So Heroes is getting quite a bit of attention lately, isn’t it? They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but I can’t imagine referring to it as a show in crisis is doing the once ratings juggernaut any favors. I encourage everybody to check out my blog, where I have written an essay of sorts that responds to the Entertainment Weekly article. Does Heroes need to be improved in some crucial areas? Yes, of course. But I think it’s a bit dramatic to say that it needs to be “saved.” NBC is, what, in fourth place among the major networks? How exactly would canceling one of its top performers (and arguably one of their most recognized shows) improve their standing?
Along those same lines, has anybody ever said to you, “Hey, did you ever notice that huge mole on Terry’s forehead?” Despite having never noticed Terry’s mole before, now every time you see him, that’s all you can see. I think Heroes is in a similar boat. There’s a very vocal group of people complaining about certain deficiencies. Fans read these complaints, and suddenly that’s all they can see. That’s why, overall, I try to steer clear of message boards. As a whole, the posters tend to be entirely too negative, and their negativity is contagious. I enjoy Heroes. For the most part, I really like most of the characters, and I’m interested in the story. In hindsight, yes, season two was an epic disappointment. But why would I judge this season based on last season’s less than stellar performance? The writers have made a concerted effort to remedy their mistakes, and while the writing hasn’t been perfect, it’s been (in my opinion) pretty fun and exciting.
The writers have a lot more work to do, but fans, in general, need to just let go of last season and enjoy this season for what it is.
That isn’t to say that I just blindly compliment this show. I’ve been pretty vocal about how last year’s storyline promised — though not explicitly — a fight between Claire and Elle. Instead we got Claire punching a car window (uh…what?) Well, BOTH TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly promised me a cat fight this week — hell, TV Guide even issued a Cat Fight Alert — and what did I get? But ten seconds of hair pulling and a hip toss. Let these two go at it already (my money’s on Claire)!
I will admit, though, that I did like the bonding scene between Claire and Elle. It’s been said countless times before, but these two girls are basically opposite sides of the same coin. Claire’s father did everything in his power to hide her from the Company. Elle’s father thrust her upon that very life. While I STILL would have really liked the cat fight, it was nice seeing these two characters connect. That being said, remember how I noted a few columns ago how I worried that making these “shocking” turns (Sylar is a hero! Claire is a villain!) might come off as contrived? I honestly feel like, for the most part, they’ve avoided that. But am I missing something with Claire’s sudden “I can’t feel pain” deal? I mean, she’s clearly talking about physical pain, and not emotional anguish (which may make somebody feel less than human), because all she’s done this season is whine, cry, and complain. We always knew she couldn’t feel pain, or at the very least that her pain was very brief. So why is she suddenly all torn up about it and thinking that she’s broken?
Oh, and with all the conflict between Future Claire and Future Peter, it was nice seeing their present day selves acting close and sweet again.
And speaking of Peter, his interactions with Sylar is being handled fantastically. Honestly, so far, this may very well be the highlight of the season. And while I’ve complained about the nonsense behavior exhibited by Peter once he absorbed Sylar’s ability, I do understand why it happened. It was important for the writers to show us, the viewers, that Sylar isn’t necessarily a bad guy, despite all he had done. You see, Peter — who we KNOW is a Boy Scout — even succumbed to the ability, killing his brother (in the future) and almost taking the life of his mother. However, that doesn’t excuse the fact that the entire thing should have been written much better.
I loved the scene with HRG, Nathan, and Meredith, but the complete lack of HRG this season has been inexcusable and tragic. Honestly, he’s been pretty much relegated to one or two scenes per episode. He’s one of the very few characters on the show who is seemingly universally enjoyed by viewers, and one of the only characters that has actually shown depth and complexity. And while I was skeptical of him rejoining the Company at the end of last season, I’m actually interested in seeing him kinda sorta working for them right now. Along with that, I think his developing relationship with Sylar deserves just as much attention as the one with Sylar and Peter. Plus, I think the idea of the Company actually being good — while Pinehearst is bad — adds an entirely new level to what we’ve been seeing the past two seasons.
Anyway, back to the HRG/Meredith/Nathan scene. I loved how Tracy pointed out the obvious…..how Nathan and Meredith are the parents of HRG’s adoptive daughter. It was a great, awkward,”lets point out the 800 pound elephant in the room” moment.
So Maya’s not dead, but at least it appears that she’s been written off of the show. That’s good enough for me. Good riddance, gal. And regarding Mohinder: To paraphrase an old expression (or to clean it up a bit, anyway), either crap or get off the pot. I understand the desire to justify his actions, but still, if you’re going to turn him evil, then do it. I’m all for growth and development — and for what it’s worth, I’ve enjoyed the journey so far — but I can’t help but feel like they’re just playing it safe by making us not want to hate him too much so that they can keep him on the show. Cuz God forbid they ever write a major character off.
I will say this, though: I loved his scene with Peter. Perhaps the greatest way for them to show that he’s not that upstanding a guy is when he wasn’t going to go through the injection until Peter told him that, in the future, he’s some sort of monster. In the end, his personal future was more important than everybody else’s future. A nice little scene, if you don’t mind my saying.
I think that’s about it for this week. But to sum up: Do yourselves a favor and just sit back and enjoy a really, really good show. Season two is over. Lets move on.
Matt Basilo has been writing for Inside Pulse since April 2005, providing his insight into popular television shows such as Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, and Smallville. You can visit his blog at A Case of the Blog.
