sci-fi

Anyone still watching heroes?

After I finished season 3 of Heroes I resolved to never watch another episode of that show ever again. I can't believe people still watch it.

I just read an article at i09 that basically ridiculed the most recent episode.

If you haven't watched it yet beware of spoilers in the article. Needless to say Nathan and the gang sound just as confused and worthless as they always have. It's great to see that the writers for that show don't know how to write their way out of the paper box that is Heroes.

So do you still watch? Tell me why.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

The comic book nerd in me is drawn to pretty much anything involving people with super powers. I really don't know what it is, but I'll probably keep watching till it gets cancelled.

It is very much stuck in this weird bubble where it seems like the writers haven't really planned things out beyond a couple of episodes and are just waiting for the viewers to tell them what they should do instead of actually being creative and doing it on their own.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

I definitely agree. When I watch the show, I feel that it's all predictable now. You know what's going to happen in the end. And I just keep watching because I love how Masi Oka just delivers the comedy people need because of such a now boring show... 

PS: I think the usual changing of writers are what ruined the show...

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

rjsprague:

After I finished season 3 of Heroes I resolved to never watch another episode of that show ever again. I can't believe people still watch it.

I just read an article at i09 that basically ridiculed the most recent episode.

If you haven't watched it yet beware of spoilers in the article. Needless to say Nathan and the gang sound just as confused and worthless as they always have. It's great to see that the writers for that show don't know how to write their way out of the paper box that is Heroes.

So do you still watch? Tell me why.

I do, but it's because I have a really hard time jumping the shark anyway.

Other than that, I have hope that the new writing team, which includes the artist formerly known as the former head writer behind Heroes (since he temporarily left to pen and produce Pushing Daisies, RIP) will steer Heroes into the creatively fertile direction Season 1 offered.  The trouble is, they can't just abandon all of the mess they created in the season's first half without losing continuity.  And let's face it, the first half of the season had some great ideas - that were muddied by too many confusing storylines with no emotional resonance.

The three storylines that the viewer really should still care about are the Petrellis and their Machiavellian/Henry V state of things (though without Arthur, Nathan is truly a poor substitute, and it's been established that he's morally ambiguous, but that never gets translated into solid choices that create a truly antagonistic force); Hiro, as he is on the self-described hero's journey and is the viewer's lens for the show; and Sylar, who is wrestling with his inner nature still, even if he's back to being cozy with evil for a while.  The storylines that have become superfluous and annoying are Claire (at least until she stops being a whiny brat); Parkman, only because they've never given him anything truly relevant to do; and Mohinder/Tracy, who are not the characters they started out being and cannot be explained away even with the current, though confusing, story direction.  I think as long as Peter/Nathan, Hiro, and Sylar hold interest for me, I'll still watch the show (besides, I am in love with Milo Vent...well, Peter, even if he's dating Hayden Panettiere...That's enough for me).

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

Every week, John turns it on and I tough it out for the first couple of minutes and then beg to watch something else. Not only have I been unable to form attachments to any of the characters or story lines, but I also think that it's some times needlessly gruesome in some ways. Anyway, I just generally never really caught on. Lost on the other hand... :)

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

Yinali:

I definitely agree. When I watch the show, I feel that it's all predictable now. You know what's going to happen in the end. And I just keep watching because I love how Masi Oka just delivers the comedy people need because of such a now boring show... 

 

PS: I think the usual changing of writers are what ruined the show...

I enjoyed Masi Oka's character throughout the first season, but I was honestly hoping for some real development in his character. Instead I feel like he is the same bumbling dork as in the beginning, which only serves to make me hate this show even more.

I suppose I expect my heroes to become competent, formidable opponents, instead of remaining intellectually and physically incapable.

In fact it seems to go against the concept of "evolution" for some of these people to even exist. If being a moron who can bend space and time in the next step in evolution I'll glagly take my intellectual and physical prowess over that.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

rjsprague:

I enjoyed Masi Oka's character throughout the first season, but I was honestly hoping for some real development in his character. Instead I feel like he is the same bumbling dork as in the beginning, which only serves to make me hate this show even more.

I suppose I expect my heroes to become competent, formidable opponents, instead of remaining intellectually and physically incapable.

In fact it seems to go against the concept of "evolution" for some of these people to even exist. If being a moron who can bend space and time in the next step in evolution I'll glagly take my intellectual and physical prowess over that.

But he's really not a bumbling dork.  He's the only hero trying to take responsibility for and to ascribe meaning to having his powers.  True, he takes a lot of missteps and makes a lot of poor decisions along the way -- maybe because he's overthinking it-- but that's because he's the everyman - the mirror of the ethereal "us" watching the show.  And yeah, they play up his clowny aspects to give us some comic relief.  You're already complaining about the show - just imagine if it started taking itself too seriously!  Hiro helps to remind us and the show's creators that no one should take themselves too seriously.

