Heroes became a worldwide phenomena after the first season ended with fans clamouring for the next season to air, wanting to know what would happen to their favourite characters, what tragedy would befall them this time round, and after the teaser at the end of the season finale why on earth was Hiro in Feudal Japan?
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What is Heroes about?
Heroes as ever is about the lives and struggles of a group of people with special abilities/powers that set them apart from the average human being. As established in the opening season, not all will use their powers for good - and they won't just use them against others with powers, they are willing to hurt innocent people with no idea that these abilities exist.
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Why Is The Second Season So Short?
As I mentioned previously, after the first season of Heroes aired there was widespread anticipation for the second season, some fans were evening likening it to the new generations Star Trek. And in terms of fan love and obsession they pretty much hit the nail on the head with that likening. Unfortunately for Heroes however, as they write and film at the same time (usually only writing 2-3 episodes ahead of what they are filming and often doing rewrites on the set) the writer's strike was a real blow to them and the second season. With the writer's out of action the series length had to be cut and they finished up the episodes they could. In a fortunate way there was one simple way to give the season a conclusive ending by changing one small moment where the drop of a vial could change the world as we know it. But they never planned for the second season to be only 11 episodes in length, due to unforeseen circumstances however there was little they could do - many shows just stopped mid season when the strike happened and as no-one knew when it would end that would be far too risky a move for a burgeoning show. So if you keep this in mind it's a lot easier not to feel hard done by with the shortness of the season.
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Where Is Heroes Set?
Heroes is set in two main places for this season, firstly as always it is set in America, and also Japan. The difference now is that rather being based in present day Japan we are transported back to Feudal Japan where Hiro has landed smack bang in the middle of battle. There are also large scenes in Ireland during this season plus a few trips south of the border to South America.
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Who Is In Heroes?
A new season means new characters, we've already been introduced to the main players but as the world of special people widens, we meet even more amazing and sometimes frightening people. We also have Sylar coming to the fore as a main character in this season but as he was previously covered in the first review I'll be focusing on characters who either didn't appear or were given only a brief glimpse.
Kensei (David Anders): The legendary Kensei is Hiro's very own hero, having heard the old tales of his epic fights and love story when he was a child. He meets Hiro in Feudal Japan and enlists his help in wooing the beautiful Yaeko. It's hard to categorise him as a good guy or bad guy, though he has a very mercenary-like was of working he has genuine feelings for Yaeko and wants to make her happy. But he doesn't exactly live up to the pedestal Hiro has had him on since childhood and certainly isn't what he expected.
Angela Petrelli (Cristine Rose): Mother of Peter and Nathan, she enjoys being one of the rich and powerful in New York. She loves both of her sons immensely but she often shows favour to Peter, infuriating Nathan who is the successful one. A mysterious woman with power and influence all of her own, she has the ability to dream the past, the future, and even get into others dreams and change them.
Bob Bishop (Stephen Tobolowsky): Robert Bishop is a slimy character, he is one of the people who set up The Company 30 years ago and spends his time giving them the money to be able to carry out their objective. Is he rich? Well, sort of. His power is that he has the ability to change objects into gold - an alchemist in the 21st century is certainly a useful person - especially when running world-wide tracking operations and building prison cells that could probably hold Superman if need be.
Elle Bishop (Kristen Bell): Daughter of Bob Bishop, Elle is a very confused young woman. It's hardly surprising as from birth her father began training her to work for The Company and spends the rest of his time putting her down. No moment of Elle's life has been anything close to normal and she is constantly seeking her father's approval. She has the ability to control and manipulate electricity - allowing the special effects team to have a lot of fun when she lets her powers loose.
Maya Herrera (Dania Ramirez): A young woman who along with her twin brother is trying to escape across the border into the US in search of help with her problematic new power. Through flashbacks the viewer gets to see the destruction Maya once caused and why she is so desperate for a cure. Her ability is that in intense emotional situations her eyes will turn jet black and she emits poison that affects everyone but her. Do not upset this girl!
