As we rolled into this week, I thought, “Surely, this is gonna be big.” Only two episodes left. This is where the rubber meets the road. Big things happening on Heroes. Yeah … not so much. Apparently, the cats down at Heroes HQ decided to throw all those eggs in that one big finale basket. I mean, seriously, half the cast spent 55 minutes in the same diner they were in at the end of the last episode. “I Am Sylar,” the penultimate episode, spent more time setting things up for next week’s big event than anything else. And it did it in a most confusing way.
That confusion gets to what is really hurting the show. All too often, it’s as if the characters don’t have motivations and direction that make any kind of logical sense. They simply change depending on what’s required to shoehorn them into each episode. So, we get things like Parkman. A couple weeks ago it was all about revenge because the great love of his life, Daphne, had been killed. Enter @BabyMattParkman, and it’s Daphne who? Not even a mention when he finds his old badge? There are bigger fish to fry, apparently.
And it just goes on and on. Even the really good stuff, eventually, gets tainted by it. Like the revelation that Sylar’s new shapeshifting ability was having dangerous side effects. That’s really cool. A vulnerability for the one hero that has become all too powerful. Unable to control what shape he’s in, the DNA getting corrupted from changing too often. But wait, one commercial break later, and it’s no longer an issue. He’s flipping back and forth on fast forward with nary a worry. Then that’s topped by the knowledge that a spike to the back of the head doesn’t do anything either. Sylar is now, seemingly, invincible.
Of course, that pails in comparison to the latest down cycle in his manic character arc. Oh, Mommy. Crap. I thought we were on to something with the return of the bad Sylar, and this was that story hitting a brick wall that sucked every last bit of momentum out of it. Worse still, he’ll likely forget all of this before Chuck finishes his run next Monday. It’s also another unfortunate example of the convenient amnesia. Sylar tells his mother that she’s the only one that ever loved him, to a chorus of ELLEs from the viewers. But Elle’s dead, and like Daphne, not worth remembering. For the writers, anyway.
Also confusing – What the hell happened between Micah and Sylar? From my spot on the couch, it sure looked like Micah was watching Sylar run away in his Micah suit. The fact that running Micah was shot, and napping Micah didn’t actually die, or have any wounds, kind of leans in that direction. So why the surprise when he sees Norman/Sylar doing the Mommy changeroo?
Hiro and Ando are at least consistent. Their little feud over Hiro not dealing with Ando also having a power has been brewing for some time, so it was nice to see that come to some sort of conclusion. And while putting Ando in the path of the darts was a dick move, at least it made sense for a jealous Hiro to do it. I am, however, still puzzled over just what Ando’s ever changing power is. It amplified powers, then it made him immune to time stopping, and now he’s firing the crimson lightning. More interesting is the latest development with Hiro and the nosebleed. Is that a side effect from BabyMattParkman’s ability?
More than anything, the show has just become frustrating. Frustrating because there is enough of a story there that I really want it to live up to its promise. And so far, it’s just not doing it. This episode should have been big. Peter, Nathan, Claire, Noah, and Angela shouldn’t have been sitting at a table for the entirety. And Sylar shouldn’t have been talking to himself for half of it. President Worf should have made an appearance. And everything shouldn’t be getting dumped into that one last episode.
Not that the shows are in competition, but the stalling of it all is especially pronounced when viewed on the heels of what was a fantastic episode of Chuck. Maybe it all works out in the end. With all the heroes being captured, and next week being the last episode, there has to be a payoff at some point, right? My hope is that whatever the finale is, it brings this story to a close and opens things up for next season to start fresh.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Apr 21, 2009 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
“…then it made him immune to time stopping”
Actually, Ando didn’t freeze when the soldiers barged in because he was touching Hiro when he used his power.
Apparently, if you’re touching Hiro when he stops time, you don’t freeze. Hiro commented about the baby also not freezing when he used his time-stopping powers earlier while holding him.
Thanks ushizo. I missed that they were touching when he froze time. I am still confused about just what his power is though. I actually prefer the red lightning to the amplifier if a choice is to be made. And I wouldn’t mind seeing Ando strike out on his own a little more.
Ryan: What breed of three legged puppy are we talking about here? Because Heroes last night was especially difficult to watch ;)
Maybe a Yellow Lab puppy with exceptionally dewy eyes that can’t seem to run in a straight line and constantly smacks its noggin into table legs? As much as I love it, I’m just going to have to accept that it will never be as smart and fast as my last dog.
Okay, it was a very weak episode and a waste of a Clint Howard appearance. I think the Petrelli storyline would have been not nearly so annoying if they hadn’t opened the episode with them reenacting last week’s closing and finished with them leaving the diner and getting in the car. Basically them just ordering pie for the entire hour.
I think I can plug a few of the plot holes. Yes, the running/shot Micah was Sylar. You could tell from his smirk. To me it was obvious that Micah was not shocked at Sylar’s new shapeshifting abilities when he woke up, but more an oh my god, the guy that saved me is completely crazy now reaction to Sylar carrying on two sides of a conversation without irony.
Ando’s red lightning has always seemed to be what juices people’s powers; that’s why he wasn’t actually attacking Hiro in the future the first time we see his power. I assume that if he pours on more amperage than someone can handle, it sends them flying instead.
And I actually said out loud that Hiro was a dick when Ando got shot four times.
Interesting. The puppy I had in mind is the one that chews vintage CHANEL belts, eats what is in the cat litter box, and urinates on the imported rug. ;)
bsg: I don’t understand the puppy comment.
Wow, Brett got through the whole review and didn’t bash @BabyMattParkman that much, or at all even. Pretty impressive ;)
Ryan addressed this to me, when I wrote you about TSCC.
“And as much as I like Heroes, I think it is best enjoyed by turning off your brain and not sweating the plot holes. Dogging the writing there is like kicking a three-legged puppy.”
I still hate BabyMattParkman. :D
The third post in two days calling someone a dick. Dick must be the new douche:)
Heh, I didn’t even realize that when I wrote the title. I took both of those lines straight out of the CliqueClack Heroes chat.
I can understand the confusion about Micah and his comment about Sylar being a shapeshifter. But, I think he didn’t know that Sylar was a shapeshifter, but perhaps thought that it was a projection like Candace could do. Didn’t Micah see that? Or, it was just surprise that he had multiple personalities shapeshifting back and forth.
I still don’t get where this show is going. What is the end game? As much as people make fun of “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World”, it gave a direction to the show. An end game. No clue where they are trying to go or what they are trying to do, really. Except, stay alive. But they keep getting caught anyways! UGH!
But, I do love Baby Matt Parkman. He brings some joy and humor to the show!
Heroes reminds me of that conversation game where someone begins the story with a couple of lines, then the next person adds a line, and so on.