Plus, I think everyone needs to remember that the story development is still in process.  Right now, Hiro has no powers.  Ando does, and Hiro is trying to help his friend accept the mantle of responsibility (see also: Spider Man).  Also, there were flashbacks in the first and second seasons showing Hiro all badass.  I think the ultimate outcome for his character (provided the show lasts that long) will be that he arrives at "formidable," but he's gotta take the journey, and to do otherwise would be untrue to his character.

If you're looking for formidable heroes with physical prowess, you picked the wrong show.  I don't think that was ever the aim of this show - this show was supposed to (even if it's been not very good at times) demonstrate how ordinary people with extraordinary abilities cope and what they decide to do with those new circumstances.  If you want people who are more comfortable in their extraordinary skin, stick with the X-Men - but it's not fair to fault the show for not matching expectations if the expectations were unfair to begin with, is all I'm saying.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

If the show was never about ordinary people with extraordinary powers actually becoming heroes then they shouldn't have named it "Heroes". It should have been named "Darwin Award Nominees" since that's what it feels like I'm watching.

And I really have a hard time seeing the point in taking four or five seasons for a character to change, unless say it is a show like 24 where the entire season occurs in a 24-hour time frame.

But really, how much time has passed since the very first episode? Should we really sit around and wait for these characters do develop into something resembling an intelligent human being? =0

The only character in that show who is worth watching is Sylar. At least his synapses appear to be firing.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

rjsprague:

If the show was never about ordinary people with extraordinary powers actually becoming heroes then they shouldn't have named it "Heroes". It should have been named "Darwin Award Nominees" since that's what it feels like I'm watching.

And I really have a hard time seeing the point in taking four or five seasons for a character to change, unless say it is a show like 24 where the entire season occurs in a 24-hour time frame.

But really, how much time has passed since the very first episode? Should we really sit around and wait for these characters do develop into something resembling an intelligent human being? =0

The only character in that show who is worth watching is Sylar. At least his synapses appear to be firing.

See, and I think that's why there's such a growing division in the fanbase.  There are those who are like: "Um, Heroes, what?  We're watching idiots with powers."  And those who are focused on the evolution of the characters.

I think if the writers hadn't really gummed it all up, everything would be a lot more satisfying.  The fans who want their heroes to be heroes would feel a lot better about the time it's taking, and the fans who like the explorations of the characters (me, for one) wouldn't feel so disappointed in how it's been handled.  Introducing new random characters who die or disappear without explanation, not giving the heroes any actual objective, making any big events sort of worthless because they lack resonance or don't seem to fit in the larger puzzle (since the larger puzzle has never been made clear)...the whole show is a mess.

But - there might be some hope with this half of the season.  I'm going to wait to see how it pans out.  The heroes are getting together, and the writers are trying to clean up the mess, and we might see some proverbial kicking ass before it's out (and remember, this is only the third season).  If they don't give Heroes a good shock to its system by May, then I'll stop defending it (at least), even if I can't bring myself to be one of the mass of people jumping sharks.

Re:Anyone still watching heroes?

pippin06:

rjsprague:

If the show was never about ordinary people with extraordinary powers actually becoming heroes then they shouldn't have named it "Heroes". It should have been named "Darwin Award Nominees" since that's what it feels like I'm watching.

And I really have a hard time seeing the point in taking four or five seasons for a character to change, unless say it is a show like 24 where the entire season occurs in a 24-hour time frame.

But really, how much time has passed since the very first episode? Should we really sit around and wait for these characters do develop into something resembling an intelligent human being? =0

The only character in that show who is worth watching is Sylar. At least his synapses appear to be firing.

See, and I think that's why there's such a growing division in the fanbase.  There are those who are like: "Um, Heroes, what?  We're watching idiots with powers."  And those who are focused on the evolution of the characters.

I think if the writers hadn't really gummed it all up, everything would be a lot more satisfying.  The fans who want their heroes to be heroes would feel a lot better about the time it's taking, and the fans who like the explorations of the characters (me, for one) wouldn't feel so disappointed in how it's been handled.  Introducing new random characters who die or disappear without explanation, not giving the heroes any actual objective, making any big events sort of worthless because they lack resonance or don't seem to fit in the larger puzzle (since the larger puzzle has never been made clear)...the whole show is a mess.

But - there might be some hope with this half of the season.  I'm going to wait to see how it pans out.  The heroes are getting together, and the writers are trying to clean up the mess, and we might see some proverbial kicking ass before it's out (and remember, this is only the third season).  If they don't give Heroes a good shock to its system by May, then I'll stop defending it (at least), even if I can't bring myself to be one of the mass of people jumping sharks.

I thought this was technically season 4.

Anyway my point is there is no evolution of the characters, more like de-evolution. I think they've actually become dumber since the start of this show. =>  "And those who are focused on the evolution of the characters."