Samuel decides that Peter’s the ideal candidate to replace Joseph at the carnival. After a heartfelt conversation, Samuel agrees to drop the lawsuit he concocted against Peter and offers a hand in friendship. Which Peter of course accepts, and which leads to Peter developing a Magik Tattoo on his arm. Oh, Peter.
If this is what happens when the show comes up against budget constraints, it’s almost tempting to wish those constraints had come into force sooner.
For some, this episode demonstrates the collapse of a show that’s dependent on dazzling effects to tell its story. For many, myself included, it’s an example of everything the show does best. Streamlined, character-driven stories; a clear focus on everyday dilemmas, faced by characters we can root for and identify with; a return to the show’s initial sense of mystery and discovery.
It’s a slower pace than the premiere, with subtler visual effects and less elaborately choreographed stunt work. But what the episode lacks in pace it makes up for in well-thought-out character arcs, and the cinematic feel emerges from the scope of the story rather than the scope of the explosions.
We open with Claire making a concerted effort to study.
This is remarkable because it’s evidence that Claire is at least trying to get her father’s (or possibly Angela’s) money’s worth out of college tuition fees. It’s worth noting that Claire only turns to her textbooks to escape the persistent knocking on her door. But then, if Gretchen makes people studious by being annoying, perhaps even she has hope for redemption.
We cut to Parkman’s home, and the camera pans over his cell phone, his detective badge and his 30-day sobriety badge. The key detail is the way Ghost-Sylar prompts Matt to swing his gun around the apartment. It makes Matt look jumpy, but in retrospect, it’s also a sign of how unstable Matt’s delusions are making him.
Peter updates his Wall of Redemption with a recent clipping…
… and his look of pride is a sign that he feels he’s halfway towards atoning for his family’s actions over the past three seasons. Knowing that this is the save that’s going to lead to a fabricated lawsuit and spark off charges of glory-hounding, it takes on a more sinister meaning with hindsight.
The rapid cuts between the three focal story threads conclude, and our first full scene begins. Robert Knepper’s performance throughout the episode is phenomenal, but the nervous energy and anticipation he brings out in this scene make it sparkle. It’s only a guy buttoning a shirt, but it gives us an impression of Samuel’s excitement about finding Peter.
Samuel: “Haven’t worn a suit since I was a boy. Parents forced us to be prim, binding us to a life of combed hair and shined shoes. And then I discovered I could control the very earth under my feet, and I was liberated. I could be filthy.”
Great dialogue, and great delivery from Knepper. It gives us an idea of Samuel’s resentment and rebellious streak, and it becomes all the more poignant when you learn that he’s secretly longing to go back — if only for nostalgic value — to the place he felt so trapped by.
Too cool. Beautifully animated, and apparently a confirmation that the Magik Ink involves Samuel’s ability to manipulate minerals inside ink by channeling his terrakinesis.
Lydia tells Samuel that he looks “like everybody else,” and the smile Knepper gives…
… reminds me of all the times he gave that same unnerving smile on Prison Break. It’s chilling, and a reminder of the brilliant actor the show snagged by casting him.
Peter’s alarm clock rings, and he’s already dutifully awake. Aw.
The delivery guy’s enthusiasm when he recognizes Peter is amusing. Looking back, it’s less amusing than it is saddening, because you realize it’s a charade intended to make the unexpected lawsuit all the more shocking. The guy doesn’t come across as malicious — certainly no more than anyone else in this episode — but when his exuberant praise is immediately followed by his advice to “be more careful when you’re saving people,” you have to wonder whether he built up Peter’s self-esteem just to knock it down. It’s a brief moment, but it ties in with the same issue that’s raised when Hesam reveals the suspicion about Peter’s success rate: that people revel in watching good intentions being thwarted.
We get our first glimpse of Emma, and I have to point out right now that, as far as I’m concerned, Deanne Bray owns this episode. Emma comes across as strong and independent from the outset, which in itself is a rare and wonderful thing for a female character on this show. But it’s enormously to the actress’s credit that she creates a character who always comes across as warm and charming at the same time as quick-witted and resilient. It’s also to her credit — and to that of both Aron Eli Coleite and Roxann Dawson — that Emma’s scenes are poignant without descending into sentimentality. From start to finish, Emma’s introduction is expertly handled.
