Hill.

Review: If we’re going by a color code of criticism, white being the greatest show ever and black being a boxed set of Married with Children, the third season would be a journey into darkness. But Shades of Gray was a move toward getting into the middle ground. In an effort to please some of our readers, we are also going to do our best to hold back from breaking out the adamantium claws on the show this week. Yay positivity.

Eric Doyle’s attempt to get back to good surprised us. His attempt to set a Guinness Book record for character using the word Barbie in an episode was also a testament to his persistence … or at least the writers’ attempt to be funny. We give them points for trying and showing how gullible Claire can be. We wondered why she would be so willing to help someone like Doyle, but she has a good heart. We can’t hate on her for that. Positivity, remember?

Watching Matt use his power to get out of an explosive situation (cue rimshot) was a nice way to start the show. The Hunter is one ruthless little monkey and we love him for it. Moral ambiguity is nice but sometimes we want to see a guy that will remove anyone in his path to get what he wants. We’re not sure why he didn’t at least wonder if Nathan Pertrelli had a power considering his brother did. The Hunter is smarter than that.

Claire’s hunt for a job at the comic store was a funny and honest scene . Anyone who has tried to get hired at the fanboy mecca knows it can be harder to achieve than getting Alan Moore to attach his name to your film. But then again, we aren’t all cute like Claire. Of course she would get hired. The store she works in would be packed full of teenagers hoping to see her in a Supergirl outfit. The question is whether the odor rising from their pizza stained Venom shirts would make her pass out. The journey was still a bit meaningless, as Claire hasn’t really moved any closer to a real goal by the episode’s end. But what so you expect? She got a job at a comic store. Is that really the best way to get ahead in life?

Sylar’s meeting with his father (John Glover) didn’t turn out the way he had hoped but the message behind the scene made a lot of sense. We don’t always get what we want. How many times have we wanted to have a dramatic encounter with an old enemy, ex-lover or family member that turned their back on us, only to realize that the results were less climactic than we had dreamed of? We never tire of John Glover and it was great to see where Sylar’s lust for blood and power stems from, and the way Sylar left his father alone to die was pretty harsh. Not that we blame him.

We promised that when Heroes showed us signs of improvement, we would be happy to cheer them for it. The endgame created in the episode between Danko and Nathan qualifies as progress. Shades of Gray moved at a faster clip than what we have become used to from the show and offered less eye-rolling dialogue, so we have to praise the show for that as well.

We would like to see Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) do something significant, you know, like they used to in the the first season? Hiro’s babysitting service doesn’t really cut it. We’ll let it slide for now and be content with an episode that was better than a lot of what we have seen lately. That’s all we can ask for right now.

Up Next Week: A re-run of Clear and Present Danger.

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Did you watch the Shades of Gray episode? If so, what did you think of it?

TV Review: Heroes – Exposed

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:20:50 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8 c

Episode: “Exposed” (Season 3, Episode 18)

Synopsis: After receiving a tip from Rebel, Matt (Greg Grunberg) and Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) race to Building 26 to rescue Daphne (Brea Grant) and recover files that will expose the government’s plans for those with abilities. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) finds help from an unlikely source in smuggling Alex (guest star Justin Baldoni) out of the city. As Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Luke (guest star Dan Byrd) continue their road trip, Sylar begins to have memories of his father that lead him to the truth about his mother. Meanwhile, The Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek) puts his own agenda into action with an explosive surprise for one of our heroes.

Review: Heroes fans were exposed last night to the laziest example of writing the show has had to offer this season, so I guess technically I should say the show has been exposed for what it is, a cool storyline on the surface with underwhelming writing and lackluster acting overall.

A show that clearly has potential and fans that are willing to hold on through the choppy waters continues to cut corners. Why are we left to ask ourselves questions that the writers should ask when outlining their script, like if Claire can’t die, why is she worried about drowning? Why are agents doing the trite hide in the van routine when they are welcome to walk in and check out what’s on Tivo? If Sylar dislikes his child companion so much, why doesn’t he turn him into a Pez dispenser? Isn’t that kind of Sylar’s thing?

We’re a bit confused why Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) is having a case of the jitters now that The Hunter is starting to exercise some authority. What part of we are detaining all humans with super powers in an unethical manner doesn’t he understand? It really kills our connection to or against Nathan when we see him try to bend the rules as he sees fit, but then again isn’t that what politicians do?

Sylar still is hunting his dad. He realizes that he killed his mom. Meh.

