A couple of weeks ago, our own Mike McCafferty offered NBC’s hit series “Heroes” five steps to save the show from itself.  We must have been on to something because this week’s issue of has a cover story addressing five ways to “save the ‘Heroes.'”
If you follow the link above, you can find out the recommendations Mike made to save the series.  Below are EW’s suggestions on how to make help the third-year series.
1. Retire Some Capes. EW suggests that the size of “Heroes” cast needs to be reduced and recommends eliminating Matt Parkman and Suresh.
“Kring originally envisioned Heroes as a series that constantly refreshed itself by routinely phasing out characters, but he backed off after the show became a ratings hit — making the cast breakout stars — in season 1. Three seasons later, however, it’s time to trim the fat by either killing some top-tier Heroes (hello, genuine life-and-death stakes!) or giving one or two a permanent happy ending. Then shore up the audience’s emotional investment with the show’s favorites by adding more single-character episodes like ”Company Man,” the season 1 classic that focused almost exclusively on H.R.G. (Jack Coleman).”
2. Eliminate Absurd Plot Twists by Making the Heroes Smarter EW cites the sudden religious conviction of Nathan as one plot twist and advises that it’s time for Hiro’s current storyline isn’t doing the character any favors.
“Having him (Hiro) blithely embark on a potentially world-destroying adventure simply because he was bored? That’s just lazy writing. According to one insider, some of the actors were bothered by these leaps in character logic, but were told they were necessary evils as part of a larger reboot plan. Still, to crib the title from Oka’s summer movie hit: Get Smart.”
3. Get The Show Back To Its Roots. EW cites the introduction of a villain who could create black holes in a recent episode as being periliously close to “shark jumping” territory.
“Once, Heroes was a show that had at least one foot firmly on the ground..This quality always made Heroes relatable even when it got incredible. These days it seems everyone is working for some nefarious and shadowy agency, or stuck in a lab, or hanging with other freaks in exotic settings.”
4. Get a New Bag of Tricks. Calling the show “painful predictable” now, EW recommends the series move away from apocolyptic prophecies and time travel.
“The elimination priority is time travel: The constant commuting of characters between past, present, and (alternate) futures has become confusing and is turning continuity into hole-ridden Swiss cheese. Also: Refresh the settings. The overreliance on Isaac’s loft (now Suresh’s lab), the Company’s basement, and Claire’s house has only accentuated the pervading dullness of the series.
5. Find A Big Vision and Set An End Date. EW recommends the producers look to the grandfather series for “Heroes,” “Lost” for some direction here. “Lost” determined an end point to the series and is working toward it, all while offering season-long story arcs that build toward and end-game. “Heroes” could benefit from having a finish line in mind and perhaps shrug the criticism that the producers are “making it up as they go.”
“Both The Sopranos and Lost found epic traction by embracing second chances and fate as grand themes. Heroes should do the same, and explore those ideas through a single central character.”
While some of these are similar to what Mike suggested, EW does have some interesting ideas that could help draw audiences back to “Heroes.”
Are their suggestions enough? Or is it too late to save the show? Or is the show doing well enough as it is and doesn’t need saving?
Sam Sloan says
“Heroes” is the type of show that would have captured an overly enthusiastic crowd in the beginning, just as it did in season one, but due to its subject matter would naturally begin falling off in viewership down to a basic, strong, and dedicated core of fans. I think Kring knew that going in. What he now needs to do is be sure to satisfy that core group because it is still large enough to keep NBC execs happy. If he pisses off the core, the show will be gone.
SimplyDave says
One thing that bothers me is the characters they sideline or kill vs. the characters they save or bring back from the dead.
