Heroes Commentary: Give the Fans a Present!
Last week, we suggested that Heroes take a page from Lost; i.e. focus more on individual character development each episode and really give fans a chance to watch these characters in action, as opposed to dizzying our heads with non-stop twists and turns.
This week, we have an even simpler recommendation:
Heroes needs to act more like... every other show on TV!
Why can't the writers carve out a season that simply involves these individuals fighting a problem in the present day? We hoped that would be this chapter's set-up, as its dubbed "Villains" and it opened with a handful of bad guys being released from Level 5. Perfect. Let's go after them!
Instead, only one of those villains (Knox) remains on the loose. But more importantly, the focus of the season has shifted to stopping a dangerous future from occurring... again. Didn't we see this already in season one?
The trouble with constantly jumping into the future, and the back again in order to change it, is two-fold:
- It's pretty darn confusing;
- It gives the writers unlimited freedom to make stuff up.
The first point speaks for itself. So let's focus on the second.
Does anyone think we'll learn how Daphne and Parkman got together? Or how Sylar had a son? Or how Nathan became President?
Of course not. These were just convenient plot devices the writers made up in order to work backwards and give our present day Heroes something to fight for. We can imagine the writers' room prior to the season:
Let's put Parkman and Daphne together! Let's give them a daughter! That'll inspire Parkman to act after we also randomly send him to Africa and make him see the future!
At this rate, the show can essentially start over again every season. If the Heroes are successful in preventing the sort of fateful future we witnessed Monday night, what's to say the writers won't just make up an entirely new one next year and have at it again?
Look, if a logical path is laid out in the coming weeks for how Sylar, for example, will eventually see the error of his evil ways and settle down with a son, we'll be the first to admit that we're wrong.
But if we never again see any glimpses of the future the show laid out for this week - with the exception of individuals fighting to change it - then the series simply can't be trusted to deliver a coherent story line that viewers can rely on to follow with each new chapter.
What do you think of our thesis and our concerns? Do you share them? We'd love to hear feedback!
October 8th, 2008 4:21 PM
I love Heroes how it is...and I don't think it's THAT confusing.
October 8th, 2008 4:57 PM
I think that the fact that they are trying to save the world from something is great. Just think about the fact that they may continuosly be doing so because the eventual outcome is inevitable. And even if this is not the case, If there were actual "heroes/villains" today there would be catastrophes like what we see in each season, but most likely more so.
And about the open-ended future/present idea. Yes is means that the writers can go where they want, when they want. Isn't this the reason we liked the show from the get-go. We want that "wow" effect not knowing what will happen. We don't want to know what is going to happen to the T before it happens or there would be no reason to watch it.
Loving the season and I hope they stay on this fast pace and keep us guessing.
October 8th, 2008 5:17 PM
why are you people bitching like that last episode was the best one ever
If you didn't like it stop watching or shut up
jesus
October 8th, 2008 6:23 PM
I agree that Heroes is continuing to head in the wrong direction, and fast. I just wish there was some way to communicate with the writers that people are displeased with this season before Fugitives gets ruined the same way. Granted, it's too late to save Villains, I just wish there was some viable way to communicate our concerns with the writers instead of sitting here and being pissed off. It's not just us few people that are displeased. I'm sure they're seeing a drop in ratings, and I don't want to see this show fall victim to getting so full of its own image that it allows itself to take whatever liberties they like with storytelling. They need to figure out how to make this show relevant to people that aren't hardcore Heroes fans, which may be their only remaining viewers come next season... if there is a next season.
October 8th, 2008 6:26 PM
Also, I agree with your point that they should have let the new villains stick around for the length of this chapter, but it seems that they are working to turn some of the heroes into villains, which would address the problem of too many protagonists and keep strong to the primary theme of the chapter.
October 8th, 2008 8:28 PM
My two pence!
