‘Heroes’ In Trouble: Two Producers Fired

jc's comment about rather watching DS9 with the Ferengi had me LMAO, so true. And "Dramamine" - absolutely fabulous.

Heroes: What Went Wrong? I agree they totally changed the characters mid-stream. Also, introducing characters and then dropping them out of sight (I could look up all their proper names, but I will just list their abilities - Invisible Man - played by that Chris Eccelston (sp?) - Shallow Grave, Dr. Who - brilliant actor, they should have kept him around. Then Nikki's little boy, his cousin/copycat girl, his father (this kid is on a bad streak) - it just goes on and on.

It also has the Superman problem that there's only ONE Lex Luther (Syler) - sure, they throw a few other baddies in there, but seriously, I couldn't give a rat's fart what Arthur is doing. And they kill them all so quickly - wasn't Matt's father the "Bogeyman" scaring the wit's out of Molly - and everyone else in Season 2? Suddenly he's on the floor, not even putting up a fight and Arthur is dusting off his hands. WTF? To quote Seinfeld: "It's like a big movie with tons of special effects and a plot that goes NO WHERE."

Want to re-vamp the series? Introduce some MOTIVES for people acting like they do (or having a change of heart). Note to the writers: there's more than good vs. evil. In Season 1 we had Mohinder seeking knowledge (the gene and who killed his father), Peter trying to figure out even who he was, Nathan seeking political power, Nikki trying to figure out her split personality, Matt's marriage dissolving, etc. Who was Syler? The whole "Save the cheerleader, save the world" storyline was brilliant. Also, why all the new characters? It makes everyone cardboard cut-out & one dimensional, and the storylines as exciting as dry f**king toast.

Now I view it with the attitude of: "if the writers don't care about the characters, why should I?" And it's not shocking that viewers aren't willing to put up with it and are opting out. I catch the odd episode, but unlike waiting with bated breath for every week in Season 1, rushing out to buy the DVD and then enduring Season 2 - gulliably swallowing every horrid episode with excitement like the fat kid with all the toys who believes that he's going to have friends at his Birthday party this year: "they will come around, it's going to be great."

Several episodes later: (cue me clutching my head in an effort not to have it explode whist rocking back and forth): "it's the writer's strike... something wonky is going on, Tim Kring's in a coma, full body cast, blinking out a new script: "my body is completely broken, but for the kindness of these monks delivering the script from a wicker basket in the Himalayas..."

Then: "It's me, right? I'm not wishing hard enough, not enough fricking fairy dust in the air!?! Season 1 was brilliant, they can't fall THAT hard that fast."

Oh yes, they can. They did. Someone email me when it gets good again, hmm?

Ok I love Heroe. it's my favorite show on tv but they really make something good then take it away the next episode.
I think 2 of the biggest things are...
1. It was to great to make Peter and Syler brothers (Good vs Evil) and them being family makes it even better. Then they take it away by saying it was only a lie.
2. Why go back to learn how to use Syler's power just to have all his powers taken away. They made a big point on learning Syler's power then never talking about it again.
Someone give me answer to not give up.
Why kill Peter's father so quick?

@G Duffy

If it is renewed it may go to a more compartmentalized format instead of one huge story arc that lasts an entire season (or three).

Vic

I loved all the episodes so far...they pulled me in everytime. Very captivating. Keep em' coming. Any news of a season 4?

Peter hugging his dad just like that really killed it for me!!!!

I feel that in itz third season.... Itz sort of lost itz way, i agree with the opinions that a lot of characters have become too powerfull but also too stupid! And its a bit of a mess at the moment!

Gotta say mark I find that to be very sad. She has an issue that is important to her and wants to fight for it. Yet in your opinion an actor should never fight for what they believe in like we normal people can? Personally I thought she was being annoying and I don't really agree with her for the most part. However, I don't care at all. She can do what ever she wants outside of the show as long as heroes is still good. Sadly though it's not.

I've watched and enjoyed the show since the first episode Daniel. I consider entertainment a package deal. I watched the show for the overall experience and my ability to escape reality for a little while by emersing in the story. It's just easier to buy into the roles that the actors are playing, and thus be entertained, if they are a blank slate outside of the business of acting.

It's not that I disagree with her politics so mush as it's that I am disappointed in her decision to interject politics in a way that makes me unable to separate her political self from her character.

Seriously mark ? Why should anyone give a crap ? I watch a show for the story for the characters or the talent of the actors. I couldn't care two Sh*ts if she came on Youtube and said that I'm a douche. Dosen't change the show one bit.

Everyone I know stopped watching this show when Hayden Panettiere put her little profanity laced political ad on youtube. It's easier to watch these shows if the actors keep their politics to themselves. Just a thought.

