Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Heroes, Ep 4: The Kindness of Strangers
Okay, any minute now this show will become a little more interesting. Everyone dumped on the beginning of season 3 of Lost saying they hated it, it was boring, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the show, and they were jumping ship to the far superior Heroes. I argued that you can't compare one show's first season to another's third, because the first season of a show is always the one that pulls us in; it's sustaining it that is the hard part. I said it'll be interesting to see if Heroes is still this good in its season 3. Now I'm reading everywhere that people are sick of Heroes and jumping ship and complaining that they wish Lost was on because it's the better show. Ah, the fickle fan. I'm still hanging in there... I have faith it's going to get better, because of that stellar first season (minus the finale). (And, just for the record, I really liked all of Lost's season 3...)

I finally got around to reading the EW cover story from a few weeks back (the issue that had Hiro on the cover) because I didn't want to see any spoilers. In it, Tim Kring actually says that he thought most people didn't like the finale last year because they clearly couldn't follow one long complicated arc over the season (so this season will be divided into two), and because the show had done so many great things in the year it put FAR too much pressure on the finale to live up to the season. So, he concluded, they learned their lesson. So... does that mean this year will be kinda sucky so we don't have any great expectations of the finale? Not the way to go there, Tim. The other thing I'm curious about is Bryan Fuller. Watching last week's Pushing Daisies again, I saw his name on it and realized he was one of the head writers on Heroes last year, so by leaving the show to go to this one, does that mean their creative force has left? Because Pushing Daisies ROCKS, and Heroes... does not.

Maya and Alejandro: So... I've been championing the Wonder Twins as the ones I'm most interested in simply because they're new, but... um... did anyone else feel like this week they'd suddenly turned into Nikki and Paulo? They're harboring a very dark secret; they're on the run from the law; they've committed murder; they're trying to get into the U.S. illegally... and with ALL of that going on, Maya goes and spills absolutely everything to Sylar moments after finding him on the side of the road. HUH? How stupid IS she? It'll be interesting to see if Sylar is able to eventually absorb both of their powers, thus allowing him to go black-eyed and plaguey, but able to control it with Alejandro's powers. I'm still curious to see what Alejandro's absorption of her black-eyedness is actually doing to him.

Monica: Whoa. Her power is... seeing something on TV and replicating it. Like no 12-year-old has ever seen a body slam on WWE and done it to his brother. (I once worked with someone who told me her son watched a wrestling move on TV and then did it to his brother, and she took the TV, unplugged it, and put it out by the curb for garbage pickup and they never had a TV in the house again. Um... yikes?) While I thought the spin around the pole and kicking the bad guy was pretty badass, let's hope she's not watching any creepy porn any time soon. Did I miss something, or did the manager seem way off-base in telling her that her "home situation" meant she couldn't get a different job, since she lives with her brother and guardian? Um... isn't that EVERY teenager?? I could see if the rude kid at her house was actually her SON that her home life would be taken into account.

Claire: Goes to the top of the Hollywood sign so she and West can chit chat and he can dare her to jump off, saying she has to lose her fears. Which makes perfect sense, since if HE jumped, he wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of bones sticking through his skin afterwards. He seems to realize that and Claire, showing she'll do anything for Loverboy, jumps, but he catches her and they float up in the air. Bah. I hate that guy. That said, Claire comes up with a pretty brilliant plan to get onto the cheerleading squad, arguing with her dad that she wants to be "normal." Because, as we know, the majority of girls in high school were cheerleaders.

Matt: Ooh, Daddy is the Bogeyman!! I didn't see THAT coming. I'm intrigued. Very intrigued. Since this season is called Generations, I wish they'd actually move to that theme, looking at the ancestors of each of the current-day heroes and dealing with those. I thought we'd go back in time and see Linderman discovering his powers and Granny Petrelli, etc. but instead they're just being offed one by one and that seems to be it (and Takezo Kensei seems to be some sort of ancestor of Claire's, and therefore Nathan's and Granny's, if his powers being the same as hers is any indication). How is Matt going to help Molly now that she seems to be lost in her own head? Does he have to kill his own daddy in order to bring her back?

Nathan: After trying to reconnect with his sons and being sent away, he shaves, and then goes to meet with his mom and she actually seems to have a heart for the first time ever. I want to see more of this storyline. I loved the scene of her talking in Matt's head.

Micah: Sorry, but the kid who plays Micah just has NO charisma for me. His character annoyed me last season, and now he's the little polite kid with the curly hair who's so meek and sweet you just want to hit him. That said, I wanted to slap his cousin into tomorrow, too, so it looks like that family is one of extremes. Either meek as hell or rude as hell.

Absent: Niki (THANK YOU!), Peter and his Irishmen, Hiro, Ando

Next week: Kristen Bell arrives. YAY, VERONICA!!!

