But, wouldn’t she have stayed home anyway if Peter had not interfered given that Nathan was not originally shot in the first place?

You’re not wrong about Hiro. Actually, I think that he illustrates the problem well by relief. Instead of striking a balanced tone, as the show managed to (again) do during the best parts of the first season, we’ve got one of the characters devoted, full-time, to comic relief. Not good comic relief, either. I wish they’d let Hiro start to grow as a character, because his initial whimsy was at least well written. Remember the Hiro-Nathan “birran” exchange? Good times.

Not only is Hiro poorly written now, but his scenes are annoying distractions, as they interrupt the flow of their episodes; invariably they cut from a scene of “great significance,” involving Sylar, say, to the “dumpty-dumpty-dump” music of Hiro and Ando, and the episode’s tone shifts so quickly, the engine practically falls out. Every frickin’ time Hiro appears! Ugh!

I hate to come off so negative on the show right now, but even through the second season, there was usually at least one plot line or two, or at least an aspect of one, that I could find interest in. Right now, not a single character arc has hooked me for the third season. The show has opted to go from an ensemble piece to one revolving around four characters, with the rest relegated to supporting roles, and none of the four are particularly compelling.

But all of the choices the show’s made, from the tone, to the sole use of Hiro as funny-man, to narrowing the focus to Hiro, Sylar, Peter, and Claire, could all work if only the writing was better. Heroes was never Shakespeare, but it was better than what it is now, certainly, or we wouldn’t all be fans of the show.

Nothing’s unsalvageable yet, but after seeing the third episode, I’m starting to wonder about the show. If they turn things around, start writing plots for the characters instead of characters for the plot, things could be fantastic this year. If they don’t, there’s the potential that this season could out-suck last year.

Well, except for the Alejandro and Maya story. Nothing could top that. (Knock wood)

Louie summed it up perfectly. At this point, I’m just going to watch, enjoy what I can, and insert missing subtext in fanfic.

I too think that Heroes is moving in a downward direction… or perhaps, just that it’s dropped of significantly from its mid-season one quality (which I maintain was fairly good), and now is in a plateau of mediocrity. I’d be willing to credit Fuller’s departure to an extent; it’s plausible. But I certainly wouldn’t give up “Pushing Daisies.”

I’m not giving up on the season just yet. I haven’t seen the third episode, and the second one wasn’t a bad watch, really. But I’m concerned that “Heroes” is trying to do two things:

A) Be too serious for its own good, trying to be a profound drama, rather than just having fun with its premise (cf. Hiro at the start; Monica), and

B) Be willing to jettison continuity for expedience’s sake (Caitlin’s disappearance springs to mind).

You’d think that one show wouldn’t make both of these troubling choices, yet there it is.

Also, Sylar mentioned that “10% of our brains” crap again in the season premier… another homage to Season One Heroes, perhaps? Whatever. It was stupid, uninformed writing in 2006, it’s stupid, uninformed writing now.

As good as “Pushing Daisies” is, I think that Heroes lost its best asset in Brian Fuller and that his absence has dragged down the show more than the PTB realize. I don’t know if I would sacrifice the Pie Maker, Dead Girl, Olive Snook, and Emerson Cod for better “Heroes,” but based on Fuller’s work over there, I just have to conclude that his departure from “Heroes” had a definite negative effect. Lest we forget, Fuller wrote “Company Man.”

Ahh, okay I get ya. Of course I saw it, and I know many people who also felt the same as, I know it had to be done, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Like in the mob - when a snitch is killed you know there was no way around it, but if its a family member your not happy.

Of course now it’s all different.

And if Angela saw that Peter would come and shoot his brother… and who knows how long she’s been trying to stop that - she was NOT happy with Nathan’s shooting.

In fact, she would see it as a catalyst that caused major havoc onto the world - and her bad dreams.

In fact, from her point of view I’d guess it is what forced her hand for her next actions.

Now, if they never tells us who she was talking to on that phone I will be very upset.

Nice chatting with you. I look forward to your review of 3.3.

Great reading both of the reviews. Glad that you are back in full force and completely agree with your Caitlin loophole in her non-existant alternative future.

One thing that bothered me was that when Noah noticed Sylar’s healing and he said that he got in from Claire, Noah was angry/horrified that Sylar killed Claire (which was his whole point of protecting her in Season 1 - Save the Cheerleader, Save the World).

Dont you think that, before checking the files in the living room, Noah would run home to Claire’s room to see if she is alive or ok?