Heroes Season 2 Review (Major Spoilers)
Updated to include reviews of Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint and The Drucker Files.
Heroes: Season 2
Ah, Season 2 of Heroes. The very definition of disappointment. I'll admit I LOVED season one, even the season finale that everyone else seemed to hate but they dropped the ball BIG TIME with "Generations". The writer's strike didn't help as supposedly this volume was the prelude to a BIGGER arc involving a plague but unfortunately since there WAS no pay-off to the Shanti virus this whole set-up is just a waste of time. I mean, c'mon, all the Heroes JUST got together in the season finale and they pull a Four Months Later deal and have the characters spread apart again? Weak.
I think the biggest disappointment for me was the Hiro in Japan arc. It lasts about three or four episodes too long and what we DID get wasn't all that pretty to begin with. I also didn't care for the Blunder Twins of Maya and Alejandro just because Maya spends the entire season blowing off the advice of her infinitely wiser brother and getting close to the obvious psychopath Sylar. Sylar, himself spends the season mostly off the grid and powerless and for the Big Bad of the series that is a huge disappointment especially because of how built up he was during season one.
I'll confess I DO like the Muscle Mimic Monica Dawson who is a cheery and bright face in an increasingly depressing series. Even Hiro spends WAAAYYY too much time pouting and blaming himself for stuff that was destined to happen this year.
I think the best parts of the season focus on the relationship between the only relatable character left, Matt Parkman and his new "daughter" Molly. They are incredibly sweet together.
Claire who was the Patron Saint of the first season is paired with a boyfriend who is SO obnoxious that you immediately jump to the conclusion that he doesn't deserve her. As the season goes on, however Claire becomes SO pouty and unsympathetic that you feel these two Emo jerks belong together. Please bring back the spunky and relatable Claire for season three, producers.
I like that this season focused on two major mysteries in who murdered Kaito Nakumora and just exactly WHO was going to kill HRG and how he was going to die. I'll admit that the solutions to both mysteries were extremely clever but that isn't enough to completely hold the season together.
As for the OTHER mystery, why is Peter an amnesiac, this was botched BIG TIME. Partly because Peter isn't an interesting enough character to command a storyline of his own and partly because we miss him and Nathan together so much. By the time Nathan is killed in the season finale I am thoroughly furious at the series. Hopefully he isn't really dead but I'm not that optimistic.
Since all of the episodes seem to blend together I won't be doing a "best and worst" round-up. Let's just say the season starts off awful but builds to a somewhat respectable (if still disappointing climax). Season Overall: ***.
Volume 2: Generations
Chapter One: Four Months Later: The season premiere is the very definition of a mixed bag. About half of the stuff worked and half of it didn't. The stuff that worked: the scenes between Nathan and Angela Petrelli were VERY interesting. I also like the stuff with Molly and Matt. And the Kaito and Ando scenes leading up to the former's murder were great too. The stuff that DIDN'T work: Hiro in feudal Japan is one of the biggest missteps of the series even if it led to the casting of the VERY cool David Anders (Alias) as Takezo Kensei. The Bennet family drama was a HUGE misfire (with the exception of HRG going old-school hard-core on that copy guy) ESPECIALLY Claire's painful romance with the annoying West. I don't hate Maya and her brother as many fans do but they really shouldn't have introduced them with NONE of the main cast present as it makes their story seem unconnected and pointless to the larger arc. I think the season's biggest problem was seperating the cast after getting them all together in the finale last year. I was expecting the season to BUILD upon what happened in the finale and it instead almost started over again from scratch. Disappointing. ***.
Chapter Two: Lizards: Another so-so episode that exceeds Chapter One in the sense that the last act was pretty good. I just wish the first four had been. And have I mentioned how completely weak Peter Petrelli is as this series' "Superman"? For the main Hero he is SO wishy-washy and unappealing. Taking away his memory didn't help any. I'm also sensing Hiro's tale is evolving into stereotypes. I had heard that claim against Hiro before and I completely dismissed it because he rocks so much and I thought people were misunderstanding the character's purpose. He's still cool but they are trying to turn him into a romantic hero and a complete non-threatening eunnich at the same time in a cutesy Japan tale that is just REEKING of racist subtext. How insulting is it that Yaeko can't tell him and Kensei apart considering their VERY different voices and eyes? Stop, please. **1/2.
Chapter Three: Kindred: It's official. I hate West. Worst Heroes character EVER. And it's ridiculous that it took this long to get back to Sylar. He needed to be in the season premiere. And I'm still furious at how they randomly killed off D.L. and he didn't even get a death that matters. On the upside, this episode had a GREAT cliffhanger. **.
