Heroes (season one spoilers)

[kate_nepveu]

Further thoughts on Heroes, now with spoilers.

So, basically, Peter Petrelli is Jean Grey of the last X-Men movie, down to the "oh yeah, I guess he didn't actually need to die after all"? Except not female. Umm, I guess that's an improvement?

(I was vaguely thinking, while watching, that something was going on that I didn't know about because I hadn't seen the show except for the prior episode; but no, not really, it was all there for me to realize that this was stupid. I was just hypnotized by the family angst.)

I did, however, notice even at the time that Hiro stabbing Sylar was inexplicable.

(Hiro and Ando! Best part of the whole episode.)

As for season one, I'm leaning against watching it, and just starting with season two with Wikipedia's character list open on my lap. Twenty episodes of Claire getting dragged around by people before she finally gets agency in the finale, or whatever was going on with the split-personality woman, just does not sound very appealing. And maybe there'll be better plotting in season two.

(People who asked what I like in TV: characters who are interesting and who don't make me want to throw something at the TV. Stuff happening that doesn't make the analytic part of my brain cry too much (both in plot and in theme/implications). And genre: something that isn't ordinary people leading ordinary lives, that isn't overly suspenseful or icky, and a lack of humiliation comedy (but does have a sense of humor). Lost eventually failed on the characters and on the lack of stuff happening (and the stuff that did happen, frequently didn't make any sense). I get the impression that season one might be somewhat marginal on the "not holding up to analysis" part. Also, Chad watched the finale, because he happened to be in the room when it started and we were having an unrelated conversation during commercial breaks, and I get the impression that he wasn't really impressed.)

Comments

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

Heroes and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip premiered at the same time. Heroes had a weak, turgid pilot and I wanted to hate it--but there was just enough interest there to keep me watching week after week. Studio 60 had a strong pilot and I wanted to like it, but it just didn't deliver in the long run.

Heroes is still a deeply frustrating show. Some of the characters are poorly handled--the women worst of all, as you've noticed (which I suppose continues the tradition of the comics). On the other hand, the stupidest characters tend to be male (Mohinder Suresh the brilliant-yet-incredibly-stupid scientist, and Matt Parkman the telepathic cop, who seems to blunder through life entirely on impulse and can't even work his ability into an advantage most of the time).

The wonderful double act of Hiro and Ando is the show's great saving grace. They kept me watching through the particularly bumpy first episodes, and after that, in a mid-season patch without much Hiro and Ando, the show's very good grasp of suspense and pacing kept me hooked (surprisingly, the best episode of all, "Company Man", isn't about them at all). Also, several episodes had Christopher Eccleston in them.

And the show really does not hold up to logical analysis at all, even granting the comic-book super-science.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks, that's useful. (And another vote for "Company Man," too. Obviously I need to watch at least that.)

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

"Company Man" is probably my favorite episode, but it reveals the backstory of a character they've been building up all season, so I don't know how strong it will be as a standalone.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

"Company Man" and "Five Years Gone" are both Hugo-worthy, IMHO

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

[prince-corwin.livejournal.com]

If you like superhero comic books, you'll probably like this. If not, not. It has very much the same virtues and flaws.

[kate_nepveu]

I don't know if I like superhero comic books; I don't read them because the weight of backstory seems like an insurmountable barrier.

[prince-corwin.livejournal.com]

It's not a barrier because in a year's time they'll retcon it all anyway.

[kate_nepveu]

. . . which means I should care about the soon-to-be-retconned events why?

[montoya.livejournal.com]

I know Chad read Astro City (all the concentrated awesome of superhero comics with very little of the badside and no continuity issues) -- did you read those, too?

[kate_nepveu]

Not yet. I probably will, but I've been in the mood for other things. Also working.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

characters who are interesting and who don't make me want to throw something at the TV.

There are characters of that sort, but there are also quite a few boring and throwing-things characters. (Some of the boring ones improve over time, but the throw-things ones pretty much stay that way--with a couple exceptions.)

