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Oh, and in case you didn't catch it: NBC and Sprint have now teamed up to let fans vote online and decide what kind of character they want to star in an upcoming live action webseries.

Hmmm... the new Heroes: Origins maybe?

I'm pretty sure I heard someone suggest that they do something like this, I just... can't quite... remember who...

"Season end tragedy" being a expedited way for some of the actors to leave quickly before the ship sunk........... Apart from Niki, possibly HRG (provided he was not saved by claire)and Sylar, who else is going?

OK episode, was how I expected it to be.

At least it answered some questions, and none of us guessed what would happen...

The final 3 episodes (or next week's one, that trailer confused me), looks better, and I really hope it is.

@FSbot: I know that there were several deaths already planned for the Heroes, but honestly I'm no longer sure on some of them because there's not enough time to fit their stories in.

I'm relatively sure that Sylar survives, as the majority of his story was moved to the second half of this season because he's filming Star Trek right now (and he makes a great Spock, judging by set photos).

As for Nikki, I'm with you. And HRG? Well, recent promo images for the upcoming episodes show Claire crying while holding an urn, which means someone close to her is biting the bullet soon.

@David885 - The episode started off with a bang, and then slowly faded down to a dull roar. I'm glad to know more of the backstory, but I'm mad that they didn't cover what happened to Sylar. I assumed that Adam had a hand in healing him, but as we saw, he was locked up during that whole adventure. Although, it does bring up a new point: Adam was incarcerated during the time that Sylar was at Primatech. Were Peter and Adam being held at Primatech, or another facility? If it was Primatech, there's a slim chance that Adam may have had a hand in Sylar's original escape...

You know, it really gets to me. The friggin' commercials for this week's episode say things like "What happened to Sylar?" implying that we would find out. How could they make such an omission, it is literally like saying f-you to the fans.

Decent episode, better than almost all of the previous ones this season, but yeah, Maya's schtick needs to change or end, now.

SPOILER ALERT


Hmmm... I wonder who it could be that convinces Peter his battle lies with someone else. A familiar face?! Any ideas? Future Peter? Charles Devereaux?

@manzy704: I noticed that as well and I'm thinking that the promo commercials were made before the recent edits to the episode.

And as for the familiar face: while this person is a familiar face to us, he may not be as familiar to Peter. They have met previously, though. It all boils down to this: who is the only person capable of making Peter turn on his friend?

I won't say it, because I don't want to spoil it for others, but I'm sure you have it figured out by now.

Ugh. I *love* your summary again, Peter, but *disagree* with your bottom line. This episode was crap. Why?

(1) Some things are just better left unsaid. Or unshown. George Lucas discovered this when he tried to explain the force - microbes in your blood or something? Why did he need to go there. In the same way, this episode showed us things we just didn't need to know: what happened with Peter and Nathan in the stratosphere - your audience is not a bunch of chimps and we could well imagine variations of what was shown. As it is, now we are left wondering WTF, how does Peter regain control of himself after going nuke in time to save his brother anyhow? Cheesy. Did we need to see Maya's wedding day fiasco? Holy PG-13. No. Waste of time. Did we need to see months of Peter and Adam yacking as cellmates? Does this add to the building action or character development? NO. Wasted time, wasted effort.

(2) Poor DL. Healed, redeemed and killed all in the same epiosde. Sad. What did we gain by this roller-coaster? Nothing. DL should have died - note the grand total of characters suffering lasting effects from last season's finale is now *1* if you include Parkman losing his wife / child. Otherwise, the finale meant NOTHING. No one got hurt, no one died, it's like a bunch of zombies you can't kill. And this alone will have *lasting* repercussions for this (now failing, soon to be failed) series: no one will care. Like a cheap daytime soap, characters will die to be resurrected and *played by understudies*. Bad, sad and tragic in the long run.

(3) Again, grade 6 story telling. Did we need seven cut screens telling us when everything takes place: "Four months ago." "Three months ago." "Two months ago." "One month ago." "Present day." "Today." "Three nanoseconds ago." Seriously, do we expect our audience is made up of children who need these things? Are there not more clever devices to convey the passing of time? Cut to a calendar? Changes in character's appearance? How about the occasional reference to the current time? No, this show used to be subtle and clever. It's become obtuse and dim. Sad.

I'll hang around for the abbreviated ending, but there won't be much to review during the strike. Oh yeah, green screens with Sylar and the wonder twins. Sad.

I'm a bit tired of complaining about this season so for a change I'll bring up some good bits about the episode. The top Veronica Mars was wearing in the the first cell scene with Peter was peach. Best.cleavage shot.ever. Ok so the good stuff out the way I'm still trying to wrap my head around this writers strike.