Alejandro Herrera (Shalim Ortiz): The twin brother of Maya, he is very protective even though it's clear with her ability she can protect herself. He has suffered great tragedy in his life, not unconnected to the reason they are running. He has an ability too, but his could save lives - he has the ability to stop Maya from poisoning people, appearing to almost absorb it from her when he touches her.
Maury Parkman (Alan Blumenfeld): Maury is the estranged father of Matt Parkman, he left when Matt was just 13. Another founder of The Company, he believes that those with abilities are superior to those without and makes this very clear throughout. He, like his son, is also a telepath - but with time and training his powers are far stronger and better developed allowing him to read memories, make people do his bidding and also manipulate the world around them until they are in a kind of waking nightmare. He is known as "the Nightmare Man" by a young and powerful child and make no mistake; this is a man up to no good.
Molly Walker (Unknown): Introduced during season one (If you remember exactly where well spotted!) Molly Walker is a young girl who is highly sought after by both good and bad. The reason for this is her ability - she can track down and see every other person with abilities using the power of her mind. With her on side the good could assemble a larger team to save the world, but if the bad get their hands on her they will use her to construct this own rival group who would probably wipe out those without abilities for not being good enough. There is only one person with abilities that she doesn't want to look for, and that's Maury (The Nightmare Man) Parkman - but he's looking for her.
Adam Monroe (Cannot divulge identity as it will spoil things): Another of the many mysterious founders of The Company, Adam is a man most definitely in the grey area; his power is the same as teenage cheerleader Claire. His cells regenerate at a pace so fast that he can't die - except of course with the removal of his head as mentioned in my first review.
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Episodes
So a short run of 11 episodes this time around, but still have a running time of 42 (approx) minutes without adverts. The first two episodes were shown on BBC2 back to back as in season 1.
Chapter One "Four Months Later...": Its four months since the events at Kirby Plaza and things have changed significantly for the heroes. The Bennett's have moved to a new place to stay safe but whilst Claire is starting at her new high school she discovers that she isn't as alone as she had thought. Meanwhile her father Noah and Matt Parkman have teamed up to try and take down The Company with Noah's inside knowledge. Matt also has a new "family" in the form of Molly and Mohinder, who is co-guardian of the girl with him. Nathan is in a very dark place following the Kirby explosion whilst a confused hero ends up in Ireland, Kaito and Angela are sent information about their deaths and new characters Maya and Alejandro are on the run wanted for murder. Just another quiet day in the Heroes-Universe as you can see.
Chapter Two "Lizards": Mohinder takes a trip to Haiti to treat someone believed to have been infected with a new and dangerous virus and is surprised to see he knows the patient. Back in feudal Japan Hiro is attempting to teach his hero Kensei to make sure that he lives up to the stories told to Hiro as a child. Claire manages to mess up fast in her new home when another student sees her regenerate, will her secret be out?
Chapter Three "Kindred": Back in New York Mohinder starts to set up his new laboratory in a familiar setting and finds a bad omen for another of the heroes. Our confused hero stuck in Ireland helps new friends and starts to think that perhaps remembering who they are isn't that important. Hiro is still trapped in the 17th century getting increasingly tired of trying to make Kensei the legend he should be whilst in the present day Maya and Alejandro have gotten to Mexico but it isn't smooth sailing.
Chapter Four "The Kindness Of Strangers": Micah, now staying with relatives for safety, tries to win the hearts of his family by using his powers to impress them. It means that questions have to be asked about his powers, especially by Monica who is struggling with the fact that she doesn't seem to be like everyone else anymore. Matt continues his investigation into a sad murder and gets a confession from an unlikely source and Claire finds romance with someone who sweeps her off her feet.
