NBC kicked off season 3 of Heroes last night with a bang - in fact they went all out. First, there was the countdown special at 8 which did a full recap of characters and such to catch viewers back up. Then at 9, we got not one but two (count 'em - two!) episodes back to back. Wow! I didn't realize that was the case until the first one ended with "Heroes continues...NOW".
I was very impressed with the first hour. It had the feel of the first season opener. Lots of interesting interactions, lots of mysteries, lots of surprises. Okay, I'm a little done with time travellers but oh well...
The second hour seemed to settle things in a bit, to start to expand on some of the new storylines. I love the whole Level 5 stuff as well as the introduction of other new villains (like the speedster to vex Hiro). Given that this season is subtitled "Heroes and Villains", it looks like we are getting a good mix of that. About time too.
Another neat thing - the cameo by William Katt, former start of Greatest American Hero. I hoped he would last a bit longer but ah well. Nice nod to a super-hero show from back in 1981.
It definitely looks like Kring and company are ramping this season up to get viewers back. I hope the stories can match the introductions so far.
Showing posts with label Heroes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heroes. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Heroes: Saving Charlie
A couple weekends back, when we were up in the mountains, we stopped into the local Wal-Mart for a few things we needed. I saw the paperback of Heroes: Saving Charlie, a book that came out in hardcover back in 2007 and recently hit paperback printing. Back when it first came out, I knew I wouldn't spend the money for the hardcover - even though during season 1 I was a huge Heroes fan. So, I waited until recently to pick it up.
For those who don't know, this book basically attempts to fill in the gaps from one of the season 1 storylines - where time/space teleporting Hiro Nakamura falls in love with Texas waitress Charlie Andrews and tries to save her from a grisley death when Sylar goes after her for her power. Season 1 touched upon the details briefly but this book was written to expand upon it.
Well, it spends 279 pages attempting to do that, but the effort comes off as some pretty weak fan-fiction. Having written fan-fiction online for three years (for DC Comics characters), I have a sense for fan-fiction, both good and bad. This novel definitely falls into that later category.
The book is very uncomfortable to read at times. Do I really when to hear about Hiro's urges or attempts to hide his "obvious" interests? No, I don't. The book nearly bordered on ruining a great character for me. As for Charlie, it didn't do her any justice either. Worst of all, the book doesn't keep things consistent with what the television show did show (especially with the ending and such). In short, it violates one rule of fan-fiction that I always adhered to - do not violate established continuity just to tell your story.
If you haven't read the book and are a fan of the show, I strongly recommend you pass on this book.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Heroes season 2 Finale
Damn! Now that's how to do a season finale!
Heroes had always planned to split the 2007-2008 season into two chapters/seasons if you will. The Writers' Strike just kind of pushed this one to that point a little bit faster.
Still, they managed to pack quite a bit of stuff into this episode - with lots of all-so-awesomeness as well! It is definitely an episode people will be talking about for days.
And that's good since the start of the season had been so-so. Tim Kring has admitted that he sort of lost some of the wind in the sails, but the last three shows really went far to make up for that.
Now we have to wait until 2008 (January? March? Septebmer?) to get the next chapter of the story. I think it will be worth the wait.
Hey, NBC! How's about getting out a DVD set for "season 2" to fill the void? Load it with commentary and extras too!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Heroes season 1 DVD
In July of 2006, I had the pleasure of taking my son to the San Diego Comic-Con for his first time. Because I was being a responsible father of a ten year old, I opted out of a number of interesting panel discussions that I would have otherwise went to had I been alone or hanging with my buddies who annually attend the Con as well. One of those panels I skipped was for an upcoming television show debuting on the Fall 2006 season on NBC. I figured the show would probably tank or get cancelled early (as has been my luck with a number of new shows I pick each season).
Boy, was I wrong!
It was maybe a week or so before the September debut that I heard about Heroes again. It was likely in the pages of Entertainment Weekly or something, and what I heard got me curious. Could NBC pull off a show about metahumans (people with super-powers) without it being lame? I remember still another attempt by NBC back in the early 80's called the Misfits of Science - the only good thing to come out of that was the debut of a then-unknown Courtney Cox.
