Tips for New Viewers of HEROES

[beamjockey]

Since a short hiatus in the NBC series Heroes has triggered a bunch of discussion around LJ, I'd like to say a word to those who are thinking they might start watching.

I think this simple advice will make a more enjoyable viewing experience:

Whenever Dr. Suresh (either the elder or the younger) starts talking about science, turn down the sound on your TV for a minute or two.

Just let the guy peer into his microscope, or ramble on with his infodump, in silence. You will be happier than other viewers, trust me.

The pulpy plot and the chasing around and the gradual revelations of everybody's secrets are just fine, if you like comic-book entertainment. Which I do. But the lame attempts to say anything about genetics or superpowers sound like fingernails screeching against a blackboard.

(P.S. The other thing that will drive you nuts is that the plot is propelled by one fantastic coincidence after another. Characters improbably just happen to run into each other for no good reason. Eighteen episodes in, there is still no explanation for this. I wonder if there ever will be.)

{P.P.S. Oh, and about the guy who emits radioactivity and enormous heat, not to mention what you'd have to call "explosiveness?" Doesn't he have to have the same awesome powers of healing as The Cheerleader? Because otherwise, he'd have died the first time he had a little snit.)

Comments

[ericcoleman]

Usually one's powers do not affect one's self ... that's my guess in this

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

I keep wondering why, if the heat is actually due to emitted radioactivity, everyone around explodey guy isn't long dead already. I guess the heat is separate.

[liveavatar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I keep wondering that myself. Because if he's instantaneously wilting grass, I'm guessing that we're not going to have to worry about the people near him passing on their mutant genes.

In a non-fictional universe, that is.

[laurel]

Right on.

The coincidences just crack me up now. It's not just running into each other, there are some pretty mighty leaps of logic there (like "I bet that guy can help me control my power." Um. Why is that exactly?).

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and what really makes Hiro think that getting the sword will give him his power back? He couldn't really deduce that from Isaac's paintings.

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

...or from Future Hiro's appearance, for that matter.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Because Peter Petrelli told him that he had a sword when they met on the train?

Science made simple

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

RadLad's immunity is quite simple. His ability is to radiate energy, right? Well, it's all radiating away from him.

Do I have to explain everything? ;-)

Re: Science made simple

[theengineer.livejournal.com]

Is that why Cyclops doesn't go flying backwards due to the recoil from his eyebeam?

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

So they haven't unveiled Captain Coincidence yet, eh?

[mbcrui.livejournal.com]

It's TV science. I usually just tune it out. And the first appearance of the Radiation-Guy was his wife died from cancer and he charcoaled her doctor.