This is what makes the episode a success and what encapsulates everything that’s perfectly executed in Emma’s storyline. There’s a sense of delight in Emma discovering her ability. Even at this point, when Emma’s not sure what she’s seeing, there’s a thrill of discovery. It’s what makes her scenes a pleasure to watch, and what echoes the best elements of the first volume, because suddenly we’ve returned to watching a character discovering and delighting in an ability.
We cut to Long Beach, and learn that Matt’s stakeout with Mike in the van has been made bearable by the inclusion of both corn chips and potato chips. Cute detail.
Matt: “You’re a killer, I’m a cop. If I have to keep you trapped inside this prison for the rest of my life, so be it.”
Good dialogue. It demonstrates Matt’s straightforward perspective, but in light of the rest of the episode, knowing that Matt will in all likelihood be endangering his family if he continues seeing delusions created by Ghost-Sylar, it becomes even more saddening.
What’s brilliant about this script is the way the tragedy is offset by the humor. Quinto brings a casual lightheartedness to the character and suggests that it was all one big mind game from the start. Knowing that Ghost-Sylar will go on to misdirect Matt, it’s also worth noting that his decision to warn Matt that the drug dealer was in the closet was essentially just a way to prolong Matt’s agony. Ghost-Sylar saves Matt’s life in order to make it more unbearable. Effective as a way to destroy the guy who trapped him in the first place, and very much in character.
Noah visits Claire and lets out a stoic groan as his daughter wraps her arms around him. It’s a nice nod to continuity, although if Noah’s already back on his feet, I’m not sure whether that speaks to his quick recovery, to Edgar’s compassion or to Edgar’s inability to do a more extensive job slicing him up.
Noah: “Your mother told me about your roommate Annie committing suicide.”
Apparently an indication that Sandra has taken to either calling or texting Noah with news about their daughter, although if it’s also an indication that Noah got past his fear of encountering Sandra’s Mystery Man when he called, I wish we could have seen it. Perhaps more important is that Claire immediately told her mother about Annie’s death and never mentioned it to her father. Not something you pick up on as the episode plays out, but it’s revealing dialogue when you think back on it.
Claire describes her adjustment to college and lets Noah know how much she misses her family. As noteworthy as it is that Lyle is absent from the photographs on Claire’s bedside, it’s also noteworthy that Noah now expresses his intention to re-bond with Claire over lunch, only to nix that intention when he invites a stranger to accompany them. You could attribute that to the emotional manipulation theory, but it’s possible that it’s more straightforward: that Noah’s afraid of being the dad who forces his daughter to choose between time with him and time with her friends, and that by inviting Claire’s friends to lunch he’s somehow integrating himself into Claire’s life and making himself a bigger part of it.
Claire freshens up for lunch with her father…
… only to be confronted by an annoying apparition which sneaks up behind her.
Claire: “Whatever it is you thought you saw the other night, you didn’t see.”
Gretchen: “I didn’t see you hurl yourself out a window and snap your bones back into place?”
Claire: “No!”
Funny, for Claire’s halfhearted attempt at denial as well as for Gretchen’s straightforward description of the event.
Gretchen: “Seriously, what are you? A vampire? An alien? Some kind of freakish government experiment?”
Should I be worried that Gretchen just listed three of the things I suspected her of being? That’s uncanny.
Gretchen follows Claire into her dorm room and gets a look at Noah, and her reaction…
… is somewhere between “Oh, Claire’s father is here” and “ZOMFG IT’S HRG IT’S HRG OH $*@# OH $*@# OH $*@# RUN RUN RUUUUUUUUUN!”
Needless to say, Gretchen composes herself and adopts her typical wicked smile within a few moments. But the reaction she reveals in those moments is about the most honest reaction we’ve seen from Gretchen since we met her.
We return to Matt and Mike’s drug raid. Ghost-Sylar mocks Matt’s “idiotic sobriety,” and as is the case in the show’s better-scripted episodes, Sylar, for all his lunacy, makes sense. If it weren’t for the fact that Ghost-Sylar is now clearly manipulating Matt’s ability, Matt’s telepathy would ensure that the suspect ended up charged, convicted and put behind bars.
The rabbit? As horrible as the implications are, I can’t help flashing back to the last time Sylar encountered a rabbit. Oh, show. I distinctly recall requesting no more bunnies!
Peter visits Emma at the hospital to request the file for his patient… which, well done, Heroes. I guess Samuel anticipates Peter’s historical ignorance. That, or he just assumes everyone will make the connection and think nothing of it.
