Heroes

[jazzbo]

Any of you comic book heads out there watching this?

Since the only comic books I've read in over a decade I've "seen" on a screen instead, and since I have time on my hands in the evenings, I gave this one a chance.

Not too bad so far. . . considering.

[mikelz777]

I caught the first two episodes and I'm still on the fence with this one. I don't know what to think but it makes me want to watch again. I'm watching it with my daughter, something happens and we look at each other and go, "What the......!?!"

What's up with that Japanese guy mind-transporting himself to New York? Did that really happen? If so then we have a glimpse of what's coming in the next 5 weeks? What's the deal with that cheeleader's father? Is he government? He's being painted as the bad guy to the featured characters. And what's up with that murder scene where the cop finds that little girl? That was messed up! And what's going on with the sawed off skulls and missing brains of those two characters (one of them frozen!)? And the single mother--does this"independant image" she keeps seeing take over her body and actions without her knowing it? In one scene we see her then in the next moment, she's wearing something different and several hours have passed and she doesn't seem to know what happened.

I need to keep watching just to try and figure out what the heck is going on.

[jazzbo]

Yes, I think that's the point, it's the latest thing in suspense tv, and it can work to get you to watch week by week. . .

Or buy the dvd at the end of the season/beginning of the next!

I'm not completely sold on it yet, but I think they're making an effort to be a fresh look at superheroes (i. e. using only the latest and greatest cliches!) and I'll give them a few more episodes.

[Free For All]

Well, I have to admit I've gotten interested in this show. I started taping it and have been keeping up with it.

I guess it's probably because I'm still a comics junkie.

So, to those who were following the series, what did you think of the finale? I thought it was OK, although I was able to guess (fairly correctly) the outcome, partially from all the previews. I predicted that 1) Sylar would survive to return again and 2) that Nathan would turn out to be a good guy. I'll be curious to see if they can sustain the creativity and interest in the next season. I'm not sure that they will, but it was fun this time around.

Actually, one of the most interesting things was the extended preview of the upcoming Fantastic Four film. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the Silver Surfer. I wonder if Galactus will make an appearance.........

[David Ayers]

I caught a multi-episode catch-up of this when I was in the States a few weeks ago. It is coming to BBC I think so people in UK will be able to see it (it might have been on a channel I don't have over here already).

I found it fair. I like Christopher Eccleston who is a fine British actor (and played Dr Who for its first comeback season). The rest of the acting was a bit characterless (common for US TV style).

On another tele-topic, someone just recommended The Wire to me. It hasn't made it over here and I'd take quite a lot of persuading to buy a DVD set (I've never bought a DVD set, apart from the Boulez/Chereau Ring, and I think its fair to say I never will - I've watched about 4 DVDs in my entire life). I haven't seen this in the States either. Any fans of this series here?

Edited May 22, 2007 by David Ayers

[jazzbo]

Well, I watched this entire series. . . I always felt ambivalent about it, it never quite was exciting for me, it had it's moments but then stole them away.

I thought Sylar was a lame ultravillain, and Peter's nambypambiness throughout most of the series really bothered me (though I know we're supposed to like it because he's "good.") Hiro and Ando I really liked, despite myself, and I hope we get to see more of them in the next plotline. . . .

Glad this one is over. . . .

[RDK]

Thought the show started out rough when it began last September (and I saw a longer cut of the pilot last July), but it's one of those shows that really found its groove, and once it all started to gel it became, imo, one of the 2 or 3 best shows on TV. Acting was a bit subpar and the show occassionally stumbled on its ambitions, but it was a show so filled with ideas and fresh concepts that even my wife became really caught up in it (and she cares not a bit for comics, fantasy, or sci-fi; just compelling storytelling).

I thought last night's finale was a bit of a letdown only because they had to pack so much into it and tie so many loose ends together that they've been developing for the past 23 episodes. The show actually reminded me less of comic books (notably, the X-Men) than of a Stephen King novel, with its many characters developed slowly and often seeming disconected until the end, when everything comes together fatefully. Of course, as much as I dig King as a writer, his greatest shortcoming are his endings, too - but the ride is usually a hell of a lot of fun.

For those who missed this, I highly recommend watching it when it comes out on DVD.

[Free For All]

Upon further reflection I'd have to say it was pretty lame the way they let Sylar get away.

First, you'd have thought that they would have made SURE he was dead. This is a well-worn plot device that allows the villian to be defeated AND survive for future episodes. Not very imaginative.

Second, it's hard to believe that Sylar was able to crawl away to the manhole unnoticed. You'd think that much attention would have been focused upon him- after the blast, not much else was happening.

Also, the way Hiro teleported to twenty feet or so from Sylar and was able to RUN to stab him. Suddenly Sylar's reaction time was VERY S L O W. It would have been better for Hiro to teleport himself forward (towards Sylar) and materialize with the blade already in Sylar. Hiro should have carved him up a bit more.

Anyway, I guess you could find many flaws like this is you wanted to, but all in all I thought it was a pretty imaginative series for a network project. I just hate those damn commercials.

[jazzbo]

That multifocal character thing. . . that's a PKD trademark, don't give King credit for it! King was influenced by PKD, not otherwise. PKD was influenced by French and Japanese novelists in this regard.

I actually didn't find that much new and innovative in this. . .but . . .it was entertaining for the most part.

Edited May 22, 2007 by jazzbo