Heroes #11: The Eclipse : Part 2/Dec2008

[Elodan]

...
Matt, Daphne, Hiro, and Ando is reasonably good stuff (well, when they don't nerf Hiro). The rest? Bleh. I'd like Bennett if he, you know, actually shot.
...

At this point, this storyline is the only thing keeping me watching.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I can't add anything that hasn't already been said about the episode. Blah.

Hopping Vampire does have some kernel of insight to his post. I'm getting really tired of trying to like the show, and trying to come here and not be negative. If the second half of the season doesn't turn around, I'm pretty sure I'm done with Heroes.

Usually my biggest criticism is there is too much going on and the storying feel shallow. I don't think removing a story to flesh the others out would have helped the episode any. This episode and the last really felt like they had a 60 minute (runtime) episode, and stretched it into two 42 minute segments.

 

[Vocenoctum]

these whine about Heroes threads are getting annoying.

I don't watch the show anymore, season two was the deathknell for me. I don't read every thread, but sometimes I look to see if the show has improved or something and maybe I should watch it. (It's always more fun watching them all at once rather than weekly for me.)

So, there's a few ways to look at it really. People are complaining about the show because they care about the show and are disappointed perhaps. Or maybe your complaint was that each week we get a thread on it. Perhaps one long running discussion thread is enough. (I always wondered at the OotS "new comic is up!" stuff, but I mean, I just skip them anyway...)

It's easy enough if you're excited about the show, post what thrilled you.

 

[Darth Shoju]

I'm somewhat surprised at the responses to this episode. I thought it was pretty decent (relative to the rest of the season, that is).

I mean, Sylar is back to being evil, Nathan is going to actually do something (and that storyline looks like it might be interesting IMO), we got to see the Haitian do some stuff, the Hiro/Ando/Seth Green/Breckin Meyer angle was entertaining and explained the comic book, and the Daphne/Parkman storyline was decent.

Now, there were certainly aspects that weren't fantastic either. The Claire/HRG angst is really wearing thin. The eclipse was ridiculously long. HRG was a conveniently bad shot. Mohinder is still lame. But these episodes were basically a giant reset of the storyline, and I think where they are going with it has potential. Frankly, there was no easy way out of the hole they had dug themselves into ("No, no -- dig up, stupid!"), and so the reset had its awkwardness. However, I think it was necessary, and they have the chance to get the show back on track now.

I hope they don't screw it up.

 

[Dire Bare]

I'm somewhat surprised at the responses to this episode. I thought it was pretty decent (relative to the rest of the season, that is).

I'm with you, I enjoyed it. But I'm not surprised at the responses. It's typically in Heroes discussions on ENWorld (and perhaps elsewhere) to bash the show. I really don't get why these masochists continue to watch if they dislike the show so much.

However, I think it was necessary, and they have the chance to get the show back on track now. I hope they don't screw it up.

While I also feel the episode helped put things "back on track", there is only one more episode after this in Volume 3: Villians. So, fixed or not, the story will soon be over. I'm much more interested in what Volume 4 will be about.

 

[JoeGKushner]

My favorite part of the show?

Mohender beating the crap out of the fire guy.

Why you might ask?

He's a murderer now. A killer. Maybe not cold blooded. Maybe more under the influence from his artificial powers than anything.

But a killer.

And this guy whose bullying him? With no powers?

Yeah, that was solid.

If HRG took out Ellie at least, I would've been happy with that aspect. It would've made a good point for Sylar to be 'evil'.

Him popping her brain cap open at the end? No sense at all, especially as he already has her powers.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Where is my problem with Sylar: He's one dimensional and extremely predicable.

Typical Sylar Storyline A.
[CHARACTER] is at [LOCATION].
Sylar appears.
[CHARACTER] recognizes Sylar for what he is and panics.
[Sylar attacks]
[RANDOM PLOT DEVICE?]
Sylar is forced to flee OR Sylar kills [CHARACTER] before a commercial break.

Typical Sylar storyline B.
Sylar is at [LOCATION].
[CHARACTER] is at [LOCATION].
They team up.
Sylar and [CHARACTER] try to betray each other.
[CHARACTER] dies OR manages to escape Sylar...