Chapter Five "Fight Or Flight": Peter is afraid of losing love whilst Matt and Nathan try to find Maury, with trouble just around the corner for our flying hero. Mohinder takes Molly to The Company hoping to find someone or something that will help keep her safe not just from the world but from the terrible nightmares she's been having. A new hero finds their abilities for the first time in Texas; will they turn good or bad?
Chapter Six "The Line": Vengeance is on the cards when Claire decides to take the head cheerleader down a peg after refusing her a place. Mohinder is placed in an ethical dilemma when The Company ask him to test a vaccine on a blossoming hero he convinced to visit him in New York. Hiro falls for someone that could change world events if he gives in and Noah and the Haitian seek out Issac Mendez's last paintings, but they don't plan to just ask nicely.
Chapter Seven "Out Of Time": Peter ends up in a future time New York in which a virus has killed most of the world, as things fall into place in his mind once more the image of his mother Angela tells him to go back in time to prevent the virus getting out. Claire's beau meets Noah and it isn't a happy event as West realises where he recognises Noah's horn-rimmed glasses. In the past Hiro attacks the camp alone after falling out with Kensei whilst in the present another founder of The Company with a familiar face shows up.
Chapter Eight "Four Months Ago": By now we've all come to know what episodes with these titles mean, we're off to the past now to see what happened in the lives of the heroes after Kirby Plaza. Our South American newcomers are just coming into their powers as disaster strikes on the biggest day of Alejandro's life. Niki is in rehab - well The Company's version of rehab, they are giving her medication to control Jessica but when Niki stops taking the pills she doesn't have only Jessica to contend with.
Chapter Nine "Cautionary Tales": You should never pick up a hitch-hiker, and Maya and Alejandro would have done well to remember this as they travel with Sylar - who seems like a nice (albeit a tad creepy) man. Hiro gets back to the present, but faced with news of his father's death travels back to save him. Matt's abilities get stronger but these new facets to his telepathy are difficult to accept. Claire and Elle end up in a stand-off, both being used as bargaining tools by loved ones.
Chapter Ten "Truth & Consequences": In a tense penultimate episode Peter and new friend Adam find a founder of The Company who has long since given up the cause and find out where the virus that will wipe out the planet is being held. Sylar surprisingly does some good in helping Maya control her deadly power but it's not enough to make her brother trust him. Niki goes back to New Orleans to get Micah, but after his backpack is stolen things don't work out as simply as they could have whilst Hiro seeks revenge and Claire decides to tell the world about her powers to try and defeat the people responsible for her loss.
Chapter Eleven "Powerless": The season two finale is a busy one as always. In Odessa, Texas the two groups of heroes seeking the virus meet, with Nathan, Matt and Hiro desperate to get Peter to believe them when they say that Adam is not a good man. Niki tries to save a relative whilst Maya and Sylar find Mohinder and finally Sylar's true colours are revealed. Someone thought dead visits the Bennett's and Claire is asked to stay quiet. What is Sylar planning to do now he has found Mohinder? Will the virus get out? Will Peter see that he has made a terrible choice? Who will live and who will die in this final episode of Heroes season 2?
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Themes/Storylines Running Through Heroes
As always Heroes is a tangled web weaved of many separate stories and themes. Some are still running from the previous season but have been added to and some are completely new.
Claire's Identity: This has changed somewhat from the first season's take, now Claire has tracked down her real mother and found out the identity of her father. She knows more about herself but all the while she has had to begin anew again when the Bennett's move to a new town. Her struggle has changed from just trying to figure out who she is to also make sure she hides that for the sake of herself and her family and fits in at a new school with very different people.
Hiro's Maturity: Taken to a new level now, with Ando back in Japan and Hiro lost in feudal Japan he has had to learn how to look after himself quickly or he'll get an arrow in the back. He's found love once more but has to struggle with the fact that if he gives into this temptation he could change the entire world. He is faced with a situation where if he gives in and is selfish he could have everything he wants, but if he does the right thing he must look on from afar knowing that his unselfish act has kept the world as it is. After losing Charlie this is a difficult decision, one that his father would never have left up to him had he had the choice.