Seeing Sandra Bennet (Ashley Crow) fleshed out a bit more was the best reason to see the episode. It’s amazing to think that we have gone three seasons and knew relatively nothing about her. Giving characters dimension and a backstory is exactly how this show could win our favor, instead it seems to be the equivalent of hoping for cherry bombs and getting a dud instead. We’re waiting for the boom.

We’re not feeling the Claire and Alex relationship. Sorry, it’s just not working and the Aquaman takes a bite out of the kissing scene from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man had us fighting the urge to grab the remote. Sorry, we know we sound bitter, but this is where we are at this point with Heroes. From the sounds of it, so are many of you.

We did get to see Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and Cutting Edge star Moira Kelly again, however, and that is ALWAYS amazing. Any chance you get to reference a movie that D.B. Sweeney starred in (who at least three people in my life have asked me if I am related to), you know you’re living the dream. Yeah, we’re actually more excited about Moira Kelly than a show full of “superheroes” at this point. Sigh. (Moira, we love you. We just expected more from the show. Let’s do lunch.)

When the show stops cutting corners and passing up opportunities to breathe life into characters we should be in love with, we will be the first in line to champion the show. We were there on the front line when it was gaining steam. Now it is just blowing in the wind … and not like a plastic bag in a beautiful American Beauty kind of way.

Up Next Week: When Sylar comes face-to-face with his long lost father (guest star John Glover), the reunion proves to be what he least expected. Elsewhere, after receiving a tip from “Rebel,” Claire must decide if she will help her sworn enemy, Eric Doyle (guest star David Lawrence XVII), evade capture. Meanwhile, as “The Hunter” plans to uncover the Petrelli family’s secrets and take control of Nathan’s operation, Matt finds himself in the spotlight and on the verge of leveling Capitol Hill. Jack Coleman, Ali Larter, James Kyson Lee, Masi Oka and Cristine Rose also star. Randall Bentley and Ashley Crow also guest star.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch the Exposed episode? What did you think?

TV Review: Heroes – Cold Wars

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:20:08 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “Cold Wars” (Season 3, Episode 17)

Synopsis: While being held hostage, HRG is subjected to Matt Parkman’s unique brand of interrogation, revealing how he became involved with Nathan’s government plot to capture those with abilities. Meanwhile, Matt’s discoveries bring Peter face-to-face with “The Hunter”.

Review: We have a shocking announcement to make. It will likely shake you to the depths of your very being. Ready for it? There will be another apocalyptic showdown on Heroes! Go ahead and yawn. We will wait.

What once was a show chock full of potential is now an excuse to pat itself on the back. Why else would you spend an entire episode devoted to the interrogation of H.R.G. (Jack Coleman)? Much like Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy), Matt (Greg Grunberg) and Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) clearly never had a plan as what to do with their prisoner once they had him, the show seemed to fumble with where to go now that they had a chance at their own remix of a Reservoir Dogs scene.

It seems like Heroes has become that junior college guy or girl that was absolutely gorgeous in your hometown. For a year or so, we were all blown away by her. Why? Well there wasn’t anything like her that we knew of. Maybe with all the praise we threw at the show in the first season, or freshman year, it got a bit proud of itself. It stopped going to the gym and started eating one more Hot Pocket than usual. The resulting freshman fifteen has stuck with Heroes for a bit too long now, and we are starting to look at other eye candy.

Wait. Maybe the episode was an attempt to display the blur in morality that occurs when two sides are fighting for what they believe to be just causes. Maybe, just maybe, Peter’s 10 second reluctance to cater to Matt’s vengeful interrogation of H.R.G. was a nod to the trigger happy reflex of America after the attacks of 9/11. Maybe we have been looking at this whole season the wrong way. Inside of the superhero package is an insightful examination into the politics of war, terrorism and the futile struggle to maintain balance in an unstable world. Or maybe we are grasping at straws in the worst way. Yes … yes, we are.

There were two revelations revealed in the episode; neither of which was surprising. Daphne (Brea Grant) isn’t dead after all, which we called as soon as she took a round straight to her chest. Nobody dies in Heroes-ville! (Cut to scene of me jumping in the air a la Rocky.) We’re thrilled that she’s back, don’t get us wrong. We just want the writers to give her something worthwhile to do. Her character is too interesting to be wasted standing by Matt’s side. The bonus will be that maybe it will actually give the writers something to do. Here’s a suggestion. Take the two part, add in character development and make the two work at getting to know each other. Their love will seem more true and we will eventually love them for it. Maybe we will even love the show more. Who knows?