Nathan should be dead, average character, average actor. Niki 2.0 shouldn’t even exist (I don’t even want to consider 3.0 who we have yet to meet), again average actress, terrible character. Maya should be dead rather than cocooned, average actress, tedious character. Suresh was interesting in season 1 before he dumped all his morals, solid actor, bad ruined character (really… scientist who gives himself a superpower he can’t control? come on!) Knox is a totally random clingon addition, Meredith never needed to be reintroduced for such a long arc,
On the other hand… They have Kristin Bell in the role of Elle and do nothing with her. Excellent actress, potentially interesting character. Adam Monroe was just randomly discarded last episode. Even if he was a little too similar to Julian Sark from Alias, David Anders plays him vibrantly and is entertaining. He also seemed so tied up in the history of people with powers (given his age and seeming relation to the symbol) why drop such a potentially deep character? Parkman does nothing – a great shame. He can read minds as well as influence thoughts and has an estranged father with the same abilities – hello??? Greg Grunberg doesn’t seem to have much range as an actor, but he’s one of those guys you can’t help but like and root for, so he really fits his role well.
The mainstays are of course Peter, Hiro & Ando, Claire, Noah, and Sylar. Sadly, they’re all going in strange directions with the exception of Hiro & Ando who just never get old. Also we need some kind of resolution, even if it’s just putting them on ice, for characters like Molly, Micah, Monica, Nana Dawson, Elle, Claude, and West.
Just a short… ok long, rant. 😉
Ringsting says
I am really enjoying this season of heroes, much more than last year. The darker tone is a shot in the arm.
My biggest problem is that they haven’t decided how they are using time travel/pre cogs, they should make up their minds and stick to it.
WingsStef says
Nathan isn’t an “average” character. Sure his power isn’t as glamorous as some, but his importance to storyline is more than power deep.
He is Peter’s lifeline. Arthur Petrelli, from what we were told never much of a father to Peter, Nathan took that role. He also was the one that saved Peter from exploding New York because Peter could not control his powers due to power overload.
Nathan also dared to destroy the Linderman Group, a significant part of the Company by working with the FBI, which quite possibly caused himself to get ran off the road by his own father. Now that Arthur is back, we will get more info on what happened when Linderman and Arthur Petrelli were in Atlantic City, seeds that were mentioned on the very first episode then again in the first volume’s flashback episode “Six Months Ago” and will most likely be reflected once again in this seasons “Villains.”
In the graphic novel Angela wrote Arthur a letter talking about their son Nathan, saying “Our son will make you proud one day.”
In various futures Nathan was president, both with dire results (One was actually Sylar). But perhaps there is yet a future where Nathan will be a good president. There is time yet for this tale.
Think how Peter will be without his brother? In both futures we seen so far, where Nathan was either dead, or Not acting like Nathan, Future Peter was biter and without hope. Each Petrelli brother, Nathan, Peter, Gabriel are important. As is Nathan’s daughter Claire. Plus Hiro and Claire’s adoptive father Noah Bennet. Who is also trying to get rid of the Company his own way, though it appears Arthur’s Pinehearst is much worse.
What Heroes needs is more episodes like “Eris Quod Sum”, the reason episode that aired on the October 27. Which was filled with action and the right amount of action. The characters even are mostly acting normal again, with exception of Mohinder.
Hmmm... says
Alright i think i have a few ideas that i would love to see on the screen, no matter how far fetched they are. They are pretty twistful… lol if that is even a word.
1. SYLAR needs a love intrest, not one that he murders, one that he truly loves. something that would tie him down and wasnt a little boy, but of course you can pull him in too. perhaps an unconvetional family.
2. PETER which is truly one of my favorite characters is getting the short end of the stick when it comes to plots. Why dont we add more spice and maybe make Sylar and Peter work together, but in humor and almost helping each other.
3. MOHINDER is another character that is making people lose intrest but is a rather talented actor. if you are going to get rid of him, do it with a kick. make him get back to your roots if you dont.
4. CLAIR needs in the presence of other large characters. it balances her character. i think it would be helpful if you add a badness to her.
5. I love the idea of character episodes.
6. we need a new character that ties them all in together, some missing link that pulls the plot together.
7. there should be more action, not all politics.