The Company: The Company are still rather confusing, are they bad or are they good? Well at times it seems they are trying to fix things, certainly their original motive seems to have been for good. But many members of The Company have gone too far, and it seems that if it isn't burnt down and rebuilt from the ground up they will become more corrupt and evil.
Sylar's Quest: The scalp-slicing serial stealer of abilities is back, and this time he is a lot more methodical about getting what he wants. That glimmer of goodness briefly seen in the first season is gone here, he has moved up a notch into calculating evil, and as you watch this season you can see him becoming darker and less human.
Saving The World: It's a hero's job to save the world but this time it is a lot more pressing than before. In the previous season the world wasn't going to end but it was going to become dark and filled with destruction. This time it really will be the end if a virus that will destroy 93% of the world's population leaving a desolate wasteland for a planet is released. The trouble is in not working together some of the heroes have become manipulated into believing that they are saving the world, with two separate teams it is a race against the clock to see who will get to the virus first.
Roots: The character's roots are delved into more thoroughly in this season, Claire finds her birth parents, the founding of The Company is made clear, the legend that is Kensei is begun (under Hiro's teaching) and Matt's father is finally introduced showing us where Matt's powers could end up. Roots are very important in this season which even gives a little attention to the natural disaster of Katrina in New Orleans, when Micah goes to stay with relatives they are his newly orphaned cousins who lost their mother in the disaster.
Family: The importance of family is clear throughout the season with Nathan hitting rock bottom after Kirby Plaza and stupidly pushing his family away from him for quite some time when all they wanted was to help him, and Micah finding solace with his extended family whilst Niki is in The Company. Claire tries to keep her secret in order to protect her family and the twins have no-one but each other after the wedding from hell and stick together through thick and thin for as long as they can. These bonds are so important during the season, and as shown through the dysfunctional relationship of Elle and Bob Bishop, they can make or break a hero.
Trust: The idea of trust is looked at in great depth, particularly in the case of Maya and Alejandro - they trust each other implicitly but whilst Maya trusts Sylar her brother stays wary and tries to warn her that her trust is misplaced. Another misplacement of trust comes in the form of Peter's belief in Adam, travelling with him in search of the virus believing that everyone else is wrong and it will be them that will save the day. Kensei also learns a valuable lesson about trust when he sees a stolen kiss between Hiro and his true love, turning him bitter and cynical which will never change. This season asks the question time and time again, who should you trust?
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Why Should I Watch Heroes?
Of course fans of the first season will be watching, this is a given as everyone wanted to know what happened after Kirby Plaza. But this season isn't just for those who watched hooked throughout the first, if you found that 23 episodes were just too much to commit to and it went on too long this season may be an easier one to watch. Also to those who just entirely missed out on the first season letting it pass them by, you'll be able to watch this without too much confusion as the characters are still developing and there are many flashbacks to help guide you.
If you are a sci-fi fan you should watch this as it has a great impending apocalypse storyline (as does the third season) and some very cool special effects, a comic book fan is going to watch because it is fast paced with lots of stories all at once just like most comic books/graphic novels and deals with a host of rather cool superpowers, and finally geeks like me are going to watch this not just for the aforementioned reasons but also because it is well-written, well acted, and has so many interesting themes that you can discuss it for a very long time and not get bored.
Of course if you aren't into sci-fi, comic books or are just plain geeky (which usually means you like both sci-fi and comics) this may not be the show for you. But I'd still say give it a watch, because not all of the story is about having superpowers - as mentioned in the themes there are a lot of things that you would find in any good drama, it's just there is a slightly different slant on them here. At the very least if you watched the new Star Trek film tune into an episode with Zachary Quinto (Aka Spock) to see just how good an actor he is, as Sylar is one of the best villains I've seen on television in a very long time.
