Entertainment Weekly: "Can Heroes Be Saved?"

[Darth Shoju]

Well, then we have achieved parity, because your reasons for watching Heroes probably has no bearing on whether or not they cancel it.

Now, how do you remove time travel from a show when one of its stars has time-travel powers?

I think you start introducing some problems that are caused by the use of his powers (they've done this a little in the last couple of episodes). Have him use them and have something go really wrong. After that he'll be motivated to use them sparingly, and will get back to wielding a katana.

 

[Dire Bare]

Well, then we have achieved parity, because your reasons for watching Heroes probably has no bearing on whether or not they cancel it.

Now, how do you remove time travel from a show when one of its stars has time-travel powers?

Time travel is one of the most difficult sci fi and fantasy tropes to pull off effectively. But it can be done.

Hiro's jump to the future in Season 1 was very well done (IMO), but they used practically the exact same plot device again in Season 2 and then yet again in Season 3 with Peter jumping into the future. It's not so much that it "doesn't work" but that we've seen this dog-and-pony show before, twice.

And it's the big time jumps into the distant past (Feudal Japan) and somewhat distant future (the various "4 Years Later" alternate futures) that are problematic (or have become so). The little time jumps, like Hiro's trick when he "killed" Ando are much easier to pull off without overly complicating the show.

The writers don't need to remove time travel from the show, they just have to be very careful with how they use it and not bore us with yet another jump "4 Years Later" when everybody is grumpy and wears more black . . . .

 

[Dire Bare]

I think you start introducing some problems that are caused by the use of his powers (they've done this a little in the last couple of episodes). Have him use them and have something go really wrong. After that he'll be motivated to use them sparingly, and will get back to wielding a katana.

Yes! If and when somebody goes, "Hey, you're the Master of Time and Space, let's timejump into the future to see how this all plays out," we need to have a wiser Hiro state, "Time travel of that nature is dangerous and must be considered very carefully before done. Let's try some other tactics."

 

[WhatGravitas]

Yes! If and when somebody goes, "Hey, you're the Master of Time and Space, let's timejump into the future to see how this all plays out," we need to have a wiser Hiro state, "Time travel of that nature is dangerous and must be considered very carefully before done. Let's try some other tactics."

Exactly - Hiro's new reluctance to use time travelling is very refreshing and makes sense - remember Charlie? Kensei? These things weren't exactly glorious. It makes sense to have learned from that. Plus, future Hiro was pulled off pretty well, he made research (remember all these strings in his 'lab'?), only visited the subway in the past with a really cryptic message. I actually liked season 1's use of time travel.

The aggravating time traveller was Peter, because... well he's Peter. He meddles too much, dumps his girl friend in the future... and walks all over the plot with it.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Darth Shoju]

Exactly - Hiro's new reluctance to use time travelling is very refreshing and makes sense - remember Charlie? Kensei? These things weren't exactly glorious. It makes sense to have learned from that. Plus, future Hiro was pulled off pretty well, he made research (remember all these strings in his 'lab'?), only visited the subway in the past with a really cryptic message. I actually liked season 1's use of time travel.

The aggravating time traveller was Peter, because... well he's Peter. He meddles too much, dumps his girl friend in the future... and walks all over the plot with it.

Cheers, LT.

Honestly I think Peter's power is partly to blame for some of the plot problems. The problem with his powers are that you can't put him in a scene with another super without him having their powers afterward. So either you: keep him isolated and miss opportunities for interesting interactions; ignore his power at convenient times to avoid him having powers that are inconvenient for the plot; or he just gets insanely powerful and messes stuff up.

I think they've used a little of all three of those options. The events of last episode seem to be a step toward correcting this problem.

 

[LightPhoenix]

In a total exercise of immense hubris, I actually sat down a couple of weeks ago and asked myself: what would I have done differently, if I were show runner. This article hit on most of the points I wrote down.

My only criticism of the article is the point that the characters shouldn't have esoteric abilities (ie, Vortex). I can't disagree enough - one of the only nice things about so many people with abilities is that they're different.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Unfortunately I think one problem is the whole notion of a "volume" within the series. The fact that each volume appears to be getting shorter is actually alittle worrisome (especially if they sell they dvds by the season).

 

[drothgery]

I've thought since late in season 1 that every character with power-absorbtion abilities should be killed or otherwise written out of the show, and that ability should never appear again. All that ability does is create plot holes.

 

[Darth Shoju]

I've thought since late in season 1 that every character with power-absorbtion abilities should be killed or otherwise written out of the show, and that ability should never appear again. All that ability does is create plot holes.

I like Sylar having it, since he (was?) a villain and needed to be tough to take on the other heroes. That, and the way he got the powers was cool.

Peter's power, on the other hand, is all kinds of plot trouble. I'm actually kind of surprised the writers didn't see that coming.