The Heroes Review - 4.5 Hysterical Blindness

Posted by Jason Chamberlain on 10.13.2009

Did THE KISS make Heroes worth watching this week, or was it just a ratings stunt? Find out in the full review!

AND MICHAEL WEYER!!!

After last week’s misstep, Heroes got back on track this week for the most part.

For starters, any time you put Ernie Hudson on my TV screen, you have a license to print money as far as I’m concerned. That dude just doesn’t get enough work. And he’s a frickin GHOSTBUSTER people. There’s only four of them people!

The sad thing here is the character he played is kind of a douche, a real hard ass cop. Sure, once he got the word on who Sylar was he was justifiably perturbed, but he was quite a dick even when he was just a poor forgetful dude. Are we going to see him again? Or that strangely trusting shrink?

I’m not sure how crazy I am about this whole amnesia storyline though. How many times have we been down this road before, on this show and so many others? Aren’t there any more tricks in the story telling bag?

Teaming him with Samuel and the creepy (moving!) carnival is cool. Can’t help but think it’s the beginning of the end though. As soon as Sylar gets his memories back... well, you know how he rolls...

I like Peter’s growing relationship with Emma. And I dug the ‘too casual’ way he asked her out at the piano. The guy has saved the world, been a real life super hero, and he still sneaks in his date requests real casual like.

Last thing to touch on today is Claire’s storyline. Let’s get the white elephant out of the way. The kiss. Well, like any red blooded male, my immediate reaction was, “Huzzah!” Granted, you can find much better on Google, but whatever. My only problem is how blatantly it was used as a ratings grabber. If it had been a surprise, and the show was able to build up more genuine tension around Gretchen maybe being a crazy bitch and then realizing no, she’s just an obsessive lesbian, it could have been an effective moment. Using it so much in the previews just made it seem like a ratings grab, which it was, at least from NBC’s stand point.

I don’t see much coming out of it anyway. Is anyone else worried Gretchen isn’t long for this world?

I see crazy sociopathic carnival chick killing her and making it look like a depressed, Claire-deprived suicide of some sort.

Kudos to Heroes, by the way, for weaving so many plot lines together in a totally believable way with that character. Not always something this show has excelled at!

Things I Dug

- Winston Zeddemore in the house!!!
- And he’s kind of a dick!
- That breakfast looks delicious...
- And deaf girl is kind of hot.
- Peter to the rescue!
- And his mini movie was kind of cool.
- Peter’s speed troubles.
- Blank slate Sylar is a nice guy!
- Worst. Theme song. Ever.
- High-def sorority party. Thank you NBC!
- You’re damn right I dug the kiss!
- Sylar and Samuel!

Heeeeere's Michael!

Well, after last week’s mostly dull episode, things pick up quite nicely here:

No Suresh: Can I just say five episodes in how much I am not missing those boring and over-melodramatic voiceover openings?

Mothers Dearest: First, Louise Fletcher is an inspired choice as Emma’s mom, the anti-Ratchet, if you will. For those who don’t know, Fletcher’s parents are deaf so she’s known sign language since she was a kid (hell, she even thanked them with it in her Oscar acceptance speech) and she and Bray have a good chemistry. It was fun seeing the two mom/offspring talks bouncing back and forth and showing how Angela still puts “Nathan” first. Off that…

Sounding Good: First, whoever came up with that bit where the music winds down when Peter’s super-speed fails was GENIUS. A great meta moment there. The bonding of the two was quite good as well (I loved how Emma asks Peter to write his stuff down and still can’t believe it) with the piano playing magical and laughed at the kids singing the theme to The Greatest American Hero. Emma is interesting, obviously hiding some sort of pain that hopefully Peter can get through. Also great was the revelation at how her power isn’t as lame as it seems at first when her cello playing cracks her apartment, showing it has a major physical side too and can’t wait to see that develop.

Sorority Girls: The stuff with Claire interviewing for the sorority was funny as on the surface she seems perfect for that (and her mom was in it too? That would have been fun to watch). The interviews were funny (“No boyfriends. Well, a few….no boyfriends.”) and the idea of her pledging is comedy gold. Of course, this leads to the big stuff with Gretchen and although we all knew it was coming, still great stuff from Hayden stunned at this new development. And speaking of which…

Now you see her…: Just when you think the show has run out of true surprises, we get Rebecca. Okay, the idea of one of the carny folk leaping into college seems odd but invisibility is one of the cooler powers. The revelation that she’s been behind everything from Annie’s death to making Gretchen look like a crazy stalker is terrific, showing how well planned out this twist has been. It’ll be cool seen her manipulating the duo as she seems a true sociopath (anyone who grins after shoving an innocent girl to her death and making it look like a suicide is dangerous). And before the nitpickers ask about her leaving fingerprints on the note or staff, maybe because she’s not visible when she does it, they don’t show up? Otherwise, a great twist overall.

Sylar’s Escapades: The interrogation stuff was fun with him not knowing himself but still noticing the clock and watches. Quinto is really underrated as an actor, showing the stunned way the man tries to rebuild himself, lacking both his own memories and even Nathan’s. The shock when he hurls Hudson out the window was fun and also desperate to get the doctor’s aid. That of course led to the wild twist that it’s him the carnival has been waiting for (and the fact the whole damn thing can move around is interesting). I don’t know exactly where this is going but throwing our favorite nutcase in with those freaks is sure to lead to some great fun for all. Quinto vs. Knepper? I’m so there.

Hiro/Peter: Well, if you’re going to teleport, might as well be to a guy with medical training to try and help.

Overall, a great improvement that boosts several of the big plots along.

The 411: A solid episode and a step back in the right direction after last week’s weak outing. Keep it up Heroes!

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]