Other Heroes news: Here's an interesting interview with Zachary Quinto in TV Guide. Here's Matt Roush complaining about this season of Heroes. Interview with Jack Coleman. EW pleads with viewers not to give up on Heroes. And finally, George comics:

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only thing that can save this season of Heroes for me is Kristen Bell. I am all intrigued by the preview - "WHAT IS HER POWER?" And I also think her appearance will prove that they don't have the best actors they could on this show... Kristen was Veronica Mars - she carried an entire show!

Brian Douglas said...

I am enjoying this season, although not as much as the first. It lacks the suspense stopping the bomb had.

Maya and Alejandro: I agree with you on Alejandro. Absorbing Maya's plague is definately hurting him. And don't judge Maya too harshly--Sylar is a great at getting people to trust him. I think it's part of his ability to see how things work. He just knows what to say and do. Also, I loved the fact that his watch was broken. He's not Sylar, just Gabriel Grey.

Monica has what is known as "photographic reflexes." Notable characters with that power include Marvel villain the Taskmater and Echo, a member of the New Avengers.

Claire is unwittingly killing her daddy! Btw, I don't care what his name is, I'm still calling him "flyboy." And I don't trust him at all. Like Bennett would put Claire in the same school where a known "hero" would be in the same grade as her. Something fishy is going on here.

Matt: I don't think Matt father's the "big bad" this season. I think he's a bit paranoid (rightfully so) and just doesn't want to be found. Also, this storyline will probably lead to him expanding his powers to more then just reading other people's thoughts. Also, he and Mohinder are so acting like a gay couple.

Nathan: Now that we seen burned man twice, I think its neither Peter NOR Nathan. I think its really their father. He looks a bit like both of them, but I didn't think it was either Milo or Adrian in the mirror.

Micah: He is so annoying. So is his cousin. Btw, I think his cousin has the power to create water. Notice when he wakes Micah up you never see where the water is coming from, and he's not holding a bucket or anything. Powers really do seem to run in families.

Btw, there was a four-part online graphic novel about how Linderman first met Daddy Petrelli, and the latter learned of the former's powers.

Ooo, Kristin Bell next week! Who wants to bet she can throw lightning?

Anonymous said...

The writing this season has been very lackluster, and seems to have been "dumbed down", for lack of a better expression.

The characters act and react in ways that just seem totally off the wall (ie: Nathan & Matt's conversations this week; Maya & Sylar; West & Claire), they all just seem like soulless zombies!

Another thing that bothered me this week was the "daddy issues" comment that Suresh threw out there, seemed odd and misplaced - and being that it's a major theme in LOST really irritated me.

Looking forward to next week - the only characters I enjoy are Peter, Sylar & Hiro... they seem to be the backbone of the show and without them this week, it seems to have failed.

Anonymous said...

If you check the left, undamaged eye, you can see it's Nathan's.
Moreover, if you look closely to both images, from ep 1 & 4, you can see that he seems to be wearing a pendant. Probably the same as Peter's.

Anonymous said...

I've gone from last year's "oooh, it's time for Heroes" to "I guess I'd better watch Heroes. And anyway, it comes on after Chuck."

At least Nathan shaved. That's something.

I think Maya will end up with Mohinder. They have similar IQs.

Before Matt said that was his father, I figured he was going to say that, and Molly was going to say he's the bogie man. Ah, well.

thisguypossessed said...

My theory is that Claire's brother has somehow become a ghost. He keeps on blurting out painfully obvious lines in a bad sarcastic tone (your car got stolen, remember?!) but it seems that no one in the family acknowledges him. I think this show will really start to pick up once he realizes no one can see or hear him and he becomes the true hero of the series. ;)

K J Gillenwater said...

Boy, Tim Kring really thought people couldn't follow a season-long arc and *that's* why we didn't like the finale? Talk about patronizing. Um, Tim baby, the finale SUCKED.

As for Monday's ep, I thought it was better. It's almost like I can see the writers struggling with how to lay out this year's mysteries. Not sure where to start certain stories (they started the twin storyline way too far back...they should have run into Sylar in ep. 2) and not sure how to introduce was the big connecting story is...although now I'm wondering, is there one??

I disagree with you on the hispanic chick confessing all to Sylar. She has been treated like a freak or the devil so far. I could believe that the minute she finds out someone has heard of Dr. Suresh and his book, she would begin to discuss it.

I think fly boy is bad, so I don't mind disliking him. It is pretty obvious by the painting and the fact that Claire is lying to her dad about this guy that he is no good. He is getting between the trust Claire and her father had...he wants Claire to look to him for help, not her family. Perhaps so he can manipulate her later on.

