Heroes season two, episode 5 review
November 2nd 2007 01:35
Heroes season two, episode 5
I loved the first season of this show very much indeed. It was one of the first SF programmes I have ever seen which displayed that level of brilliance so early on in its lifetime. Firefly was another such programme (I’m sure if Firefly hadn’t been axed after its first year, it would have gone on to become even more awesome).
But most new shows seem to experience what I call the ‘second year slump’. The producers bank on the popularity and critical acclaim of their first year, and rest on their laurels. It happened with LOST. Awesome first season, iffy second season. Some fans of Heroes on the Internet think it’s happening with this season.
I still think the show is brilliant, but that said, the storyline is not moving forward enough for my liking. We’re five eps into the season now, and the Mexicans haven’t even reached the US borderline yet! The Peter Petrelli (who is in Ireland for some reason) storyline is wearing out its welcome, too. Amnesia is the biggest cliché for Hollywood screenwriters. I just wish he’d get his memories back, and start kicking ass again. The new characters are fairly bland, too. Maybe that’s part of the problem. Too many characters to service, not enough screentime for all of them.
I am enjoying the story with Matt and Nathan in New York. They make a good team. And Dr Suresh is a cool character, and I just wish they’d do more with him this year. I had a feeling that Bob’s new assignment for him would be that Monica chick (with the fast-learning powers).
I love Hiro, and the feudal Japanese story is very cool, but we’ve not seen much of it in the last few episodes. I like the idea of Hiro communicating with Ando from the past, via the scrolls. Hiro was central to the series last year. I wish they’d focus on his character a bit more often.
Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) immediately made an impression, electrocuting that poor Irish bloke in the pub, in her first appearance. I wonder what her character is up to... Maybe her recurring role in the show will bring in a few Veronica Mars fans to help the (levelling off) ratings.
I still have faith in Heroes. There is real potential for awesomeness to occur this season. We just have to be patient while the story arc unfolds. What the producers need to understand is: people have very short attention spans these days, and there are so many other distractions (DVDs, videogames, many other TV shows available to watch) vying for their attention. You really have to make your product stand out, and deliver the goods. Sad reality is, most people just aren’t patient enough to put up with slowly-unfolding arc stories. It demands a bit of thought and effort on the part of the viewer. Some couch potatoes in the audience aren’t willing to be challenged. They want instant gratification and cheap thrills. (Look at the popularity of purely plot driven shows like CSI and Law and Order, which have next to no character development or continuing story arcs). I believe that everything in Heroes season two will come together eventually, and it will all make sense. I honestly haven’t enjoyed a show this much since the Buffy days (god, I miss that show).
I loved the first season of this show very much indeed. It was one of the first SF programmes I have ever seen which displayed that level of brilliance so early on in its lifetime. Firefly was another such programme (I’m sure if Firefly hadn’t been axed after its first year, it would have gone on to become even more awesome).
But most new shows seem to experience what I call the ‘second year slump’. The producers bank on the popularity and critical acclaim of their first year, and rest on their laurels. It happened with LOST. Awesome first season, iffy second season. Some fans of Heroes on the Internet think it’s happening with this season.
I still think the show is brilliant, but that said, the storyline is not moving forward enough for my liking. We’re five eps into the season now, and the Mexicans haven’t even reached the US borderline yet! The Peter Petrelli (who is in Ireland for some reason) storyline is wearing out its welcome, too. Amnesia is the biggest cliché for Hollywood screenwriters. I just wish he’d get his memories back, and start kicking ass again. The new characters are fairly bland, too. Maybe that’s part of the problem. Too many characters to service, not enough screentime for all of them.
I am enjoying the story with Matt and Nathan in New York. They make a good team. And Dr Suresh is a cool character, and I just wish they’d do more with him this year. I had a feeling that Bob’s new assignment for him would be that Monica chick (with the fast-learning powers).
I love Hiro, and the feudal Japanese story is very cool, but we’ve not seen much of it in the last few episodes. I like the idea of Hiro communicating with Ando from the past, via the scrolls. Hiro was central to the series last year. I wish they’d focus on his character a bit more often.
Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) immediately made an impression, electrocuting that poor Irish bloke in the pub, in her first appearance. I wonder what her character is up to... Maybe her recurring role in the show will bring in a few Veronica Mars fans to help the (levelling off) ratings.
I still have faith in Heroes. There is real potential for awesomeness to occur this season. We just have to be patient while the story arc unfolds. What the producers need to understand is: people have very short attention spans these days, and there are so many other distractions (DVDs, videogames, many other TV shows available to watch) vying for their attention. You really have to make your product stand out, and deliver the goods. Sad reality is, most people just aren’t patient enough to put up with slowly-unfolding arc stories. It demands a bit of thought and effort on the part of the viewer. Some couch potatoes in the audience aren’t willing to be challenged. They want instant gratification and cheap thrills. (Look at the popularity of purely plot driven shows like CSI and Law and Order, which have next to no character development or continuing story arcs). I believe that everything in Heroes season two will come together eventually, and it will all make sense. I honestly haven’t enjoyed a show this much since the Buffy days (god, I miss that show).
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