Heroes Episode 2.11 - Powerless

[weewarrior]

Interestingly enough, there was a Life episode of the same name a few weeks back. It's all connected, apparently. Spoilers for the episode behind the cut:

So, first of all, when the Alias writing room was disbanded, Jesse Alexander did make away with the stash of very bad crack, didn't he? And he deliberately seems to share it with his new colleagues, if this whole (half-)season is any indication.

Before I start in earnest, let me briefly address that next-to-last scene. I find it pretty unlikely that Nathan is actually dead - they coped out of actually saying it, for one, and the bloodcure has been used so prominently, I highly doubt they wouldn't apply it in this situation. Besides, that whole conversation between him, Peter and Matt in the vault certainly leaves a lot of wiggle room for setups.

Should he stay dead for some reason, though, I'm using this as a handy excuse to drop the show from my schedule - I don't think anyone here will be at all surprised when I say that I'm not really watching for either the plot or any of the other characters.*g*

But onto the rest of the episode:

- Claire's willingness to bring down the Company was admirable, but indeed a little overly risky. Her discussion with Sandra in the beginning was emotionally believable and heartfelt from both sides (yay for Ashley Crow especially) and she finally shows some of the spine she's been missing for so long.

- Said spine thankfully didn't go away when West confronted her about her plan, which - how exactly did he even know about this? Not that I think he'll actually return, so the question whether or not he had a deeper agenda is pretty irrelevant, but with his insistence on Secrets being cool, he was firmly back in creepy territory.

- Claire: "You won't leave me, will you, Mr. Muggles!" - Muggles: *scutters away hurriedly*

- So, Bennet is back with the Company? That's convenient. I still think that wasn't him who shot Nathan in the end, though. Even if it was just a body double, they wouldn't have taken someone who is half Coleman's size and height.

- Lyle actually had text!

- Surprisingly enough, I actually found the scenes between Sylar and Mohinder pretty entertaining - these two actors really have awesome chemistry.

- Maya on the other hand doesn't, with either of them, but as little as I liked her and her storyline, I am relieved that she wasn't just killed off. Maybe they can give her a personality now, or send her on a hitchhiking trip around the world to find herself and fittingly grief Alejandro.

- Poor Molly really needs a lot of therapy now. Maybe together with Micah. Poor kids.

- I loved how open Niki's death scene was - I have heard rumours that Ali Larter asked to be released from the show, so I'm not sure she will be back, but at least they could bring her back if they wanted. And at least she got to kick some ass in the end, even without her superpowers. What a tragic family though.

- Speaking of tragic, I guess this was Monica's Uncle Ben moment? If so, I love it that she got a strong female role model in Niki, and hope she will try to emulate her and her heroics instead of sinking into self-doubt first.

- Adam and Hiro: aww, that was cute. Hiro created his own supervillain nemesis! ...and then he buried him alive, because he couldn't kill him. I guess that means Adam will be back next Volume, depending on how long it takes him to scratch through the concrete. Watch out, Ando!

- Matt and Nathan: "We don't talk about that ever again." - "Agreed." Loved Nathan having to rearrange his back after this. Also - nice subtext here, guys.

- Elle and Bob: definitely challenging the Petrellis for most dysfunctional family dynamics. I like them and am glad they'll probably both stick around, but as of now, Elle's scenes with Daddy Dearest are by far her most interesting ones. Maybe she'll get the opportunity to develop more now that she's made friends outside the Company?

- Angela and Nathan: still as dysfunctional as ever, and for what it's worth, I am glad that he finally gets to be angry at her. Nonetheless I don't believe that her scene with the phone in the end means she put out a hit on him or was otherwise involved in the shooting incident - if it was even orchestrated by the Company that is. As I said above, I hope this was either anticipated by Team Reveal The Powers, or they set it up themselves to put pressure on the Company, which would mean Angela was talking to Nathan in the end.


And that's basically all I have to say about this episode. Writing these reviews has been fun, and I will keep it up in some fashion for the other shows I watch. For Heroes, this mostly depends on Nathan's return, as mentioned above, but even then it won't be regularly as I couldn' t stomach having to think up coherent stuff about something like Kindred again...

Comments

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to think that, despite the flailing it causes, Heroes should write more death scenes. They always bring the characters up to their fullest, most sympathetic potential right before killing them. So, just do that, make them not dead, and keep the positive character development!

