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"Only you can prevent me from going back to my heathen ways - you're like a conscience!"
Heroes, 2x03: Kindred
This was typically the kind of TV episode that set me so strongly against getting in too deep with an OTP and/or OTC. Of course, by the time I realize it, it's oftentimes too late. I've read here and there from a couple of different people that they thought this was the best episode yet this season, and I'm like, "wait, what?" So beware, I'm afraid I might be slightly biased.
I'll just divide this up between what I liked and didn't like, trying to even out both lists. Oh, and the wtf-element, can't forget that!
+++ (i.e. on the plus side)
Sylar is back. AND HAS THE VIRUS OMG. Or so it seems. Yay! And Sylar's characterization? Awesome. I'm glad the new writer seems to be getting him right. Also, HAIR OF WIN omg. And Zach's voice = more guh!
Matt and Mohinder just make me happy. Hee, Matt was so the worried wife. It's all beauteous. Did Matt sleep in Mohinder's bed? I THINK SO. *glee*
"Or something more familiar, if that's what you're into." LOLOL, busted! Selflove ftw.
Peter trying to summon his powers, hee! The shirtlessness was also nice, though a bit mindboggling - but don't go thinking that's a complaint or anything.
Candice, despite being recast, was written consistently from last season. Very in-character dialogue, I liked that. And then she died, lolz. That scene was ftw!
Ando playing video games at work = lolz! I love Ando. "Sumimasen. *sigh* " And he misses Hiro so much, aw! <\3
Kensei's reaction to discovering his power was excellent, and I love how casual Hiro was about it. "No, look!" and he removes the arrow. LOL! Also: Kensei's reaction to Hiro leaving. D'awww! "What if I can't do it without you?" How adorable is David Anders, anyway? Overall, I think this was my favorite storyline this week.
Alejandro's determination to take care of his sister is definitely touching. I like that they don't speak any English, too. Maya having some modicum of control over her power, and when to use it, was an interesting reveal.
Isaac's loft, yay! And Mohinder's ongoing cluelessness = ♥ Also, Isaac's art? Still rocks like a rocking thing.
Teehee, "Paris, London, Japan." Hehe, callbacks to the HWT? I think so, and it made me squee.
Um, I have no thoughts about Niki having the virus. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Ooh! Maybe DL died from it! That would be good! *moves line from '???' list to '+++' list*
--- (i.e. on the minus side)
NO NATHAN! ;__________;
Not enough Matt.
Daniel Lawrence Hawkins - 1976 - 2007. He better not be dead too soon after being shot by Linderman, because I will go POSTAL over sloppy continuity. Also, that was a lame way to write out the character. D:
It became especially apparent this week how the show clearly overestimates its mainstream audience. If you were never a Trekkie before, as is my case, the scene where Niki brings Micah to his relatives' house? Was just an old lady opening the door. Diegetically pointless.
Claire and West. Where do I begin? *sigh*
'kay, technicalities first: West was blatantly referring to Claire picking up her discarded toe and re-attaching it, rather than growing a new one. This is because that was the original script for Lizards. I already had a beef with the fact that they changed it over logistics issues: that it didn't seem big enough of a PLOT POINT to keep intact kind of shocks me. If they go ignoring the very recent canon entirely... I don't even know. It bugged me like hell.
Secondly, the reveal about HRG bagging and tagging West before was sooo phoned in. Color me underwhelmed.
Did I mention the cheese? Because, oh, my lord, the cheese. Seriously. THE MUSIC. I thought I was watching One Tree Hill for a minute there. Not a good thing.
PETER NOT OPENING THE BOX. D: D: D: I can't properly express how much that made me cringe. I saw it coming, but then I figured they wouldn't go with the cliché, alas... My hopes were dashed. Lame! I don't even mind the hookup - which kind of came out of left field, too, unless Caitlin has a hidden agenda of some sort. But not wanting to find out who he is, that just... ugh, frustrates me. Damn you, Haitian of soul-killing mind-wipery! D:
Speaking of whom, where were you this week?
As much as I loved Sylar in this episode, he seriously needs to stop TALKING TO HIMSELF. Or dead people. (Same difference.) I was laughing, for real, and not with him, if you catch my drift. Please.
I hope to gods HRG isn't one of the freakin' older generation heroes. Enough retcon; this would totally ruin the character for me. Not to mention, Company Man would become void of all meaning. It would also inherently make his natural levels of ass-kickery a lot less impressive.I'd totally change my vote to Bauer. DO NOT WANT. He don't need no special powers, I say!
??? (i.e. on the wtf side)
Why is Candice even trying to entice Sylar with sex when he's supposedly at risk of tearing stitches with the slightest movements? I can't blame her, because, heh, who wouldn't - but it's not the most sensible thing.
