TV Review: Heroes 3.16 – Building 26

Posted by Adam Sweeney (adam@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 17, 2009

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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”.


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  • Unblinking Eye
    It doesn't seem like Hiro needs his teleport power. In the first episode he is kidnapped from Japan and makes it back in time to be on the same transport plane as the other heroes. Now he's a fugitive and he able to hop a plane/boat/carrier pigeon and make tracks to India. They were able to track down Sylar from a traffic cam but forget guarding the airport/ports/pigeon coops. I still hold out hope for this show and hope next episode is a turn for the better. That was a nice touch with the kid with water breathing power, not everyone with a power is powerful. Final thought: the rebel is Micha (he can communicate with machines around the world, including the hunters' files and fax to India).
  • ERoBB
    I'm a bit worried the show will never realize the potential of the the first 3/4 of the first season. I mean we still have plotlines that get thrown away, characters thrown away, useless characters continually brought in.

    And I mean, what happened, why are our characters still whiny and unsure about having powers or whatever? I mean everytime we saw future versions of these, they were badass. Like Hiro, Peter, Parkman. Everyone was cool in the future, and I know they prevented these futures, but still shouldnt they be maturing?

    And what is the deal with Ali Larter? I hated her first character, so they give her 4 more, and just offer up a silly explanation.
  • i like heroes, i think its back! i can feel it even if you cant, i can tell there will be some huge things going on!!
  • I agree with ERoBB as well. I am also confused on why the Heroes can't get organized. In every comic that depicts mass amounts of people with mutant powers, they tend to gravitate to each other and work together on fighting crime, bad guys, government, villains, etc. I was hoping that Hiro's Lair would have manifested into the "batcave" for these characters. A chance to become organized, and use each others powers collective to fight.

    I am also not into Syler having to find his dad. It better be a damn good end point for this part of the story.

    This show has such potential and they spend countless hours in a circular storyline. They need to kick this show into gear or run the risk of losing more viewers.
  • leonkennedy
    i have watched this show since the beginning and still enjoy mainly cause i dont see too far into it, like i have said its a drama show with interesting points, now i can say its a bit more evolved but its not an action show or thriller by any means.

    i dont get how you or your chick friend were dizzy or head hurting@!?
    come on man its not that hard to understand where the story is going or what they are doing.

    you are right in so many points but i feel this volume has done better than villians did and i see the potential that was there in the first season.
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