Heroes Review: The Line

This year’s story arc slowly takes shape, and it’s beginning to look a lot like last year’s….

….but things may not be as they appear.

Cast

Sendhil Ramamurthy as Mohinder Suresh
Masi Oka as Hiro Nakamura
Dana Davis as Monica Dawson
Hayden Panettiere as Claire Bennett
Ali Larter as Jessica / Niki Sanders
James Kyson Lee as Ando Masahashi
Jack Coleman as Noah Bennett
David Anders as Takezo Kensei
Eriko Tamura as Yaeko
Jimmy Jean-Louis as the Haitian
Zachary Quinto as Sylar
Shalim Oritz as Alejandro
Dania Ramirez as Maya
Nicholas D’Agosto as West

Premise

We see evidence that the company may have the capacity for good, while the heroes can cross the line into evil. Of course, all may not be as it seems– as Hiro learns in seventeenth-century Japan. Meanwhile, Claire finds herself in a superhero after-school special, and Peter relocates to next year, where all is not well.

High Points

I have wondered from the beginning if Hiro will make Kensei a hero or become Kensei, the hero. I’m still uncertain, but the show currently suggests the latter direction, and his plot currently holds the most interest for me.

The second season continues to avoid last season’s pointless, ponderous narration.

Low Points

Advertising boasts of this season’s many exotic locations, including Canada. I have nothing against world travel, but they need to focus more on interesting stories and credible dialogue.

Is it just me, or does the Claire/West/Cheerleader plot represent a broad range of stupid?

The Scores

Originality: A character sees future New York, and a disaster has struck! The show is already repeating itself, though this episode does feature some interesting, if not entirely surprising, twists. 2/6.

Effects: This wasn’t an effects-heavy episode, but those we saw work. 5/6.

Story: This week’s episode features too many forced events, such as the battle with the Redneck Border Patrol and the plot to get Claire on the cheerleading squad. The Kenzei storyline is a little more interesting. We’re also seeing Monica’s development into a bona fide hero. 4/6.

Acting: 5/6.

Emotional Response: This has been blunted somewhat by the familiarity of the material, and too much bad expository dialogue. The latter doesn’t play as comic-book-parodic, but merely as ill-conceived. The show’s exploration of moral ambiguity may make for some interesting future episodes. 3/6

Production: This show features a number of excellent shots, including Bennett and the Hatian’s visit to Odessa, Ukraine. 5/6

Overall: I’m finding this season less impressive than the first. They need to take the show in some new directions soon. 4/5

In total, “The Line” receives 29 out of 42.

Heroes has its own Wiki.

18 replies on “Heroes Review: The Line”

  1. West

    Is it just me, or does the Claire/West/Cheerleader plot represent a broad range of stupid?

    I was waiting for him to start telling Claire about the "Ich lüge" bullets…

    /Surely not obscure

    • Re: West

      Is it just me, or does the Claire/West/Cheerleader plot represent a broad range of stupid?

      I was waiting for him to start telling Claire about the "Ich lüge" bullets…

      /Surely not obscure

      I think what they did was insanely stupid, Claire’s actions have been pissing me off the whole season. But then again, she is just a teenager, and having another teenager with powers to hang out with isn’t helping.

      I just can’t figure out how with all the spying on Claire that West was doing the first few episodes, he never caught a glimpse of her father and recognized who he was.

      • Re: West

        I think what they did was insanely stupid, Claire’s actions have been pissing me off the whole season. But then again, she is just a teenager, and having another teenager with powers to hang out with isn’t helping.

        I just can’t figure out how with all the spying on Claire that West was doing the first few episodes, he never caught a glimpse of her father and recognized who he was.

        I heard that the writer that was responsible for the Claire plot thread last year has left the show and gone to work on Pushing Daisey’s.

        Considering the reviews of that show and this one, that’s pretty believable, but I haven’t actually confirmed it yet.

  2. Mr Bennet/Niki
    Two things about this espisode:

    1. I actually thought for a second that Mr Bennet was actually going to go back to the Company in order to try and keep Claire safe.

    2. I don’t think it is Niki who was sent to "assist" Mohinder, but rather Jessica. I want to see if her shoulder tatoo is present. I also think the Company is just playing nice guy to manipulate Mohinder and Monica for future ends.

    • Re: Mr Bennet/Niki

      2. I don’t think it is Niki who was sent to "assist" Mohinder, but rather Jessica. I want to see if her shoulder tatoo is present. I also think the Company is just playing nice guy to manipulate Mohinder and Monica for future ends.

