From Hero to Zero

We all know people who seem to be on top of the world. A famous politician, a pop superstar, or socialite who’s heir to millions. Isn’t it pitiful when all of a sudden they fall from grace. Just like that, with a sudden twist of fate, they lose everything.

That’s the same feeling I get while watching each episode of the TV show Heroes this season. How can such an excellent show during its first season fall to such depths? It isn’t your usual sophomore slump. It’s a complete disaster. Last season, every episode was compelling and exciting. This season, episodes are dull at best. I actually saw a glimmer of hope from episode 8, entitled Four Months Ago. That episode was interesting, it kept me hooked. Then again, with all the loopholes and question marks left by the previous seven episodes, any answers given would keep my interest. Then episode 9 came. It blew me away. That was the type of episode typical to Heroes a year ago. It’s funny that the Bennet family story arc AKA Heroes 90210, which was one of the most nauseating story arcs this season, became the most compelling. The ending was also a bit surprising.

Then this week’s episode came. Looks like I spoke too soon. Another episode that should’ve gone directly to the trash bin. Monica? Stupid. That Maya character? Really stupid. Suresh? For a scientist he is remarkably stupid. Peter? The character everyone used to cheer for has become stupid stupid stupid. Claire’s confrontation with Elle? What the fuck was that? Sloppily executed, that it looked so stupid. And Elle, who was such a feisty character in the previous episodes suddenly became meek… and downright stupid. Plus all the emotional impact that we could’ve gotten from the grieving Bennet family has been neutered by the revelation that Noah was still alive after all. And the cliffhanger ending, Hiro vs. Peter? It was so haphazardly executed that I just scratched my head when the words To Be Continued was shown. For a show to succeed, they need to have characters that the audience can relate to, characters that viewers would care about. With such stupid characters and plot lines, I just wish they’d kill off all these stupid characters and get it over with.

I find it impossible to believe this season’s story arcs came from the same group of writers responsible for the first season. If they did change their writers, they better fire all of the present ones and hire all of the previous ones back, before the show totally loses its audience.

They better show something remarkable on the finale of volume 2 next week, else I might not stick around for volume 3.