Chapter Four: The Kindness Of Strangers: The Nathan / Matt was great and the Nightmare Man stuff good was too. But this is still a disappointing episode. I hate seeing Claire and Noah deteriorate because of that loser West and Maya is turning out to be too stupid to live. Still, I kinda like Monica Dawson. I don't know why but her power is kind of cool. **1/2.
Chapter Five: Fight Or Flight: Nothing much happened this episode but I still kind of like it. Getting Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) was a casting coup for the series and it was a smart move to make David Anders a regular. ***1/2.
Chapter Six: The Line: Claire was really obnoxious this episode and HRG was downright despicable. This season sucks. *.
Chapter Seven: Out Of Time: FINALLY, a good episode! I always wondered what happened to Caitlin since the timeline she was trapped in was erased. I have a feeling she would have been seen again in Exodus but since that Volume has been scrapped due to the writer's strike I have no idea how or IF they'll resolve that. Hiro's tale was finally paid off this episode but his return should have come MUCH sooner. I loved Matt owning the Nightmare Man and his sweet reunion with Molly. GREAT twist of having Takezo Kensei turn out to be Adam. We should have guessed since David Anders became a regular. Great episode. ****1/2.
Chapter Eight: Four Months Ago: I usually dislike this show's flashback or flashforward shows but this episode did it right by tying it into the immediate action of here and now. Granted we progressed a total of two minutes in the current story but I didn't feel as if this was a wasted episode. I STILL think the show shouldn't have picked up four months later in the season premiere but I think if they HAD picked up right after they would have gutted some of the mystery. Not that the mystery's been great or anything but it's the only thing holding this otherwise sorry arc together. I liked this episode. ***1/2.
Chapter Nine: Cautionary Tales: I loved this especially the very end. It was nice Hiro got to say goodbye to his father. I'm worried about Matt and him taking Angela Petrelli's memory. And Elle is super-hot. I love how she wraps her hands around every guy she meets and that Bob tolerates it with annoyance and bemusement. I loved HRG this episode and how he literally gave up his life to protect Claire. I also loved how the last scene was a call-back to Claire's famous ressurrection in season one. This was awesome. ****1/2.
Chapter Ten: Truth & Consequences: This was great too. I especially loved the cliffhanger with Hiro and Peter going at it especially since the audience is rooting for Hiro. Monica and Micah's plot was fun too. His cousin is a punk. Only problem with the episode is that Maya is SUCH an idiot that you don't have that much sympathy for her the next episode. Great working Sylar into the Molly storyline. ****1/2.
Chapter Eleven: I'll admit it. This is the best episode of the season. But I'm knocking a star off of it for the VERY serious misstep of killing off Nathan. They might undo it next season but considering he died in the alternate ending too I doubt it. It was WAAAYYY too early in the series' run to off Nathan even if they DID give us the pleasant surprise that he went out a good guy instead of a villain. His relationship with Peter is the heart and soul of the series and since Peter is the main character it was a HUGE blunder. I don't like Peter UNLESS he is with Nathan. He's bland and annoying otherwise and Nathan keeps him honest and vice versa. It MIGHT have been forgivable (and I say MIGHT) had Nathan and Peter not spent the entire season apart. They for all intents and purposes had a maximum of two scenes together and both of them were in this episode. No. Sorry. Doesn't fly. The rest of the episode was great. It's probably just me (well, maybe not) but I REALLY enjoyed Maya's misery in learning about who Sylar was since she has been a total tool for the rest of the season. I know I shouldn't say "it serves her right" but... I can't think of another way to end that sentence. By the way, I DON'T think it's HRG who pulled the trigger on Nathan just because it's WAAAAYYYY too obvious. Yes, it would be juicy but I think everyone who saw that person walk out of the building thought it was HRG and that's no way to create a mystery. Looking forward to Volume Three. ****.
Deleted Scenes:
Four Months Later
I, Too Have A Special Ability: We finally learn Kaito's special ability! He's a human computer! I wish they had worked this in at SOME point during the season. Maybe next year. ****.
Petrellis Don't Deserve To Be Saved: A little bit of backstory on WHY Nathan isn't a member of Congress with the help of some handy TV exposition. I was feeling for Nathan too and felt Angela had a LOT of gaul coming to him for help. ***1/2.
Fight Or Flight:
Look, Yaeko-- He Had It All Along: Cute scene that adds nothing. **1/2.