@David

You're joking, right?

Vic

huh?

I am so upset with Shane for saying that "Babylon Five" IS a great show and then having to correct himself in an additional comment, noting that it WAS a great show. Is this what the readers of threads are going to have to put up with now...? I thought the first third of these comments were fine, and really got me interested in the comments on this issue. But the second third of the comments was problematic and the latter third is too full of muddled twists and hectic reversals, not at all what got me interested in these comments to begin with. We need new writers or a new vision or something, because the comments are just not thrilling me like they did at the beginning of the thread.

i'm not surprised that heroes is going down. I actually work for Hollywood..com and there was a story on the site called Heroes Dunzo which outlined all of this. I'm surprised that the producer's heads were the first to roll though. Turns out we're psychic over here! lol

HEROES: WHERE EVERYONE IS OMNIPOTENT
EXCEPT THE WRITERS, WHO ARE IMPOTENT

Ramble Rant to follow.

This episode must be the worst TV I've seen for years. I would rather watch a DS9 Ferengi episode. Even one with the mother Noogie or whatever.

Two flame throwing siblings can't roast an unarmed agent in a box car?

The segue between a train crash in flames and some personal pan pizza made milk come out my nose--and I wasn't even drinking milk at the time.

So we get this strong suggestion that we are finally going to see Sylar's method of absorption...I was actually excited that it looked to be something HRG would describe outloud...would have had a horrific edge to it. But he watches and tells us less than we knew from Hiro's glimpse of Isaac, two years ago!

The entire show was the biggest "So What" I've ever seen. What did we see that couldn't have been retold in one paragraph of dialogue?

The show adds and drops (but never kills) characters willy-nilly. Let me see if I can follow the time travel. First Isaac sees NYC blowing up. Then Future Hiro tells us how to prevent it. Later there's a very sensible trip back to a "prequel" about the company. Then Hiro, for reasons still unknown, is knocked back centuries and around the globe. Then Peter is in Ireland for a while, before a flashback to how he got there. Just a minute, I need some Dramamine.

Tonight Sylar steals a power we have never seen, HRG shows that he is completely heartless, Sylar suddenly needs to see someone use their powers to hunger for them--and overlooks Elle's powers AND manipulation for days (so much for seeing how things work).

Peter and Nathan seem to have no concept of personal space. They ought to get an apartment next to Matt and Mohinder (it's easy if Peter time travels). Does anyone really "breath-share" with their brother like this?

Auuuuughhh!

The problem isn't the second season. Not at all the biggest complaints people have had have nothing to do with the second season. How does turning Seresh in the The Fly fix season 2's mistakes? How does suddenly making Peter and Sylar brothers help what season 2 left behind? How does every one suddenly dropping their character and completely changing who they are make season 2 different?

The problem here is second season.

They´ve tried to clean up the garbage second season left behind. Characters without interest and bored storylines (Old Japan, Ireland). They killed formery great villain Adam Monroe stupidilly, changed Larter´s character without explanation, and finally they dont know what to do now with Peter Petrelli.

I missed the first season, the mystery, the unknown power's origin.

Maybe they would fix it, but they have too many trash to throw out.

@WhatDoIKnow,

All I've been doing is pointing out reasons as to why this goes against how intelligent people think.

To name just a few issues, there are contradictions, and misuse of powers, characters EVERYWHERE.

Please please, read my large comment above, and check the two prior heroes season 3 threads for my comments there that detail exact examples from the episodes...It's funny how not one person on any website (including 10th wonder heroes podcast) can or will refute the points i'm making and instead try to ignore it.

There is a reason, every major media outlet and tons of viewers are picking on the show negatively.

Show is a poster child of how NOT to use time travel.

Also the show may believe it is a comic book based show but in reality its a fantasy series and needs to observe those tropes. In the best fantasies the use of magic comes with a price. If there are no limits on power then there is no dramatic tension.

That's Heroes problems in a nut shell. No limits on power. No consequences. And the spectre of the Reset button being pushed at any moment.

I know I am definitely in the minority here when I say that I have never seen an episode of

Lost
Survivor
Jericho
Battlestar Galactica
Heroes or any other television show in the last 8 years.

I'm a freak!! I know!! ;)

Too many "Luke, I'm your father" lines.

Too may dropped and unfulfilled plot lines.

Heroes too powerful.

I am hero. I am villain. No wait... I am hero. Hmmm, maybe I am villain... Yawn

Seda, I could not agree more, perfect way to explain it, one of the biggest things is just so many characters being stupid. I found myself angry in episodes, like peter hugging his dad, or sheresh injecting himself. You are exactly right about fast and furious, its like a bad fox show, or a bad closing to a trilogy, its like fast and furious tokyo drift or xmen 3. BAM BOOM WOOSH EXPLOSION, VILLANS, EXTREME.