Peter asks Emma to bypass the paperwork and pull up the file, and Emma’s expression as she hands him the clipboard and pen…
… is delightful, for the way it manages to be friendly at the same time as firm. It’s also delightful that although Peter assumes Emma’s giving him a hard time for the sake of being pedantic, he keeps his smile and never looks upset.
Peter: “I get it. You’re just doing your job, I’m just doing my job, I save a guy’s life and he sues me for it. I guess no good deed goes unpunished, right?”
Great delivery by Milo. You don’t sense any bitterness or anger in Peter, just sadness and disappointment that the people he’s trying to help can be so small-minded.
Is the lack of an iPod connected to the headphones a non-product placement? As in, “The products we sponsor are so bad you’d be better off replacing them with thin air”?
Peter good-naturedly asks Emma what she’s listening to. Again, to character, because you can imagine how anyone else who didn’t realize that Emma was hearing-impaired would have found the attempt to ignore them offensive. The way it plays out, Peter almost seems to find Emma’s effort to ignore him amusing.
Cool effect. As with the wispy flashes from the spoon, it’s a straightforward effect, but Emma’s reaction to it conveys how everyday moments have been rendered extraordinary for the characters.
Emma’s confusion over her new-found ability leads her to consult a doctor at the hospital, and it’s none other than the exceedingly awesome Louise Fletcher, whose charisma I hope won’t be limited to this one scene, and who I hope will become a regular presence on the show.
Fletcher: “When you saw the lights, did other people see them?”
Emma: “Yes. Of course — I just signed, ‘Hey, do you see an Aurora Borealis ink blot coming from that coffee mug?’”
Sarcasm! I like it. I like this character. I like that she can come across as deeply affectionate to her cat one moment and ruthlessly sarcastic to her doctor the next. It’s a promising sign that the character has been thoughtfully conceived.
Fletcher attributes Emma’s visions to synesthesia and chides Emma for her isolation. It’s a carefully placed scene because when Fletcher tells Emma she’s “completely disengaged,” you immediately see the parallel between Emma and Peter. You realize that they’ve both chosen isolation and anonymity over camaraderie, albeit for different reasons. Again, to Deanne Bray’s credit, Emma’s motivation is complex; it doesn’t come across as shame or self-pity so much as resentment towards unsolicited offers of pity from the people who talk to her. Emma’s reason for staying away from people seems to be distrust, but also that she can’t stand their feigned sympathy and lack of sensitivity.
Noah takes Claire and Gretchen to an Indian restaurant for lunch. Which, aw, for the continuity from the Indian takeout in “Building 26,” and for the earnest look of offense when Claire expresses how unimpressed she is by the food.
Gretchen whispers to Claire that she doesn’t find the food appetizing. Claire makes a genuine effort to help her by demonstrating The Napkin Trick. Gretchen makes a snide remark about Claire’s aptitude for “hiding things.”
Which is accompanied by the now-typical wicked smile, and which gives me a weird sense of déjà vu that goes all the way back to that time a guy used Claire’s secret to humiliate her in a classroom. The difference is that West, for all his arrogance, at least had something resembling a motive: he was trying to persuade Claire to be honest with herself about her ability. Gretchen gets in a line about “denying the inevitable,” but it seems like Gretchen’s less interested in overcoming Claire’s denial than making her feel bad for not sharing a secret. As near as I can tell, Gretchen’s repeated hints to Noah about his daughter’s ability are motivated simply by bitterness. Gretchen feels crappy because Claire won’t be honest with her, and therefore decides to make Claire feel crappy by belaboring what she wrongly assumes is a secret between Claire and Noah. Since there is no secret, all Gretchen really accomplishes is an awkward atmosphere during a lunch that Noah planned with his daughter. And since Gretchen has no real reason to lash out at Claire besides a mean-spirited wish for inclusion in Claire’s secrecy, Gretchen comes out of this looking more reprehensible than ever.
None of this seems lost on Noah, who, when asked about his profession, cheerfully answers that he’s retired… “BUT I’M ALWAYS FINDING NEW REASONS TO GO BACK TO WORK.”
Translation: “JUST GIVE ME A REASON TO BRING YOU IN FOR TESTING!”
Classic Coleman. He can take the most innocuous dialogue and make it intimidating.