The “stunning” cliffhanger that was revealed was the aforementioned threat to the world’s existence. When we saw this, the first thing we though was, “if you’re not going to try then why should we?” It’s become a messy relationship that has us on the verge of stress eating. But we won’t grow fat and bloated just because you choose to. You hear us, Heroes? We nerds are going healthy this year. That means no more fatty monologues, no going back on character timelines and no … oh no. Does this mean we have to cut the show from our diet?

Before it seems like we’re ready to throw the show to the wolves, allow us a moment to digress. Cold Wars at least spared us the pain of seeing Hiro (Masi Oka) and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continuing their pointless quests. For this, we are eternally grateful, if not spared from hitting the fast forward button on our remote.

The show has the talent both in writing, direction and action to be great again. We just need some Elvis time. You know, a little less conversation and a little more action. When Peter and The Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek) face off, for the love of God make them face off in the most explosive of ways! If John Travolta and Nicolas Cage can do it, so can you! Unfortunately, it seems like the show itself is running out of time quicker than the plot within it. If that doesn’t give the minds behind Heroes a sense of urgency, what will?

Up Next Week: After receiving a tip from Rebel, Matt and Peter race to Building 26 to rescue Daphne and recover files that will expose the government’s plans for those with abilities. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) finds help from an unlikely source in smuggling Alex (guest star Justin Baldoni) out of the city. As Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Luke (guest star Dan Byrd) continue their road trip, Sylar begins to have memories of his father that lead him to the truth about his mother. Meanwhile, The Hunter puts his own agenda into action with an explosive surprise for one of our heroes.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch the Cold Wars episode? What did you think?

TV Review: Heroes 3.16 – Building 26

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:34:03 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “Building 26″ (Season 3, Episode 16)

Synopsis: Nathan’s (Adrian Pasdar) plans face exposure as Homeland Security begins an investigation under direct orders from the President of the United States. Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Luke (Dan Byrd) embark on a road trip to find Sylar’s father, but are secretly being hunted by Nathan’s agents. Life gets complicated for the Bennet family as Claire (Hayden Panettiere) goes into action to protect a young man with abilities (Justin Baldoni) from being captured by HRG (Jack Coleman). Elsewhere, Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) prophetic images lead Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) to India and a mysterious ally comes to the aid of our Heroes.

Review: I have to admit that we are a little dizzy writing this review, as Heroes seems to be running around in circles when it comes to their story. I apologize if I’m growing a bit wary of seeing the same thing over and over again. This is a show that has offered the end of the world as the focus twice already. Does that mean the episode was worthless? Not at all. It showed some flair at certain points.

The fourth volume of Heroes is showing fans that there is still hope for the show. The main reason this has become possible is because we are seeing focused attention to particular characters, not the haphazard dart-throwing against the storyboard for Villains. (Sidenote: My friend called me this weekend to tell me that she had begun watching the third season of Heroes in an attempt to catch up. Two episodes in, she texted me with this message: My head hurts. That is all you need to know about the third season.)

The Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek) is turning out to be the most welcome addition to the show. He’s HRG without a conscience and we love it. The reasoning behind his enabling of Tracy’s (Ali Larter) failed escape is something I look forward to figuring out as the series moves forward. And was I the only one that felt Ali Larter was channeling her inner-Linda Hamilton?

I can never get a handle on Nathan. Sometimes his story gets the hamster in the wheel turning, like tonight. Other times I couldn’t care less. But it’s clear that at this point he is the star that stirs the drink. So I have no choice but to wonder what his intentions are.

The Sylar and Luke coupling brought some depth to everyone’s favorite lobotomist, while also bringing a sometimes annoying child into the mix. Sylar has consistently been an intriguing, if not overly complex, character throughout the series. But a textbook example of running around in circles is when he leaves Luke, only to return. Doesn’t it seem a bit ironic that a guy so obsessed with finding his father would end up ditching a kid that he was starting to play a father role to? Oh well, they say you are what you know, and I wouldn’t be shocked if the show flat out ditched the storyline. It hasn’t had a problem doing that with so many others lately. (The Super-soldier storyline comes to mind.) The whole thing just feels like a way to fill some time in the episode, but maybe I’m wrong.

