Heroes 1.05

[bop_radar]

My reactions to this show appear to be polarising: my love for it is increasing, but the things that irk me are irking me more. Thankfully the love outweighs the minor irks, but it's an interesting phenomenon.

Eeeeee!!!!!! Flying!Nathan was awesome! I take back what I said about flying being a lame super-power. He was so SPEEDY, and I completely cracked up when he skidded to a halt in the middle of the desert. Also, the scene between him and Hiro in the diner goes down as one of my favourite TV scenes ever. So adorable! I loved how calmly Nathan dealt with being stared at in his PJs. And please, please let someone make icons of him in that 'fly by night diner' t-shirt. *squeeeeees* And he handled Hiro so charmingly. I was worried he was going to be SUCH a shit to dear Hiro that I would have to dislike him. But he managed to combine wry amusement with mild annoyance and a genuine curiosity that I liked. And he gave him a 'rid-e beep beep!' Heeeee. Hiro needs to ditch Ando and follow Nathan! I was completely charmed by Hiro's reaction to Nathan as well, which mirrored my own so well: *squeeeee*!! Flying guy!!

Still shipping Nathan/Nikki HARD. Loved their interaction on the escalator--I like Nathan when he's genuine. I also like him when he's a manipulative bastard--his negotiations vis a vis the tape were masterful. Oh, Nathan, you are so Lexian!

Not much Mohinder this ep, but I didn't care because that also meant no Elf!Girl.

I like the policeman's wife a lot. I enjoyed seeing more of her, though I alternated between being happy for her and angered that her husband's still keeping so many secrets from her. I found the policeman very sympathetic initially, but he's testing my patience now. He seems too out of control about his powers now--his approach to the guy in the service station was naive. Although it's certainly interesting to see how he's riding the 'high' of his superpower and will presumably experience the 'low' now, with the searing headache and passing out.

Claire remains my hero! I loved that she went and confronted the guy who attacked her, and with such honesty. I'm also really glad she made it about her in that conversation. She's acknowledged the affront to herself now, as well as the danger to others. What a mature kid! It's just so sad that she's getting played by daddy. He creeped me out in her bedside scene, though it was awesome that he defended his daughter to the guy. It's extra-creepy to have him protect Claire while also be watching/controlling her. I fear for her. I wish she wouldn't open up to him--he was so odd in that conversation--if she wasn't so caught up in her emotions (understandably), you'd think she'd notice that something was a bit 'off'. *frets*

Ok, Lana complaint of the week: so Lana gets to have Isaac's superpower without having to take drugs. That is so frakking unfair!! I really wanted Isaac to punch him out for that, but alas the lad demonstrated bizarre zen in the face of this revelation. I'm irked that this means that the writers have side-stepped the most interesting thing about Isaac so far--the fact that he would have to self-sacrifice and potentially kill himself to save the world. Now he just needs to hang around Lana and get Lana to do the work. (Oh, wait, that IS kind of self-sacrificing!) Ok, and Lana suddenly acquires the ability to PAINT, as well as the superpower? Hmph. Excuse me while I deal with my credulity-strain. A brushoff line about 'stick figures' and some drippy paint isn't enough to make me buy that he'd be able to paint that accurately.

But the thing I was most uncomfortable with in this ep was the 'we have to save the cheerleader' plot. Just as Claire shows how empowered she is, the writers trap her back into victim mode. *glares* I liked how neatly Hiro's plan worked, but I dislike that Lana is cast as the key to saving Claire.

This combined with Nikki's behaviour this episode brought back my discomfort with this show's gender dynamic. She continues to deny aspects of herself to such an extreme that she momentarily lost my sympathy. The scene I was most uncomfortable with was the one with Ando. I didn't like the writing of that scene. I think having someone shift from internet-acquaintance to real-life-stalker should have been more emotionally significant for Nikki. But she seemed to want to just ruffle his hair and go 'awww, you silly guy!' OK, as viewers WE know that he's a harmless amusing sap, but Nikki does not know this, and I thought it was poor writing. I would be ragey about someone invading my house in front of my child in that way. On top of that, her refusal to take ownership of her online identity even when confronted with the reality of it in Ando's eyes didn't sit well with me either. I'd like to see Nikki pull it together and deal soon--she's remained ineffectual and fractured for too long now.

But bring on next week's ep! I am so, so hooked.