Gretchen visits the restroom and gives Noah a chance to berate Claire.
Noah: “I gotta contact the Haitian. Erase Gretchen’s memory. Clean this mess up.”
That’s… somehow very low-key, Noah. Couldn’t you do something more extensive?
Claire refuses to allow Noah to wipe Gretchen’s memory, using a variety of excuses such as “She’s the only friend that I’ve made” and “I don’t need you fighting my battles for me.” The remarkable moment, however, comes when Claire declares, “This is my mess, and I’m gonna clean it up.” Putting the humor aside for a moment, this signifies surprising growth for the character. It inspires confidence in Noah that’s almost certainly misplaced, but it demonstrates how resolute Claire has become, and suggests she’s willing to accept the consequences to her actions.
As easily swayed as Noah is by Claire’s rhetoric, he’s thankfully unswayed by Gretchen’s charade, responding to another of Gretchen’s fake smiles…
… with a fake smile of his own — one that’s so devastating in its fakeness that even Gretchen’s false cheeriness suddenly falls flat. At this point, it’s hard to imagine how Noah could be any more awesome.
We cut to Sylar, Matt and the bunny.
Sylar: “Your life is a mess, Matt. I’m stuck inside your mind with your powers and all your anxieties. It’s sad that you’re so desperate for anyone to love you; Janice, your kid…”
Exquisite dialogue. It’s perfectly delivered by Quinto, and it’s effective because it rings true, at least to Matt. You know that Ghost-Sylar is distorting the truth in order to make Matt as vulnerable as possible, but he’s playing on Matt’s very real insecurities.
Matt waves Keppler’s ransom note in front of him and demands to know where the girl is. Ghost-Sylar ramps up the urgency by reminding Matt that a girl’s life hangs in the balance if he doesn’t whammy his suspect, and it’s at this point that you really have to wonder how this entity could be anything other than Sylar. He spent the episode tapping into Matt’s weaknesses and playing on his vulnerabilities, and he now demonstrates his capacity to misdirect Matt. If this had been a figment of Matt’s imagination, it’s unlikely that it would have been capable of this level of independent thinking.
You could argue the opposite angle by pointing out the sophistication we’ve witnessed in a number of Parkman Whammies, from the first vision Maury created for Matt and Nathan to the time Matt created an entire cityscape inside someone else’s head. The difference here is that there’s an entity inside the environment who appears to be reshaping it to suit himself instead of to suit Matt, and that Matt’s ability isn’t so sophisticated that he can whammy his subconscious into thinking for itself.
But then, if you really wanted to argue the crazy angle, you could argue that Matt created a scenario in which he was forced to beat on a guy who represented the absolute worst of humanity; that Matt needed to reassure himself that even if he’d sunk to Sylar’s level and manipulated the people around him, there were drug dealers and child traffickers that were even more monstrous. So, in effect, Matt reached a point where his self-loathing was so unbearable that he Parkman-whammied his own subconscious into misleading him.
Which is an out-there theory, but which flies if you figure that a natural next step to Matt’s manipulation — once he’s done manipulating everyone around him — is to manipulate himself in order to feel better. If Ghost-Sylar pushed the right buttons and hit a nerve, one way for Matt to reassure himself of his self-worth would be to vilify a creep like Keppler even further until he became even more appalling than he was to begin with, and until Matt had a reason to beat him to a pulp.
Which, given the dead girl Matt finds under the stairs, Matt now apparently has a reason to do. Grunberg deserves praise for a brief but remarkably intense performance. I’m not sure whether the girl under the stairs amounts to a shout-out to Molly, but for a moment, until Matt’s supervisor shows up and reveals that everything in the scenario was imaginary, you’re completely taken in by the horror. Whether that’s evidence of Sylar’s deviousness or Matt’s despair is the part that’s open to debate, but ultimately this episode serves to establish that Matt no longer trusts himself; that on top of suspecting Janice of infidelity and feeling like a deadbeat dad who barely knows his own son, he now can’t even trust what he’s seeing right in front of him.
We return to the hospital.
Hesam: “There’s a couple of people floating the theory that you cause the accidents yourself. Glory-hounding.”
The camera cuts to a skeptical-looking face in the hall. The way it’s done, it’s reminiscent of the best directorial aspects of Volume Four. It reminds you that within this show’s world, there’s always someone watching and judging the characters alongside the audience.