As usual, the episode wasn’t perfect. I’m growing tired of spending time trying to get Hiro’s groove back. Whatever happened to the sword-wielding time traveler that kicked ass and took names? Now we have to travel to India with him in a group therapy session? Come on. Make like Daphne (Brea Grant) and pick up the pace.

I’m also a bit worn out with the Claire and HRG relationship. We get it. She doesn’t trust you. You still care about her, but you gotta do your capturing villains thing. Being a teen sucks. Sometimes being a dad sucks. So … what now? As OK GO would say so well, get over it.

The capture of HRG does offer a chance to flip the script on the assumptions we had about our once favorite characters. Peter, Parkman and Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy) have HRG in their grasps. Now the question is what will they do with him. That seems to always be the question with the show. You have our attention, now make it worth it.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, it is time for the show to work towards finding new ways of capturing our interest. I know that the show has the potential to be great, but it can’t achieve that goal if it colors over the same canvas. You can’t add a tree to a Picasso and say that it is a new work. With any hope, Heroes will learn that sooner than later.

Up Next Week: While being held hostage, HRG is subjected to Matt Parkman’s unique brand of interrogation, revealing how he became involved with Nathan’s government plot to capture those with abilities. Meanwhile, Matt’s discoveries bring Peter face-to-face with “The Hunter”.

TV Review: Heroes – Trust and Blood

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:01:19 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “Trust and Blood” (Season 3, Episode 15)

Synopsis: Following a chain of unexpected events, the heroes are on the run from Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) and the Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek). A series of prophetic paintings reveals the tragic fate of someone close to Matt (Greg Grunberg). Elsewhere, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continues the search for his father and encounters an outcast with information and an ability of his own.

Review: It’s probably going to sound like this episode bothered us, but it really wasn’t that bad when held up against some of the earlier chapters in the third volume. Consider this a case of criticism that has been building for quite some time now.

One of the basic lessons taught in every scriptwriting class is to show instead of tell. This concept seems to be a bit muddled in Trust and Blood. Look at Sylar’s knack for long-winded chatter as he tortures a family. All we need right now is to get from point A to point B. That goes the same for any attempt the show commits to time travel plots. Just get us there. Still, the show is returning somewhat to the original stasis, and maybe that means we the viewer are getting back to where we need to be, even if we had to run around in circles for a few seasons to get there.

Apparently our favorite primetime heroes didn’t watch The Fugitive. If they had, they would understand that the best strategy when you are being hunted down is to get as far away from said Hunter as is humanly possible. One positive to this is that each character didn’t run off to some remote part of the land, thus resulting in twenty different stories that we had to piece together. Three groups is enough, as is three stories about said groups.

The choice of Nathan as a villain is starting to wear a little thin, to be honest. It doesn’t make sense that he is okay with rounding up all the citizens with superpowers, only to let certain people he’s close to be exceptions. You may say, “Well, of course it makes sense. He cares about those few, and it makes him a conflicted character.” That doesn’t hold up. If Nathan is so torn, why can’t he realize that he is being manipulated? For a man who rose so quickly in the ranks of the government, he has seemed pretty dim-witted lately. But there has to be a battle soon, right? And the opportunity to see Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) go toe-to-toe with Nathan does get us a bit pumped.

The more definitely the show tries to set the good and bad apart, the more it becomes clear that they had it right from the beginning. Sylar and H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) have always been the strongest villains, keep them that way. The choice to give Sylar a sidekick, which we’re guessing is is his little brother, is okay for now, but how long can we keep on with the Sylar wants his mommy and daddy bit? Would a blood-thirsty baddie like Sylar get this caught up in antics typically reserved for The Jerry Springer Show? Hell, is that show even on any more?

And can the show PLEASE stop “killing” off characters, particularly ones that actually have depth to them? Or if you are going to, then make the scene possess a sense of tragedy. Daphne (Brea Grant) has been one of the bright lights in a show that fans have been losing in the dark. To see her get shot seems a bit normal, doesn’t it? We won’t throw a total tantrum yet, because the characters on Heroes are like cats. They may not have nine lives but it doesn’t seem like anybody dies the first time around, does it? We’re hoping that this will actually give Parkman something to do instead of following mystics around everywhere. But we doubt it since he is making his way to India.

A few more thoughts. We don’t ever want to hear Claire (Hayden Panettiere) use the word hunky-dory again. Ever. Nobody this side of Nick at Nite speaks that way. And stop referring to the cheerleader thing anymore. She skips school and extracurricular activities more than Jeff Spicoli. At this point, we have pretty much stopped looking at her in the cheerleading light, well maybe not all of us. Fanboys do love their roleplay.