And She Hits Me Hard: More Hiro in Japan stuff that is completely unnecessary. Does add power to Hiro's kiss though. **.
I'm The Only Normal Person In This Family: Hilarious scene with Monica and her brother. ****.
You Think I Don't Know You, Hiro: This scene is even more ridiculous than the love scene in Lizards. *.
Don't Thank Me Yet: Yeah, this scene of Suresh tasering and abducting Monica doesn't play right at all. The episode wisely used Suresh's persuasion skills instead. Still, it's an interesting scene. ***1/2.
The Line:
So It Does Run In The Family: This scene is interesting because it plays off the deleted scene of Suresh abducting Monica in the previous episode. The episode botched things by including the line that Suresh took Monica off the streets when in the actual episode he did no such thing. ***.
To Fight Alongside The Great Takezo Kensei: This scene makes Kensei's descent to villainy all the more painful. It should have been in the episode. ****.
No More Tazer Kidnapping?: Again with the tazer stuff. This extended and changed scene humanizes Bob some more but serves no other purpose. I can see why it was trimmed. **1/2.
Out Of Time:
Get Down From There: Great. More of the annoying West. Thanks, but no thanks. *.
She Can Find Peter: I liked this scene but it made Nathan look like a creep and the producers were going for a martyr vibe for him this season. I swear I can't get Profit out of my head whenever I see Adrian Pasdar give people that creepy stare of his. ***1/2.
Four Months Ago:
Happy Birthday, Micah: This scene added nothing. In fact it is SO brief and devoid of meangful content that I'm actually surprised they bothered putting it in the deleted scenes. **.
There Is No Need To Cry, Child: This scene explains what Maya was doing as a nun in the episode. I think it would have been nice to have seen it in the episode as that twist comes out of nowhere. ****.
I'm Not OK. Do I Look OK?: Like the best Nathan scenes this one makes him look like a jerk while humanizing him completely. It should have been in the episode. ****1/2.
Cautionary Tales:
I Will Bring Him To Justice: I liked this scene a lot but it wasn't really necessary. Once Hiro gives his non-eulogy in the episode you don't really need this scene. ***1/2.
I Laughed So Hard Chocolate Milk Came Out Of My Nose: What I love about Molly is that she keeps Matt honest. This needed to be in the episode to give the audience the idea that Matt will be okay as long as he has her. The downbeat place the episode actually left things was kind of a bummer. *****.
Generations Alternate Ending: I'm terrified of plagues and getting sick so I'm REALLY glad the show didn't go The Stand route after all. I liked Claire finding out that Peter is alive though. ****.
Untold Stories:
These are basically unfinished scenes from the next two episodes of season two before the writer's strike. They are pretty interesting and form an "new" episode of sorts that takes place in an alternate reality. VERY cool. *****.
Teaser: Elle tracking Sylar was awesome. I especially liked his REALLY gross way of killing that guy. *****.
Act 1: Aw, Elle still has Daddy issues. ****.
Act 2: Sylar is such a creep. It's hard to completely enjoy an act solely devoted to him murdering somebody. ***.
Act 3: I loved HRG pushing Elle's buttons like that. I wonder what would have ultimately happened to him had he not rejoined the company. *****.
Act 4: Ando is such a doof. But he's a funny doof. I have to say I'm glad the virus wasn't released if they were going to go with this mopey Hiro. ***1/2.
Act 5: Whoa! Angela Petrelli's nightmare of EVERYONE murdered was extremely unsettling. What did they mean by "spoiler alert"? Is this going to tie into season three somehow? Whuh oh. *****.
NBC.com Featurettes:
Hotel Corinthian Explosion: Um, boom? What? **.
Maya Y Alejandro Viral Video: I had no idea what was going on with this. A Spanish Blair Witch. **1/2.
Nathan And Peter Brooklyn Cam: I liked this because I could actually tell what was happening. ***1/2.
Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint: A comprehensive "documentary" that shows the legend of Kensei in great detail and even manages to link it up to current events, including Linderman's murder and Hiro stealing the sword. A LOT of time and energy was obviously put into it and it shows. The illustrations are gorgeous too. The ONLY beef I have with it is that the actors who play the historians aren't very good. But the narrator is great (I'm pretty sure it's John Rhys-Davies) and it's VERY cool. ****1/2.
The Drucker Files: I didn't like this as much as the Takezo Kensei web-series simply because it raised questions that have yet to be answered. Will all of this become part of the Heroes mythology? Or is it a somewhat irrellevent tangent? ***1/2.