What’s remarkable about this scene is that it not only points out how suspicious Peter’s success rate looks to the casual observer, but also explores how resentful Peter’s success would make people. It’s a reminder that as good-natured as people might be, they become embittered if a seemingly average guy ends up looking like a hero. It echoes an idea that’s been explored by the best examples of superhero mythology, the premise being that, as inspiring as a hero might be, he’ll inevitably bring out the worst in the people around him: their sense of inferiority for being unable to achieve the same; their suspicion that a hero must be a fraud because no one could be capable of such selflessness and nobility.
Which is an awful lot to get out of one mention of office gossip and one woman’s suspicious glare. But it’s evidence of how brilliantly Peter’s story has been written.
Peter: “Hesam, come on. You know me. We’re partners.”
Hesam: “Partners? Man, you run off the second we get on the scene. I’m a chauffeur.”
Harsh, but from Hesam’s perspective, it’s true. What’s surprising is that we get any mention of this perspective at all, because you wouldn’t expect the show to devote so much thought to the perspective of a minor character. Assaf Cohen consistently plays Hesam with flair and charisma, but until now the character lacked depth: he was the likeable friend, he was the colleague, he was the walking plot device that allowed the show to advance Peter’s storyline. But when we see that look of hurt on the guy’s face as he tells Peter he feels like a glorified chauffeur, Hesam becomes three-dimensional. We’re forced to acknowledge that there’s a guy working alongside Peter who’s as dedicated as he is, but who’s limited by a lack of superpowers and who’s overshadowed by the colleague with bouts of inexplicable speed and strength.
Noah drops Claire and Gretchen off at college, and Gretchen recounts how schoolkids nicknamed her “Retchin’ Gretchen.” As moving as the anecdote is, and as admirable as it is that Gretchen for once reveals something about herself, Gretchen undermines it when she reiterates Claire’s disbelief that the schoolkids made the name up. Which, to me (and admittedly, that’s a very biased perspective), sounds like an underhanded admission that she’s making this whole story up to begin with.
The prospect of seeing the end of this annoying character is dangled in front of me.
Gretchen: “I’ll see you around.”
Oh, dear God, Claire, please let her go! Make new friends! Kind, caring friends who don’t smile satanically while discussing murder and who don’t plan to push corpses out of windows as part of freakish experiments and who don’t drive Nissan Cubes or search Google for grotesque cheerleader homicide stories or try to humiliate you over a lunch which they weren’t even originally invited to and for which your father — your RETIRED father! — paid.
Where was I? Oh, right, the scene. Well, one last thing before we move on:
Underground bunker! The sign is pointing to Gretchen! A-ha! A clue! Who else on this show used an underground bunker? That’s right — Angela’s bats**t-crazy sister!
What does that signify, you ask. Isn’t it obvious? That if Gretchen isn’t evil, she’s at least bats**-crazy and belongs in an underground bunker!
See? The clues are all there. You just have to look for them.
Moving on.
Claire: “I really, really wanna trust you. But my life has been a complex series of disasters, and it’s been a really, really long time since I felt safe enough to tell anyone the truth. But I’m tired of keeping the secret to myself. So ask me anything, I’ll tell you the truth.”
I feel obligated to point out that it’s barely been two months since Claire opened up to Aquaman, so it seems like Claire’s using the phrase “a really, really long time” quite liberally. In all fairness, however, Hayden sells the scene with feeling, particularly when Claire reaches the end of this tract of dialogue…
… and gets a smile that conveys a mixture of buried sadness and cautious hopefulness. I’m not sure Gretchen deserves that much after a lunch spent making her feel as bad as possible, but if there’s any plausibility to the prospect of a relationship between Claire and Gretchen, it presents itself here. Claire’s clearly trying to find someone she can confide in, and she’s clearly latching onto Gretchen, hoping she’s someone Claire can count on.
It doesn’t necessarily add up to romance, but if you figure that Claire desperately wants a confidante, and that she feels so isolated that the prospect of opening up to someone feels like an unattainable luxury, it’s easy to understand why Claire would turn to the first person to offer that, and who seemed like she’d be able to handle the truth. It’s also possible to appreciate why Claire would confuse that rare sense of solidarity with romantic attachment.
