So it is a bit unfortunate that the time has finally come for Samuel’s motivations to become clear. As much as it was necessary for the good of the season arc, since it begins to answer some of the pressing questions about Samuel and his activities since the season premiere, it also feels a bit too simple. It renders Samuel a less compelling villain to have him searching for more and more power.

Essentially, Samuel has an ability that is somehow amplified by the presence of other metahumans. This makes him tremendously dangerous. The fact that he was basically the brother with more ambition than wisdom makes it very clear that his temper would be an issue. Tying Samuel’s story into the revelations about Coyote Sands was a nice touch, and it does explain where Mohinder has been all this time.

I’ve liked the slow and measured pace of the plot, if only because it gives the writers more time to delve into the characters. But I now have to wonder if Sylar was trapped within “Nathan” and Matt’s mind for so long because the writers needed to pace out the revelations about Samuel first. With Samuel’s amplified ability now revealed, I get the feeling that his time is short.

After all, Sylar is sure to get his body back sooner rather than later, and he will very likely retain some knowledge of the carnival. He will want to get back to it, and since Peter has a compass, that seems the most likely means. If Sylar discovers the true nature of Samuel’s ability, right down to how it can be amplified, there’s little doubt that he would want that power for himself. It would be like the ultimate fix.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. If this is going to be the final season, then it would make sense to have Sylar take control of the carnival (right down to killing Samuel and taking on his appearance, for example), and forcing the familiar heroes to band together to take him down, once and for all. Maybe, if the series comes to an end, the writers will finally have the excuse to deliver a fitting bloodbath of an ending.

For now, the trick is getting the characters in place for whatever climax the writers do have in mind. I can only assume that is the point of the subplot with Tracy and Claire. As much as I bought Claire in her pseudo-Buffy role at college, I have little interest in her latest angst. For that matter, Tracy has been all over the map this season, and I never liked her anyway. It’s clear they’re meant to go to the carnival before long.

I’m glad that they gave “Nathan” a little more screen time, since I think the actor deserves a better sendoff. I was expecting his inevitable exit to come in this episode, but I suppose the writers intend to drag it out a bit longer. That said, it should be interesting to see how Peter handles the truth about “Nathan”, as well as how Matt intends to get out of the mess that Sylar has made of his life. Could Matt’s apparent sacrifice have been foreshadowing?

Perhaps the most egregious element of the episode, however, had to be Hiro’s decision to place Mohinder in a mental institution. Never mind how that was supposed to work exactly; the writers fudged a number of details to ensure that Mohinder would be out of play until they needed him. It’s the fact that Hiro’s solution to his own problem was no better than Samuel’s decision to trap Charlie in some unknown time and place. Hiro’s character arc has been horrid this season, and that’s taking into account how much of the character’s development had been erased by the third season.

Despite some of the flaws of this episode, the story is still holding my attention. I’m not happy that Samuel seems to be shifting into a typically villainous role, concerned only with the accumulation of his own power, when something a bit more nuanced might have been more satisfying in the end. That said, the story is still moving forward at a deliberate pace, and this season is still solid. This episode just didn’t quite hit the mark.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

I’ve liked the Matt/Sylar battle since the beginning of the season, and it’s only gotten better with time. I thought that Sylar’s ploy to take over Matt’s body was very well done, but I think I like Matt’s chess game with Sylar in this episode even more. Both of them are playing for high stakes and adopting a “scorched earth” policy that fits their personalities. Sylar is willing to destroy Matt’s life and kill innocents to gain advantage; Matt is willing to sacrifice his own life to stop Sylar.

The best part about Matt’s decision in this episode, however unlikely it is to succeed, is the fact that this is his chance to redeem himself for the mistake of helping Angela with her plan at the end of the third season. He’s not talking about redemption; he just does what he feels is necessary. It’s far more believable and genuine when redemption, or the search for it, is unspoken.

Quite unexpectedly, I liked Claire’s subplot this time. I almost wish that Gretchen could have stuck around for a bit longer, since her swift departure plays into the notion that the lesbian angle was just used for shock value. But her departure does make sense in terms of Claire’s sense of isolation, and the circumstances could very well drive a wedge between father and daughter.