The introduction of “The Rebel” opened our eyes a little bit, if only because we’re addicted to text messaging. The show does need a hint of mystery, so we’re in. But the way things have been going, we are a bit worried that it will be one of Claire’s cheerleading buddies asking if she wants to go check out He’s Just Not That Into You. If I see a text that reads “OMG! Sylar’s after you! Isn’t he a QT? G2G. TTYL,” yours truly will be LMAO. Don’t blow this one, Heroes.

Up Next Week: Nathan’s plans face exposure as Homeland Security begins an investigation under direct orders from the President of the United States. Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Luke (guest Dan Byrd) embark on a road trip to find Sylar’s father, but are secretly being hunted by Nathan’s agents. Life gets complicated for the Bennet family as Claire (Hayden Panettiere) goes into action to protect a young man with abilities (guest star Justin Baldoni) from being captured by HRG (Jack Coleman). Elsewhere, Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) prophetic images lead Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) to India and a mysterious ally comes to the aid of our Heroes.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch the Trust and Blood episode? What would you like to see Heroes expand on as the story continues?

TV Review: Heroes 3.14 – A Clear and Present Danger

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:13:53 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “A Clear and Present Danger” (Season 3, Episode 14)

Synopsis: Three weeks after the destruction of both the Primatech and Pinehurst, and the death of Arthur Petrelli (Robert Forster), the now-villainous Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) returns with a vengeance by persuading the U.S. President and the government to round up all people with abilities, leading to Claire (Hayden Panettiere), Ando (James Kyson Lee), Peter (Milo Ventimiglia), as well as Tracy (Ali Larter) to become fugitives from the people who were their former allies.

Review: Harrison Ford didn’t make a guest appearance in last night’s beginning of the Fugitives storyline, but the big question is whether you’re still watching Heroes. The show has seemed to lose a bit of social currency, but hey, everything it going to hell with the economy. What can ya do, right?

You know that uber-talented friend that you grew really close to in high school that eventually dropped out of school, and started getting high off whip cream bottles? That’s kind of what season 3 of Heroes was to us. The show broke ground as a primetime series center around superheroes, but lately it’s been downright normal. You kind of feel sorry for it.

Normalcy is something our heroes now want after the death of Arthur Pertrelli (Robert Forster). Thank God he is finally gone, by the way. Claire and friends, which would make for a hell of a spin-off (Spider-Man has already done it.), are busy trying to focus on ordinary issues such as college prospects, but their true destinies aren’t too far off in the distance. Neither are their enemies, as Sylar (Zachary Quinto) is more than happy to show us as he goes on a hunt for yet another family member. Oh, the family issues this show has.

The fourth season seems to be prepared to offer some believability in an otherwise believable world, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We can believe that Nathan would turn on Peter, because Nathan is a douche. We can believe that. We can believe that Ando and Hiro (Masi Oka) think they can save the world. They’re dreamers. What we want to believe is that this show will slow down a bit, focusing on simple stories. You know, like they did in the first season, when we loved the show. Maybe the fifth season should be titled Redemption. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. That is what got us here in the first place.

Even though the beginning of the Fugitives storyline is a blatant rip-off of the “X-Men Genosha” storyline, not to mention the ending of the episode is painfully similar to the pilot episode of Lost, the Clear and Present Danger episode banded the majority of heroes together in entertaining fashion. Too often, the characters have lacked any real purpose, and fans have grown tired of the “He’s dead. Wait, not really” gimmick that the writers seemed happy to do. This episode didn’t have that, although it did make me wonder why characters like Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy) and Peter would be in contact without even discussing anything from the past. Couldn’t we have had a “Hey, my cab driving friend. Remember that big fallout we had, oh, less than a month ago? Sigh. Good times.” I know the show wants to act like the Villains plot didn’t happen. That doesn’t mean the characters should act that way as well.

The addition of Zeljko Ivanek as a superhero hunting commando ups the stakes considerably, and we look forward to seeing the relationship that grows between him and Nathan. His presence created a sense of urgency in the story as we saw each hero be torn away from the routines they had desperately fought for. It’s not exactly the most original story, as we said before, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. Watch kidnapping scenes in V for Vendetta, or even Taken, and you get the picture.

At some point you have to think Senator Pertrelli will realize a re-enactment of the Holocaust, or most recently Guantanamo Bay detainees, can’t be a good thing, right? If so, get prepared for the Star Wars references (Vader saves Luke. You know this.). It looks like we will find out if blood is thicker than water.

