Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Heroes - 2x01 "Four Months Later"

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

So remember when I praised the season 1 finale for how adeptly it flouted proper storytelling conventions? The second season premiere flouted proper storytelling conventions, but without half the breathless élan of the S1 finale. Even ignoring the fact that the premiere has to refrain from awesomeness of the revelatory type, "Four Months Later" did little more than trot out a litany of cliches dressed up as characters, some new, some old. Granted, Heroes has never been a stranger to cliche -- even generic, non-superhero cliches -- but the premiere didn't leaven it with levity or throw Claire out of a third-story (or whatever) window. Let's count them off, shall we?

  1. Amnesia

  2. Selfish and venal "hero" needs to learn how to become honorable and boring stuff of legend

  3. Mohinder lectures to disinterested and sparse crowd

  4. Teenager can't follow directions, only hormones/desire to show up head cheerleader
    Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

  5. Jessica/Niki annoying


All that's missing is a cute meet...

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Never mind... though with that haircut, I'd call it a fug meet.

The concept of Heroes was never fresh; what was fresh was the nerdy glee with which it executed the concept, but with "Four Months Later," even the execution was heartless, artless, and empty.

But lest I sound unrepentantly harsh, I didn't hate "Four Months Later" like I hated the first three episodes of season 1; I'd give this episode a passing grade, something around a gentleman's C+. Notwithstanding the lowish but passable mark, there were still moments that I enjoyed. The Parkman/Mohinder ménage was cute, and I loved Molly Parkman Parker's newfound precocity, which made me wonder if she's played by a Fanning. (Answer: No.) Also, no Jessica/Niki, DL, or Micah is yet another point in the episode's favor. Speaking of the lad, my hope is that this season's heavy -- presumably the guy who charged Papa Nakamura :( -- is Micah on stilts, and that we'll have the Showdown of the 11-Year-Olds between him and Molly come the finale.

I'm also looking forward to making high-concept jokes about how Veronica Mars was able to solve all those cases because she's actually a mutant.

Indie rating: New Order - "Age of Consent"

No comments: