Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Heroes: More Absurd than Ever

I like to whine about Heroes. In my opinion, the show jumped the shark at the end of Season 1 with its anti-climactic finale. Still, I'm a sucker for anything with superheroes, so I'm continuing to watch despite my reservations. Sadly, as last night's episode confirmed, the writing is as absurd as ever.



It's bad enough that they introduced a character who can breathe underwater. Talk about a lame power -- he can't even talk to the fishes like Aquaman! When Claire scrambled to hide him, I turned to my friend JZ (no, not that JZ) and made a crack about how she should just stash him in the jacuzzi.

I never expected the writers would actually stoop to stashing him in the jacuzzi.

Even worse, I think the show is poised to bring back one of my least favorite characters from seasons past. One mystery of S3 is the identity of REBEL, the anonymous computer hacker who has been helping our heroes at every turn. I'm guessing that REBEL is Micah, who can interface mentally with machines.



I don't know what it is about that kid, but he really creeps me out. I would totally buy him as, say, a murderous child psychopath...

14 comments:

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

Agree on all counts, Big. I thought the show did fine past the first season, but, unlike when LOST lost its footing around the time of the tailenders' story, this show SHAMBLES along. Its like a comic that gets a new writer and artist every three months and the title goes into a (supposed) bold new direction. I had hopes when Robert Forster was introduced. For all of two episodes. I think the nadir was the two-parter involving the eclipse where NO ONE knew why their powers were gone. Good Christ, Big! What has become so annoying that I no longer even watch the show past eating dinner is the dialogie, which is terrible and delivered by the actors in a terrible way. Claire: I don't know, they have some kind of list!

On-topic with LOST, I applaud the fact that DC published two collections of the online comics. I have never been a fan of LOST webisodes, ARGs, VIA DOMUS, etc., and I really can't see why the producers to find a publisher for Find815 or the original Hanso site. They could print screencaps and put a chronology to things, from Janelle's diary at ABC.com to the intro of Ajira Airways. This would, for me and I'd think a lot of fans, would be unique and make for a great gift or summer read.

Back to HEROES, if this was a comic right now, it would be cancelled, but brought back five years from now when someone has a new spin to pitch. It's hard watching a show crash and burn.

mary said...

I quit the show this year after the second episode. The new hero's bored me and it was going in all different directions. Did they fire all the original writers? I can't believe they have an aqua man. Does he swim like the original aqua man? He should be able to talk to fish...then he could use them to attack...NOW that I would watch.

kake79 said...

I agree that Heroes seemed to have jumped the shark at the end of S1. But for some strange reason, I keep on watching. The week before last I commented to my friend that it felt like a chore to watch it now. I also agree that there are a few actors on the show that need some serious lessons (Hayden and Milo being the two worst).

However, where our opinions diverge is on this weeks episode. This was the first episode I kinda' liked this year. I enjoyed Sylar's flashbacks and I sort of like the new guy. The ability to breath underwater isn't any more useful or useless than some of the other powers like clairsentience, dream manipulation, enhanced memory, imprinting, and the list goes on. In the Heroes world, we aren't talking about superheroes, we're talking about evolved humans which means not all abilities will be helpful in a fight.

justin said...

This whole terrorist/heroes parallel seems forced. IF it was not for Sylar's storyline I would have tuned it out this season.

Anonymous said...

Hello,

I have to agree with everyone here! It does feel like a chore watching the show, but I am still compelled to watch in hopes that it will get better. The story has jumped all over the place. What really is annoying me is Nathan and the thought the government would be the best in handling people with abilities. Shouldn't he know better?? Goodness this show... SH

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with the above. The whole story line with Heroes just goes in an endless loop: #1) Pick random Hero, make him/her a villian #2) Create some contrived 'save the world' scenario #3) Predict the future will be bad, really, really bad. #4) At last possible moment, change the outcome even though all other predicted events came true #5) Rinse, repeat, start next season.

Sylar is the only complelling character and actor worth watching on that show. Well, Hiro too, for the comedic value. If they bring back Micah I will be done with this show. The only good move the writers did is kill off his hot blonde mother (talk about lame powers) and re-cast her with a new identity.

Oh, and am I the only one who thinks Hayden Panettiere wears way too much makeup?

-- Fred

Anonymous said...

I got into a friendly debate with another student in my film class, and she was trying to tell me that Heroes was better than Lost. Now I'm used to my friends giving me crap because of my obsession, but thi debate was blasphemy! And of all settings, in a class about analyzing film. Her main point was that she enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 but felt like in 3 it went off the deep end. I'm still trying to figure out at what point it does this.

Maybe I'm one of a few people that loves to over-analyze Lost but I am glad to see that someone else finds Heroes horrendous at this point, and any point after season 1.

New episode of Lost is coming up, time to go.
Kevin

Rambling Thoughts of Poohbear said...

I agree with all of the posts regarding HEROES. I tried, really, really tried to stay focused. After the second episode of this season, I gave up and removed it from my DVR. I no longer cared about the characters and found them doing things that made no sense. I knew I was in trouble, when I started rooting for Sylar last season.

Kevin, you're not the only one who over analyze LOST. That's probably the one show that I'm bonkers about. I also feel your pain regarding the LOST vs HEROES debate. Far too often, I had people try to tell me how superior HEROES was, especially during the first season. Not surprisingly, I don't hear much from those folks anymore... lol.

f/k/a NetProphet said...

Loved Heroes throughout the first season, but was underwhelmed by the finale. Watched sporadically since then, and only once this season. Lack of continuity and consequences = no investment in the outcome. I believe Cuse and Lindelof are serious about avoiding the same pitfalls.

dj said...

My girlfriend and I really did like Heroes Season 1. Well, until it ended. What a terrible ending! Seems everyone hated it. And then Season 2 was awful... and then Season 3 was (is?) awful...... we stopped watching at the end of "Volume 3", so I don't know. So disappointing to see the series crash and die like that.

Personally, I think the time travel thing lost its edge after, well, the first go. You can't keep using the EXACT same pieces to establish a reason for people to act. Oh no, someone saw a bad future! Spring into action! No...

I tried to be careful with my wording there because LOST is absolutely 100% a time travel show now. I think the difference though is that LOST is executing it beautifully, whereas Heroes used (uses?) it as a crutch.

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

I find it amusing that at least a half dozen people I know not privy to comics saw the first trailers for WATCHMEN last summer and thought it was a rip-off of HEROES.

@NetProphet I get you, though I mostly treated the show as a "watch during dinner" show. It angers me that the writers think we have such a low mentality that we can't see these faults, on how they introduce characters and situations without caring about the outcome.

@Poohbear I did enjoy it a bit past the first season, the ending of S1 had faults, but I was willing to say "well, they tried." Those who say its better than LOST simply do not care to invest time in thinking about what they watch.

Capcom said...

Great thoughts on Heroes, everyone!

Heheh, I myself have absolutely no idea what is going on, but it's just fun to watch each week to see what crazy thing they will pull. I don't, or can't, take the story seriously at all, and treat it as merely TV-eye-candy that comes on right after I watch Chuck, which I really like. :o)

Anonymous said...

This past episode was probably the best of the season. IMO.

Michael said...

I totally agree with you, I don't know why I continue to watch this show. I am constantly disappointed, but I feel I have to keep watching. I don't know what it is. I hope they wrap it all up soon.

I love Lost and would love to see it go on forever, but they know when they're stretching the subject too far, and now they're bringing it all together.

Heroes should follow that example.