You're putting a very pragmatic spin on it. :)

I wonder to what degree Elle will parallel Claire, though. Claire had a rebellion against her father and the Company, so does that mean Elle is next up for that?

I'm pretty sure she is; I mean, she's angry at Bob already, even though it got quickly buried under her fear of being abandoned.

:( Although, I suppose we can talk about Life.

Aww. We can absolutely talk about Life, it's one of the ones I was planning to review, anyway. And I'm sure there will be other genre shows that are enjoyable.

Tin Man - I had thought about watching that. Is it very bad?

Solarbabies - I ... may have seen that a few years after it came out, actually. I really have known Adrian Pasdar for a really long time.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

You're putting a very pragmatic spin on it. :)

Everyone always complains about the characters suddenly becoming likable as soon as they die, so they should capitalize on that!

I'm pretty sure she is; I mean, she's angry at Bob already, even though it got quickly buried under her fear of being abandoned.

And as soon as she finds some security elsewhere and gets used to the fact that she can handle the outside world and doesn't have to be locked up, Bob is in for some trouble. Although, being family, he'll probably be undermining that development every step of the way. Hmm, sounds vaugely Petrelli-like.

Aww. We can absolutely talk about Life, it's one of the ones I was planning to review, anyway. And I'm sure there will be other genre shows that are enjoyable.

I keep meaning to review Life, but I usually watch it on Fridays with a whole slew of other stuff, and inevitably forget.

Other genre shows... uh, not so much, at the moment. There will be BSG soon, but usually thinking about it too much makes me depressed or angry. Or maybe that's just because my only foray into the fandom was extremely negative.

Tin Man - I had thought about watching that. Is it very bad?

It's supposed to be terrible. No idea, but my friend downloaded it, so we're going to find out!

Solarbabies - I ... may have seen that a few years after it came out, actually. I really have known Adrian Pasdar for a really long time.

Hee. I only knew it as "that film that I always picked up and immediately put down in the rental store." Oh-so-bad.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Other genre shows... uh, not so much, at the moment.

There might be new ones, next season. Some might even be good.

It's supposed to be terrible. No idea, but my friend downloaded it, so we're going to find out!

Have fun! Maybe I'll download it, so we could dissect it later.

Life: did you know there is a second episode this Wednesday? Sadly enough they are on hiatus after that.

I only knew it as "that film that I always picked up and immediately put down in the rental store."

I don't remember anything of it, but this should be a very apt description.

One of his older ones which is actually quite good is Near Dark, but seriously, he has gotten a lot better as an actor since then.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

There might be new ones, next season. Some might even be good.

That's what I thought this year, but the only genre show I'm keeping of the newbies is Chuck. :/

Life: did you know there is a second episode this Wednesday? Sadly enough they are on hiatus after that.

Yep, I know! My friend and I are going to watch the two-parter as a movie.

I don't remember anything of it, but this should be a very apt description.

I'd say it's extremely forgettable, but since it involves the kid from witness clinging to a glowy orb that cured his deafness while people rollerskate around a desert and Adrian Pasdar is a pseudo mystic with crazy hair and an owl... it's actually not!

Yeah, I've heard that Near Dark is pretty good. I've always wondered if I could find it in a DVD store here.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought this year, but the only genre show I'm keeping of the newbies is Chuck. :/

Well, admittedly, Bionic Woman and Reaper both suck. Don't know about Journeyman... is there anything else with a sci-fi/fantasy touch?

I'd say it's extremely forgettable, but since it involves the kid from witness clinging to a glowy orb that cured his deafness while people rollerskate around a desert and Adrian Pasdar is a pseudo mystic with crazy hair and an owl... it's actually not!

Oh dear, I'm pretty sure I have seen that...

I've always wondered if I could find it in a DVD store here.

It's worth looking for - I mean, it has all those actors from James Cameron movies, and Pasdar is really pretty!

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

I actually like Reaper okay. I think I'll catch up with it over the hiatus, but it's certainly nothing stellar. It's got CW-itis all over it: potential, but no follow through. Instead they've decided to be repetitive and formulaic. I checked out Journeyman for two episodes, and decided it wasn't for me. The only other genre show right now that I can think of (besides Pushing Daisies) is Moonlight and... no. I watched that show back when it was a) Angel and b) good.

