Heroes will be back for a fourth season. Does that prospect excite you? Bore you? Bounce off you like bullets off Superman’s chest? Count me as being…well, if not exactly excited, then really interested. Even though I’ve been pretty disappointed with the season, I remain enthusiastic and fascinated by its premise and potential. Especially right now: I don’t think the Big Theme of "heroism" has ever been more relevant. The whole idea of "sacrifice" — the chief quality of heroism — is certainly a tricky value to adopt here in these rough economic times. And then, there’s The Dark Knight and Watchmen, big, bold movies that dare to give superheroes a makeover into more complicated, more flawed creatures. Will kids these days leave our current moment even believing in the concept of heroism? All of this makes for great dramatic grist for Heroes, which at its best isn’t just fun, it has the ability to reflect back to us our of-the-moment attitudes about heroism. Of course, the show shouldn’t be pedantic or obvious about it. The Monica/Katrina storyline in season 2 was a little too on the nose. (But I dug the actress, and I really liked the character’s photo-memory power; I kinda wish the show could find a way to bring her back.) And the current national security/Homeland Security-themed storyline feels a little behind the times to me; "Fugitives" might have landed better in the first half of season 2.
Not that I want to try and give Heroes any more unwanted free advice than I already have. And not that I want the show to be all self-serious. This sentiment has been expressed before by others, but let me say it, too: When I was a kid, growing up geeky in Seattle and coming of fanboy age on X-Men by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, and Daredevil by Frank Miller, I dreamed that one day I’d be able to see stuff like what I was reading on TV. Those stories were just so cool, and I knew in my bones that if someone had the nuts to bring this stuff to the masses, mainstreamers would dig it, too. At its best, Heroes has done that, and I really see no reason why it can’t do it again.
This is all to say that I’m happy to see that Heroes is getting another turn at bat, and I’m rooting for it to hit it out of the ballpark next year. But what do you think? Are you pumped that Heroes will continue? And what would you like to see the show do during its fourth season?
I am excited to see what Bryan Fuller can do. I agree with everything you said.
I’m so NOT interested in Heroes. The only NBC show I care about is CHUCK!!! VIVA BUYMORIA!!!
This prospect definitely excites me. Season 3 was not that bad…Villians was okay, but Fugitives changed my mind over the show. It’s gotten better. Sure the show had some bad moments…but it’s all good. I AM PUMPED FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON AND FOR SEASON 4! YAYYYY (I would also like people to stop saying it sucks…why would you waste your time bashing a show?)
This show’s had waaaay too many bad episodes for it to be saved in my eyes, I just don’t care at all anymore.
Even the best episodes of HEROES never reached the awesomeness of Wolfman/Perez NEW TEEN TITANS, Claremont’s X-MEN or Miller’s DARDEVIL. HEROES’ supposedly “superb” first season was merely an entertaining distraction, fraught with some of the same problems the series still suffers today. But it had the benefit of being new and fresh to the mainstream. But for those of us raised on those classic comics, HEROES is (sadly) “X-Men for Dummies.”
I’m happy about that! I think the show is great.
Are they going to bring back Chuck as well – that is the only show I watch faithfully on NBC!
The number one thing that Heroes is missing is comic relief. They need to bring on a comedic writer just to lighten it up a bit. That would also make the dramic parts more meaningful.
I dunno, Jeff–seems to me that it’s when times are flush and everybody’s rolling in credit they don’t deserve that we get the glut of “oh he’s a hero!” because he lost 50 pounds or “she’s a hero!” because she held onto her cat. When times get really bad is when we get heroes that deserve the label. Unfortunately, we also get villains, too, but that’s what happens when the stakes are high. The show might find a voice in this.
“Heroes” has been horrible for two seasons running…what is NBC thinking? If you’re going to give an early indication for renewal, it should be for the delightful “Chuck,” which is ten times better than “Heroes.” RENEW CHUCK!!!!!
Hopefully the writers will get their act together and go back to why we loved Heroes in the first place! So much potential!!! I’m glad that it’s back again
Glad to hear it will be back. Like the new season so far. It’s nice to have something to watch besides hospital/medical shows I don’t care about. Still don’t understand Nathan’s reasons for being a butt head this season, nor do I particularly like whoever the hell Ali Larter is supposed to be. Someone please, please, cut Hayden’s hair. How she doesn’t catch it on something with all that running around she does is beyond me beside it looks like a really, really bad wig.
Fire Tim Kring! Make Brian Fuller showrunner!
I am excited!! Granted every show has its ratings problems, but even a bad ep of Heroes is better than about 80% of other regular TV.
YES!!
So psyched! As with you, I’m more excited about the potential than what has actually happened on the show, but the premise is just too good to give up! And honestly, if we’re going by premise alone, (not actual execution of said premise) it’s more original than most television, and that’s good enough to keep my attention.