End of Season 2: Heroes

From Best to…pretty good.

I will be the first to tell you (and to many of you I already have) that Heroes: Season 1 is the best series television has ever seen. I don’t say that lightly. TV has had some phenomenal shows, no doubt about it. Magnum P.I. CHiPs. Knight Rider. 24. Prison Break. Lost (well, the first couple seasons, at least). Oh, right, and like, The Sopranos or whatever, too.

But seriously, Heroes: Season 1 was, in my opinion, the best television series I have ever seen. Incredible action, adventure, and suspense, great and memorable characters, excellent plot twists…the list goes on. The future episode alone is worth watching the entire season for.

So, what’s my point?

The Writer’s Commentary

This season of Heroes, Season 2, has had its ups and downs. It’s still pretty good, and still my favorite show, but it’s not the same as last year. Some of the same characters are back, new characters have been added, and the world is still plugging along in need of…heroes.

The show has had guest writers and directors, and that takes away from the core somewhat, but it’s been relatively solid until the last 3-4 weeks. What happened? They tried to please the audience beyond what was necessary.

I’ll be the first to tell you, pleasing an audience is incredibly rewarding. There’s no better feeling than having someone go, “Wow, that was a cool story.” It’s fulfilling, and it’s what writers write for (most of us, anyway). So, I can’t fault the Heroes crew for their decision, but it has led to an awkward transition.

Essentially, this season, rather than end it in 18 episodes (or however many are left, but it’s a sizeable amount), they have chosen to wrap this year’s season up in just 3. Why? The writer’s strike. I can see it now. “We know there’s gonna be a strike, but what do we do?”

“I got it. Let’s end it early. That’s what the audience will want. We can’t leave them hanging. Let’s just finish up the season.”

Not a bad idea, right? I can hear the writers groaning from here. What about the build-up? What about all the storylines? Our characters can’t develop in 3 episodes!!!

And let me be the first to say that I love action-packed episodes. It’s what makes a show like 24 (link) work. Otherwise it’s a soap opera. I would even argue that the writers probably could have made it work in 9 episodes. Cut out the additional stuff. Cut out the ten minutes of Claire making out with Flyboy. Cut out Mohinder’s attitude problems. Cut out the fluff. Cut out some character development.

But 3 episodes? It isn’t enough.

Now, as we come into next week’s episode, we’re left wondering what’s going on with Parkman. We’re wondering how certain characters will play a role. The build up of this terrible act that’s about to happen seems a little undefined. It’s still good, but it’s not great.

I’m still hoping they can pull it off, or at least leave us with some crazy cliffhanger that will have us licking our chops for more. But, the writer in me is just a little disappointed. The climax is coming too quick. Instead of a horse race with multiple laps and a photo finish, we’re left with a Nascar race that turned into a drag strip.

I still love Heroes, though, so I find it tough to critique, especially after I read the article (which I strongly encourage you to read if you're a fan) that my friend sent me. The guys that make this show are cool guys (and gals). And I’m gonna keep watching until Peter Petrelli and Sylar destroy the earth in a massive Armageddon-like battle. I just wish I was watching for more than just one week, or at least that it wasn’t really ending.

What do you think? Did they rush it this year?