ETA: It occurred to me belatedly that I was being biased in this review: I didn't even mention the implausability of Hiro suddenly being able to speak English so well to Nathan, while totally laying in to Lana and his irritatingly flexible and side-effect free superpowers. My bad, but Hiro is just so much more sympathetic a character than Lana. Plus the charm of the diner scene overrode its linguistic implausability! ;-)

Comments

[immal0serbaby.livejournal.com]

I like this show. I really do. I enjoy it when I watch it. But. I have this problem. I can't ever flip from the comedies Two and a Half Men and The New Adventures of Old Christine to watch it! I keep flipping, one week, I'll watch Heroes, and the next week, I'll watch my comedies. Alas. If only it came on at a different time!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Ah, I sympathise. I'm not very good at keeping up with things I watch on actual TV nowadays for that same reason--I channel flick. Or I forget when they're on... I'm so used to getting my TV via download now!

[immal0serbaby.livejournal.com]

Yeaahh I don't have high speed internet.

K now I'm looking like a loser. =P

[verbminx.livejournal.com]

If you get the SciFi channel, each week's episode is reshown at 7:30 PM.

NBC has also rerun every episode so far - the first one the same week it aired, the next three this past Sunday.

[immal0serbaby.livejournal.com]

Ah alas, I don't have cable. =\ Yeah I actually caught them this past sunday, and the repeat of the first one during the first week of airing. Gotta love those. =D

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Ok, Lana complaint of the week: so Lana gets to have Isaac's superpower without having to take drugs. That is so frakking unfair!! I really wanted Isaac to punch him out for that, but alas the lad demonstrated bizarre zen in the face of this revelation. I'm irked that this means that the writers have side-stepped the most interesting thing about Isaac so far--the fact that he would have to self-sacrifice and potentially kill himself to save the world. Now he just needs to hang around Lana and get Lana to do the work. (Oh, wait, that IS kind of self-sacrificing!) Ok, and Lana suddenly acquires the ability to PAINT, as well as the superpower? Hmph. Excuse me while I deal with my credulity-strain. A brushoff line about 'stick figures' and some drippy paint isn't enough to make me buy that he'd be able to paint that accurately.

At this point I have to object to you calling him Lana (you can call him wonderboy or marysueboy or whatever), because I *like* Lana now.

However, to address your actual point here: I thought the whole reason Peter could paint without getting high was to show Isaac that he, too, could paint without getting high--that he was wrong himself about the source of his powers. So that bit didn't particularly bother me.

Otherwise, I don't have too much to say in his defense; to say that he didn't annoy me as much this week doesn't mean I have suddenly started liking him, or anything. And you're right about his miraculous ability to paint--though then again, maybe that just means that when he is in the presence of the person whose power he's tapping into, he gets more of their actual power? And since Isaac's isn't just seeing the future, it's *painting the future*, the painting skill goes along with it, and the only reason Peter didn't get it before was that he was outside Isaac's actual presence?

Just a theory, though; I'm not too attached to it.

Normally I would have agreed with you about your criticisms of Niki's response to Ando, but we have to look at it in context: (a) she was surrounded by about 15 cops, so she knew she was safe from him, and (b)he was by far the lesser evil than her husband; so much the lesser evil that I assume she really didn't take any threat he posed seriously.

I definitely agree with you about the creepiness of Matt. At first I was excusing him, thinking that what the memory-sucking guy did to him was actually make him forget he had powers, so just like in the initial scene when he discovered his powers, I thought he assumed what he was "hearing" from his wife were things she was actually saying. I've also seen theories that memory-sucking guy actually programmed him to focus on his wife and forget about Sylar. So for the moment I've decided to suspend judgment, though I am prepared to condemn him for being ultra-invasive if it becomes clear that the latter theory isn't true.

Nathan was just 100% awesome, I agree.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

At this point I have to object to you calling him Lana (you can call him wonderboy or marysueboy or whatever), because I *like* Lana now.
Oh, I KNOW!!! I apologised to Lana myself in my last review. I do like her ever-so, but I can't shake the name thing... I've tried thinking of something else that will work... neither 'wonderboy' or 'marysueboy' sums him up for me, but if you have any other suggestions, let me know... *frets*

I thought the whole reason Peter could paint without getting high was to show Isaac that he, too, could paint without getting high--that he was wrong himself about the source of his powers. So that bit didn't particularly bother me.
You think?! I wasn't convinced on that point. But if that is the case, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with Simone's new bloke showing Isaac up in this way. Poor Isaac!

when he is in the presence of the person whose power he's tapping into, he gets more of their actual power?
It certainly seems to support that reading. I guess I'm just still struggling with how incredibly annoying that is! It's already irritating me that Peter will be able to pick up powers willy-nilly as required by the writers. If he picks up other characters' attributes, it's even worse. And it does seem to undermine Isaac completely. I just hope they explore the invasive, unpleasant aspects of Peter's superpower rather than just glorify it--if they do that, I could get interested.

we have to look at it in context: (a) she was surrounded by about 15 cops, so she knew she was safe from him, and (b)he was by far the lesser evil than her husband; so much the lesser evil that I assume she really didn't take any threat he posed seriously.
Yes, I thought about that. But I found it still sat uncomfortably with me because I fear it gives the writers an out of jail free card with those issues. I doubt we'll revisit them now. But I guess you're right. I wish I could have enjoyed that scene more than I did--it does have a logic behind it.