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Final Verdict
For me, though the season length was disappointing it was understandable, and the storyline made up for the lack of episodes. It felt like it was more action packed due to this as there was less time to build the story. As always I loved the casting, though I wasn't that keen on the new characters Maya and Alejandro - but I feel this may have been because there was very little time for them to develop in 11 episodes.
The newer characters meant that some more powers were seen, and I loved seeing Elle's - she can certainly make sparks fly. Well, less sparks and more like lightning strikes! Her relationship with her father was an interesting addition, most characters we've seen have spent their lives hiding their powers from loved ones or only just finding out about them, but with Elle and Bob he knew all along and spent his time trying to shape her into The Company mould.
The incidental music, by the same duo as last time, was nicely done. Not so bland as to be easy to ignore but not so overpowering as to make you lose focus on the story itself. They also didn't make the music so loud that you have to strain to hear the dialogue, a problem I have had with a few shows (The Bill, I'm looking at you on that one - don't ask why I was watching, I was just rather bored!).
I do think that it is a real shame that the writer's strike cut the season short as it meant that the story had to be changed. As you will see on the DVD special features they do include the alternate chapter eleven and the alternate ending which show that this was going to be an exciting story if allowed to continue. Still I can't blame the writers or any of the makers of Heroes because they didn't start the strike.
This season, though in some ways not as exciting as the first (probably because it was no longer a new concept having seen the first season already) was a good solid second season and I hope that it will continue for a long time - I want this to be my generation's Star Trek, even though that means in 20-30 years I'm going to be embarrassing my kids with it whilst they whine about who it isn't 3D or being directly beamed into their brain - or whatever other mad thing happens to TV then!
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DVD Information And Extra's
The 11 episodes and extras are spread over 4 disks totalling 474 minutes with the extras at an additional 126 minutes. It's rated a 15 mainly due to violence so if you have younger teens who are mature enough to handle that but you don't want them seeing nudity and sex this could be something for them - though I'd still suggest watching it yourself first as the scenes in the future with the virus are pretty horrific and could cause nightmares for more sensitive young'uns.
As always, this is a generous section on the box set - this time getting its own disk!
Audio Commentaries: On each disk there are audio commentaries for each episode featured on the disk with cast and crew giving their thoughts and anecdotes.
Deleted scenes: Straight from the cutting room floor to your TV set, there's nothing too major on these but they are still a nice addition to watch.
Heroes Season 2 A New Beginning: A piece about season 2 of Heroes, nothing spectacular but a very interesting watch for those who want to know everything about the season.
Kensei Documentary: A lovely piece to add to the DVD, it shows us the story of Kensei and the legend of him that Hiro grew up with. It also features "professionals" telling us about the history. An insight into why Hiro loved him so much and why it was so important that the story not be changed.
The Drucker Files: A rather in depth piece that won't be for the casual fan, Drucker is a complete mystery and this makes that clear.
Genetics Of A Scene - The Anatomy Of The Cherry Blossom Scene: A how did they do that moment, this looks at the scene where the cherry blossoms in 17th century Japan distract you from everything else for a short time.
Genetics Of A Scene - Maya & Alejandro Run From The Police: Another how did they do that dissecting the scene in which the twins flee the police and how they set it up and made it look the way it did.
Genetics Of A Scene - The Final Scene: This was of interest to me as I had wondered how they had done the final scene - which I would describe but it will spoil the end. Good to look at afterwards if you wondered how they managed to make things happen.
Alternate Ending And Alternate Episode #11 - Fairly self explanatory and shows where the season was supposed to have been heading had the strike not gone of for so long. Good to see but also a little sad because it would have been a cool storyline to follow had they been able to do so.
This season's boxset gets 4.5/5 stars - it was a short but sweet season which would have lessened the score further but the DVD extras make up for it as we get to see what they had planned.
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