Heroes Discussion: The Fifth Stage

I found this one of the better episodes of the season—at least until the confusing death sequence, which was undermined by the fact that death means nothing to the show’s writers. No review this week, but after the cut you’ll find some key points.

  • Peter finally takes a power that he should have acquired long ago, and then delays using it, apparently for dramatic effect. In a scene that might have been affecting if the writers let me care about the death and development of these characters (and in an interesting echo of the show’s past), Peter brings back his brother-in-Sylar to let him go. Of course, Sylar himself remains alive.
  • In a well-played storyline, Claire and Gretchen tour the carnival. Blinded by what the carnival represents, they fail to realize that Samuel is acting like the manipulative cult leader he is.
  • A man with an Impossible power invades the Bennett home as Noah and Lauren speak honestly.
  • We receive further hints that the heroes will reveal themselves to the world.
  • We learn more about Samuel’s often confusing plots, which may or may not explain why he gets to deliver the ponderous voice-over at the end of this episode.

5 replies on “Heroes Discussion: The Fifth Stage”

  1. I’m getting very frustrated about all the random power fluctuations on this show.

    Hasn’t the Haitians power been proximity based in the past, but now it needs to be “turned” on….?

    I loved Peter’s plan for battling Sylar, of course his execution of it was as stupid as he always is. Well, at least Peter’s consistently a moron and not getting continually “reset” like Hiro always is.

    And the revelations about Samuel are taking the punch out of his storyline. Only 8 weeks of cult leader behavior? He seem much more menacing when it appeared he’d been doing this longer.

    Finally I have to throw this out here. If Sylar isn’t dead (really dead) by season’s end, I’m done with this show. Of course if it doesn’t get much better than this, I think NBC may be done with this show anyway….

  2. I’ve always found that the most powerful heros need a fatal weakness.

    Superman has kryptonite.

    The Hulk has his temper.

    Batman has no special powers.

    And Peter is a complete and utter moron.

    They took away his god-mode, but they didn’t give him any brain cells to compensate.

    • Peter the Idiot I might accept, but Peter the Idiot Even When He’s Doing Something He Planned in Advance??? Where he knew he’d be facing this specific situation and prepared for it?

      That’s some serious, super-sized idiocy.

  3. I had high hopes for this season, and it seemed to be going well, but between Peter’s idiocy and the Samuel backstory being utterly unsatisfying, it’s fallen down quite a bit.

    I’ve heard rumors that everyone involved in the show, from the cast to the crew to the higher ups, all believe this will be the final season. At this point, I’m hoping that is true.

    I’ll still watch it for now, mainly because I have so much time invested.

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