The Heroes Review - 4.6 Tabula Rasa

Posted by Jason Chamberlain on 10.20.2009

Sylar gets his memories back, Samuel sets a trap and Hiro helps Emma on her journey! Check out the new episode of Heroes!











Michael Weyer presents...

Featuring Michael Weyer!!!

If there is a recipe for creating a great Heroes episode, it probably includes Peter being heroic, Hiro charming everybody and showing incredible courage, a smattering of hot girls, a burgeoning hero that doesn't understand his power, and a generous smattering of Sylar. For extra zest, add Ernie Hudson and a carnival set and stir.

What I'm telling you is that this episode had it all, and was probably a great example of the best this show can be at this point in its life span, since it's never going to be new and exciting like it was back in season one. That's just the facts of aging, people!

The story of the healer, Jeremy, was very compelling and the kind of side quest we haven't seen since the first season. Seeing HRG confront his old ways and realizing he had abandoned people like Jeremy and thus, in some way was responsible for them was pretty great. I wasn't crazy about cereal eating HRG a few episodes ago but if this is the direction he's going in for the rest of the series I heartily approve. It's also one way to introduce new characters that the audience might actually accept, you know, rather than suddenly jumping into their story and telling us we're supposed to give a damn. Right Maya?

It's episodes like this that really make me look at Hiro as the "flagship" character of this series. The poor guy has been jerked around so much in the four seasons this show has been on the air and his powers have been stripped and changed in every way imaginable, so I guess now they figure the only answer left is to kill him off. I hope that fate is averted, but seeing the little guy so up and happy and motivated to help others even as death knocks on his door was inspiring. His magical act was classic Hiro and the way they worked Emma's 'power reluctance' into his storyline was perfect. If anyone can teach her the wonders and responsibility of being gifted, it's your (and my) favorite former Japanese office drone. I think he spoke for desk jockeys around the world with his "that life was killing me" speech.

Of course the meat of the episode is the "lion" Sylar and Samuel's attempts to incorporate him into his bizarre family. Which, apparently, endorses incest, what with Sylar/tattoo chick hitting it off and seemingly heading off to make the trailer rock at the end.

I really, really love Samuel's character, Not on a personal level, you understand. He's a manipulative, disingenuous douche. But he's so fun to watch! You never know where he's going next or what his true goals are. I don't think he's all about sitting around the table enjoying waffles for breakfast, no matter how delicious they are! Of course, right now it looks like Samuel is poised to make the same mistake both Arthur Petrelli and Danko made. People who make deals with Sylar, or try to use him for their own gain, aren't usually long for this world. Samuel now has a lion amongst his flock and I'd be surprised if the sheep aren't all torn to pieces by the end of the season.

I did like how clean slate Sylar was disgusted with his past, though. No matter how many times it's pushed down, the good in this guy always seems to bubble back up the surface. Or was that simply what's left of Nathan? Confusing... I liked how he was going to spare Ernie, before Edgar rushed in and did the job for him.

Seriously though, a baptism? That's when you leave 'family' and officially become 'cult'.

Things I Dug

- Take note Mohinder, THAT is how you deliver an opening monologue!
- “Call me Nathan.”
- “It’s been a long time since I teleported.”
- Sylar’s a ladies man!
- “Those are kind of in the way.”
- Just my weekly reminders that Samuel is a badass and Emma is hot.
- That is one fucked up healer.
- Hiro The Magnificent. Appearing live at the rec room!
- At least clean slate Sylar is disgusted with himself!
- “Don’t just stand there, get a mop!”
- Damn, Sylar’s getting laid!
- “Charlie!”

Now to Mike!

First off, while I applaud the sentiment, I find the way shows work in the whole “volunteer” theme to be rather ham-fisted and preachy. It reminds me of how NBC insisted all their shows put in a “green week” theme a few years back and it came off a bit preachy. So happy that Heroes just had an off-hand comment from Claire that fit in well. Onto the episode:

Hiro/Emma: For a man of such power, Hiro has been lost a bit in the series, bouncing about from comic relief to would be champion but never connecting. The tumor plotline seems to be helping him finally reach some purpose as the man who tries to help other super-powered people out. His conversation with Emma was nice and funny with how she had trouble reading his lips to some nice dialouge (“A hero must heed the call.” “I’m deaf, I can’t hear the call.’) The moment he freezes time so she can see the colors of sound was truly magical especially when she runs a hand through one wave. While it would have been better for Emma to explain the physical effect of her powers, it was still great seeing Hiro convince her they were a gift, not a curse. I also liked his line of how “the tumor makes me alive. When I was working all day in the cubicle, I was dying.”

Jeremy: For months, I’ve heard folks complaining about “why didn’t they use Claire’s blood to heal Nathan in the finale” questions. So kudos to the writers for explaining right off that Claire’s blood wouldn’t help Hiro since it would make the tumor worse. Having the healer also capable of taking life was an obvious idea but it led to a nice stand-off. For those wondering why Peter would take the backstairs, remember he said it’d been a while since teleporting, hadn’t gotten the bugs out yet and thought it better not to startle a guy holding a gun on Noah. We all saw it coming how Noah would get Jeremy to use his gift but it was moving how he stayed with Jeremy in the aftermath instead of moving along like he usually did. It was great with him saying it was time he helped instead of hurt and showed his changing ways.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: I get the idea now that Samuel wants a replacement to the carnival who can also help them defend themselves and who better than Sylar? Quinto did a great job as the amnesiac Sylar getting to know everyone at the circus and liked his confrontation with Edgar early on. The talks with him and Samuel were fascinating, showing more of the latter’s character and desires to keep those special safe somewhere. The Rastafarian was an interesting addition (a distant cousin of the Haitian?) and the scene of Sylar seeing his past crimes in the hall of mirrors was brilliantly done. I also loved Samuel manipulating things with Hudson’s cop, Sylar stopping himself only for Edgar to finish the job. I didn’t expect the full “induction” into the family complete with baptism but it made sense with this clan. That Sylar is already connecting with Lydia is a nice touch too but we all know this is going to end in blood and can’t wait to see it.

Overall, a very nice character-driven episode that pushes the big plot of the season along nicely.

The 411: One of the best episodes of the young season. Everything a Heroes episode needs to be entertaining, and it sets up plenty of good stuff for the near future.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]