Heroes Season 1(#21)---5/07/07-'The Hard Part'

[Pseudonym]

I definitely understand this viewpoint, but they have to be very very careful. It's certainly been documented that a material portion of the audience simply doesn't return when such story events occur.

I don't know. Oz lasted for I think six seasons and it seems just when you came to know certain characters, they were killed off. Granted many made it through most or all of the series, but there were several that snuffed it that I never thought would, and who had fairly major story arcs.

It could work, if written well.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I don't think they are reshooting scenes. More likely they are scavenging off the cutting room floor and pulling from alternate original takes (Most scenes are probably shot at least twice if not more to get all the camera angles for editing to choose from).

Also a possibility, sure. It just seems odd to me that the dialogue is different. I've noticed it before (going from memory, I think the episode where Ted held Claire hostage, the recap changed dialogue from the previous ep, but could be off).

 

[Arnwyn]

It could work, if written well.

Absolutely, which was covered in my "be very careful" part.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Also a possibility, sure. It just seems odd to me that the dialogue is different. I've noticed it before (going from memory, I think the episode where Ted held Claire hostage, the recap changed dialogue from the previous ep, but could be off).

I think the dialogue changes because Hiro has been messing with the timelines trying to stop New York from being nuked. What we are experiencing is the fragmentation of spacetime due to his jumps and time stoppages. This is in fact more of a threat to the world than the nuke and the future rounding up of heroes.

 

[WayneLigon]

I think some of the heroes need to die soon though, and ideally it shouldn't be some minor characters that don't resonate with the fanbase. Kick everyone in the guts and have people turning off the tv going "Wow, I didn't see that coming."

Like others have said, it's a really delicate balance because every character is someone's favorite. Kill off a major and popular character like Peter or Hiro and I might not be all that happy about tuning in next week. Instead of saying "Wow, I didn't see that coming," you'll get a lot of people who'll say "Well, time to try something else."

We already know that focus will shift to other heroes at some point in Season 2; not everyone who lives in this season will be back, or be back regularly. I think it's a good idea, as you get a feel over time for what characters (and actors) work well with each other or who find an audience. It gives them time to breathe and gives you time to try out other characters on the audience.

 

[papastebu]

Like others have said, it's a really delicate balance because every character is someone's favorite. Kill off a major and popular character like Peter or Hiro and I might not be all that happy about tuning in next week. Instead of saying "Wow, I didn't see that coming," you'll get a lot of people who'll say "Well, time to try something else."

We already know that focus will shift to other heroes at some point in Season 2; not everyone who lives in this season will be back, or be back regularly. I think it's a good idea, as you get a feel over time for what characters (and actors) work well with each other or who find an audience. It gives them time to breathe and gives you time to try out other characters on the audience.

The wife and I used to watch NYPD Blue and ER almost every show. When Jimmy Schmidt left NYPD Blue, and Cloony's character left ER, we pretty much stopped watching completely. I don't know if I'd quit Heroes for similar reasons, because I want the storyline to continue, but I like the interplay between the characters right now, especially Nate, Pete, Hiro, Ando, and Claire. The others, to me, are peripheral, and I can see them dying to serve the storyline. But I can see these that I mention doing the same, as long as it works and I don't feel ripped off for my investment in them.

 

[Fast Learner]

The wife and I used to watch NYPD Blue and ER almost every show. When Jimmy Schmidt left NYPD Blue, and Cloony's character left ER, we pretty much stopped watching completely.

I understand, but that's a shame, imo. There were many, many really great NYPD Blue episodes after Smits left. The last couple of seasons (especially the very last) went downhill, but there were a lot of really great Rick Schroder eps, Esai Morales was really, really great, etc. The same with ER: the 3 seasons following Clooney leaving were still really great.

In both cases it took a few episodes for the chemistry to adjust, but you missed some really great television going on that principle, imo.

 

[papastebu]

I understand, but that's a shame, imo. There were many, many really great NYPD Blue episodes after Smits left. The last couple of seasons (especially the very last) went downhill, but there were a lot of really great Rick Schroder eps, Esai Morales was really, really great, etc. The same with ER: the 3 seasons following Clooney leaving were still really great.

In both cases it took a few episodes for the chemistry to adjust, but you missed some really great television going on that principle, imo.

Is that how you spell those guys' last names? Sorry. Hate to get stuff like that wrong.
But, we just lost interest in the show. I think that, like I said in my last post, it was too much of a shock to the investment that we'd made in the characters. Simone's death was completely pointless when compared with the show's themes, and it was a buyout or termination clause that had him hanging on afterward for a few shows. I saw a few of the Schroeder episodes, and thought they were OK, and the wife watched a bit longer than I did, but that was basically it, for us.
Clooney's leaving wasn't as big of an upset, because his character was kind of an ass, but he was still core to what was going on. What do you do with his girlfriend's story line, once he goes?
Anyway, if they don't handle the death(s) of one or all of the core characters of Heroes well, that might push me away from the show. It's hard to say for sure, though, because the subject matter is so dear to my heart.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Is that how you spell those guys' last names? Sorry. Hate to get stuff like that wrong.
But, we just lost interest in the show. I think that, like I said in my last post, it was too much of a shock to the investment that we'd made in the characters. Simone's death was completely pointless when compared with the show's themes, and it was a buyout or termination clause that had him hanging on afterward for a few shows. I saw a few of the Schroeder episodes, and thought they were OK, and the wife watched a bit longer than I did, but that was basically it, for us.
Clooney's leaving wasn't as big of an upset, because his character was kind of an ass, but he was still core to what was going on. What do you do with his girlfriend's story line, once he goes?
Anyway, if they don't handle the death(s) of one or all of the core characters of Heroes well, that might push me away from the show. It's hard to say for sure, though, because the subject matter is so dear to my heart.

Any significant cast changes are going to result in some people giving up on a show. The trick is to keep it from killing it completely. ER's ratings dipped a small amount in the year after Clooney left, but not much. It began a slow but steady decline after that season, getting much worse after season 8 where both Eriq LaSalle and Anthony Edwards left.

 

[Wolv0rine]

Well, if anyone's been reading Behind the Eclipse (The link should lead to the Week 21 interview), they've said more than a few times that there are going to be more character deaths, and that Season 2 is going to have a focus on the International.

For me, I thought last week's view of Sylar was pretty good. People tend to break down and scramble for the hope of escape and salvation not after the first step toward damnation, but rather right before the last, irrevocable act. He saw that he was only a step away from being hopelessly damned, and that was when he ran for hope. I thought it was nicely pithy that he bluntly, blatantly came right out and ASKED his mother to tell him it was okay and that he could stop... and she blindly refused.

As far as Peter and Sylar go, I really like the two of them as foils. Peter can't be everywhere, and he's not immediately proficient with any power he absorbs (as the writers say more than once in the 'Behind the Eclipse' interviews, Peter absorbs the "raw material" of the power... so the power level of the source, what they've learned to do with it, etc.. is irrelavant. Peter gets the power in it's raw form, and has to do with it what HE can do with it). So Peter being around really doesn't give you a situation where "We don't need anyone else except as sources of powers for Peter". He's only one guy, and not the brightest guy at that.