In the end, Samuel could get what he wants: Claire within the watchful care of the carnival. His plan may have been a bit more complicated than necessary (almost to the point of being impossible to follow), but the end game is still just as compelling as it has been all the while. I’ve always felt that Samuel was the saving grace for this season, and this just continues to prove the point. I just hope that the writers manage to make the inevitable revelations worth it. They have a bad track record with developing strong conclusions to their arcs.

Hopefully Samuel’s latest act has resulted in a more satisfying subplot for Noah. His character has been aimless this season, with several false starts, and it would be nice to see him finally get on a solid and meaningful course. Hunting down the truth about Samuel is a promising direction, but the writers definitely need to approach it carefully. It would be all too easy for Samuel to be rendered as an absolute villain; it would be a lot more interesting if the situation could be seen from differing perspectives.

Considering how Peter and his issues used to be one of the worst aspects of the series, I was shocked to discover how much I like his relationship with Emma and his struggle with the healing ability. I found his desire to heal more and more people, despite the effect on his own health, to be a logical extension of his earlier behavior. Emma’s medical scenes were a bit overdone, but when that’s the worst thing I can say about an episode of “Heroes”, that’s a very good thing.

With the ratings so low and the show essentially on its last legs, I get the feeling that the gloves have come off and they are just doing their best to go out swinging. Maybe that’s why, for the first time in a long time, I find myself looking forward to each new episode. I didn’t want this one to end.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Some things clearly have been changed over the course of the series. Hiro’s original six-month relationship with Hiro is an obvious example, and Hiro’s adventure in historical Japan in the second season caused certain ripples. But this is on a much more substantial level. Maybe it’s just the fact that Hiro used to insist on preserving the timeline, and now he is not. And maybe it’s because time travel is a storytelling crutch that the writers can’t seem to avoid.

That said, I think it’s very interesting that Hiro would go so far as to manipulate Sylar into curing Charlie and then resuming his reign of terror. While it seems extreme at first glance, and therefore out of character, I would argue that it speaks to how important Charlie always has been to Hiro. People do terrible things for love, and this proves how far Hiro will go for her. And that, in turn, makes sense of Hiro’s decision to fall in line with Samuel’s desires.

I was wondering how Mohinder would factor into this season, and why he hasn’t made an appearance yet. I suppose we now know why Mohinder has been out of the picture. It makes for a nice twist, even if I personally haven’t missed Mohinder one bit since we last saw him. I get the feeling this will integrate the carnival with the rest of the known “Heroes” world a bit more, and that would not be a bad thing.

It was also great to see Charlie again, even if she looked noticeably different from her original run in the first season. I’ve also gotten used to the actress on “Glee”, so it took a moment to adjust. Considering how the episode ends, I have to wonder if Charlie is supposed to appear again later in the season. If not, maybe she’s trapped in the same temporal limbo as Caitlin, Peter’s erstwhile girlfriend from the second season!

Even with the time travel-related annoyances of the main plot, it was much, much better than the Noah/Lauren material. I really have no idea what the point of that was supposed to be. I understand that the writers enjoy going back and retroactively adding details to the story, but there should be a rule that such changes/additions be value-added.

There is a certain attempt at counterpoint between the Hiro/Charlie and Noah/Lauren relationships, but it doesn’t seem to matter beyond that ephemeral purpose. If Lauren never appears again, what was the point? And beyond that, did Lauren have an ability? We never see one in play, so it seems to contradict the long-standing Company policy of using normal/metahuman partners.

Episodes like this play a dangerous game. They harken back to popular moments from the heyday of the series, and remind us of all the things we loved about the show in the beginning. Yet that also tends to remind us of how the show has fallen from grace from those heady and fascinating days.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

I’ve been enjoying Matt’s struggle with Sylar’s twisted consciousness, even if there is a predictability to its progression. I saw the twist in this episode coming a mile away, but that didn’t take away from the satisfaction of the end result. As I’ve said in previous reviews, there needed to be consequences for the ill-advised attempt to force Nathan’s personality and memories onto Sylar, and Matt is definitely paying the price. It’s hard to imagine that he will survive this intact.

Claire’s subplot was also surprisingly strong. For the most part, it felt like something that could have happened on a standard episode of “Buffy”. It would have fit the fourth season of that series comfortably. It’s good to see Claire work out the reality that Gretchen was in danger from the evidence at hand and a little deduction (not really her strong suit in earlier seasons). Hopefully that suspicious mind will continue to work.