Heroes: Season 2
Ah, Season 2 of Heroes. The very definition of disappointment. I'll admit I LOVED season one, even the season finale that everyone else seemed to hate but they dropped the ball BIG TIME with "Generations". The writer's strike didn't help as supposedly this volume was the prelude to a BIGGER arc involving a plague but unfortunately since there WAS no pay-off to the Shanti virus this whole set-up is just a waste of time. I mean, c'mon, all the Heroes JUST got together in the season finale and they pull a Four Months Later deal and have the characters spread apart again? Weak.
I think the biggest disappointment for me was the Hiro in Japan arc. It lasts about three or four episodes too long and what we DID get wasn't all that pretty to begin with. I also didn't care for the Blunder Twins of Maya and Alejandro just because Maya spends the entire season blowing off the advice of her infinitely wiser brother and getting close to the obvious psychopath Sylar. Sylar, himself spends the season mostly off the grid and powerless and for the Big Bad of the series that is a huge disappointment especially because of how built up he was during season one.
I'll confess I DO like the Muscle Mimic Monica Dawson who is a cheery and bright face in an increasingly depressing series. Even Hiro spends WAAAYYY too much time pouting and blaming himself for stuff that was destined to happen this year.
I think the best parts of the season focus on the relationship between the only relatable character left, Matt Parkman and his new "daughter" Molly. They are incredibly sweet together.
Claire who was the Patron Saint of the first season is paired with a boyfriend who is SO obnoxious that you immediately jump to the conclusion that he doesn't deserve her. As the season goes on, however Claire becomes SO pouty and unsympathetic that you feel these two Emo jerks belong together. Please bring back the spunky and relatable Claire for season three, producers.
I like that this season focused on two major mysteries in who murdered Kaito Nakumora and just exactly WHO was going to kill HRG and how he was going to die. I'll admit that the solutions to both mysteries were extremely clever but that isn't enough to completely hold the season together.
As for the OTHER mystery, why is Peter an amnesiac, this was botched BIG TIME. Partly because Peter isn't an interesting enough character to command a storyline of his own and partly because we miss him and Nathan together so much. By the time Nathan is killed in the season finale I am thoroughly furious at the series. Hopefully he isn't really dead but I'm not that optimistic.
Since all of the episodes seem to blend together I won't be doing a "best and worst" round-up. Let's just say the season starts off awful but builds to a somewhat respectable (if still disappointing climax). Season Overall: ***.
Volume 2: Generations
Chapter One: Four Months Later: The season premiere is the very definition of a mixed bag. About half of the stuff worked and half of it didn't. The stuff that worked: the scenes between Nathan and Angela Petrelli were VERY interesting. I also like the stuff with Molly and Matt. And the Kaito and Ando scenes leading up to the former's murder were great too. The stuff that DIDN'T work: Hiro in feudal Japan is one of the biggest missteps of the series even if it led to the casting of the VERY cool David Anders (Alias) as Takezo Kensei. The Bennet family drama was a HUGE misfire (with the exception of HRG going old-school hard-core on that copy guy) ESPECIALLY Claire's painful romance with the annoying West. I don't hate Maya and her brother as many fans do but they really shouldn't have introduced them with NONE of the main cast present as it makes their story seem unconnected and pointless to the larger arc. I think the season's biggest problem was seperating the cast after getting them all together in the finale last year. I was expecting the season to BUILD upon what happened in the finale and it instead almost started over again from scratch. Disappointing. ***.
Chapter Two: Lizards: Another so-so episode that exceeds Chapter One in the sense that the last act was pretty good. I just wish the first four had been. And have I mentioned how completely weak Peter Petrelli is as this series' "Superman"? For the main Hero he is SO wishy-washy and unappealing. Taking away his memory didn't help any. I'm also sensing Hiro's tale is evolving into stereotypes. I had heard that claim against Hiro before and I completely dismissed it because he rocks so much and I thought people were misunderstanding the character's purpose. He's still cool but they are trying to turn him into a romantic hero and a complete non-threatening eunnich at the same time in a cutesy Japan tale that is just REEKING of racist subtext. How insulting is it that Yaeko can't tell him and Kensei apart considering their VERY different voices and eyes? Stop, please. **1/2.
Chapter Three: Kindred: It's official. I hate West. Worst Heroes character EVER. And it's ridiculous that it took this long to get back to Sylar. He needed to be in the season premiere. And I'm still furious at how they randomly killed off D.L. and he didn't even get a death that matters. On the upside, this episode had a GREAT cliffhanger. **.