On one side you can see the writers argument summed up quite well here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk which seems to be inline with what I've been reading in various corners of the intertubes. Fair call, looks like those who are writing for shows are missing out on revenue that's being had by studios, networks, sponsors etc. So if they are asking for only a small increase in residuals why don't the studios and companies just pay it? Internet distribution is the tough one but if there is ad revenue being generated by the websites the studios are streaming them from then some of that should go back to the writers. It seems like a case of the studios trying to have their cake and eat it. If the writers guild is asking more than just a small increase in DVD residuals and revenue generated for advertising on sites that their shows appear on (legit ones obviously i.e. iTunes, network websites) then they can go fuck themselves. It's an awesome job that some would sacrifice an appendage for, they get paid well, their are many other creative art forms that people don't get residuals for everytime someone accesses their work. Studios are making a killing despite their cries of lost revenue due to those damn hax0r kidz and their 1337 it3w3bz skillz, and they're jeopardizing the industry over what in the long run won't be any skin off their nose or big hit to their back pockets.

What is the stance of the suits anyway? have they flat out refused to meet any of the writers demands or are they in negotiations?

If they're that adverse to complying why can't they just hire new non-guild writers or commisions writers from those other strange lands on shores beyond their own?

I just want my shows back and I want them to be good again.

Wow Tom - that was one heck of a comment! Let me see what I can do to answer all the excellent points you make:

1) Some things are just better left unsaid. Or unshown. George Lucas discovered this when he tried to explain the force

I 100% AGREE. If there's one thing I love more than Heroes and Lost, it's Star Wars, and Lucas royally "screwed the pooch" on the entire series when he started remaking and writing the new prequels. As far as I'm concerned, theres the original trilogy (without the added scenes) and then there's three loosely based fan films that just so happen to be made by Lucas afterwards.

As it is, now we are left wondering WTF, how does Peter regain control of himself after going nuke in time to save his brother anyhow?

This was a throwaway line that not a lot of people caught: Peter tells Nathan to let him go because he's focusing all his powers on not exploding. Once he's clear, he's free to explode and use his other powers for other things, aka saving Nathan. The explosion doesn't phase Peter at all, just like it never phased Ted. He just couldn't use his powers while he was trying to restrain himself.

Did we need to see Maya's wedding day fiasco? Holy PG-13. No. Waste of time. Did we need to see months of Peter and Adam yacking as cellmates? Does this add to the building action or character development? NO. Wasted time, wasted effort.

What you have to remember is that everything we saw in last nights episode was almost twice as long as it was originally. The original script included Sylar, Parkman, Mohinder, HRG, Candace, and from what I've heard, even a little Ando. Because they scaled the episode back so much, they had to reshoot new scenes to fill in the entire hour. Hence the looooong pointless scenes and extraneous dialog. Like I said, started with a bang, ended with a whimper. It just got slower and slower as it went on. It would have been a lot faster paced and left out a lot more of the useless stuff if they'd included the other half of the story.

(3) Again, grade 6 story telling. Did we need seven cut screens telling us when everything takes place: "Four months ago." "Three months ago." "Two months ago." "One month ago." "Present day." "Today." "Three nanoseconds ago." Seriously, do we expect our audience is made up of children who need these things?

Haha! I was ok with this until it got to "Three Weeks Ago", then it got ridiculous.

I'll hang around for the abbreviated ending, but there won't be much to review during the strike.

Don't I know it? By my figures, I'll have ten weeks of dead air inbetween the Heroes finale and the Lost premiere, but never fear! I am working on some projects to keep people entertained during the wait (I don't want a repeat of zombie week this year).

Tron - as far as the strike is going, the AMPTP (the other side of the argument) recently released full page ads in Variety and other magazines that stated that writers already get paid residuals for several online distribution methods, such as iPod downloads, etc. The writers are looking for money for "other" methods, such as streaming episodes on sites that are paid for with ad revenue, etc.

And here is where I get preachy: When the writers write an episode for TV, they get paid for it, and get paid quite well. What they want is extra money. They want more money when someone puts the episode up on the internet. Now here's my problem with that: the writers don't do a damn bit of extra work when it goes up. Now, I'm all for writers getting paid if the write a skit specifically for an internet clip, or if they have to write some of the website, etc. They want money for doing nothing. They didn't write the HTML, they didn't develop the flash player the episode is embedded into, they didn't book the advertisers on the site, they didn't do a single second of extra work, but they want to be paid for it nonetheless.

As far as DVD's, they already get residual payment for them. They want more. Again, I don't mind paying them more if they wrote brand new scenes for the DVD, or if the wrote a behind-the-scenes piece, etc. But they shouldn't get paid extra for doing nothing.