Which isn’t to say that if the show wants to put the two characters together it’ll only be the result of confusion on Claire’s part. But when you consider the enormous sense of secrecy Claire associates with her secret, and when you consider that there aren’t a lot of people Claire has willingly shared her secret with, you can understand why sharing the secret with Gretchen would create a sense of intimacy which, if not romantic, could certainly be interpreted by Claire as romantic.
Which is a long and convoluted way of suggesting that if Claire and Gretchen get together, it’s possible it’ll amount to more than a ratings gimmick. It’s possible it’ll express a character’s longing for trust and intimacy.
We cut to Samuel in a park. It looks a lot like the park in Costa Verde where Claire handed Doyle his identity paperwork in “Shades of Gray,” but when you slap a “Central Park” sign on the food stand and put some yellow cabs in the background, it suddenly becomes a park in Manhattan. Nicely done, show.
The whoosh as Peter pulls up behind Samuel? I don’t care if Peter’s advertising his ability. It’s awesome.
Samuel: “You look like you’ve been running all over the city.”
Funny. Partly because you know it’s true, partly because you’re not completely sure whether Samuel realizes how true it is.
Peter recounts to Samuel how he used to “help families through the worst pain imaginable.” The entire scene sparkles, with Milo and Knepper effortlessly bouncing lines off one another. Knepper adds his typical shade of subterfuge, while Milo looks like he’s weighing every word, ensuring he captures everything that makes Peter the most honest and caring character on the show.
Peter’s assertion that he’d choose to quietly sit with his patients doesn’t seem completely accurate after the eloquent speech he gave Simone a while back; you know, the one in the Season One finale about the beauty of death and the way it ties us all together; the one which made Simone want to have Peter’s babies then and there. It was a moving speech, but I find it a little disingenuous of Peter to claim that being a smooth talker wasn’t a big part of his job as a hospice nurse. In Simone’s case, it most definitely was.
Samuel: “So what made you become a paramedic?”
Peter: “I wanted to save lives instead of watching them pass.”
Good dialogue. Straightforwardly written and delivered, but significant for the meaning behind it, because it underlines that Peter has chosen to actively make a difference.
Then Peter decides to forfeit any credit he earned for his proactive attitude, ignoring the umpteen lessons he’s learned about being overly trusting and agreeing to shake Samuel’s ha-
Oh, Peter.
Howdy, folks! Nate P here. Are you getting this? The picture quality hasn’t changed down here, but it looks to me like my idiot brother’s shaking hands with some creepy old guy in the park and flirting with damsels from work. That was MY specialty! The flirting-with-damsels-from-work part, I mean, not the part about creepy old guys in the park.
Scoring the blonde? Way to go, Pete! I’m proud of you, bro! But that thing with the old guy? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Didn’t I teach you ANYTHING when I was alive? Don’t shake their hands! Don’t hug them! Don’t touch them! Don’t even LOOK at them! They’ll always screw you over BECAUSE YOU’RE DUMB!
And those imbeciles who created that shoddy imitation of me? What are THEY thinking? They’re letting you continue to think I’m alive and well? Bennet — I kept your little brat safe when Danko wanted a knife in her skull, and I’ve never once brought up the time you made me run across a parking garage in my pajamas. YOU OWE ME. Ma? I always knew you’d put your scheming ahead of your family. Do you think you’re doing Pete a favor by making him look like an ignorant schmuck? You can forget the socks this Christmas! And PARKMAN! I always took you for a demented ass, but to see you moping around with that psycho in your head when you should be owning up to my brother about how you turned my killer into ME?! It makes me WEEP!
Ah, you know what? Pete will pull through. He always does. And when he finds out what happened to me, I hope he burns them all to a cinder so I can meet them down here and give them a piece of my mind.
Speaking of meeting people: can you believe Parkman’s old man is down here? I like him more than his son. He wants his boy to know he’s proud of him. He says Parkman needs to tell his boss he’s taking time off, and to dump the wife and kid and hit the casinos. He says he hopes Matt now understands… whatever that means.
I met the nicest guy the other day. He seemed really into the show, but I had no clue what he was talking about. He kept on repeating, “¿Dónde está Maya? ¿Dónde está Maya? ¿Es ella la estrella del espectáculo todavía? ¿Han escrito una historia mejor para ella? ¿Qué? Sylar? Y el médico también? Maya - ¿Cómo pudiste?”