Give me a break, heroes need to use there brain, it seemed better/more intresting when these people tried to live normal lives, like claire, now its "Claire the bounty hunter" give me a break...

Nice post JC (on why season one rocked)

I couldn't agree more with you on what worked... and what isn't working. I keep watching because hero's is like a girl I fell madly in love with... things may not be great right now... but I'm still hoping things will work out and we can find that magic again.

Sadly I find myself really angry each episode when they ignore their own rules and characters do things against who they really are (like Parkman - a mind reader being able to be fooled by a not so bright girl)... Or Peter giving his father, who pretended to be dead and is standing with a bunch of bad guys - a hug (nearly stopped watching that moment) or Peter having to "steal" Sylars ability, which he should have already absorbed in Season 1 after numerous encounters...

To me what's really wrong is that they are forcing plot and making excuses why it could work... instead of letting the characters choices and inner conflicts drive the story. "Save the Cheerleader" was awesome and a perfect example. Claire used to be one of my fave characters - especially after how she dealt with date rape by using her ability. And her need to know who her real parents are. In season 1 characters had other interests than saving the world or stopping villains.

The twists and turns this year are fast and furious, and some are really interesting, but they aren't leaving any time for the characters to actually deal with everything that is happening... and nobody is dealing with their personal struggles and desires. The glimpses of the future are so absurd you know they will never actually happen. And big surprise the world is going to explode. And people are going to die if they aren't saved... yawn.

And making it so everyone can have powers... and finding continuous ways so nobody ever actually dies seems like an excuse to keep throwing unexpected twists rather then deepen personal stories that drew me in in the first place.

It's time to actually let characters deal with the consequences of their actions and let some actually die.

And they also lost touch with the powerful voice over from Mohinder that used to infuse the show with a sense of awe. "what is the nature of the soul? Why do we dream?"

Bring back the Hatian and let him take out everybody. He could easily handle Arthur Petreli and his entire posse.

I agree that this season hasn't been perfect but it has had some really good moments. I hate when people watch a show and complain week to week about it and your thinking if you don't like it why are you watching it. The firing of the writers was a stupid thing to do because even if the studio was not pleased with what was going on they should talked to them and fired them if still needed over the hiatus. Now you have to bring new people to carry the burden of someone elses work.

I guess I'm in the minority. I love the show this year. People I know who watch the show are all really enjoying this season. I get on forums to read scoops and spoilers but constantly read posts about people complaining about the show. Almost every poster suffers from IDD (Intelligence Deficit Disorder) and I rarely see complaints about the plot that can’t be contributed to a lack of imagination on their part.

I think this show more than most shows has a lot of angry nerds (tech heads, internet bloggers, etc. etc.) who are fanatical about super-hero shows and think about the show way too much and over analyze every single plot detail.

I think the writers are guilty of trying too hard to please the fans. Since everyone complained (rightfully so) that last season was slow and disjointed they listened and went to the extremes this season and ramped things up. Now most of the imbeciles can’t keep up and are back to complaining.

I’ve enjoyed this season but it hasn’t been perfect. It started out with way too much time travel but has progressively gotten better and better and in my opinion is just now hitting its stride and clicking on all cylinders again. Now they go and fire some of the lead writers? Good grief!

Unlike the author of this blog, I loved the black-hole guy. I thought he had the coolest power of any of the new characters (other than Arthur) and actually showed me that no matter how invincible some of these other characters seem, they all have Achilles heals and can be threatened by another heroes powers.

jc--Episodes 10 and 11 this season are titled "The Eclipse" Part 1 and 2. This will lead into an episode called "Our Father" and one simply titled "War". I think this is about to get very interesting. (Eps 8 and 9 are supposed to be back story eps, we'll have to deal with that).

interesting discussion..

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?

I thought that the Heroes brand/logo implied the importance of a solar eclipse to a generation of heroes. This seemed to be confirmed with the eclipse that happened just when Hiro traveled to ancient Japan.

Solar flares or something would help explain the apparent occasional jumps in human evolution. Reducing superpower origins to syringes and genetic manipulation (20-40 years ago???) is a bit fetched.

Ed said:
>>I don’t like comic books.<<

This might be the key. The writers should heed this late breaking news bulletin: This is NOT a comic book. This is a television show.

Nowhere Man--what a priceless line:

>>You laid a great foundation, and now you’re putting an outhouse on top of it.<<

I'd love to remember to "borrow" that at the proper occasion.