Claire’s relationship with Gretchen is less successfully handled. I won’t deny that there is a bit of chemistry between the two actresses, but I’m still struck by the fact that the entire plotline was based on a random whim from Hayden. It’s hard to feel like this is an organic evolution of the character, when it really isn’t. I’m also not convinced that the writing staff has the skill to make this work without resorting to stereotypes.

I’m also still impressed by the characterization of Samuel. Every time he’s on-screen, it just plain works. Robert Knepper gives true depth to his performance, sometimes to the detriment of other members of the cast. His desire to bring all the metahumans under his wing is soulful and sincere, just as his menace and wrath are deeply convincing.

The weakest storyline involved Noah and his search for a new direction in his life. Jeremy’s fate is directly tied to Noah’s sense of direction, and that goes very badly. So does the logic of the subplot itself. The writers present Jeremy’s situation as if it is something we should care about, but since he came out of nowhere, his circumstances don’t resonate. There’s no reason to care about Jeremy’s fate.

That fate seemed forced, to say the least. Nothing in the episode suggested a reason for there to be a crowd outside of the police station when Jeremy was released. If there had been so much anger and fear beyond the police themselves, wouldn’t they have confronted Noah and Tracy at some point? It also felt like the decision to kill Jeremy by dragging him behind a pickup truck was well out of proportion for the situation.

For that matter, why didn’t Samuel save Jeremy? He was obviously keeping tabs on the situation, since he knew to contact Tracy. How hard would it have been to make an offer to Jeremy himself, anyway? The answer is that the writers had a certain set of plot points in mind, and they forced the circumstances to arrive at those points, regardless of how the logic of the situation argued against it.

Still, two good plot threads out of three is not bad, especially now that “Heroes” is concentrating on deeper exploration of only a few subplots per episode. It’s easier to follow the overall progression of the story as a whole. Nothing can hide the fact that the writers are still struggling to find a way to recapture the glory days of the first season, but they are holding their own at this point.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

It’s clear that Samuel is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his “family” safe, and that he expects the same level of dedication and service of his people. It’s interesting to note that Lydia (who is captivating in this episode) is willing to sleep with Sylar to make him feel more at home. If she is disgusted by serving in such a capacity, she doesn’t show it. Clearly Edgar takes much more exception to Samuel’s expectations.

Trying to restore Sylar seems like a remarkably stupid thing to do. Samuel might be thinking ahead to a time when Edgar might challenge him for control of the “family”, and Edgar has already expressed a desire to stop playing hitman. Sylar is rather good at killing when he’s on top of his game, but Samuel might want to consider that a psychopath with an addiction to adding abilities to his arsenal through murder may not be the best addition to his metahuman commune.

Of course, the side of Sylar that is malicious and evil may be stuck in Matt Parkman’s head. Sylar’s body may remember what it means to be a killer and how to use his abilities, but Sylar himself is still operating with the wrong software. The combination of Nathan, residual Sylar, and whatever Samuel tries to fill into those psychological gaps may not be dangerous until Matt is subsumed by Sylar’s personality and goes on a hunt for his true hardware. That direction for the plot seems almost inevitable at this point.

Hiro’s subplot with Emma did much to bring her character into a better understanding of her gift, which should reap rewards in the future, but it didn’t seem to do much for Hiro. Hiro was pretty much the same as he ever is, and still dedicated to his mission to change the past for the better (despite all the evidence in earlier seasons that it’s not possible to do that). Either they are stringing out his fate as long as possible, or they are doing what they have always done: using some excuse to keep the most powerful metahumans in check until the conflict comes to a head.

Noah and Peter end up on a bit of a side mission to find Peter some healing powers (which ought to come in handy until he can find Hiro), and this supposedly gives Noah a better sense of purpose. That would be nice, because his search for personal direction has been getting old. It also doesn’t help that putting a limitation on the use of Claire’s blood (and one that doesn’t quite make sense) means introducing a character that is ripped right out of “The 4400”.

The biggest problem is that the show currently has very little in the way of momentum. The cast is still way too big, and the story is still too spread out. The writers would be much better served to gut the cast, streamline the story, and find a way to give the overall series a rousing climax. Instead, the pace is slower than it’s been in a very long time. I still like a lot of things about this show, but it continues to be one of the most frustrating.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

The general consensus is that the previous episode was a good example of a bad transitional episode. Despite all the movement of pieces on the board, there wasn’t much to enjoy. The same transitional approach is in play in this episode, yet it seems to have just a little more heft to it. Even so, the problems with “Heroes” still persist.