So for the moment I've decided to suspend judgment, though I am prepared to condemn him for being ultra-invasive if it becomes clear that the latter theory isn't true.
Oh, very interesting! Yes, I'm kind of on the fence on him too, and I'm interested in those theories. I'll reserve judgement, but those scenes with his wife made me uneasy. Intrigued, but uneasy. It's just so unclear at this stage what's really happened to his mind--how much of his memory has he lost? has reprogramming occurred? We don't know...

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter...
*practises*
Does he have to have the same name and initials as my favourite Pevensey kid?! That's just no fair!

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Annoyingboy? Parasiteboy? Leechboy? Sucker? I think Leechboy probably is best, of those. Also maybe Funsucker, I'm not really sure why. Or scenesucker, or something like that.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/]

ROTFL. You'll have to forgive me, when I saw your cut for "how much do I hate Lana" for a minute there I thought you were talking about SV's Lana. Geeze. lol. Talk about me needing to get a grip, heh.

But I follow Heroe's too, it's just...it's late and I was already weirded out. Forgive me, please. heh. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Hee. Oh, no, I was NOT bitching about SV's Lana at all. And I totally need to stop calling Peter 'Lana': it's just he reminds me of first-season Lana so much! Last week I actually apologised to SV's Lana for the call, because I luff her so much now, and I dislike Peter--so it sounds bad to compare them, as Lana is far more developed a character now than Peter is. I need to come up with a new name for Peter... Peter Peter Peter. *tries to remember his real name*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/]

Good. You made me nervous there for a minute, rotfl. *g* But oooh, you don't like my Peter and I actually like him. *pouts* Oh well, we're all allowed to have our differences. It's just I think that calling Peter "Lana" and referring to him as a S1 version of her - well, I guess I just don't see it the way that you do. I think there's a greater purpose for him and I think that once the season gets going and moving along...we'll see some more actual character depth and growth on his part. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

But yay to hear you say that about Lana. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I also hope that Peter (PETER!) will have character growth/complexity. At the moment he's too obviously a plot device for me to really 'get' him. But I frequently change my early opinions about character/shows, so there is hope yet... Many people seem very fond of him, so perhaps I will be swayed by them! *g*

The REAL Lana continues to charm and intrigue me this season, long may it continue!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/]

I think he will once the season really starts to get underway. Just give him some time and you'll see. lol. Look how long it took you to come around for Lana and now you really like her. The *real* Lana, that is. rotfl. :)

I don't think he's a plot device and the reason I don't is simply because why would they waste their time telling him that he's meant for far greater things if he was only there to be a "plot device". The way that Nathan sold him out in an earlier episode really ticked me off. But Nate's changing and Peter will too, I believe. I'm just partial to him partialy because it's Milo, but partially because I'm truly interested in seeing him grow and expand in character depth.

And yay for the "real" Lana. :)

[cinderella81.livejournal.com]

OMG!!! Flying!Nathan and cute!Hiro!!!!

I am a happy girl when watching this show!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

*g* Yup, me too! I am SUPERhappy!

[moonwitch.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I've heard good things about this show but know nothing about it. Is it showing here right now, or?

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

It's not on here yet. :-( I haven't even heard if any Aussie station has picked up the rights yet. There have been 5 eps aired in the US, and I could let you know how to get it if you're interested.

[moonwitch.livejournal.com]

I might just wing it &wait for it to be shown here. XD; I know that could be months (years, even!) but from the little I know of it, it would be something I'd watch with my mum. Annnd if I were to download it then she wouldn't want to watch it, aha. But thanks. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

No worries! Yup, it's a very enjoyable show and it seems to be doing well in the US, so I'm sure it'll get picked up here. *g*

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

Gender dynamic: You are so right. They keep making Claire into a victim, or a vessel, or a prize in two ways. By having the characters view her as a victim to be saved and making her into a victim, either by bodily harm (even if it is passing) or by putting her situation where she is victimized otherwise (Here, the rapist jock was cleansed before Claire got her talk, so now not only did she not get her pound of flesh in conversation from and his acknowledgement that she has power -over him, on her own- but she has to deal with thinking that she made the rapist this injured.) They are weighing Claire down in multiple ways, and that sits wrong with me, especially considering that Claire is the most courageous of he Heroes so far: taking actual risks to save other and influence things.