The blue-screen scenes in this episode were TERRIBLE. I couldn't believe it. Maui, Ronin temple... Crappy visuals all around.
I was trying to rationalize how Claire wouldn't even MENTION to West she knew other people who could fly (see: my bias) and coming up short of any valid explanation. She could easily say her biological father and uncle could do it without having to give names, so, yeah. What the hell.
The currency in Ireland isn't called the dollar, Pete. :p
I didn't mind West too much when he was telling Claire to STFU with her I'm-a-freak-zomg leitmotiv. And then that scene turned into the most cheese-o-tastic thing ever, bar none.
lol, Derek drives a Nissan Rogue. Oops, did I just pull a SPN-fandom-like name-spoilery trick?
I guess the infamous 8 missing Mendez art pieces (Mendezes?) did not all represent older generation heroes then. LEST THE REVEAL OF DOOM.
In conclusion: I wouldn't say it was outright bad from beginning to end, but that was most definitely not among my favorite episodes. The best parts (Feudal Japan, Mohinder, Sylar) don't quite manage to redeem the lackluster (Niki and Micah, Alejandro y Maya), disappointing (Peter), and cringe-worthy (Claire) parts. Well! There's always next week. Here's hoping.
And I haven't watched the preview for next week's episode, so please don't spoil. Done. Going to watch Chuck now.
This was typically the kind of TV episode that set me so strongly against getting in too deep with an OTP and/or OTC. Of course, by the time I realize it, it's oftentimes too late. I've read here and there from a couple of different people that they thought this was the best episode yet this season, and I'm like, "wait, what?" So beware, I'm afraid I might be slightly biased.
I'll just divide this up between what I liked and didn't like, trying to even out both lists. Oh, and the wtf-element, can't forget that!
+++ (i.e. on the plus side)
Sylar is back. AND HAS THE VIRUS OMG. Or so it seems. Yay! And Sylar's characterization? Awesome. I'm glad the new writer seems to be getting him right. Also, HAIR OF WIN omg. And Zach's voice = more guh!
Matt and Mohinder just make me happy. Hee, Matt was so the worried wife. It's all beauteous. Did Matt sleep in Mohinder's bed? I THINK SO. *glee*
"Or something more familiar, if that's what you're into." LOLOL, busted! Selflove ftw.
Peter trying to summon his powers, hee! The shirtlessness was also nice, though a bit mindboggling - but don't go thinking that's a complaint or anything.
Candice, despite being recast, was written consistently from last season. Very in-character dialogue, I liked that. And then she died, lolz. That scene was ftw!
Ando playing video games at work = lolz! I love Ando. "Sumimasen. *sigh* " And he misses Hiro so much, aw! <\3
Kensei's reaction to discovering his power was excellent, and I love how casual Hiro was about it. "No, look!" and he removes the arrow. LOL! Also: Kensei's reaction to Hiro leaving. D'awww! "What if I can't do it without you?" How adorable is David Anders, anyway? Overall, I think this was my favorite storyline this week.
Alejandro's determination to take care of his sister is definitely touching. I like that they don't speak any English, too. Maya having some modicum of control over her power, and when to use it, was an interesting reveal.
Isaac's loft, yay! And Mohinder's ongoing cluelessness = ♥ Also, Isaac's art? Still rocks like a rocking thing.
Teehee, "Paris, London, Japan." Hehe, callbacks to the HWT? I think so, and it made me squee.
Um, I have no thoughts about Niki having the virus. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Ooh! Maybe DL died from it! That would be good! *moves line from '???' list to '+++' list*
--- (i.e. on the minus side)
NO NATHAN! ;__________;
Not enough Matt.
Daniel Lawrence Hawkins - 1976 - 2007. He better not be dead too soon after being shot by Linderman, because I will go POSTAL over sloppy continuity. Also, that was a lame way to write out the character. D:
It became especially apparent this week how the show clearly overestimates its mainstream audience. If you were never a Trekkie before, as is my case, the scene where Niki brings Micah to his relatives' house? Was just an old lady opening the door. Diegetically pointless.
Claire and West. Where do I begin? *sigh*
'kay, technicalities first: West was blatantly referring to Claire picking up her discarded toe and re-attaching it, rather than growing a new one. This is because that was the original script for Lizards. I already had a beef with the fact that they changed it over logistics issues: that it didn't seem big enough of a PLOT POINT to keep intact kind of shocks me. If they go ignoring the very recent canon entirely... I don't even know. It bugged me like hell.
Secondly, the reveal about HRG bagging and tagging West before was sooo phoned in. Color me underwhelmed.
Did I mention the cheese? Because, oh, my lord, the cheese. Seriously. THE MUSIC. I thought I was watching One Tree Hill for a minute there. Not a good thing.