Typical Sylar Storyline C.
Noah Bennit is at [LOCATION].
Sylar appears.
Noah Bennit panics and tries to escape OR decides to fight sylar.
Sylar flicks off Noah's Glasses.
Noah Fires his gun.
Sylar uses Telekinesis to pin Noah to the wall then open his skull/neck.
[ RANDOM PLOT DEVICE]
Sylar is forced to flee OR is captured OR temporarily neutralized.
Scene ends with Noah Bennit looking stoic, but shaken.


Typical Sylar Storyline D:
[Peter Patrelli*] is at [Location]
Sylar Appears.
They Fight (to a stand still?).
[RANDOM PLOT DEVICE?]
[Sylar or Pa Patrelli] is defeated and either flees OR 'gets killed' but revives in the next Volume/episode**.



* This season you can replace Peter Patrelli with Pa Patrelli.
** I'm willing to bet that if it were Pa Patrelli this scene then Sylar will kill him and take his powers so that Peter and Sylar could be exactly the same (power wise).

You may notice that Sylar storylines are so formulaic that they are basically the same.

 

[WhatGravitas]

You may notice that Sylar storylines are so formulaic that they are basically the same.

The problem with Sylar is that the writers like him, want to do character development and yet want him to be evil Sylar.

Sometimes, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

Which is a pity, since I like Quinto's acting, I actually liked the initial "reformed" Sylar who was teamed up with Bennet. Could've been a nice dynamic, Bennet trying to kill him while working with him, while Sylar tries to manipulate Claire into hating HRG (they showed something like that with the Black Hole Guy). Double-plotting Sylar could have worked well - it did in season one when he was teamed up with Mohinder.

But now, the writer just seem to like the character and try to write their own Sylar fanfic every angle at once. Which muddies him completely, which is aggravating to me, because I thought he could've been a compelling character.

Cheers, LT.

 

[DonTadow]

I'm with you, I enjoyed it. But I'm not surprised at the responses. It's typically in Heroes discussions on ENWorld (and perhaps elsewhere) to bash the show. I really don't get why these masochists continue to watch if they dislike the show so much.
While I also feel the episode helped put things "back on track", there is only one more episode after this in Volume 3: Villians. So, fixed or not, the story will soon be over. I'm much more interested in what Volume 4 will be about.

And yet there are a few series that get consistently good reviews. People come on any forum to discuss the show. If the show did something good, then you'll see compliments, but this show has been horrible most of the season. Now, i'd love to be one of those people who would just be satisfied to just see any show about superheroes on the a prime time network and think that that alone is enough to praise it every week, then when it is canceled be genuinely dismayed that they canceled such a show considering it had superheroes and that alone meant it could do no wrong.

But I'm not that naive. This show is going to be canned before season's end and its very difficult for the astute watcher to see such a great premise and show tank so badly and seem to go nowhere. They write themselves into messes and attempt to clean it up with bigger messes. My wife said it best while she was discussing the show with a friend. "The show lost me when HRG, the supposed expert killer who we've seen hit targets that could have been impossible, not take a clear shot with a high power rifle, then chase someone with a high power rifle, then miss at near point blank range with a handgun."

Once you realize that problem 2 (the inept HRG) is actually just a way for them to clean up problem 1 ( setting up a scene where one of your stars can not possibly survive) its hard to not be more irrate. It's like watching a Detroit Lions game, you start with a little faith that it will get better, watch how it completely tanks, and then find someplace to vent because you see the 0-16 season coming into view. In this case, Heroes is on schedule to be canceled and it seems like the writers can't figure out how to write a credible superhero story anymore.

If reading the complaints is peeving you off, do a serach of mainstream media. We're geeks who are naturally drawn to the show, the mainstream media and 'real' people who they need to watch it are tuning it out and bashing it far harder.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Which is a pity, since I like Quinto's acting, I actually liked the initial "reformed" Sylar who was teamed up with Bennet.

I agree. For me what killed that entire storyline was when they threw Pa Patrelli into the mix and kept Sylar standing around passive for two episodes before deciding to write in a previous relationship with Elle.


Now that I think of it, when ever they try to toss romance into a Sylar storyline (be it through fraud or not) the storyline immediately jumps the rails and the shark tank.

Hopefulyl the writers realize that some things you can't hug or sugar-up without ruining it.