Who knows when Joss will get around to making Dollhouse, too. Maybe next year, maybe not. Sounds like there's not going to be much of a pilot season this year, if the strike goes on any longer.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Reaper: I made the mistake of watching this directly after Chuck, and they are pretty similar on a superficial level, so it was bound to get on my nerves in the first place, but I also really hated the humour and the characters, so I passed this one.

Journeyman: didn't interest me the least; Moonlight: sounds horrible, and after VM I'll need a few years until I can see Jason Dohring's face again without twitching (not because of him personally).

Sounds like there's not going to be much of a pilot season this year, if the strike goes on any longer.

Hmm. We could try to find something older to watch together.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, at first I thought I could cope with the similarities between Chuck and Reaper, but as it's gone on, it's just grated. I think they must have known that people would end up choosing sides.

Hmm. We could try to find something older to watch together.

Maybe. I keep meaning to make my way through Twins Peaks and Homicide, but then I get bored. Might be moot point, though, since I'm wandering off to Thailand and Cambodia for a month starting mid-January, and I probably won't spend that much time around TVs and computers anyway.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I think they must have known that people would end up choosing sides.

Presumably. It's like B5 and DS9, only this time, DS9 is clearly better than the competition.

I keep meaning to make my way through Twins Peaks and Homicide, but then I get bored.

I think Twin Peaks is still almost singularly responsible for a lot of my TV kinks. And for my fear of BOBs. But seriously, the show drops off majorly after the first ten or eleven episodes. No need to watch the rest, unless you absolutely need to see David Duchovny in drag.

Homicide I haven't watched yet, and I'm not sure I'm really into cop dramas anymore.

I've tried to get into Farscape for the longest of times, but it's somehow not my thing...

Maybe we should just stick with Life.

Might be moot point, though, since I'm wandering off to Thailand and Cambodia for a month starting mid-January, and I probably won't spend that much time around TVs and computers anyway.

Holidays?

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

I think Twin Peaks is still almost singularly responsible for a lot of my TV kinks. And for my fear of BOBs. But seriously, the show drops off majorly after the first ten or eleven episodes. No need to watch the rest, unless you absolutely need to see David Duchovny in drag.

That's... kind of a bad sign, because I already find it fairly boring. The high school drama elements of it took me entirely by surprise and really undercut my enjoyment. The David Duchovny stuff I'm sure I could youtube.

Homicide I haven't watched yet, and I'm not sure I'm really into cop dramas anymore.

I like the style of it, but it's a little too dry. I don't care much for most of the characters, and I'm not that interested in the cases. However, it's supposed to be a seminal TV show, so I'm determined to get through it at some point.


I've tried to get into Farscape for the longest of times, but it's somehow not my thing...

I liked Farscape, but I did watch it in all of two weeks. Cracky to the point where I'm not sure I could have been a regular viewer if I'd tried to watch it in real time. The lack of science makes me a little headdesky. But, OTOH, the twinning arc in the third season is such brilliant characterization that I can't help but love it. And I do have my kink for crazy characters.

Maybe we should just stick with Life.

Yeah... I get that feeling.

Holidays?

Yep! I'm pretty far North, and the winter is ridiculously cold (especially for a desert rat like me), so a friend and I are heading down to Thailand for around half of our break, right after the holiday finishes for the rest of the country. Luckily, we get an insane amount of time off in the winter -- due to said ridiculous cold.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I liked Farscape, but I did watch it in all of two weeks. Cracky to the point where I'm not sure I could have been a regular viewer if I'd tried to watch it in real time. The lack of science makes me a little headdesky. But, OTOH, the twinning arc in the third season is such brilliant characterization that I can't help but love it.

It was a bit too cracky for my taste I'm afraid - and I really have a definite problem with wacky aliens, so a lot of the more sci-fi-y elements didn't work for me. Adding to that, my favourite character is Crais (I know), and I pretty much hate John Crichton. (Love the others, though.) Season 3 I still mean to watch, though.

I'm pretty far North, and the winter is ridiculously cold (especially for a desert rat like me), so a friend and I are heading down to Thailand for around half of our break, right after the holiday finishes for the rest of the country. Luckily, we get an insane amount of time off in the winter -- due to said ridiculous cold.

