Reaction/Review: Heroes 1x01-1x12

[grimorie]

When I first heard about Heroes I was skeptical of the show and the idea and somehow felt a wee bit cranky that there’s a new superhero show that isn’t Buffy.

I don’t know why I felt that but I did so it took me a long time to even look at posts about Heroes. Finally, after months of resisting I finally gave-in and in a span of three days I’ve managed to gobble up all but the current episode of Heroes.

Verdict?

I love it. Love it. Love it.
 

When I watched the pilot episode, Genesis I wasn’t expecting much, set the bar very low because Smallville had disappointed me so many times I had to set it that low.

Then the first text crawl appeared and the music and this gorgeous shot of Peter Petrelli on the edge of the building and his slow fall and the music!

I was breathless in those first few minutes and I thought, ‘Yes.’ That’s how you make a superhero TV series! The wonder, the awe and the giddiness associated with watching should be there, shouldn’t be drowned by the stupid angst and poutiness. Should be human.

The voiceover at the beginning of each episode is reminiscent of the X-Men movies, ala Jean Grey only this time Mohinder is the narrator, and I think he serves as the Professor Xavier role in the show.

Just like all the others I’ve fallen head over heels for Hiro Nakamura. He’s a fan boy come to life, without all the skeevy nerd thing people associate with it but the type who finds these powers wonderful and full of squee! He loves that he has powers and he references the X-men, Ray Bradbury and he’s just so earnest!

Oh, but Future!Hiro. My lord, I didn’t expect to find him as hot but he is! Grim, determined, so sure in his powers and he has a freakin’ sword! A sword, people!

Ando - I like Ando he's so perplexed, skeptical and finally accepting of his friend's quirky power and obsession with destiny that they travel to New York on the strength of Hiro's 'prophetic' comic.

Peter Petrelli – This guy, despite being the first person I saw, in the scene that made me breathless took me some time before I warmed to his character his emo-ness and inability to keep quiet about pestering Nathan about powers makes me want to shake him, unlike Hiro, it doesn’t come out as enthusiasm but annoying.

He’s slowly building his way from being annoying to being something else.

Nathan Petrelli – I’ve heard of Adrian Pasadar before but I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything yet. Struck me as very cold and took me longer to warm to him than Peter. The only times I liked him was when he had scenes with Hiro and the night of infidelity with Niki/Jessica.

Claire – I like Claire and I like that she’s not supermodel thin but had curves and baby fat and looked like a real teenager. I do like her but not too much because, I think I came in with a high expectation for especially because next to Hiro, she’s the next favorite but so far it’s still like and has yet to tip to full scale fan love.

Isaac - Strangely no opinion on him other than he's handsome when he's not being all crack addict-y

Matt –I loved Weiss in Alias but Matt and his passive-aggressive wife bores me to death. I like him better with Audrey.

Audrey – I love Audrey! Audrey’s tough, no-none sense and so brittle and dedicated. 

Sylar is a great villain, he's origins, he's raging at his mundane existence and his supreme belief that he is special, that quietness and sudden temper. I love how they built it up slowly and the creepiness kept building (what I actually found creepy was that the actor who plays Sylar looks like Brandon Routh, therefore he looks like Superman! He even has the glasses and the mild mannered mannnerisms attributed to Clark Kent!) Smallville, this is how you turn a person evil! Take notes!

Which brings me to my most favorite character in the show, and true to my fannish leanings, seems to be the least liked character in Heroes, not Mohinder because well, he’s storyline bores me too. But Niki/Jessica.

I have this thing, I love characters who can, at a dime turn from ordinary to this lethal deadly person. Not just MPD change, more like modes in a personality like Buffy, when she’s in Slayer mode she gets this look, this sharp, predatory look the type you’d never want to see if your alone in a dark alley with her.

I love that this supposed weak woman turns out to be one of the strongest mutants in the Heroes universe and that, potentially, she could turn into her own enemy and become not a hero, but a villain.

Did I mention I also love man vs. himself stories? ‘Cause I do.

I think that Niki suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder and she took Jessica as the name for her alter ego, because Jessica was her twin sister and obviously thought Jessica was the stronger one, to cope after her father's abuse. Six months before any of this happened to her, she seemed to be getting her life together, everything was perfect and her father comes back into her life, triggering her Jessica personality.

But Niki also has to accept, while Jessica is a separate personality, Jessica is also her. Also, I firmly believe that super strength is Niki's super power and not the MPD. The MPD only allows Niki to access her super strength.

Favorite Niki/Jessica scenes:

- Everytime Jessica emerges. Death by stilettos, anyone?

- Prison scenes are the best, from Niki, in a corner of the isolation cell and the prison guards clustered in a corner, clearly afraid of this woman, and the lead guard all battered from Jessica’s attempted escape

- The meeting with the public defender was a thing of beauty with the actress shifting from Niki to Jessica and back again, rightly freaking out the lawyer. Although, Niki, Jessica's right a plea of insanity would help you escape the Death penalty sentence.

 - Niki meeting DL and Micah and her desperate bid to hug Micah for the last time then being attacked by the guards and defending herself, using her super strength she didn't know she could access when not Jessica. 

 - Final scene with Niki in a straight jacket, in the padded room, begging help from God and then a blink and when she opens her eyes next, it's Jessica, smirking, ever confident,  'Who needs God when  you've got me.'

End. Chilling. Brilliant.

Did I mention Niki's estranged husband DL (who has Kitty Pride superpowers BTW) is the same actor as Forrest and this time he isn't annoying! He's hot and cool with the same fine voice. Micah is also very cute and amazingly level headded considering his parents.

Mohinder is handsome with a cool accent but he's storyline isn't engaging, I find Mr. Bennet or other wise known as Claire's dad, or Horn Rim Glasses guy more interesting.

Can't wait to watch Episode 13 (Fix It?)

OH, and folks, did I mention Nine (Christopher Eccleston) is in Heroes! People! This is groundbreaking news! This is what tipped me to watching in the first place, the Doctor is here! Only with a beard and invisible! Roll on episode 13!

On the other hand, I'm feeling ambivalent towards Crimson, the episode where Lois supposedly falls in love with Clark because it seems like something played for laughs and endless mortification for Lois once she's out of the mindwhammy whatever thing she's under. Plus, the lipstick she wore when she said, 'I'm in love with Clark?' Unfortunate choice of color, people! This is Lois Lane, what are you folk doing? Epic love of Superman and Lois Lane! *headdesk* Look at Hereos, producers then look at your show. Do you see why you're lagging behind?!