Stuff happening that doesn't make the analytic part of my brain cry too much (both in plot and in theme/implications).

One thing Heroes does not fail to deliver on is "stuff happening." Stuff happens like woah. Much of it results in brain-crying, due to both in plot and theme.

And genre: something that isn't ordinary people leading ordinary lives,

No problem there.

that isn't overly suspenseful or icky,

Apart from the occasional brain-ectomy it is not particularly icky. (They don't really show the oogy bits even with the brain-eating, but it is still icky in my head.)

and a lack of humiliation comedy (but does have a sense of humor).

Wins on that.

So, maybe maybe not. Since they wrapped up the plot for S1 quite tidily, while still leaving plenty of room for future stories, watching S2 without S1 should be fine.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks--sounds like I'll give most of S1 a pass (people seem to think highly of "Company Man" & "Five Years Gone", so I may watch those individually).

And yeah, stuff really did happen, huh? The plot summaries and such at Wikipedia nearly made my eyes cross.

[markerikson.livejournal.com]

I liked that they managed to fairly aptly explain why Hiro's actions where the deciding factor in the bomb plotline. Although there were a few bits and pieces that didn't quite make sense, such as how did Bennet, Parkman and Nicki survive the explosion to be alive in "Five Years Gone"? Because unless Hiro affected their lives in some way I didn't notice, they were all doing exactly the same things they would have done in the "Five Years Gone" timeline.

Also, why didn't Claire just shoot him? Why didn't Peter say "Are you insane Nathan? She can just shoot me and nobody has to die."

[kate_nepveu]

Why didn't Peter say "Are you insane Nathan? She can just shoot me and nobody has to die."

Yup, hence the Jean Grey comparison in the third _X-Men_ movie.

just shoot me

[(Anonymous)]

You can't just shoot him because he has clare's invulnerability. The question is why can't he fly into space himself since he also has his brother's flying abilities. In general Peter was the most annoying character for no good reason (other than the plot required it).

[(Anonymous)]

Dumbass! That's exactly WHY they were supposed to shoot him. The whole fake science point is that the power comes from brain activity, and if you put a bullet in the brain or knock the guy out or whatever, the power is put on hold (yes, I am aware that the writers have contradicted themselves on this point). Bennet et al's - "al." including Peter - whole goddamn plan was to shoot Peter if he lost control, so it was beyond asinine that they switched that up. Also, retard, he can't fly himself because he's LOST CONTROL OF HIS MAGIC ABILITIES. What is wrong with you?

As someone somewhere else pointed out, it's pretty obvious, they thought we all wanted to see some bad cgi of a nuclear explosion rather than a story that makes any fucking sense.

Also, you do us all discredit when you talk about characters being shit because "the plot required it." The only way the plot could require that is if the plot is bad. It's not like this is a history or prophecy; either the writers should come up with a reasonable way to make the plot move along, or they should tweak the plot until that's possible. You'll settle for anything, evidently.

Uh, and yeah, I am also aware this comes two or three years too late. Blame streaming netflix, a fever and google search.

[annewashere.livejournal.com]

The show... I didn't love the whole season, really, and there were many things that irritated the crap out of me in the last episode. However, Company Man and Five Years Gone were so good that I'll keep watching in hopes they produce another one like it, or even raise the level of the whole show.

Mr. Bennett is one of the best characters I've ever seen.

[kate_nepveu]

I'll probably watch at least those episodes, thanks.

Mr. Bennett is kinda freaky.

[publius1.livejournal.com]

I'm not much of a comic book fan, but this show enthralled me. *Shrug* YMMV.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks.

[burger-eater.livejournal.com]

... a lack of humiliation comedy...

I'm with you on that.

[kate_nepveu]

I over-empathize with people on screen. This is why horror is a problem, too.

[aor.livejournal.com]

Hey, we have something in common.

Much TV makes me want to leave the room.