Gotta love those awkward Bennet family breakfasts.
I have criticized the fact that we’ve seen Claire vs. HRG in a battle of trust every single volume thus far, but I must say they’ve made a concerted effort to develop and change up their dynamic, and it really shows. The writers are having some fun with it, actually, evident in the opening scene when Claire mockingly said to her father, “Let me guess, this is where you say that everything you’ve done has been to keep me safe.”
Their final scene together, when HRG told his daughter that he was moving out for a bit, was extremely reminiscent of their relationship throughout the first season. You truly felt that these two love each other, and that at the end of the day, they are the most important person in their respective lives. Despite their constant issues of distrust, you get the sense that, in a perfect world, they could just make everything work and be a happy family. And I think that’s what it comes down to with HRG. Everything he does is for the dream that someday, he and his family can rest easy and be happy together. And this was one of the rare moments when Claire recognized that. Yes, this is something we’ve seen before, but it doesn’t feel like the same old, same old quite as much.
And how psyched am I for next week? “Company Man” left the bar awfully high, but an HRG-centric episode is a can’t miss! And while I’m sure the writers are tempted to “swerve” us, I do hope they reveal that, at his core, he’s a hero.
Last week I thought the stuff with Sylar was brilliant, because his sassiness just “worked.” But this week, the kid he was with just…didn’t. Granted, he doesn’t know everything that Sylar has done, but he’s clearly a killer. He was just a tad too lackadaisical about the whole thing. And I gotta say, considering all of the sinister and torturous things Sylar has done, he decides to be a patient parent with this annoying kid? And what the hell, he paid the bill before escaping????? What’s next, helping an old lady cross the street? At least he left the kid behind, though. Oh, but then he went back for him. How sweet.
And while I don’t agree with putting children on the black market, honestly Sylar, are you in any position to be judging somebody for their deplorable behavior?
I must say, I did quite enjoy the use of the security cameras throughout the episode. Panning over to a camera before or after each interaction was a great way of illustrating, “yeah, these guys are screwed.”
I just loved the visual of Anna having a touching, personal relationship with her grandfather, and Hiro creepily standing just inches away.
I do appreciate that they are at least acknowledging that Ando now has powers, while Hiro doesn’t, and that his changes the dynamic of their relationship. Although I must wonder: How exactly did these two get to India? I assume they flew, but this episode hammered home the point that this government organization has surveillance on traffic light cameras. I would think that the extreme measures of airport security might be an obstacle. And the only ally they’ve got that can fly is Peter, but that’s impossible because once he makes contact with Ando, he’ll lose that ability and absorb his.
Anyway, this was another very enjoyable, focused episode. The writers are doing a nice job of pacing themselves and limiting each episode to the characters essential to that particular portion of the overall story. And I must admit, I am curious about the identity of this “Rebel.” Is it simply Peter and his crew? Is it Angela? Is it Nathan? Maybe somebody else on the inside? I raise my glass to another stellar showing.
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.