Chapter Four: The Kindness Of Strangers: The Nathan / Matt was great and the Nightmare Man stuff good was too. But this is still a disappointing episode. I hate seeing Claire and Noah deteriorate because of that loser West and Maya is turning out to be too stupid to live. Still, I kinda like Monica Dawson. I don't know why but her power is kind of cool. **1/2.
Chapter Five: Fight Or Flight: Nothing much happened this episode but I still kind of like it. Getting Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) was a casting coup for the series and it was a smart move to make David Anders a regular. ***1/2.
Chapter Six: The Line: Claire was really obnoxious this episode and HRG was downright despicable. This season sucks. *.
Chapter Seven: Out Of Time: FINALLY, a good episode! I always wondered what happened to Caitlin since the timeline she was trapped in was erased. I have a feeling she would have been seen again in Exodus but since that Volume has been scrapped due to the writer's strike I have no idea how or IF they'll resolve that. Hiro's tale was finally paid off this episode but his return should have come MUCH sooner. I loved Matt owning the Nightmare Man and his sweet reunion with Molly. GREAT twist of having Takezo Kensei turn out to be Adam. We should have guessed since David Anders became a regular. Great episode. ****1/2.
Chapter Eight: Four Months Ago: I usually dislike this show's flashback or flashforward shows but this episode did it right by tying it into the immediate action of here and now. Granted we progressed a total of two minutes in the current story but I didn't feel as if this was a wasted episode. I STILL think the show shouldn't have picked up four months later in the season premiere but I think if they HAD picked up right after they would have gutted some of the mystery. Not that the mystery's been great or anything but it's the only thing holding this otherwise sorry arc together. I liked this episode. ***1/2.
Chapter Nine: Cautionary Tales: I loved this especially the very end. It was nice Hiro got to say goodbye to his father. I'm worried about Matt and him taking Angela Petrelli's memory. And Elle is super-hot. I love how she wraps her hands around every guy she meets and that Bob tolerates it with annoyance and bemusement. I loved HRG this episode and how he literally gave up his life to protect Claire. I also loved how the last scene was a call-back to Claire's famous ressurrection in season one. This was awesome. ****1/2.
Chapter Ten: Truth & Consequences: This was great too. I especially loved the cliffhanger with Hiro and Peter going at it especially since the audience is rooting for Hiro. Monica and Micah's plot was fun too. His cousin is a punk. Only problem with the episode is that Maya is SUCH an idiot that you don't have that much sympathy for her the next episode. Great working Sylar into the Molly storyline. ****1/2.
Chapter Eleven: I'll admit it. This is the best episode of the season. But I'm knocking a star off of it for the VERY serious misstep of killing off Nathan. They might undo it next season but considering he died in the alternate ending too I doubt it. It was WAAAYYY too early in the series' run to off Nathan even if they DID give us the pleasant surprise that he went out a good guy instead of a villain. His relationship with Peter is the heart and soul of the series and since Peter is the main character it was a HUGE blunder. I don't like Peter UNLESS he is with Nathan. He's bland and annoying otherwise and Nathan keeps him honest and vice versa. It MIGHT have been forgivable (and I say MIGHT) had Nathan and Peter not spent the entire season apart. They for all intents and purposes had a maximum of two scenes together and both of them were in this episode. No. Sorry. Doesn't fly. The rest of the episode was great. It's probably just me (well, maybe not) but I REALLY enjoyed Maya's misery in learning about who Sylar was since she has been a total tool for the rest of the season. I know I shouldn't say "it serves her right" but... I can't think of another way to end that sentence. By the way, I DON'T think it's HRG who pulled the trigger on Nathan just because it's WAAAAYYYY too obvious. Yes, it would be juicy but I think everyone who saw that person walk out of the building thought it was HRG and that's no way to create a mystery. Looking forward to Volume Three. ****.
Deleted Scenes:
Four Months Later
I, Too Have A Special Ability: We finally learn Kaito's special ability! He's a human computer! I wish they had worked this in at SOME point during the season. Maybe next year. ****.
Petrellis Don't Deserve To Be Saved: A little bit of backstory on WHY Nathan isn't a member of Congress with the help of some handy TV exposition. I was feeling for Nathan too and felt Angela had a LOT of gaul coming to him for help. ***1/2.
Fight Or Flight:
Look, Yaeko-- He Had It All Along: Cute scene that adds nothing. **1/2.