Mostly, it is the Sylar problem. The writers can’t have an uber-powerful villain running around while all the heroic metahumans are dealing with their latest psychological and emotional crises. So Sylar must be hamstrung in some way, shape, or form. Returning him to a “tabula rasa” state, at least for a little while, continues the delaying tactic that began with his reprogramming in the first place. That it’s a retread of the method used to keep uber-powerful hero Peter in check during the second season only adds to the frustration.

The only saving grace is how it might inform Samuel’s agenda. He’s definitely playing a riff on the Magneto archetype: he believes that the metahumans are better off together, able to protect and foster each other, than they are in the mundane world. And there’s no denying that Samuel is deftly portrayed. His little performance for Sylar at the end was very well done.

The trick will be minimizing this “blank slate” Sylar period and getting on with it. Unlike Peter in the second season, Sylar may be more willing to accept whatever identity Samuel manages to reinforce. The question is whether or not his troupe has a metahuman with an ability like Matt Parkman, or if there is some other method that he will use to reinforce trust. Whatever the case, my prediction is that Samuel will only allow Sylar to recover so much of his former memories, and will fill in the blanks in a way that convinces Sylar that he was with the carnival all along.

Far more effective was the treatment of Samuel’s interference with Claire’s new life. Not only did it place events in a far more sinister light, but it also managed to be consistent in the process. Unfortunately, they chose to use the common trope of the psychotic stalker lesbian as the red herring in this case. It also doesn’t help that this entire subplot was the result of an offhand suggestion. Making Claire bi-curious seems like it comes out of left field, not like it is a natural evolution of the character. (Other potential homosexual relationships felt a lot more organic in comparison.)

Speaking (however indirectly) of chemistry, as much as I like what Peter and Emma were doing in this episode, and how well the producers are treating Emma’s “Dazzler” ability, I hope they don’t end up in a romantic relationship. It’s a bit of a cliché, and Peter’s track record is fairly horrible. Besides, once he discovers Nathan’s true fate, I imagine he’ll have other concerns on his mind. That, and Hiro’s situation, which rather coincidentally dropped into his lap.

Hopefully, Peter will be the one to figure out that Hiro should be readily healed by an infusion of Claire’s blood. Otherwise, they need to let the character die heroically, knowing that his time is short. I’d hate to see it happen, after the writers have done so much to undermine the character over the past few seasons, but if he’s meant to go, at least it should be on a high note.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

So which hero has found favor with the entertainment gods? Who is cashing in his or her karma for a shot at something bigger and better than Heroes–a new show, movies, tearing ticket stubs at the local cineplex?

My money is on Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli), who is already technically dead on the show, but is being kept “alive” as a Sylar doppelganger. Pasdar has looked bored since the middle of season 1, and who can blame him, considering the uninspired, clumsy, and convoluted turns his character has taken throughout the series.

But then again, that can be said for just about any character on the show. Who would you like to see set free from Heroes? Who deserves a mercy killing?

The 19-year-old, who is also a self-confessed exhibitionist, has no qualms in doing a full-frontal nude scene.

“My dad calls me such an exhibitionist,” The Sun quoted her as saying. “He always says, ‘God, even when you were little, you were such an exhibitionist’!

“I could be 30 years old and just be like, ‘Fuck it — I want to take it all off. I better take a picture of this baby before it all goes.’

“I’m cool with my body. I’m cool running around undressed and all that stuff,” she said.

Yes, I did spend time making this is Photoshop, thank you.

Just a random thought I had while watching Heroes last night:

End of Season 2: Sylar grabs a can of spinach, and says, “I’m back.”

End of Season 3: Sylar becomes evil again with a speech where he basically says, “I yam what I yam.”

So, does that make Kristen Bell Olive Oyl, and Peter Petrelli Bluto? If that’s true, then Hiro is definitely Hamburger Harry.

Also, Heroes sucks.

The only thing that would make it more perfect would be if Hero Peter still had the Season 1 haircut hanging over his eye! and if the Future Peter would swish some Courvoisier around in a cognac glass lol. (This is my ghetto animated GIF version — click here for the Youtube version)

Speaking of Phoenix Wright, the Del Rey manga is coming out next month! Not sure which I’m looking forward to more, that or Heroes…

Vidication for the legions of TWOP posters who constantly noted the potentially hot taboo chemistry of a familial Peter & Clair hookup — their fantasies have apparently become reality! No such news for the legions who constantly noted the potentially hot taboo chemistry of a familial Peter & Nathan hookup — their fantasies remain fan-fic, for now.