Do you guys remember the jerk who pushed me out a window last season? Short, bald, kind of rodent-like? Can you believe he just showed up here too? I’m a little worried, folks. Most people, when they get here, they have a few issues and it takes them a while to adjust. Not Danko. He seems like he couldn’t be more thrilled to be here. He’s charging after everyone in sight and laughing like a crazy guy, screaming and throwing rocks and bashing people’s skulls in. It’s not pretty. Truth be told, I’m kind of scared about the crapstorm he’s causing down here.
Well, that’s all from me for this week. See you soon!… Or, actually, for your sakes, maybe not. Take care!
Samuel strides past a cellist and turns his nose up in this “Dude, you suck!” kind of way that makes Knepper even more amazing. He walks past Emma eating a sandwich on a park bench, and even her expression to the cellist seems to say, “I can’t hear you playing and even I know you suck.”
On a visual level, it’s beautifully done. I love how the cellist was only ever emanating red strands of light and how we now see Emma playing with the whole spectrum.
Beyond that, and discarding the visual and creative aspects for a moment, there’s something fundamentally uplifting and exquisite about how this scene was realized. Part of it’s that Emma randomly discovers the way her ability imbues her with musicianship; part of it’s the whole concept of someone learning they have an ability and delighting in it. It’s emotive, but almost without trying to be. That’s what makes it the centerpiece of the episode. It’s beautifully shot and it’s well conceived, but it’s effective on a more basic level. It’s uplifting. It says a lot without a word of dialogue. It demonstrates why the show can be affecting without big-budget explosions and contrived story devices, and how it can tell its story through identifiable characters and straightforward concepts.
Is it Fuller’s touch? Probably. But when the crowd that gathers around Emma applauds, it’s the whole show — the cast, the crew, and every member of the creative team that realized this scene — that deserve applause. Because this is the kind of scene that makes the show magic.
Peter shows up…
… and gives Emma a smile that elicits uncontrollable squees of delight from millions of hysterical fangirls. Emma’s response is less an uncontrollable squee than a hasty exit, although I have to point out how much I loved that she carefully hands the bow back to the cellist before running away.
Samuel visits his childhood home and discovers he’s crashing a dinner party. The hostess looks mortified, probably because she remembers the time she saw this guy getting his hand chopped off with an ax a few years back.
Samuel: “I grew up here. My father used to be the butler, my mother was the maid.”
Insightful, heartbreaking, and somehow very appropriate. Given the picture Samuel painted of a life built on etiquette and good manners, you wouldn’t have expected his childhood to be built on servitude. But then, when you consider that Samuel would have grown up dreaming of property, land and ownership, terrakinesis seems like the most fitting ability he could manifest.
The hostess turns Samuel away and hastily offers her condolences for his loss. And after Peter’s speech about avoiding empty sentiments like that…
… it’s hard not to sympathize with Samuel. As twisted as he might be, his sensitivity is as palpable now as it was at the start of the premiere. Part of what generates our sympathy is the way the scene is set up, with Samuel looking in from the cold and wishing he could be part of the warm, vibrant glow on the other side of the iron gate. But beyond the setting and the lighting, it’s Knepper who dredges up our sympathy. It’s his look of disarming innocence when he pleads with the hostess to see the place he grew up in. It’s the kind of abundance of feeling that made this character three-dimensional in a very short space of time, and it’s the dynamic charisma that will hopefully make Samuel the show’s most memorable villain.
Speaking of villains…
There’s undoubtedly chemistry between the characters. You could argue that it’s a chemistry which Claire misinterprets, and that Gretchen’s playing on Claire’s longing for intimacy in order to meet her own objectives. Alternatively, you could argue that there’s as much chemistry here as there was when West took Claire to the Hollywood sign and when Alex kissed Claire underwater. The characters’ chemistry doesn’t make me loathe Gretchen any less, but I’d be hard-pressed to deny that there’s a part of this scene that’s wholeheartedly earned by the actors. The vibe between the characters is such that you can believe a romantic attachment is developing.
Which is probably the last thing Daddy Bennet wants to hear, especially after Claire’s threat to sever all communication with him apparently drives him to drink.
Boozy-Bachelor-HRG?
Noah: “When I look at you, I can’t help seeing my ClaireBear, and whenever you get into any kind of trouble, I feel this instinct to protect you.”
Claire: “Well, you can’t do that now.”
Noah: “I don’t think I can ever really do it again. Not like before.”