In my mind, that's what this is all about: the writers greed. They somehow believe that they deserve more than a cushy lifestyle and a shot at fame and fortune. These people aren't starving.

The people who are starving however, are the actual workers on these shows and movies. The lighting guys, the writing assistants, the cameramen, the studio caterers, the gophers, the key grips, and so on and so on. Hollywood has had record lay-offs and firings this week. When shows are being held hostage by the writers, someone has to pay and it always ends up being the working class people who are just trying to survive. The writers don't care. Most of them can outlast this strike, even if it runs all year. But try telling that to the hundreds and hundreds of hard working Americans who are now unemployed because these a--holes want second helpings.

@Peter - throwaway line by Peter Petrelli: no, I did catch it, just *not plausible*. Come on, you're going to reach critical mass and then fly back to get big brother? I know, I know, the whole notion of heroes having powers and Peter absorbing others powers already requires a suspension of disbelief...I just don't think this sequence added anything and was unnecessary.

I do appreciate your enlightenment on the reasons why this episode had *major* pacing issues, as you've described. Makes a lot of sense; this would have perhaps been a completely kick ass episode if not for this strike.

@Tron - you are right, I should be more positive about the show. Just disappointed.

Has anyone on the 'net been discussing mama Petrelli's power? I wasn't sure, but this episode had some "power music" playing and a close up when she was grasping Nathan's wife by the arm. I saw a glimmer of this when she was speaking to Nathan last season about his need to stay on course and blow up 0.07%. I think she's got some power of suggestion or mind control. I haven't surfed this, so it likely sounds self-evident, but I wondered if you'd considered this...???

I think it's interesting that Nathan considers his mother "evil" now (from a few episodes back when he was hitting the bottle hard).

Finally, I'm thick, but spell it out for me: who's gonna intervene and convince Peter to side with Hiro? Is it the obvious Peter's father? Claire? Save the cheerleader, save the season?

Good thread.

@Tom - I was trying to not complain as I do that every week, although everyone else's rants are great and it only affirms my thoughts on the show. Please don't hold back YOUR thoughts on account of me.

@Peter - You make some excellent points Peter, especially with the 'blue collar' workers being the hardest hit. I think there have been 2 other major strikes in the industry that these workers have had to endure all because of people who earn more money than they do bickering over more goddamn money. On the other side of the coin you could argue that without the 'white collar' workers like the writers and executives then the blue collars wouldn't have jobs to work on in the first place. Fair? no. True? yes.

It's a tough call. Do you give in to the writers and give them the extra 4 cents per dvd and a x% cut of any online distribution that they're after just to end this shit? You would think it's in the studio's best interest get these shows back on air as the loss in revenue would pale in comparison to the money lost in paying the extra residuals to the writers. Sometimes groups or unions strike for something they truly deserve, sometimes it's for less noble reasons but the fact is they have many people by the balls here and it doesn't seem like they're asking for that much more.

If I could get more money for what I do without doing anything extra... I'd do it. I would also take a writers job on one of my favourite shows for 50% of what they're currently paid.

If they do win, I wonder if it will open the floodgates for people demanding money for all manner of digital works across the net? The music industry will be hot on the heels of this that's for sure.

Or I guess I could switch off the TV go outside for some fresh air......

@Tom - You've probably seen this since it's mega old but your avatar reminds me of it everytime.

I think it's fair to say that I'm always harder on these episodes than I probably need to be, but it stems from a fanboyish "disappointment" in the show. I guess I've sort of given up on this season already and I'm just waiting to see how it ends so that we get get working on the "course correction" that will undoubtedly happen when the writers return.

I think that everyone in Hollywood gets paid too much, and it causes a weird trend of oneupmanship in the industry. Actors make millions per project, so producers need to make more. Producers make more, so writers need to make more. And so on and so forth. But what this really causes is the slow degradation of the art form. People rarely make films because they deeply love the plot or ideas in it. They make them to please the widest possible audience so that they can make the most possible money, so that after they pay everyone their exorbitant fees, they can still make a profit off the damn thing.

That's what I see happening with TV and digital media (DVDs, internet). Giving in to the writers demands at this point would mean that it's OK for one slice of the equation (and believe me, writers are a small slice in a giant pie) to hold the entire industry hostage in pursuit of the almighty dollar, especially when they are trying to enforce payment rules on a system (the internet) that is still emerging and evolving.

I can say this, though. If they win and are given more money, a lot more companies will be forced to find a way to pay off those costs. This means more advertising on their websites, or paid subscriptions where it was once a free download. Some studios have even gone as far to threaten pulling their online episodes completely if the writers win; it's just not financially feasible to pay someone for something you give away for free.