It’s appropriate that the new volume of Heroes started on Groundhog Day, because we’re all wondering if the characters that had fascinated us will be able to shake the shadow of mediocrity that has followed for them for some time now. If the Clear and Present Danger episode is a glimpse into the future, winter may soon be over for Heroes.

Up Next Week: Following a chain of unexpected events, the Heroes are on the run from Nathan and the Hunter. A series of prophetic paintings reveals the tragic fate of someone close to Matt (Greg Grunberg). Elsewhere, Sylar continues the search for his father and encounters an outcast with information and an ability of his own.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch this week’s episode? What did you think?

TV Review: Heroes: Villains Finale – Dual

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:06:47 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8 c

Episode: “Dual” (Season 3, Episode 13)

Synopsis: Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) has to choose what side of the forthcoming war he is on, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) tries to find a little monster in all of us and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) has to choose who lives, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) or Angela Pertrelli (Cristine Rose).

Review: This week on Heroes, heroes becomes villains, villains become heroes, cats and dogs start living together and it’s mass hysteria! Man, I love Bill Murray and found myself enjoying this episode as well. All I, and Heroes fans, have been asking for this season is for the story to move forward. The end of the third volume finally accomplished this task, and who knew they could put a little action in the story as they did it? “Dual” proved that Heroes can be a show worth watching, a statement the majority of the third season proved contrary to.

Good things happen when you involve Sylar, at least in keeping my attention. Maybe that’s all we needed, someone who is more focused on doing and less focused on running their mouth, like Angela and Arthur Pertrelli (Robert Forster). Thank God he’s dead. I can’t explain how much I hated the storyline with him in it. I can only hope that Sylar escaped the burning building. But then again, this is Heroes, nobody really dies, right?

There always seem to be a few questions I have throughout an episode of Heroes, like when we got a little taste of the super-soldier ability, or lack of? I guarantee you Captain America wouldn’t get his neck snapped by Knox (Jamie Hector), but maybe it’s time to stop comparing these heroes to ones that have grown near and dear to our hearts. Still, why even introduce the super-soldier concept if you’re going to blow it to Hell in the next episode?

And why would Ando (James Kyson Lee) assume that the super-power formula would give him the ability to time travel? There’s tons of abilities out there that he could be given. Wasn’t this the equivalent of playing a super-charged version of Russian Roulette? And how exactly did Ando and Daphne (Brea Grant) know exactly when to stop in their travel back in time? Do they issue time-travel calendars?

The pacing of the episode worked better than I have come to expect from season three, and I am looking forward, unlike a large portion of the heroes focused on the past, to what is going to come next. For all intents and purposes it looks like Heroes is taking another page from the book of X-Men as the President is going to try and lock up all the heroes in an isolated facility. Hmm, remind anyone of Genosha? As we jump into the fourth volume it will be worth seeing how hard of a line Heroes draws between the good and the bad. This whole season was a moral blur, now it’s time to get down to business.

Up Next Week: Heroes takes a break until February 2nd. Then the heroes find themselves on the run as the fourth volume, “Fugitives”, begins.

TV Review: Heroes 3.12 – Our Father

Adam Sweeney — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:34:42 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Synopsis: Hiro (Masi Oka) and Claire (Hayden Pannetiere) change the course of the catalyst 16 years ago, while Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) experiments with it in the present.

Review: I have finally realized I have a super-power. It’s only been triggered during this season of Heroes. The ability to roll my eyes very quickly at bad lines won’t save the world but it will physically indicate how I feel about scenes like Sylar (Zachary Quinto) getting happy about cake after brain fucking a girl. And let’s be honest, Sylar is basically a rapist. There is a disturbing response I get when I see him backing a girl into a corner, and I’m starting to think it’s best that we just keep Sylar as a villain. Not only is the show better for it, but I also don’t have to wonder whether it’s right for a show to essentially defend his actions. Just keep him bad and we don’t have to walk the moral tightrope.

I was split down the middle on how I felt about the “Our Father” story. Part of me enjoyed seeing Hiro get to spend one last moment with his mother, the other part kept asking, “Haven’t these people seen Back to the Future? You can’t personally come into contact with yourself or you will change everything that takes place in the future.” So why didn’t we see concrete changes in the future? Do people have to die for this to happen?

