Heroes – Season 2
Reviewer: Jordan Brown
Issue 106 August 2008
(3 votes, average: 8 out of 10)
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Holding out for a villain.
The Lowdown: Four months after the incident at Kirby Plaza, The Company rears it’s ugly head, threatening to unleash a virus that will suppress the heroes’ extraordinary abilities. It’s the least of their worries however, when it turns out that Sylar is still alive and planning to return to his murderous ways…
Review: You’ve got to feel sorry for Tim Kring and the rest of the gang behind hit superhero show Heroes. After wowing the world with a blinder of a fledgling season, that pesky writer’s strike meant the second year was trimmed down by half to only 11 episodes and also saw spin-off series Heroes: Origins scrapped before it even started. With this season not having the chance to deliver the adrenaline pumping thrill ride we got with the last one, it’s meant that the once phenomenal buzz that once surrounded the show has since quietened down to barely a murmur. However as even Kring has admitted the start of Season 2isn’t as good as Season1, at least the strike has given them time to regroup and hopefully come roaring back with Season 3. In short – prepare to be disappointed by Season 2.
Things have gotten a bit quieter in the four months since the Season 1 finale. The heroes have adjusted to life with their powers and are going about their lives to the best of their (non-super) abilities. The harmony is soon shattered when the Primatech Paper Company begins rounding up superpowered folk in order to develop the potentially deadly Shanti virus. On top of that, it turns out that both Peter and Sylar managed to survive the climactic events of the last season too.
While it sounds like another arc that’s chock full of suspense and potential twists, the truth is that it’s actually a slow and sometimes tedious slog. Sylar is powerless after last season’s big finish and is now about as dangerous as a muzzled dog, Peter has amnesia and spends ages in Ireland trying to recover his memories, while the head honchos from The Company are just acting a bit shifty. One of the few saving graces is the introduction of some cool new characters, including Niki’s niece Monica, who has the neat ability to mimic any movement she sees. Other new delights include Kristin Bell’s debut as the electricity generating Elle Bishop and the introduction of a Honduran named Maya, who can generate a deadly disease in those around her during times of stress. Elsewhere time-travelling teleporter Hiro provides plenty of entertainment during his tenure in Feudal Japan, hanging out with his hero, Takezo Kensei. Still, these things don’t bring the show anywhere near the standard we’ve come to expect – purely because the rest of the characters don’t really get to do much.
Luckily, things pick up towards the end with a trio of episodes that are as good as, if not better, than anything the first series threw at us. Of course it means that by the time the season gets going, it’s over. It’s a relief then that they’ve made it worth our while with a hefty pile of quality extras including an alternate season finale. Still, it’s not enough to make this half-baked series an essential purchase. Lets hope the writers make up for it with the third season.
FILM: 6
EXTRAS: 8
DVD Info:
Certificate: 15
Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, Ali Larter, Kristen Bell, Zachary Quinto
Directed By: Various, 2007
Distributor:
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Visuals: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen
Running Time: Universal Playback
Price: £34.99
Film supplied by: Ocean Media
Special Features:
Episode And Scene Selection
Deleted Scenes
‘Heroes Season 2 – A New Beginning’ Featurette
‘Kensei’ Documentary
‘The Drucker Files’ Featurette
‘Genetics of a Scene: The Anatomy of the Cherry Blossom Scene’ Featurette
‘Genetics of a Scene: Maya d Alejandro Run from the Police’ Featurette
‘Genetics of a Scene: The Final Scene’ Featurette
Alternate Ending
Alternate Episode #11
Season 3 Sneak Peek
August 19th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I don’t consider this season any worse than the first season of the show, but unfortunately this season does have it’s faults, and they are the same faults that the first season had aswell.
Once again the season starts off with a great introductory episode, with a lot of potential, but as the episodes go on, that original premise gets stretched and diluted, more and more, until it gets to the point when you want something exciting to actually happen, it is a series about superhereos after all! You do get brief extra moments of tension, but they are short lived.
Another recurring problem from the first is the character of Nikki/Jessics. To me, she remains one of the most superfluous TV characters of all time. Despite having powers, she once again has little do with what all the other heroes and villains are trying to do, and most of the time, none of the other characters are generally that interested about what happens to her. I personally think she should only be classed as a one off character, rather than an official cast member.
On a plus, the season does finish off well, much like the first season.
The show does need to buck up it’s ideas though. Hopefully there might be some improvements with season 3, but from the rumours I’ve heard about it, it looks like it’s just going to be more of the same.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
this is a great series which i enjoyed just as much as the first. i don’t agree that it has been overstretched and diluted (unlike Lost!)it just built up the tension over time. the audience don’t need bangs and high action every couple of minutes like the excessive hollywood blockbusters that we are so used to (e.g. die hard 4- what a shame!) these series is well produced, well acted and well good. if you missed it on tv buy it now, if you didn’t buy it anyway because it is so much better than 99.9% of the dross on tv- go on turn off big brother and watch heroes on dvd, you won’t regret it!!
September 30th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
I’m sorry this was very disapointing series compared to series 1, but I think this was doen to the fact that the orignal series was FANTASTIC!