This debate is not unlike the recording industry and the mp3 format. They want money from a new technology, but the already high cost of their current format is just going to make people download it "illegally" more often. Of course, there will be a new slew of legitimate licensed sites releasing episodes (lol, iTubes) but most people will just start to get real friendly with torrent software or direct download sites.

So maybe it's a good thing.

Maybe, by winning this, we'll get to revolutionize television the way we did music. Instead of writing shows for TV, people will just release them themselves and skip all the Hollywood drama. People will "pirate" shows more and more, and the big studios will be the ones feeling the pain. All the small, independent operations that don't deal with the AMPTP or the WGA will be the ones reaping all the success, while the industry slowly circles the drain (not unlike the current mass fleeing in the recording industry).

And remember, CDs were so expensive because recording engineers and producers wanted just a little more money each year. The more you pay out, the more you have to make. The more you have to charge for a product, the less viable it becomes.

...and now I'm just ranting. I'll stop there for today.

Maya is a squid. Scare her or threaten her adn she squirts her ink in a defensive posture...do you think that when she sneezes, ya know one of those really sick on the couch for 3 days sneezes, that she maybe just chokes everybody for 30 seconds or something? Cool power...oh, no I'm sorry it's not.

@TOM: what is the big frakin deal with some of the things they did? Was it that awful to see Maya waste 70 drunks at once. It showed that the dam was ready to break but then she lost control (who else has done that?) and spread her deadly mascara to the masses. I was happy to see that, and I cannot stand those two, so.
Good point about DL and soap operas…I look forward to seeing him in Eureka, then back in Heroes.

Excellent point about SW. Saw TPM again this weekend and wanted to put it on mute, hideous dialog. Wish Shadows of the Empire or Thrawn Trilogy came out before prequels, now I doubt those would have the same impact.

HEY Mama Petrelli must have some power of persuasion thing. Maybe that means Adam/Kensei IS a relative (i.e. Dad?) because she could convince anybody that he’s dead, just by touching them (not in that way, ewww) and telling them “your father killed himself”  Then the regeneration stuff can be handed down to granddaughter Claire. Besides that I don’t really think Adam/Kensei is a Petrelli, I like it.

I do not know the strike’s specifics (thanks for the rundown) but I asked a friend who is a grip if he was on strike too, effected by this, etc. He was bullshiiit. Said it threatens his job because the greedy s.o.b.s want more money and think everybody should back them BUT they (the writers) make concerted efforts to not help when the others in the industry (i.e. anybody, grips, electricians, etc) strike or have issues.
So I’m on the side of “F-the writers” even more now – Heroes threatened, LOST threatened, BSG delayed already. This sucks. I may have to read books soon…nah, I’m just kidding. Gotcha!

@CC26 - I'm with Tom (and a lot of other people) about the Maya/Alejandro scenes.

They introduced Maya and Alejandro at the beginning of the season. We saw that Maya could do her oily crybaby thing, and then we saw the posters saying that they were wanted for murder. By then, everyone should have been able to put 2 and 2 together and figure out that she killed some people with her powers. We didn't need them to hold our hands and walk us through it. The only interesting tidbit we learned is that Maya killed the guests at Alejandro's wedding.

See, this is the kind of sloppy writing I'm talking about. Heroes could take a few tips from Lost, who have pretty much mastered the flashback scene. They played their hand too early, and put all the cards on the table, when they should have held back. Here's what they should have done:

1. Skip the Maya/Ale parts of Four Months later altogether.
2. Later in the season, when Maya and Ale actually meet the rest of the cast, have one of the characters, maybe Nathan, find out that they're wanted for murder and confront them about it.
3. Alejandro reveals that when her powers emerged, she killed an entire wedding party. Make it a really dark monologue, with lots of dramatic flair. "She killed 73 people that day. The entire wedding party... women... ...children. Mothers and fathers. Dead, lying facedown in the dirt... it was supposed to be a joyous day... but it wasn't Maya's fault. She didn't want this. She couldn't have..."
4. Nathan asks how Alejandro can be so sure, and Ale replies "Because it was my wedding."

BAM. End of episode. Let the fans speculate a bit, and then open the next episode up with the flashback scenes where we learn that Ale's bride was a ho.

It makes for a much more engrossing scene that way and the reveal becomes much bigger as we see what Maya has put Alejandro through and why he wants her healed so badly.

As for Mama Petrelli, I could see why she could definitely have the power of persuasion. She does always seem to be able to get people to do what she wants them to do, but then again, maybe it's just because she's a sneaky manipulative bi--h. Plus, I hope she doesn't because I'm tired of seeing the same powers for all the characters. What's next? We find out that Hiro's sister can turn invisible? Ugh.

I enjoyed the actual visual of the mass killing is what i meant.

your re-write is SO MUCH BETTER. The "Because it was my wedding" would have been frakin classic!!!!