An interesting thing happened with about six minutes to go in the episode. For whatever reason I began to have faith that Heroes was going to find a way to be worth watching again. Lo and behold, The Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) shows up with Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Arthur Pertrelli (Robert Forster) takes a bullet to the brain. Please please please do not bring him back. The death of Arthur Pertrelli is the only truly shocking moment we have seen this season. The sound you will hear if you resurrect him … again … will be a million man march of fanboys and fangirls walking away from your show.

In spite of the last six minutes of the show, I am still wondering why every episode I see triggers images of other stories I have seen before. For example, the clone army reminds me of well, Attack of the Clones. Then we see Hiro thrown out into the street Mace Windu style. Thank God he catches onto a light pole like Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. If only Samuel L. had been so lucky.

Intelligent Design is a concept discussed in the episode and it probably should have been explained more thoroughly for those unfamiliar to it (Thank goodness I took a Philosophy of Religions class). It’s not like teleological arguments are something brought up daily at the water cooler.

“Hey Jim, did you watch the Bucs-Panthers game last night?”

“Yep, it was a great match-up, almost as good as the one between creation and evolution. Alright Steve, good talk. See ya at lunch.”

The question of whether it is right to play God is at the center of the Heroes story right now and has the chance to turn this thing around. Pinehearst might not be cloning sheep but it appears the sheep are making the clones. Nathan Pertrelli has no clue what he is getting himself into. On the bright side, if Heroes ever wanted to do a cross-promotion with the forthcoming Captain America film they have their chance.

What I think would really help Heroes is to show some scaled down battles between characters. Not every fight has to be to save the world. Sometimes we just have to see Spiderman face off against Doc Oc or Batman face off The Joker. It’s these fights that make us gravitate towards the characters so that when they finally do try to save the world for the millionth time, or third time as Heroes is trying to do, we really buy into it. Still, there is now a reason to believe Heroes can save the day, which is more than I felt last week.

Up Next Week: In the aftermath of the showdown against Arthur Petrelli, his sons find themselves at war, with Nathan making a gambit that will have global repercussions. Meanwhile, Sylar captures Claire, H.R.G., Meredith, and Angela at Primatech — igniting a tense face-off. Elsewhere, Ando, Matt and Daphne try to rescue Hiro — and Dr. Suresh may be their only hope.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch the “Our Father” episode? What did you think?

TV Review: Season 3 Turns Into ‘Heroes: Smoke and Mirrors’

Adam Sweeney — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:28:06 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “The Eclipse, Part 2″ (Season 3, Episode 11)

Synopsis: The solar eclipse continues and reveals the heroes and villains for what they really are … heroes and villains. Who would have guessed that?

Review: I am no longer calling this season Heroes: Villains. It will from here on out be better known as Heroes: Smoke and Mirrors, because everything we have come to believe was true is now being revealed as a lie. Sylar (Zachary Quinto) isn’t really a Pertrelli? Claire (Hayden Panettiere) finds out that she isn’t really H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) daughter? When did this show become a superhero version of Jerry Springer. I can see it now, “On today’s show we have Noah Bennet. Hero baby’s daddy … or is he?”

And thank goodness Claire is okay, they almost had me believing she was dead for a commercial break. Okay, no they didn’t. What was the point in even having the eclipse? Nobody was changed by it permanently. Daphne’s (Brea Grant) bout with cerebral palsy was the only revelation that really counted, so why not just show us a flashback sequence? There used to be a time that I watched this show without wanting to fast forward. That time is beginning to look like a back issue of a 9th Wonder comic.

As for the rest of it, I have asked this more than once this season, why are we setting up exposition about characters if all we are going to do is backtrack and say that it isn’t true? Is there a button on my remote control that gives me Hiro’s power so that I can go back in time so that we can start this season over and try to do it the right way? At this point I feel like I am running in circles like The Flash.

The one element of this episode that I liked was when Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) raised the question of what to do with super-powers. The analogy of being a hero to American military isn’t lost on me, and if George Bush was watching the show last night (don’t put it past him. I bet he sits at home wearing a Captain America outfit he got off eBay) then maybe he might have the bright idea to help stop the genocide happening in Darfur and other countries. You still have one more month Dubya! You can turn this thing around! As for Heroes, I don’t know how much time they have left … to appeal to me or the rest of their fans. The clock is ticking on the chance for the heroes to save their world … both on and off screen.

