A Critical View of Heroes

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We're not alone.

For a few weeks now, we've shown our tough love for Heroes by aiming critical commentary at the show's illogical, frustrating story lines. A few readers have taken our staff to task for dissing their favorite show, even though we're big fans and just wanna see it return to its first season greatness.

A 9th Wonder

As you can tell from the excerpts below, other columnists are annoyed by the series these days, as well. Here are highlights - or lowlights, really - from recaps of this week's episode around the Web:

  • TVGuide.com: "These same stories by and large could have been told without the loss of powers, so why even go there. We've still yet to get any real explanation as to why the eclipse triggers these powers (and why these eclipses are happening so often), and the whole things reeks of a plot device meant to drum up drama that the stories themselves are not."
  • EW.com: "If you're not going to put your characters [such as Claire and Sylar, who obviously weren't dead] in real jeopardy, don't even head down that road. Because it's cheap and a waste of time."
  • Zap2It.com: "It's come to the point where I just feel kind of bad for Greg Grunberg and Brea Grant, saddled as they are with a supposed love story that's based on Parkman's spirit walk and nothing else."

Again, we love Heroes. But, as you can see, we're not alone in our critical view of the show these days.

FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE'S JUMP TO READ A MAJOR CRITICISM OF THIS WEEK'S EPISODE AND CHIME IN WITH YOUR VIEW...

Remember how the the first part of The Eclipse episodes ended? With HRG pointing his rifle straight at Elle and Sylar, as they made out?

Now jump ahead to this week's episode. We see Sylar and Elle on the floor, having just had sex; only THEN does HRG's shot ring out. Seriously?!? Are we supposed to believe that HRG was kind enough - or dirty-minded enough - to wait until they had intercourse before trying to kill them?

It may seem like a tiny issue, but that's what makes it so frustrating. Perhaps the writers can sometimes be forgiven if larger plot holes exist because they are trying to reach a bigger, grander conclusion. But why create such an illogical misstep in this case?

HRG Pic

Why couldn't the action have picked up exactly where we left it last time, with HRG's shot missing the new couple because they were just going to the floor in order to get it on? Would anything in the episode have changed one bit if Sylar and Elle had not had sex on that floor?

It's lazy writing such as this that infuriates us. Please treat viewers with more respect, Heroes staff. We tune in mostly for action and suspense, but that doesn't mean you can simply ignore all sensible steps in story telling, as well.

Agree? Disagree? We'd love to hear your comments!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.

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Heroes Quotes

You are not faster than me, nemesis.

Hiro

Only together can we be the stewards of our own destiny.

Nathan

Heroes Music

  Song Artist
Song Road to Joy Bright Eyes
Song Mustang Sally Wilson Pickett
Song I Want It That Way Backstreet Boys