Niki: She should have been so freaked and angry at Ando... And yet nothing. And the self-delusion of DL being behind it all... And her being all remorseful fallen woman with Nathan. Balh. I hate when they make her stupid, and ineffectual, and a piece of meat. Hate it so much. Niki has a really interesting power, yet we get nothing about it, only about Niki being a mom. (I know that is major plot point, but again, she is held down by domesticity.) Why not let her do something and own it?

Hiro: Maybe he learns English because of time travel? It is he same Hiro all the time, so hopping about in time would allow him to learn things, right? And he is adorable. Even more now when his comic tendencies are not all there are... the future Hiro seems like a badass.

Nathan: Completely fabulous. He is, as you say, Lexian. Smart, and when compared to his whiny brother, totally great.

Isaac/ Peter: You are making me hate Peter. Tank you. I need something to focus my hate on. This show has things that infuriate me, like gender dynamic/ roles, that I need something else to express my hate at, before I give up a show that has promise... So now Peter knows how to do everything? Everyone else is actually useless? They just hang around so Peter can be great? Lana! I call Lana! I hated peter's whiny self, but now? I eally hate him. Isaac didn't even get to part the news to Hiro or anything, though I would be interested to see if he really needs to get high to "see".

Matt: I hate him too. Partially because I keep seeing Ben Browder in unemployment line, but also because Matt abuses his power, IMO. I know he means well, but what gives him the right to eavesdrop on his wife? And how would he react if she had a bad day, and had "bad" thoughts? I find Matt nive at times, as you said esp. in the store. But it will be interesting to see if Matt's situation goes BtVS "Earshot" way.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

They are weighing Claire down in multiple ways, and that sits wrong with me, especially considering that Claire is the most courageous of he Heroes so far: taking actual risks to save other and influence things.
*nods* Yes, my issues are not with Claire, who I continue to find very strong and well-written, as well as well-acted. My concerns are with the overall structure. I know lots of people are squeeing about the tagline 'save the cheerleader, save the world' but I just can't get behind it... It makes Claire into some prize object--I just hope it's all a set-up and they turn up and she's all 'bugger off! I can save myself thanks!' but with daddy pulling the strings, I doubt it.

I held out hope on Niki, I really did. But I felt let down by this ep--I honestly thought we were going to start seeing her 'own' her actions more after we got to see her transform in the previous episode. Alas, no...

so hopping about in time would allow him to learn things, right?
Well... we haven't seen THIS Hiro hop forward long enough to learn English yet--his diner conversation was pretty advanced. But I'll fanwank it! ;-)

I need something to focus my hate on. This show has things that infuriate me, like gender dynamic/ roles, that I need something else to express my hate at, before I give up a show that has promise...
Hee! Spot on--I'm sure he functions that way for me too. A hate-focus, because I honestly love the show, it's got so much potential, but there are things that grate.

hated peter's whiny self, but now? I eally hate him. Isaac didn't even get to part the news to Hiro or anything, though I would be interested to see if he really needs to get high to "see".
Poor Isaac got a raw deal! He's really been given no character, no development and now they've lessened his plot significance. I have a horrible feeling Peter's going to continue to eclipse people as required by the writers... Bluch! Nora argued above that the scene between Isaac and Peter showed that Isaac doesn't need to get high to paint, but honestly that wasn't clear to me. I'm on the fence until I see ISAAC do it himself.

Matt abuses his power, IMO.
Yes, I think that's clear. I'm just hoping (perhaps, as with Niki, in vain) that this will be texualised and he'll get called on it. I kept thinking the wife was going to get creeped out, it be just TOO much. If they explore the fact that he abuses his powers, that's ok with me, as long as he grows and learns not to. Still, the naivety's making him a less sympathetic character in my eyes meanwhile. And I'll also be interested to see how it plays out in comparson to 'Earshot', which set such a great benchmark when it comes to this power.

