This week marks a rare occasion for my Monday DVR showdown: it’s the first time all season where I’ve been more thrilled by an episode of Heroes than an episode of 24. And now I know why: this week’s episode, “Cold Snap,” was written by Sci-fi wonder-kid, Bryan Fuller.
Screen Rant reported back in December that Bryan Fuller was being brought back to Heroes to help get the show back on track. Well, after seeing what Fuller brought to the table with “Cold Snap” and the general direction the show has gone in since he became a “consulting producer,” I think that Brayn Fuller should be writing every Heroes episode from now on.
|
|
Really, I can’t say enough about this week’s episode. From the first frame of “Cold Snap” (Danko (Zeljko Ivanek) staring at his reflection in the mirror and slowly shaving his face with a sharp-looking razor) I knew that something was very different about this Heroes episode I was about to see. I slid up to the edge of my seat, excited, and boy did I stay that way for the whole hour.
Since it’s recently become somewhat uncertain when a SPOILER expires, I’ll refrain from talking about the plot of the episode and instead focus on what made it so different (and enjoyable) for me to watch.
A POLISHED LOOK
First of all, “Cold Snap” looked fantastic. It’s like seeing Star Wars back to back with The Empire Strikes Back: five minutes into Empire, you can already tell that the guy handling the camera this time around knows what he’s doing. I invite you to watch the lead-in segment of “Cold Snap” and then go back and watch the lame lead-ins to just about any other episode of Heroes from this season (excluding a few rare gems). Trust me, You’ll be able to tell the difference.
The episode’s director, Greg Yaitanes, really treated us to a rich visual feast. From the slick introduction of the episode’s title (a theme that can be really hit or miss depending on the episode), to every eye-popping set piece, camera shot and action sequence, this episode was just real, real, good to look at.
Danko (Zeljko Ivanek) is Heroes‘ Kraven The Hunter
A POLISHED SCRIPT
“Cold Snap” hit all the marks we’ve been wishing Heroes would again. It was funny when it was supposed to be funny; thrilling when it was supposed to be thrilling; poignant when it was supposed to be poignant–and for the first time in a long time, I even liked the cutesy Hiro/Ando side-story involving Matt Parkman’s baby son (fine, I confess, I loved it!).
More importantly, Fuller kept the show so well grounded it makes you wonder how the hell other writers have been getting Heroes so wrong, for so long now. I believed every moment of “Cold Snap”: what the characters did, the choices they made and most importantly, I believed that a professionally-paid writer had written the dialogue that came out of their mouths.
Fuller also knows how to work an audience. I was going nuts when Mrs. Petrelli was trying to make her impossible escape; I was black-man-blushing when Hiro confessed to Ando about watching his mother die and when baby Parkman came to Hiro’s aid; the climax with Tracy Strauss’ “Cold Snap” was well worth the buildup and the one “WTF?” moment in the episode (the whole epilogue with Parkman and Daphne in Paris), turned out to be a totally intentional “WTF?” moment. That’s some good writing.
DEAR NBC…
Keep letting Fuller do what he’s doing! You could save SO much money in this recession just by paying one Bryan Fuller do the work you’re currently paying a dozen writers to attempt. Give that man a wad of money; keep skilled, stylish directors like Greg Yaitanes on payroll too, and you’ll be able to sit back and watch Heroes claw its way back up past Jack Bauer in the Nielsen ratings. Guaranteed.
Because if you keep Heroes episodes like “Cold Snap” coming, NBC, I will be there to watch and I’m pretty sure a lot of other viewers will too…
What did you think about Heroes‘ episode this week? Let us know.
Source: TV.com
Loading ...
26 Comments
Much agreed, this weeks episode was just awesome. I was in stitches with Hiro, Ando and the wheelbarrow. Great writing, has me thirsty for more!
Other than the first episode of Fugitives, this was the strongest episode.
I are in love with you Kofi. You got everything i was thinking and put in the form of writing. This episode was very EPIC, and I feel Heroes going back to its Season 1 roots.
all this with no sylar and with rebel. wow.
Aw, and I missed it.
No Claire made me realize how much she’s been dragging down the show recently. I agree with everything in this writeup. And yay for no timetravel plot holes/inconsistencies/questions of lack of use. Hiro’s updated (weakened) power was a smart move and can still lead to some interesting uses – I hope it stays like this forever.
Woah, hold on a sec. Not so fast people, it’s just one episode. Call me a skeptic, but can Heroes really redeem itself for two lackluster volumes in one episode?
There’s 5 chapters left and the creator is probably going to write those. Maybe he’ll pull it off, but I’m guessing the end is going to drag and have a weak fight scene like the first season did.
I haven’t hated any episodes, but some were definitely weaker than others. I think that the show never got as terrible as some feel. But, then again, I don’t watch much TV these days.
Not seen this episode yet in the UK but have felt this series has been a big improvement on the parts before – excluding the first series.
Seems everyone loves this episode so that has to be a good thing. Rarely do scifi fans agree so much.