PETER NOT OPENING THE BOX. D: D: D: I can't properly express how much that made me cringe. I saw it coming, but then I figured they wouldn't go with the cliché, alas... My hopes were dashed. Lame! I don't even mind the hookup - which kind of came out of left field, too, unless Caitlin has a hidden agenda of some sort. But not wanting to find out who he is, that just... ugh, frustrates me. Damn you, Haitian of soul-killing mind-wipery! D:
Speaking of whom, where were you this week?
As much as I loved Sylar in this episode, he seriously needs to stop TALKING TO HIMSELF. Or dead people. (Same difference.) I was laughing, for real, and not with him, if you catch my drift. Please.
I hope to gods HRG isn't one of the freakin' older generation heroes. Enough retcon; this would totally ruin the character for me. Not to mention, Company Man would become void of all meaning. It would also inherently make his natural levels of ass-kickery a lot less impressive.
??? (i.e. on the wtf side)
Why is Candice even trying to entice Sylar with sex when he's supposedly at risk of tearing stitches with the slightest movements? I can't blame her, because, heh, who wouldn't - but it's not the most sensible thing.
The blue-screen scenes in this episode were TERRIBLE. I couldn't believe it. Maui, Ronin temple... Crappy visuals all around.
I was trying to rationalize how Claire wouldn't even MENTION to West she knew other people who could fly (see: my bias) and coming up short of any valid explanation. She could easily say her biological father and uncle could do it without having to give names, so, yeah. What the hell.
The currency in Ireland isn't called the dollar, Pete. :p
I didn't mind West too much when he was telling Claire to STFU with her I'm-a-freak-zomg leitmotiv. And then that scene turned into the most cheese-o-tastic thing ever, bar none.
lol, Derek drives a Nissan Rogue. Oops, did I just pull a SPN-fandom-like name-spoilery trick?
I guess the infamous 8 missing Mendez art pieces (Mendezes?) did not all represent older generation heroes then. LEST THE REVEAL OF DOOM.
In conclusion: I wouldn't say it was outright bad from beginning to end, but that was most definitely not among my favorite episodes. The best parts (Feudal Japan, Mohinder, Sylar) don't quite manage to redeem the lackluster (Niki and Micah, Alejandro y Maya), disappointing (Peter), and cringe-worthy (Claire) parts. Well! There's always next week. Here's hoping.
no subject
yeah...no one else on my flist had thought of that, and then I was just thinking about it today...
ooh, he's going to need Mohinder's blood as the cure
Selflove ftw
ha
Candice, despite being recast, was written consistently from last season. Very in-character dialogue, I liked that. And then she died, lolz. That scene was ftw!
indeed. Props to the actress, too, for keeping the character consistent as well.
Secondly, the reveal about HRG bagging and tagging West before was sooo phoned in
yeah. And that was the best thing about the Claire/West scenes. agggh Claire stop attracting creepy stalkers
As much as I loved Sylar in this episode, he seriously needs to stop TALKING TO HIMSELF.
yes.
I don't think HRG is killed because he's an Elder...I think, since one of them is probably doing it, he takes that dude/dudette's place.
And if it's Claude, then Claude would go last for the guy that tried to kill him. The drama.I think Candice was going to do a tempt-trick thing, but Sylar beat her to it. Ha! Interesting how they had two normal kisses after Sylar's almost-kiss...kill! thing.
The blue-screen scenes in this episode were TERRIBLE.
SO TRUE.
how Claire wouldn't even MENTION to West she knew other people who could fly
yeah
The currency in Ireland isn't called the dollar, Pete.
hee
A lot of interesting events were going on in this ep, which is why I'm surprised that I'm so underwhelmed overall. You pointed out a lot of the things wrong...I noticed that it was done by a writer and director I don't think I've seen in the credits before. I'm a Maya y Alejandro supporter but I still think their scenes were among the many here that could have been rewritten or simply tightened up or shot better.
BUT YAY SYLAR BACK...ON LOST ISLAND! HAHA! SYLAR V. SMOKE MONSTER!
no subject
♥♥♥ The prospect of emo angst make me so happy. You have no idea.
I don't think HRG is killed because he's an Elder...I think, since one of them is probably doing it, he takes that dude/dudette's place.
There are 8 paintings for (supposedly) 8 victims - Nakamura counted nine members of the group before he was killed. So I don't know how HRG fits in, I just hope this one painting doesn't come true. GET NEW GLASSES, NOAH!
Interesting how they had two normal kisses after Sylar's almost-kiss...kill! thing.
Hee, yes. I kind of hope they actually expand on Sylar's love live and lack thereof at some point down the road. The timing would be terrible right now, with so many other romantic arcs going on at once, but I think it could be quite interesting to see how he regards matters of the heart.
ITA with your summation. J.J. Philbin is a new writer, this was her first episode. Hopefully she'll continue to distill her strong characterization and improve her skills at pace and such as she gets better-acquainted with what works and what doesn't so much.