And She Hits Me Hard: More Hiro in Japan stuff that is completely unnecessary. Does add power to Hiro's kiss though. **.
I'm The Only Normal Person In This Family: Hilarious scene with Monica and her brother. ****.
You Think I Don't Know You, Hiro: This scene is even more ridiculous than the love scene in Lizards. *.
Don't Thank Me Yet: Yeah, this scene of Suresh tasering and abducting Monica doesn't play right at all. The episode wisely used Suresh's persuasion skills instead. Still, it's an interesting scene. ***1/2.
The Line:
So It Does Run In The Family: This scene is interesting because it plays off the deleted scene of Suresh abducting Monica in the previous episode. The episode botched things by including the line that Suresh took Monica off the streets when in the actual episode he did no such thing. ***.
To Fight Alongside The Great Takezo Kensei: This scene makes Kensei's descent to villainy all the more painful. It should have been in the episode. ****.
No More Tazer Kidnapping?: Again with the tazer stuff. This extended and changed scene humanizes Bob some more but serves no other purpose. I can see why it was trimmed. **1/2.
Out Of Time:
Get Down From There: Great. More of the annoying West. Thanks, but no thanks. *.
She Can Find Peter: I liked this scene but it made Nathan look like a creep and the producers were going for a martyr vibe for him this season. I swear I can't get Profit out of my head whenever I see Adrian Pasdar give people that creepy stare of his. ***1/2.
Four Months Ago:
Happy Birthday, Micah: This scene added nothing. In fact it is SO brief and devoid of meangful content that I'm actually surprised they bothered putting it in the deleted scenes. **.
There Is No Need To Cry, Child: This scene explains what Maya was doing as a nun in the episode. I think it would have been nice to have seen it in the episode as that twist comes out of nowhere. ****.
I'm Not OK. Do I Look OK?: Like the best Nathan scenes this one makes him look like a jerk while humanizing him completely. It should have been in the episode. ****1/2.
Cautionary Tales:
I Will Bring Him To Justice: I liked this scene a lot but it wasn't really necessary. Once Hiro gives his non-eulogy in the episode you don't really need this scene. ***1/2.
I Laughed So Hard Chocolate Milk Came Out Of My Nose: What I love about Molly is that she keeps Matt honest. This needed to be in the episode to give the audience the idea that Matt will be okay as long as he has her. The downbeat place the episode actually left things was kind of a bummer. *****.
Generations Alternate Ending: I'm terrified of plagues and getting sick so I'm REALLY glad the show didn't go The Stand route after all. I liked Claire finding out that Peter is alive though. ****.
Untold Stories:
These are basically unfinished scenes from the next two episodes of season two before the writer's strike. They are pretty interesting and form an "new" episode of sorts that takes place in an alternate reality. VERY cool. *****.
Teaser: Elle tracking Sylar was awesome. I especially liked his REALLY gross way of killing that guy. *****.
Act 1: Aw, Elle still has Daddy issues. ****.
Act 2: Sylar is such a creep. It's hard to completely enjoy an act solely devoted to him murdering somebody. ***.
Act 3: I loved HRG pushing Elle's buttons like that. I wonder what would have ultimately happened to him had he not rejoined the company. *****.
Act 4: Ando is such a doof. But he's a funny doof. I have to say I'm glad the virus wasn't released if they were going to go with this mopey Hiro. ***1/2.
Act 5: Whoa! Angela Petrelli's nightmare of EVERYONE murdered was extremely unsettling. What did they mean by "spoiler alert"? Is this going to tie into season three somehow? Whuh oh. *****.
NBC.com Featurettes:
Hotel Corinthian Explosion: Um, boom? What? **.
Maya Y Alejandro Viral Video: I had no idea what was going on with this. A Spanish Blair Witch. **1/2.
Nathan And Peter Brooklyn Cam: I liked this because I could actually tell what was happening. ***1/2.
Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint: A comprehensive "documentary" that shows the legend of Kensei in great detail and even manages to link it up to current events, including Linderman's murder and Hiro stealing the sword. A LOT of time and energy was obviously put into it and it shows. The illustrations are gorgeous too. The ONLY beef I have with it is that the actors who play the historians aren't very good. But the narrator is great (I'm pretty sure it's John Rhys-Davies) and it's VERY cool. ****1/2.
The Drucker Files: I didn't like this as much as the Takezo Kensei web-series simply because it raised questions that have yet to be answered. Will all of this become part of the Heroes mythology? Or is it a somewhat irrellevent tangent? ***1/2.