Re: "Heroes" on NBC
I swear, I've got "LOST" on the brain. There are lots of shows that are derivative of "LOST," of course, but whether or not it was intentional, there were several echoes of ABC's sci-fi series in NBC's effort here.
Characters from different backgrounds and regions brought together unexpectedly but demonstrating several crossover points in their history. Distinct character types: analytical Middle Eastarn man (Sayid/Mohinder), tough but sexy lady likely on the run for murder (Kate/Niki), self-doubting cheerleader blonde with parent issues (Shannon/Claire), Asian male with subtitles (Jin/Hiro), conflicted artist with a drug problem (Charlie/Isaac), and it goes on and on... a kid, a reluctant hero, a tough, kick-butt brunette... mysterious powers, conspiracies, and there's even a comic book that'll likely prove central to the story.
Of course, one thing that seems apparent in "Heroes" that we don't have in "LOST" is the willingness to get the basic mysteries out there quickly. If "Heroes" were really following the "LOST" model, it'd be Season 2 before the comic book showed up, Season 3 before the armageddon painting, and Season 4 before the different "heroes" formed a distinct group and worked together. Instead, looks like they're going to skip a lot of wandering around and get to the basic arc quickly.
At least until the show takes off and they need to suddenly fill four seasons.
Understanding we saw the pilot, and not a typical episode, I can't pick on some things... like continuity problems (it seems they filmed two different Mohinder's dad's apartment scenes but used both), extensive exposition, and stilted dialogue. This stuff gets ironed out in any show as it hits its stride.
So, as a "pitch," I liked it. I liked the reveal about Claire's family, about the two brothers, and I liked Hiro's character (although the argument about sameness and being Japanese was pretty contrived). Some I don't care for yet, but it's hard to judge in one episode. The armageddon painting was okay, but it seemed very "Dead Zone" to me... so I hope it's not the arc of the whole series, perhaps just the first season (if even that).
I swear, I've got "LOST" on the brain. There are lots of shows that are derivative of "LOST," of course, but whether or not it was intentional, there were several echoes of ABC's sci-fi series in NBC's effort here.
Characters from different backgrounds and regions brought together unexpectedly but demonstrating several crossover points in their history. Distinct character types: analytical Middle Eastarn man (Sayid/Mohinder), tough but sexy lady likely on the run for murder (Kate/Niki), self-doubting cheerleader blonde with parent issues (Shannon/Claire), Asian male with subtitles (Jin/Hiro), conflicted artist with a drug problem (Charlie/Isaac), and it goes on and on... a kid, a reluctant hero, a tough, kick-butt brunette... mysterious powers, conspiracies, and there's even a comic book that'll likely prove central to the story.
Of course, one thing that seems apparent in "Heroes" that we don't have in "LOST" is the willingness to get the basic mysteries out there quickly. If "Heroes" were really following the "LOST" model, it'd be Season 2 before the comic book showed up, Season 3 before the armageddon painting, and Season 4 before the different "heroes" formed a distinct group and worked together. Instead, looks like they're going to skip a lot of wandering around and get to the basic arc quickly.
At least until the show takes off and they need to suddenly fill four seasons.
Understanding we saw the pilot, and not a typical episode, I can't pick on some things... like continuity problems (it seems they filmed two different Mohinder's dad's apartment scenes but used both), extensive exposition, and stilted dialogue. This stuff gets ironed out in any show as it hits its stride.
So, as a "pitch," I liked it. I liked the reveal about Claire's family, about the two brothers, and I liked Hiro's character (although the argument about sameness and being Japanese was pretty contrived). Some I don't care for yet, but it's hard to judge in one episode. The armageddon painting was okay, but it seemed very "Dead Zone" to me... so I hope it's not the arc of the whole series, perhaps just the first season (if even that).
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