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

What's up with that "Save the cheerleader, save the world" thing? I can appreciate the fact that an occurence, like here the big bleak explosion, is actually an end-result of actions lining up just right, all things have to be happen at the right place at the right time for that to be the end-result; and I would love to see the Heroes try and influence the chain of events, and see that lead to new outcomes. But this? Sounds like an easy fix, but we'll have to wait and see.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I am praying it is subverted in some way. Or they've got to save the cheerleader because the CHEERLEADER saves the world. That, I could live with--a chain of heroes saving one another with Claire at the top of the pack. *waiting and seeing*

[latxcvi.livejournal.com]

Yes, my issues are not with Claire, who I continue to find very strong and well-written, as well as well-acted. My concerns are with the overall structure. I know lots of people are squeeing about the tagline 'save the cheerleader, save the world' but I just can't get behind it... It makes Claire into some prize object--I just hope it's all a set-up and they turn up and she's all 'bugger off! I can save myself thanks!' but with daddy pulling the strings, I doubt it.

My reaction to this is different from yours in large part because I am not assuming that Claire needs saving because she can't do it herself but that she needs saving because she's that important. That whatever goes down to prevent the end of the world can't happen without Claire. I don't see how that's disempowering at all, particularly not if it's combined with Claire herself realizing her significance and importance and taking active steps. Right now, Claire's still trying to cling to her normalcy and I suspect that this is part of what's keeping her from realizing the value of her ability. I also suspect that it's what might hold her back from initially joining the 'team'. But to me, that she's already been positioned as so central to preventing an impending global disaster Hiro traveled back in time to tell someone about it means she's not only got to be on the team, but she's crucial to its success.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I am not assuming that Claire needs saving because she can't do it herself but that she needs saving because she's that important.
I really hope you are right! If that's the case, then I'm all for it. If they save her and then she turns out to be the one last component they need to defeat Sylar then I will be delighted. But the show's gender stereotyping is still interfering with my faith in them at this stage. I hope you're proved right and I'm proved wrong! *G*

[aelora.livejournal.com]

See, I love the 'Save the Cheerleader, Save the World' bit because it's obvious that this Sylar is *the* supervillain to be reckoned with. I don't think this is some fly-by-night Superman or Batman villain that one superhero can take on all by their little lonesome. We've seen that Sylar has the ability to both regenerate and fly at this point, and if his stealing victims brains is any indication (and I'm thinking he only goes after other super abilitied people), then I'm thinking that's his way of taking their powers on permanently, unlike Peter for whom it's only when he's nearby.

To fight Sylar, I believe they are *all* going to need to pitch in, and while Claire may be tough, I don't see her as being tough enough to take on Sylar when a mere quarterback was able to take her out due to a stick going into her brain. Her regenerative ability is obviously incapacitated when the brain is affected, therefore Sylar knows how to kill her. And the image in Peter's painting certainly looks like it's supposed to be Sylar.

I love Peter's power - it's not like it's something that's never been seen in a comics-verse before. If Sylar really is gathering all abilities for himself, then it's very possible that only someone like Peter, who is able to draw off of the abilities of everyone who stands with him, will be able to beat the guy. There needs to be someone who has the faith to bring all of these people together.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

To fight Sylar, I believe they are *all* going to need to pitch in
Oh, definitely! And I like the idea of a band of superheroes being required to work together. Great concept! My issue is not with that, it's with Claire being cast as the one who needs 'saved'. I had issues with the gender and race politics of this show (http://bop-radar.livejournal.com/63141.html#cutid1) from the start. I was settling down with it though, and prepared to see what they did with characters like Claire and Niki over the long haul. But they've again cast Claire as 'victim', even though she's doing a grand job of coming to terms with her own powers and exercising them a) to save others, b) with a conscience. So I would have been completely on board with the tagline 'save the nurse, save the world' for example (about Peter) or 'save the artist, save the world (about Isaac). From a feminist perspective, no matter how well the cheerleader tagline trips off the tongue, I find it hard to swallow.

it's not like it's something that's never been seen in a comics-verse before.
No... although I don't find it particularly well integrated into this universe. If Mohinder's father is correct and genetic evolution is behind these changes, I find it hard to imagine what genetic shift Peter has undergone... does his DNA actually morph when it's near other heroes? I'm still confused about it.

only someone like Peter, who is able to draw off of the abilities of everyone who stands with him, will be able to beat the guy
Yes, I fear that's true. I say 'fear' because I find Peter a singularly unappealing character. I also find it a bit of a 'get out of jail free' card on the part of the writers. I was really enjoying the unexpected plot twists and intricate plotting--but now I feel I can see that Peter IS going to be the key and all we need to do is assemble all the heroes in one spot. I wanted a bit more mystery, something a bit more complex than that, and I just don't like Peter's superpower--borrowing other people's strength is not very 'heroic' to me. If, on the other hand, each hero has to contribute on their own as well as through Peter, I'll feel more comfortable.