      I suspect the same. Though, I’m confused. Didn’t Niki "reconcile" with Jessica at the end of last season? I thought she gained full use of her powers as Niki and Jessica stopped fighting for dominance.

  3. Bad effects
    "The second season continues to avoid last season’s pointless, ponderous narration."

    Pointless narration! It was part of what was setting the scene last year, it was much needed and is much missed this season. One of the rason this year is so much worse. Must be because they are planning on killing suresh off.

    But if you don’t like it, I’m not surprised you think the effects are good as well. I think they look like crap this year – like its Tim Kring who hired his teenage son to do it on his home computer.

    • Re: Bad effects

      "The second season continues to avoid last season’s pointless, ponderous narration."

      Pointless narration! It was part of what was setting the scene last year, it was much needed and is much missed this season. One of the rason this year is so much worse. Must be because they are planning on killing suresh off.

      Everyone reacts differently. I cannot think of a single useful thing the narration provided, and we used to always roll our eyes when it started.

      On another note, how many people think that the plot really will involve "future New York," and how many believe it is another illusion created by a certain new character.

      • Re: Bad effects

        On another note, how many people think that the plot really will involve "future New York," and how many believe it is another illusion created by a certain new character.

        It’s possible, but in last week’s episode it appeared that the nightmares were tailored to each person and not shared hallucinations. On a loosely related note, did anyone else notice the St Joan cover of 9th Wonders on a billboard in the background of the final scene? It’s already made it onto the Wiki, so I know I’m not alone.

      • Re: Bad effects

        Everyone reacts differently. I cannot think of a single useful thing the narration provided, and we used to always roll our eyes when it started.

        Style and setting.

        On another note, how many people think that the plot really will involve "future New York," and how many believe it is another illusion created by a certain new character.

        I don’t.

  4. Tired
    This show is so over rated. I can’t stand most of the characters anymore and their actions seldom seem to be the best choice given the situation. Furthermore, the lack of action is tiring! We could have seen some very good sword fighting and time manipulation during the camp raid but instead we get almost nothing! Lame!

    • Re: Tired

      This show is so over rated. I can’t stand most of the characters anymore and their actions seldom seem to be the best choice given the situation. Furthermore, the lack of action is tiring! We could have seen some very good sword fighting and time manipulation during the camp raid but instead we get almost nothing! Lame!

      As much as I hate to say it: I agree. The characters are foolish and the plots are watered down.

  5. I have to wonder …
    … if this program’s harshest critics could do any better? Is anyone around here a screenwriter? If so, put $$$ where there’s currently :O and contribute to changing the series. I like watching Heroes. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t. :)

    I’ve watched Bionic Galactica circle the drain for five episodes or so, and I’m done with it, so I’m pleased at least one show on American TV this year seems watchable. As for TV from Other Places the most pleasant surprises for me in terms of quality are the Sara Jane Smith Adventures the Beeb is putting out. Those tidy little programs remind me quite strongly of the "classic" Doctor Who of the 70’s. I find them eminently watchable.

    Back to Heroes, I remember a time not too long ago where the best science fiction TV existed either as short-lived series or on obscure networks, and the only regular producer of science fiction programming was "mixing things up" with infomercials from John Edwards and insipid reality programming from Shannon Doherty. Today we have the luxury of complaining about the quality of a hit series on a major network.

    Of course, I’d like to see this series better too. The Claire sub-plot is annoying, but pretty much everything else going on has me continuing to watch, ham-handed writing, cheesy special effects, and all. And it could certainly be worse. Lexx, anyone?

    But who am I? :)

    -Joe G.

    • Re: I have to wonder …
      The hard thing is not writing for US TV, the hard thing is getting the foot in the door.

      And speaking of writers, now Heroes (and the rest) are screwed because of the strike.

  6. Peter’s Last Words
    My DVR cut out on me. Anyone remember what Peter’s last few words were?

    • Re: Peter’s Last Words

      My DVR cut out on me. Anyone remember what Peter’s last few words were?

      The ep ended with them pointing out the obvious:

      "We’re in New York."

      "Where is everyone?"

      "This is an evacuation order."

      "June 14 2008. This is next year!"

      • Re: Peter’s Last Words

        My DVR cut out on me. Anyone remember what Peter’s last few words were?

        The ep ended with them pointing out the obvious:

        Ah. I heard most of that up to the "This is next year" thing – I thought he finished with something big (:

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