I'm patient. "Heroes" is not like any show on TV right now. I'll keep watching until the end of the season.

Brian Douglas said...

I didn't think the finale last year sucked, it just didn't live up to expectations, which is not the same thing. Also, it helps if you think of season 1 as "Peter and friends" rather than Heroes.

Nikki Stafford said...

Sarah: I can't wait for Kristen next week!

Anonymous2: In the first ep, I went back and rewatched Nathan looking into the mirror, and it definitely appeared to be Peter he was looking at. But this week, I agree with you: it was definitely Nathan -- the bone structure is entirely different. Do you think he's seeing both of them? Did Peter somehow heal Nathan, too? Hmm...

Colleen: It's so funny you would say that about Moronder, because it was also my husband's first reaction when she began to spill all: "Is she related to Mohinder or something?!"

thisguypossessed: Really interesting theory!! I haven't noticed the family doesn't respond to him. I'll have to watch more closely because THAT would be interesting!

Brian and Kristen: I disagree on Maya not being an idiot. She's on the run from the law, and is about to enter the U.S. illegally, and she just unveiled herself as a murderer to a bunch of cops before running out of the police station, which means they're giving chase. And she finds a guy lying by the side of the road, who could very well be a cop or an FBI agent or god knows what, and she immediately says to him (BEFORE he says he knows Suresh, by the way), "Oh, hey, WE'RE going to New York, too!!" Illegally. NOT something you announce to someone you've known for about 2 minutes, if that.

Kristen: I agree with you on fly boy. I hope we're not supposed to like him, because they're doing a piss-poor job of making us do so.

Brian: Totally agree on the broken watch. That was a really nice touch. Interesting theory on the burned face, because as I said, it was Milo playing the burn victim in the first sighting, and Adrian in the second, so a meld of the two of them would be an interesting twist. Also interesting theory on the cousin!

Anyone else think WE should be writing this show?? hahaha... the twists you guys are coming up with are far more interesting to me than the show is right now, but like Kristen, I will be watching it to the end. I won't give up on this show. Bionic Woman, on the other hand... :::snore:::

Oh, and Brian, I'll go with Kristen on this one: the finale SUCKED.

Heehee...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous2, here.
I guarantee you it's Nathan's face in the bar.
Simple trick: freeze the frame and put a paper over the face until you only see the right (your right) side. Definitively Adrian Pasdar.

Plus, I don't think they'd bother with fixing Milo's hair in-between takes, even if it would make sense with continuity. But I also thought it was Peter the first time I saw it.

And I don't think Pete could have healed Nathan since he never met Linderman in the first place, except if you think he'd met him years ago.

Nikki Stafford said...

Anonymous2: You are totally right. You just made me go back and find the spot, and despite Adrian having the same mopey look that Milo usually gives, it really is him (it's the cheekbones that make it easier to tell). Sorry! You were right, I was wrong... thanks for clearing it up, because I was a little confused Monday night when it was definitely Adrian in the mirror. :)

Anonymous said...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07290/825886-352.stm

New Story on Kristen Bell and how much she loves heroes... some spoilerish stuff, but nothing really dramatic... I LOVE HER AND VERONICA MARS WILL SAVE HEROES!

Brian Douglas said...

Nikki: That's cause you're a big meanie! :-)

Adriwankenobi said...

Hi, Nikki. I'm just a spanish boy who really likes your comparation between Lost and Heroes because I think exactly the same, and people saw me in a bad way when last year I told them that. Besides, I also like your Lost unofficial guide. Congratulations for it. Regards. Adriwankenobi.

Anonymous said...

i guess this'll make me unpopular round these parts but here goes anyway ... *deep breath* ... i can't stand kristen bell. cannot stand her. in fact, she well may be the sole reason i give up on heroes this season. there, i said it! i find the characters she plays obnoxious and irritating (i know nothing of the actress, i'm sure she's lovely). if she's going to play another VM-type on heroes, then goodnight, i'm outta there.

i agree with the others, i do find micah overly polite and kind of cardboard-y ... his father just died, his mum left him with people who are essentially strangers to him and ... ??? nothing? meh. hate his cousin, though (the boy, not the girl).

and speaking of obnoxious characters, please dear god, kill off molly. that's all i ask for. please. i just want to pop her one every time i see her or hear her whingy voice. ugh. though i am enjoying the my two dads scenario with mo 'n' matt. heh. ("mattinder"?)

i actually enjoyed this epsiode more than the others because sylar was in it. he's such an evil villain and does such an awesome job with the creepy. i hope he sticks around for the rest of the season.

i'm not a fan of flyboy, either. so smarmy. and what is with these up, up and away moments in broad daylight in the middle of a residential street? the first time was silly; now it's just annoying. as IF.