I personally don't think the time-travelling bit of the series is altogether that bad. Naturally future episodes are going to be more confused without any knowledge of what happened in the 4 years up to that point; a good reason to not have too many of these types of episodes. The second point regarding the ability for the writers to make it up as they go along is valid, however I have enough faith in the writers that i'm confident they are not just making it up as they go. It is quite possible we won't see Nathans rise to presidency (but similiar to Bug Mohinder) the "seeds" have been planted in the present with his acceptance of Senator, and this future has been extrapolated from that. As for Daphne/Parkman, it's quite possible that we could have a paradox thing going on here - Parkmans sees the future, and the knowledge that gathers from that - that he has to save Daphne - may lead him to create the future that he originally witnessed (sounds confusing I know). That's one possible route. As for Good Sylar, it may be that the writers are trying to show that the Good/Evil thing works both ways; in this case, who is the mother of his child is unimportant as it's more symbolic.
This is all just conjecture and could all be complete rubbish, but I have faith that this show and its writers in heading in the right direction!
In regards to making the show like Lost, one of the downsides of making each show focus on one character is there are brilliant cliffhangers at the end of one show that arent explored for 3/4 episodes (if at all)... Heroes may lack character development at times, but at least we have decent, fast-paced, reasonably internally consistent storytelling!
October 8th, 2008 9:56 PM
Honestly,
you guys are the DUMBEST people on this earth
Heroes is the best show EVER you have no freaking
idea what will happen yet so stop acting like it!
Parkman going to africa is GENUIS
now we will have a hole matt and dahpnee
storyline AWESOME
I think the hole point of peter going to the future you dumb jackasses is peter getting sylar's power and us to see a diffrent part of sylar and possible change. even if sylar doesn't change good then we still have the peter/hunger storyline.
The show is amazing and their IS a reason why you are not the writers
October 9th, 2008 12:24 AM
Did you guys think before you wrote that? Didn't think so. The reason this show is so loved is because of its not like any other show on tv. With the time traveling and constant twists and turns make it truly a real life comic book. The Beauty of Heroes is almost all questions are usually answered but in a way that raises more questions keeping the show interesting. The time traveling is used as a sort of mechanic to be able to show all the characters in drastically different ways without having to compromise their original selves. The complication of following such a complex storyline is half the fun. just when you think you got it all straight, the one thing you forgot changes up everything.
Oh and as for the people who wish they could convey their feelings of displeasure to the writers, I suggest you stop confusing YOUR opinion with the public consensus. Everyone I know absolutely loves this season thus far. You say that Heroes is heading the wrong direction and fast, I say that is why you are bitching on the internet instead of writing TV shows.
October 9th, 2008 12:55 AM
I was REALLY apprehensive about this season until "I am become death." Now I'm totally into it. Pete getting Sylar's power and heading straight for Nathan's brow with it was very, very interesting and I can't wait to see where they go with this. And I dig the psycho Mohinder storyline too.
The time travel stuff is fine by me - I love time travel stories and that's a lot of why I like Heroes. Granted, each of the three seasons have revolved around major catastrophes revealed via precognition then verified via time travel - sort of a conspicuous trend. I'm hoping that this particular crappy future will perhaps stick around for a while.
While the season is starting to get rolling IMO, it is still very true that they're rushing things, and glossing over much needed characterization. "One of us, one of them" was particularly bad in those respects.
P.S. --If you think Heroes' time travel stories are confusing, go rent the movie "Primer." And then watch it five times. (Cause it's one of the best sci-fi movies ever but it takes about five times to make sense out of it.)
October 9th, 2008 7:43 AM
The reason why i go to this site, is to share my love for Heroes with other people.
C'mon, you guys created the site "HeroesFanatic", meaning you guys are crazy about Heroes. Why the hell are you naming out every possible flaw about Heroes?
I don't care what Season 1 was like and how Season 2 sucked, because it's Season 3 and it's great.
I come here for updates and interviews, not to listen to you drone about your favorite TV show. If you have nothing to say don't say it.