Some cite that a potential writers’ strike may be a major factor in NBC’s decision to halt the spin-off, given the budgetary concerns. Others believe that the decline in ratings for Heroes in general could also be to blame.

“One of the more memorable relationships in Season One was Hiro’s first love, the waitress Charlie. We were as smitten as Hiro by that story and seized the chance to tell the full adventure of Hiro’s six months in the past. Aury Wallington was hand picked by the writers of the show for her brilliant voice for these characters. The novel is a welcome addition to the Heroes family,” said Tim Kring, creator-executive producer, Heroes.

The novel—written with the full cooperation and consultation of the show’s creators—will tell the story of Japanese office worker Hiro, who, through the use of his ability to pierce the space-time continuum and manipulate time, bravely catapults himself into the past to save Charlie, a small-town Texas waitress with an extraordinary memory, from being brutally murdered by super-powered serial killer Sylar (Zachary Quinto). While fans of the television series were given only a brief glimpse into Hiro and Charlie’s relationship as it grew into love over six time-changing months, but their history is told here with the depth and insight that only a novel will allow.

Del Rey celebrated the announcement of its Heroes book at the 2007 San Diego International Comic-Con by asking fans to help make 1,000 cranes at their booth by the end of the show. Interest was high and the goal of 1,000 was surpassed.

Season 2 of Heroes launches September 24, 2007 on NBC.

ABOUT THE SHOW
From creator/writer Tim Kring (NBC’s Crossing Jordan) comes the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Heroes, an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. In its first season, Heroes has been honored with a People’s Choice Award, an AFI Award, a Multicultural Prism Award and this year’s TV Land Future Classic Award, as well as nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, NAACP Image Awards, WGA Awards and Satellite Awards.

The cast includes a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, Blind Guy Driving) in India who is led by his father’s disappearance to uncover a secret theory – that there are people with super powers living among us. Also featured are a young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, Gilmore Girls) who tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, Judging Amy) that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, Ice Princess) learns that she is totally indestructible while trying to relate to her father (Jack Coleman, Dynasty) who has a keen interest in people with special abilities. A Las Vegas single mother (Ali Larter, Final Destination) struggles to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, My Wife & Kids) and discovers that her mirror image has a secret. In addition, a fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) continues to baffle authorities. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, Empire), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, Third Watch), and whose paintings, done specifically for the show by comic book artist Tim Sale, open a visual gateway to a possible dark future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, Alias) can hear people’s thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC’s Scrubs) develops a way to stop time through sheer will power.

Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC’s Crossing Jordan), Allan Arkush (NBC’s Crossing Jordan) and Greg Beeman (Smallville). The drama is produced by Universal Media Studios in association with Tailwind Productions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aury Wallington has written for the television shows Sex and the City and Veronica Mars. She is the author of the novel Pop!, which was named one of the New York Public Library’s “Books for the Teen Age.” Aury lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Tuesday. Visit her website at www.aurywallington.com.

ABOUT DEL REY
Del Rey (http://www.delreybooks.com), founded in 1977 under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey, is an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field.

ABOUT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.

*No, not those tidbits. Although Larter does say she can’t rule out the possibility of that ever happening — so Niki fans can keep hope alive.

“Kristen Bell is a very special actress,” said Universal Media Studios President Katherine Pope. “With so many studios chasing her in both film and TV, we’re beyond delighted that she chose to star on our show. Viewers are going to love her in this role. The depth and complexity that she brings as an actress is a perfect fit for ‘Heroes.’ “

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Comics were also represented at spots #90 & 91 by Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon, whom it turns out are fraternal twins. Regarding superheroes, Fabio states: “They die and come back, die and come back. To draw superheroes you have to be prepared not to care about the story.”

Speaking of Entertainment Weekly, we just go up our video interview with Senior Editor Marc Bernardin about his DC/Vertigo book, The Highwaymen. Click here to check it out.

Apparently, Anders will be playing the role of Takezo Kensei, the samurai warrior idolized by Hiro Nakamura throughout the latter half of season one. Last time I checked though, Anders was a smarmy-looking white dude, so I’m wondering what the angle is here.