Needless to say, after watching the premiere hour of the show, I was hooked! Heroes was my new weekly obcession. And I wasn't alone - those debut ratings were through the roof. Many were likening the shows format - an ensemble cast with lots of mysteries and unanswered questions - to ABC's Lost. I wouldn't know - I don't watch that show. But, the interesting thing was that the show didn't keep the viewers waiting for answers. We would get them, and then we'd have more questions! It was captivating, exciting, and...oh yeah...it wasn't lame the way the super-powers were worked in. Ordinary people with extraordinary abilities - folks may have tuned in for the powers, but it was the characters that kept us coming back for more: Mr. Bennett and his daughter Clair, Hiro and Ando, Peter and Nathan Petrelli, and of course Sylar!
Even though I caught every episode in the first season, often watching them twice - once during the Monday debut and then replaying the DVRed episode again the following Monday night to refresh myself before the next new hour, this was a must-buy DVD for me. Never a doubt in my mind or a hesitation. This was a keeper and something I know I'll go back to over and over again as the years wear on. For me, it is the perfect mix of story, characters, mood, music (done by Wendy & Lisa, former members of Prince's Revolution band) and more. And having it on DVD will allow me to pause and catch little details I might not have caught the first go-round as well.
My favorite episodes from the season: "Company Man" where we discover the past of Mr. Bennett, and "Five Years Gone" where Hiro and Ando end up in a future gone terribly wrong. Both have a lot of comic book elements to their pacing, framing, etc.
The extras on the DVD are very nice. I'm a big fan of deleted scenes as well as commentary tracks, and this set has quite a few of both (50 deleted scenes!!!). It also contains the original 72 minute pilot episode that was shown at Comic-Con back in 2006 (which I've heard has a lot of elements that changed or were dropped in when converted to the first two hour episodes). So, I get to experience that pilot after missing it the first time around - minus the chattering crowds around me or the smell of the unwashed masses in a large viewing room. Sounds like a win-win to me.
In all, this set will keep me busy until the debut of season 2 on Monday September 24th.
Boy, was I wrong!
It was maybe a week or so before the September debut that I heard about Heroes again. It was likely in the pages of Entertainment Weekly or something, and what I heard got me curious. Could NBC pull off a show about metahumans (people with super-powers) without it being lame? I remember still another attempt by NBC back in the early 80's called the Misfits of Science - the only good thing to come out of that was the debut of a then-unknown Courtney Cox.
Needless to say, after watching the premiere hour of the show, I was hooked! Heroes was my new weekly obcession. And I wasn't alone - those debut ratings were through the roof. Many were likening the shows format - an ensemble cast with lots of mysteries and unanswered questions - to ABC's Lost. I wouldn't know - I don't watch that show. But, the interesting thing was that the show didn't keep the viewers waiting for answers. We would get them, and then we'd have more questions! It was captivating, exciting, and...oh yeah...it wasn't lame the way the super-powers were worked in. Ordinary people with extraordinary abilities - folks may have tuned in for the powers, but it was the characters that kept us coming back for more: Mr. Bennett and his daughter Clair, Hiro and Ando, Peter and Nathan Petrelli, and of course Sylar!
Even though I caught every episode in the first season, often watching them twice - once during the Monday debut and then replaying the DVRed episode again the following Monday night to refresh myself before the next new hour, this was a must-buy DVD for me. Never a doubt in my mind or a hesitation. This was a keeper and something I know I'll go back to over and over again as the years wear on. For me, it is the perfect mix of story, characters, mood, music (done by Wendy & Lisa, former members of Prince's Revolution band) and more. And having it on DVD will allow me to pause and catch little details I might not have caught the first go-round as well.
My favorite episodes from the season: "Company Man" where we discover the past of Mr. Bennett, and "Five Years Gone" where Hiro and Ando end up in a future gone terribly wrong. Both have a lot of comic book elements to their pacing, framing, etc.
The extras on the DVD are very nice. I'm a big fan of deleted scenes as well as commentary tracks, and this set has quite a few of both (50 deleted scenes!!!). It also contains the original 72 minute pilot episode that was shown at Comic-Con back in 2006 (which I've heard has a lot of elements that changed or were dropped in when converted to the first two hour episodes). So, I get to experience that pilot after missing it the first time around - minus the chattering crowds around me or the smell of the unwashed masses in a large viewing room. Sounds like a win-win to me.
In all, this set will keep me busy until the debut of season 2 on Monday September 24th.
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