Well, the writers’ strike hit Heroes the hardest in the second season but thats’ no excuse for the lame ending of season 1 and post-strike episodes which were directionless to say the least!I agree with Carl Lee, lets wait and watch(hopefully great episodes) how they round off this volume and maintain interest in the characters and possible future developments.
I would prefer it if Hiro got his Teleportation powers back instead.
His abilty to stop time reminds me too much of Piper Haliwell from Charmed.
So…Breaking Bad was great on Sunday, and 24 was great on Monday, Heroes was incredible too, Medium always leaves a good taste in the mouth, TV doesn’t exist on Tuesdays anymore, Lost was really great last night and so was South Park. If 30 Rock and the Office are great tonight, and Dollhouse lives up to last week’s promise of genius.
This will probably be the best week of TV, for me, ever.
Best episode all season and they finally did something I wanted to see happen from the first season. I was very happy.
HOLY CRAP…
Daniel F liked something…
It’s a breakthrough…
Hell yes! I posted it on mid-week open discussion, and I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that thought this was a return to form. This episode didn’t having me sit through to see where it was going- it took me along, pulled me in-got me hooked all over. Truly heroic in the end for Ms. Strauss. And Parkman’s epilogue. And Hiro’s return to being Hiro(now if they could get that damn baby to zap Peter, or Ando to zap Peter, so Peter would quit being Rogue and start being the only true Superhero that’s destined to battle the one true villain on the show, Sylar)-too many awesome moments to name. This was the show’s much needed retcon. Every comic gets outlandish at some point and loses fan base. This Fuller guy seems like a Frank Miller for Heroes. I would let him keep this up.
I agree that this episode stood out from the rest in this season. I knew SOMETHING was different about it, but I don’t follow news about writers, etc. so until reading this board, I had no idea that one of the “original” writers took on the challenge. I DID notice that after the hiring of new writers after the strike, the show became chaotic and purposeless. I do agree that this episode had remnants of genius in it, reminescent of the first season. I hope that Bryan Fuller is allowed to write MORE episodes. “Cold Snap” was the most excitement I got out of watching “Heroes” in a long time.
This volume definitely hooked me on Heroes again. And I love it that Fuller is back (even though it meant that Pushing Daisies had to wither…).
Great Episode. keep’em coming.
also, just want to point out, I guessed the identity of Rebel a few weeks back in a Weekly discussion column
I’m pretty positive anyone who only saw Season 1 and the last 2 or 3 episodes could guess rebel was Micah. It’s just what a great job they did with that scene and the ‘Cold Snap.’
That episode was standalone greatness. It should be the response to all the jaded fans who are too skeptical to love Heroes again. This was it’s own Heroes movie.
Which is why it should get better than an 8.7, whereas even the other eps this chapter should mostly be at least that level.
Vote Right people, this show’s worth it.
http://www.tv.com/heroes/cold-snap/episode/1253160/summary.html?tag=ep_guide;ep_title;20
Def the best episode this season.
OMG!!! is all I can say! I have been watching Heroes goes steadily downhill from season 2 (but even that was better than season 3!)
amazing!! kept me guessing which is VERY rare!
I mean how many people can be related to Claire?? It just got more & more ridiculous! I was so happy to hear of Bryan Fuller’s return & boy was I NOT disappointed! totally amazing! won’t spoil but soooo worth watching!!
I loved Heroes this week,everything I love about heroes happened this week.Maybe he should write for Smallville also.
@rawpower
that’s scary. it would take him two seasons of fixing things to just get Clark back into high school, before he could start doing anything people wouldn’t wanna throw up about.
This is pretty crazy. I popped in House to watch the season 4 finale, because that was so good, it almost should’ve been a movie.
And then all of the sudden movie trivia smacks me in the face. Greg Yaitanes directed this. Same guy who directed that episode of Heroes, and who I just heard of when this review happened. Freaky.
US MARCH 30 PREMIERE SPOILERS
What was the name of this Chapter, “Almost Incest”? Did anyone else feel queasy during the Nathan/Claire scenes? There was a time when Nathan (unshaved as usual-what is it with these Petrelli boys?) was in a corner of the hotel room talking with Claire. He had one leg bent up against the wall and I think shirt half buttoned. His pose struck me like a fetching Abercrombe & Fitch look. I got creeped-out vibes from lots of the dialogue and sometimes the proximity of “biological padre” and daughter. I’m not saying the story was hinting at this relationship–just that it had heavy overtones. Between other characters I’d call it sexual tension.
* Bad editing? Hours and hours seemed to go by in the HRG/Sylar/Danko story, but cross-cut to Nathan and he’s still in the drinking contest.
* I like how Sylar takes on the powers of a shapeshifter and assumes his true identity right in the passenger seat of the car, across the street from HRG, while saying it would be wise for him to stay disguised.
* Why is it that everyone that Sylar approaches screams bloody murder, as if they have all read his file and know what’s coming?
* Tom? Hiro? Daphne? Micah?
* Next week, apparently Angela’s sister…so we consume more time on the Petrelli family, while some of the cast is neglected for weeks.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!