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| Heroes: Our Father |
| Tuesday, 09 December 2008 | |
 I'd like to start out this week by sincerely thanking shows like Dexter, TrueBlood, Fringe... hell, even Smallville and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, because without them around to be consistantly entertaining I really would not have the iron will and constitution to sit through each episode of Heroes this season. What happened, Heroes? You came back with such a bang, and now it seems like you're fading away with a whimper - like you were all gung-ho to recapture your glory and then halfway through the season you just threw up your arms and cried "I give! I'll admit it - I have no idea what I'm doing!" Last night's episode could be used as a perfect metaphor for this season as a whole - a promising premise, a rush of excitement, then suddenly people start doing things that don't make any sense, someone gets introduced, someone gets killed off, and in the end we've accomplished exactly "jack doodly squat" (to use the technical term). Silver Lining or Tinsel in the Turd?I'm going to forgo the recap this week (because at this point you're probably either watching the show out of a sense of loyalty or morbid curiosity) and get right to the review: I liked the first third of last nights episode - very much, as a matter of fact. Sure, having yet another set of problems solved through time travel when Hiro isn't supposed to be traveling into the past anymore - a fact they get around because Hiro's 10yr old self never made that rule - seems like a cop-out, but at least there seemed to be an actual purpose to their jaunt into the past, not just a "let's go back and reset it" mentality. Discovering that Hiro's mother also had powers (the ability to heal) was a good move for the show, as it continues the theory that super-powers are largely a hereditary trait. I actually got excited and hoped (out loud even) that this was going to be one of those "diamond nugget" episodes that the show occasionally has.Alas, I was wrong. 
"Worst. Seven Minutes in Heaven. Ever."
However, let me list just some the things that are drastically wrong with this scenario:
WafflesOkay, so Sylar's a bad guy. Wait, Sylar's a good guy. No, bad guy again. Aaaaand back to good guy... no wait! Evil again. At this point, does anyone really care who's side he's on? He kills Elle for no reason (he already had her powers), tying up the final "season two cast addition" loose end. I was just glad to see him back at his old routine again, even if it was completely ridiculous that Elle's cellphone had a list of super-powered people on it, and Sylar just so happened to find the person with the exact powers he needed to tell if Arthur was lying about the whole paternity thing or not on his first try. Yup. Brilliant writing there. Human lie detector? Really? That's how we resolve this? Seriously? (Sylar is apparently also become adept at the witty one-liners: "Oh, you caught me. That was a lie." "Cake!" "It does tingle!")Not enough parameters! You must have 4 parameters separated by "|" : e.g. {playerflv}290|140|false{/playerflv}Elsewhere, Nathan (who has apparently developed Ace Ventura hair powers) takes over Pinehearst and the super-power project, which turns out pretty much like I had expected. Nathan, instead of picking a well trained, devoted and mentally stable test subject, Nathan decides to give powers to a semi-traumatized and obviously emotionally unstable ex-marine. Yeah, that's not going to end poorly. And of course, when they do finally inject Nasal McFlaryNose (seriously, did you see those things? He could fit a Buick up there), he throws a chair through a plate glass booth and everyone just stands around patting themselves on the back for a job well done. Yeah, it's always a good sign when the war-scarred vet you just gave super strength to starts randomly destroying things around the lab for no good reason. Mmmhmm. No, seriously - good choice there. He's obviously not going to use those powers in the wrong way. Yup. Then we get to the "final showdown". The Haitian blocks Arthur's powers temporarily, but Arthur eventually overwhelms him. Peter takes the shot, but Sylar stops the bullet mid-air... because apparently the Haitian's powers either aren't working at that moment, or the Haitian has to be consciously subduing someone's abilities (meaning it doesn't just happen whenever he's nearby). Oh wait, Hiro and Daphne's powers didn't work at the movie theater when she was trying to steal the formula, so the Haitian's abilities have to work whenever he's nearby. But - if the Haitian's "dampening effect" happens to everyone near him, he would have had to be unconscious for Sylar to stop the bullet, right? Right. However, that would mean that Arthur's powers would be back too, and he would have been able to match anything Sylar could throw at him (for instance, a psychokinetically propelled bullet). But no, we're just supposed to assume that Sylar caught him off guard (because Arthur can't read minds - oh wait, yes he can) and the bullet killed him before he had a chance to react (because Arthur can't stop time - oh wait, yes he can). Then, Sylar doesn't kill Peter, saying "you don't have anything I need anymore". Hmmm, I guess Elle just caught him at the wrong time then, yeah? *sigh* Justice League - Canadian DivisionMeanwhile the rest of the "not quite good or useful enough to be in the main storyline" players try to track down Isaac Mendez's fabled lost sketchbook (insert dramatic music here), and manage to accomplish the only logical scene in the show. When they need information, Matt reads the bike couriers mind to get it. When the bike carrier takes off, Daphne uses her super-speed to chase him down. There is a conflict, they use their abilities correctly to solve said conflict in the most efficient manner possible, conflict resolved. Oh my god! It's amazing! *starts clapping wildly*Not enough parameters! You must have 4 parameters separated by "|" : e.g. {playerflv}290|140|false{/playerflv}They also get big kudos from me for not having the lost pages reveal some "big future mystery" or show them reading the sketchbook, or have yet another picture of an eclipse or the world breaking apart, all of which are getting pretty tiresome. Instead, the sketchbook merely catches them up to speed on Hiro's current situation at the same time the audience is and gives them the momentum for their next move - find some way to rescue Hiro. Yes, the whole "find another time traveler, maybe Ando can be the new time traveler" idea is a pretty weak one, but logically there's really no better option at this point (since Peter is still powerless). Plus, it's the perfect setup for the Parkman-Mohinder reunion we've all been waiting for (particularly the fans in San Francisco, if you know what I mean). I think it will be a little too convenient if the serum actually gives Ando time-travel powers (isn't it a random power, or can they pick and choose abilities?), but I'm confident that they'll find some way to save Hiro soon. Why? Well, because they have to have both him and Peter back (and powered) for the next volume, so that they can find another ridiculous way to keep them from actually using their powers to save the day, of course!
Peter Sorensen is a part-time reviewer and "the bombdiggity" (to use the technical term). You can email him here or follow his updates on Twitter. Thoughts? Opinions? How's Hiro going to return to the present? Will Sylar join the good guys next episode? Post a comment below and let us know! Comments (12)
  Peter wrote...
I'm just glad that one of the writers broke the streak and no one got shirtless this episode. It was a nice change of pace.
Also, "Alas" is such a cool word - I so rarely get to use it. :D
http://www.bleepinggeek.com || December 09, 2008
 manzy704 wrote...
Hey Peter, I agree with your take on this episode. In fact, I think I may have enjoyed it more than I would have liked.
I've never been a fan of the quick change from Bad Sylar to Good Gabriel so it was great to see him back in full form as a bad guy. I just wish the writers would explain why he wouldn't prefer to take powers in the more friendly fashion. Maybe because he is in too much of a hurry and thinking of one liners takes up a lot of time. Great point on the Ace Ventura hair by the way. Nathan is such a douche. I really liked the stuff with Hiro and Claire but I was super pissed that Hiro lost the catalyst almost immediately after he received it. So stupid. I wonder if Arthur is really dead as Angela specifically said to shoot him in the back of the head. I'll assume he is but as you point out, no one ever really dies on this show. I think Arthur could travel through time because he had taken Peter's power and his encounter with Hiro in Africa gave him Hiro's power. If he could time travel though, why wouldn't he just skip the eclipse ? Better yet, why wouldn't he just go back in time and take catalyst by force on his own? There was some promise this week, but I agree, I'd rather be spending my time with Miguel Prado than Matt Parkman.
|| December 09, 2008
 Tron wrote...
Pete, you totally missed one of the huge oversights of the episode. Right after Sylar gets that chicks lie detecting ability and the office people walk in, Sylar says 'Cake!'.
But he should know the cake is lie........
|| December 10, 2008
 crood wrote...
If I were inclined to give the writers the benefit of the doubt, this episode could actually explain why Arthur didn't just kill Hiro at the end of Villains. It's possible that he intentionally put Hiro on the path to get the catalyst. Perhaps with Issac's precog painting that he got from Hiro. Of course none of this explains sending Sylar and Elle after Claire.
Didn't they specifically say the catalyst was in someone's blood? How does the magic light thing qualify?
|| December 10, 2008
crood wrote...
This episode really highlighted something that's bugged me for some time. Why does it appear that the U.S. government, whose resources far outstrip any corporation's apparently has no idea about the people with powers who have been around for centuries? They should already be hip deep in everything Primatech and Pinehearst have been doing.
Has Nathan even considered instituing some sort of checks and balances for the people he's empowering? Even if his non-existent pysche profiles are 100% successful in never selecting someone who'll be corrupted, what about future trauma or blackmail? What about the fact that you still can't stop powers rom ocurring naturally? Wouldn't more Shanti virus or eclipse research be in order before you start handing out powers. One of the problems with Nathan becoming obsessed with powers being the solution to the worlds' problems is that he's probably used his powers less than any other character on the show. This is mainly due to the fact that flight isn't useful in as many situations as the others. It's pretty much useless indoors. Why did Arthur cave into Nathan so quickly? Was he just humoring the boy? Did you get a load of how Knox and Flint were eyeing Nathan? They didn't look too happy with the new boss. It would make sense, since Nathan's motives wouldn't include them. Remember how future Peter mentioned the black market for powers? Who might be responsible for letting the formula out of Pinehearst's control?
|| December 10, 2008
Tron wrote...
Crood: Totally agree mate. Just taking this epsiode as an example, you would think after Sylar brutally murders the office chick 3 co-workers and the dude in the lift can totally identify him, there would be a national manhunt from all arms of the law!