Up Next Week: In a quest to thwart Arthur’s (Robert Forster) plans, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Claire band together to travel back in time 16 years to when Kaito (George Taiko) gave baby Claire to H.R.G. Meanwhile, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and the Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) join forces to finish off Arthur Petrelli for good — but Sylar has other plans for them. Elsewhere, in the lab, Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) makes a major breakthrough with the formula that could change everything.

Read More: Heroes Recaps

Did you watch this week’s episode of Heroes? How do you think they can improve the show?

TV Review: Heroes 3.10 – The Eclipse, Part 1

Adam Sweeney — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:43:35 +0000

Heroes, NBC, Airs Mondays 9/8c

Episode: “The Eclipse, Part 1″ (Season 3, Episode 10)

Synopsis: Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) looks for a purpose after losing his powers. Arthur (Robert Forster) and Angela Pertrelli (Cristine Rose) continue their struggle to capture the catalyst for the super-power formula, Claire. (Hayden Panettiere). The rest of the heroes prepare for the impending solar eclipse that will change everything.

Review: So we have been building up the entire season for a world of heroes without super-powers. Hmm. I admit I initially had a bit of intrigue to see what every character would do in response to this phenomenon, but the results have been well, ordinary. Claire can bleed now? Okay. Peter and Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) can fall into the water like Michael Phelps. Nice. And Elle (Kristen Bell) and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) want to jump each others’ bones. Man, you don’t see sex every day, do you? Oh wait, I am on the internet.

At this point there are only four characters that are capturing my attention, those being Daphne, Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy), Elle and Sylar. The rest of the stories make me want to say, “get on with it already!”

Daphne (Brea Grant) has been one of the best additions to the show from her first appearance. It was shocking (imagine that, a shocking moment) to see that she was unable to walk. Sure, it’s great to have powers but finally we see a character that truly needs them to feel normal, not super-human.

However, the Daphne and Greg subplot just doesn’t work for me. Both are excellent actors and capable of displaying the chemistry needed, but it’s just too much in such a short amount of time. What would Daphne’s reaction be if Matt Parkman met her in real life and a day later said, “I’m in love with you?” She’d say, “Okay, back off creeper, and if you Facebook or MySpace me again I will have my brother kick your ass.”

A line that struck me as I watched the episode came from Hiro. He said, “the corn will keep on coming.” I certainly hope not. But it seems like the show is ripping pages out of cliche movie and television moments with no remorse. Claire jumps in the way to take a bullet for her dad as the scene plays out in slow motion? Hasn’t this been done enough to the point that we saw it ridiculed in Team America: World Police? Even the Daphne cripple reveal momentarily reminded me of Locke from Lost. Just because the superhero storyline contains universal themes doesn’t mean the story has to be something already told.

I am directing a play right now and I am reminded of something I had to tell one of my actors. “The only reason I am being hard on you is because I know that you have the potential to be great. We just have to figure out how to get you there.” Fans and critics of the third season need to tell this to the writers of Heroes. This show has always had the potential to stand alone in a world of forgettable shows. What will it take to ensure that it doesn’t become ordinary like everything else we see on TV? Maybe Seth Green and Breckin Meyer, two of my favorite comedic actors, can bring shine some light on the eclipse that has fallen over the third season.

It seems like Heroes is continuing to backtrack in an attempt to find their way to their viewers’ hearts. The second eclipse to me is the equivalent of the Death Star in Return of the Jedi. Every time I watch that film I keep waiting for Luke to look at Leia and say, “really? They’re making another one? Lame.” When I first heard about the second eclipse coming I asked, “how many solar eclipses happen in someone’s lifetime?”Apparently this is only a “partial” eclipse so the writers found a way to cheat a little bit. The question is whether this eclipse will take away the powers of the heroes and villains or will the loss of powers simply be restored after the eclipse passes? If that happens I can foresee a collective yawn from fans everywhere. I am seriously hoping the payoff for all this anticipation is good, because they have been waiting to get to the punchline all season.

Up Next Week: “The eclipse continues to affect abilities as Elle and Sylar face off against a vengeful H.R.G. while Claire struggles to survive her gunshot wound. In Haiti, Peter and Nathan join forces with the Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) to battle the Haitian’s brother, Baron (guest star Demetrius Grosse), and Nathan comes to a shocking decision. In the meantime, Ando (James Kyson Lee), Sam (guest star Seth Green) and Frack (guest star Breckin Meyer) struggle to get Hiro’s memory back with the help of the 9th Wonders comic books at a local comic bookstore.”

Did you check out the first part of “The Eclipse?” If so, what did you think?

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