That definitely sounds like fun. I am envious.
Re: desert rat: Do you come from a desert area or do you simply prefer warm and dry climates?

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

Adding to that, my favourite character is Crais (I know), and I pretty much hate John Crichton. (Love the others, though.) Season 3 I still mean to watch, though.

Crais actually gets a lot of air time in S3. John, though, I can't agree on. I just love crazies.

Re: desert rat: Do you come from a desert area or do you simply prefer warm and dry climates?

I've spent most of my life in New Mexico, so I'm acclimated to 100 degrees F with 15% humidity at a mile above sea level. Needless to say, the rest of the world is somewhat disinclined to meet my requirements.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Crais actually gets a lot of air time in S3.

I know. And then he dies.

I've spent most of my life in New Mexico, so I'm acclimated to 100 degrees F with 15% humidity at a mile above sea level. Needless to say, the rest of the world is somewhat disinclined to meet my requirements.

I can definitely see that. Being a middle European, I'm certainly used to a milder, more wishy-washy climate.
New Mexico must be beautiful, though.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

I know. And then he dies.

Yeah, but he dies well. And Aeryn gets a really awesome character arc.

New Mexico must be beautiful, though.

From a certain perspective. I grew up hating it and I still think the forests in the mountains are more beautiful, but the landscape is amazing.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but he dies well.

So I've heard! I found it a very fitting ending for him (alas, poor Talyn!), but I don't like the show enough to watch it without him, so I'll pass on Season 4.

And Aeryn gets a really awesome character arc.

That is very good to know.


From a certain perspective. I grew up hating it and I still think the forests in the mountains are more beautiful, but the landscape is amazing.

I meant the latter, as I don't know much about NM besides the landscape, shamefully enough. And I've never seen a desert, so it's fascinating to me. I love the ocean - I miss the sea when I don't see it for a while, and I really hated the area where I grew up otherwise. It's very rural and empty and hopeless.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

but I don't like the show enough to watch it without him, so I'll pass on Season 4.

S4 is pretty hit or miss. It has a couple of my favorite over all episodes, but sacrifices characterization and continuity for a crack. A lot.

I meant the latter, as I don't know much about NM besides the landscape, shamefully enough.

Eh, not much else to it. Although the landscape does vary quite a bit. My area is full of mesas and bluffs (and, you know, a volcano; we get a lot of geologists hanging out in our area), but there are a lot of places that look more like the typical sandy deserts you'd see in movies.

and I really hated the area where I grew up otherwise. It's very rural and empty and hopeless.

Ahahaha, oh man, you haven't seen rural and empty and hopeless until you've been in the desert. All the brown and lifelessness really wears on you after a while.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

but sacrifices characterization and continuity for a crack. A lot.

Somehow, that really seems to happen to every TV show. *shakes head*

Ahahaha, oh man, you haven't seen rural and empty and hopeless until you've been in the desert. All the brown and lifelessness really wears on you after a while.

Where I come from, there are fields. With cows. And more fields, and more cows. And the occasional industrial windmill. More cows. Some houses. Cows. And at some point there will be levees with ... SHEEP, not cows, and then you're already at the water.

So, it's a bit livelier, probably.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

Somehow, that really seems to happen to every TV show. *shakes head*

Sometimes I think the UK has it right, with their short series. Because every show seems to go off the rails eventually, if it goes until canceled.

So, it's a bit livelier, probably.

Well, if rocks structures are lively, sure. But there are long stretches without even that. But, yeah, flatness is rather disconcerting to me (never do like going Kansas).

Up in the mountians we tend to have llamas, though. And that's cool, at least.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I think 12 to 13 episodes is really the best length for a season, and it probably shouldn't be more than 5 to 7. Everything that goes on much longer than 7 years, by my experience, is at least bound to repeat itself. *waves cheerfully at ER*

Llamas. I'd love that.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the show. For a non-serialized show, I think 20 is a good number, because then you can do arc episodes and standalone, and still have three fourths of them be very good episodes. Serialized, it's harder to say. The shorter arc certainly didn't do Heroes any favors this season as opposed to last, but many other shows do very well with that. And, yeah, 5-7. They always get terrible after that point.

Well, there are really only two farms I know of with llamas. But they are a nice change from cows and sheep.