Maybe this paranormal stuff is just out of their jurisdiction... I'm beginning to share Sylar's hatred for Heroes. Loyalty should be rewarded and I stuck up for it long enough. I'm hoping they kill it off after this season and re-boot it when the VFX are cheap enough to not interfere / impede the story and the writers are completely replaced (I nominate Pete for any future head writing position) .
|| December 10, 2008
Peter wrote...
@manzy704 - Good catch on the time-travel thing. There are so many rampant powers running around, I sometimes forget that Peter has had all of them at one time or another. It does bring up another point though - when Peter takes a power, he has to learn how to use and control it. When Sylar takes a power without cutting open their brain, he has to learn how to use and control it. However, for some reason when Arthur takes a power he has full mastery of it right then and there. Lucky guy.
Also? Poor Miguel. Poor poor Miguel. :) @Tron - Haha! I would love to see Sylar kill someone and then just walk away singing "This was a triumph. I'm making a note here - huge success..." @crood - It's not just that. What I want to know is this: what the hell happened to the national manhunt for Sylar? Y'know, the one that first introduced us to Matt Parkman in the first place? You'd think that if suddenly another rash of murders with Sylar's M.O. starting popping up left and right, they'd reopen the case and put some more people on it or something! Then again, maybe Pinehearst and/or Primatech have some kind of high-reaching influence with the government that allows them to call off the search or something. It kinda puts a damper on the whole "secret organization" aspect, but it could explain how you never see the cops trying to chase down HRG or anyone else in the Company. Speaking of which - where the hell did the Company go? It used to be this large, busy organization with people everywhere doing experiments and teams of agents, etc. Whenever they show it now, it's just Angela sitting around waiting for someone to show up. Are they all on vacation? Not enough budget for extras? Massive layoffs due to the downturning economy? Oh and about Nathan - yeah. It's always a good idea to give a potentially dangerous power to the government (sarcasm).
http://www.bleepinggeek.com || December 10, 2008
crood wrote...
So far as we know, Arthur has had decades of experience stealing powers, so it could just be easier for him understand new ones.
Since we don't know if Claire and Hiro actually changed history or were always a part of it, we still may not know what made/makes Claire "special". Perhaps contact with her future self did it. From what the doctors said in "Eclipse", it appears her powers have been active at some level since birth, since without them she has no resistence to infection.
|| December 10, 2008
crood wrote...
Can anyone tell me what Arthur's goals and motivations were. He told Peter that he didn't want to give people powers, but that had to be a lie because there was no reason to get the formula. He also said he wanted to prevent the future Peter saw, but that future was caused by releasing the formula. Tracey told Nathan that he wants to save the world, but what is his plan?
How is empowering members of what is already the most powerful military force in the world going to change anything? The world's problems aren't really due to a lack of power. They're due to a lack of will, resources (in some cases), politics, economics, culture, and differing opinions on the what "right thing" is. In other words they're based on humans being human. I think it would have been interesting for Nathan to have seen the Haitian not be able to shoot his brother during the eclipse. He'd have seen that power had nothing to do with it. It had to do with will.
|| December 10, 2008
 cleverwhatever wrote...
I had major trouble with the Haitian/Peter/Arthur/Syler scene at the end. Never once ever have we seen the 'dampening field' be any form of effort whatsoever for him. Now, suddenly, he can engage in an actual struggle to control Arthur who is 'just too strong' for him? A passive power that has rendered groups of Powered People powerless is now overcome by one man? Suspect.
I can see, however, if after being overcome he didn't have the power right away to overcome Syler... but that doesn't explain Syler overcoming Arthur... the first thing a logical person would do would be to remove the bullet hanging inches before your head... or moving your head to the side. One or the other. And Syler/Arthur stood there talking for long enough for Arthur to make certain that bullet wasn't still going for his head.... through any number of means at his disposal.
|| December 11, 2008
crood wrote...
I found this snippet on ComicBookResources, taken from an EW artice:
The magazine also talked to Bryan Fuller, who talked about returning to the show while giving up some spoilers. "The whole 'Fugitives' arc starts out very strongly," Fuller said, "and then it gets a little dense in the middle in terms of the mythology. So I came in right at the point where everybody was realizing, 'Oh, we're getting too dense here and we need to put faces on stories because there is no face to a formula; there is no face to saving the world.' So it's turning this big ship back into a character stream, and everyone on the writing staff shares that desire. We need to get back into a character place, because that's where this story started: Very clean, superhero metaphors to everyday life. That's the path that we're taking. But it is a big ship so it's going to take a little while to turn it." This pretty somewhat confirms what I've believed about this season. No one is really steering the ship and each week's writers are kind of being allowed to throw out their own ideas without too much concern for the show as a whole. It's felt like one of those "You Continue the Story" games.
|| December 12, 2008
crood wrote...
Peter and the Haitian must of run into some awful traffic on the Jersey Turnpike. They got to Pinehearst shortly before Sylar, who was in Costa Verde, then travelled to where ever Lie Detector Girl's office was, killed her and the witnesses, and then made his way to New Jersey.
|| December 13, 2008
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