Heartbreaking, not least because it’s a step forward — FINALLY! — from Claire’s typical Love-Noah-Hate-Noah-Forgive-Noah fare. There’s something immediate and identifiable about the father who’s forced to realize that his child doesn’t need his help anymore, and even though it’s safe to say that Claire will need Noah’s help within one episode, there’s something poignant — and something oddly encouraging — about what this scene accomplishes.
Noah: “Look, I will always be here for you. Always. But you’re right, you can handle your own problems now, and I’ll try to worry about myself from now on.”
^ ^ Subtle hint? As in, “I’ve got my own problems and no one gives a damn about me. NOT EVEN MY OWN DAUGHTER!”
Claire: “Thanks. Goodnight, Dad.”
^ ^ Actual dialogue!
Is it too late? Has Gretchen poisoned Claire’s mind so irrevocably that she wouldn’t be moved if she knew how much her father was suffering? I choose to believe not, because as delightful as it is to see Claire assert her independence and carve a story thread that’s separate from Noah’s, there’s also something inimitable about the relationship between these characters, and there’s something both saddening and endearing about Noah’s despair that makes me hope they’ll be sharing scenes again soon. Noah’s unable to let Claire go for the same reason he was unable to let The Company go last season. He’s resistant to change, and he has no idea how to define himself without his work and his family, both of which are now behind him.
Claire and Gretchen become roommates. We cut from the candle in their room to the bloody and bruised face of a depraved drug dealer. If that isn’t an ominous sign of where the previous scene’s storyline is headed, I don’t know what is.
Matt whammies his supervisor into interpreting Keppler’s beaten-up state as the result of self-defense. Sylar and his ticking clocks are delighted for the second week in a row, and although there’s a part of this storyline that feels like a retread of last week’s, the storyline advances on account of Matt’s reaction to it. His reaction to Sylar’s “Gotcha!” last week was somewhere between irritation and denial, whereas his reaction now is closer to resigned acceptance.
Nicely played by Grunberg, because at this point, you can believe that Matt would seriously consider returning Ghost-Sylar to his body just to give himself a moment of sanity. It’s selfish on one level, but it’s also understandable when the guy no longer knows if he can trust himself, and when he’s afraid to return to his family because he can’t even be sure if he’s looking at them or the product of his own ability.
Does the appearance of Samuel’s compass on Peter’s forearm suggest that he absorbed Samuel’s ability? We don’t see Peter using his superspeed after shaking Samuel’s hand, but it’s possible that Peter’s holding back so as not to anger Chauffeur Hesam. Given that we never saw the glow that accompanied Peter’s absorption of a new ability during Volume Four, I don’t think it’s clear whether the compass is an addition to Peter’s ability or a replacement to it. Either way, the quality of Peter’s storyline so far this season is such that I’m willing to trust that the show knows what it’s doing.
Which, in a roundabout way, is the most fitting way I can think of to wrap this week’s review. This episode is a triumph. It achieves what “Exposed” and “Into Asylum” achieved in the previous volume, advancing the story in minute steps while exploring every aspect of the characters’ dilemmas and anxieties. It recaptures what was superb about the show’s earliest episodes, depicting the core characters’ struggle for normality while new characters adjust to their newfound abilities. We see the show’s characters struggling to accept the reality of their predicaments, adjusting to that reality, and finally losing a hold on reality. Above all, it’s easy — for the first time in a while — to trust that the show has a clear, coherent idea about what it’s trying to say and where it’s taking the characters.
There’s little to criticize this week besides a slower-than-usual pace. Emma’s introduction is deftly handled, Peter’s storyline continues to be both entertaining and thought-provoking, Claire and Noah’s story threads diverge for the first time in three seasons, and Matt’s disintegration achieves the kind of complexity that Volume Three aspired to but never quite attained.
In short, this episode showcases what was effective throughout Volumes One and Four, and takes the show’s characters in new directions with confidence and momentum.
4 out of 5
Great review,Otto. I don’t think Sylar saved Matt just to torment him- I think he was worried that if Matt died, he’d die too.
You’re being too hard on poor Peter- he had no reason to think Samuel was a threat. What’s he supposed to do- refuse to shake anyone’s hand for the rest of his life?
Oh, dear God, Claire, please let her go! Make new friends! Kind, caring friends who don’t smile satanically while discussing murder and who don’t plan to push corpses out of windows as part of freakish experiments and who don’t drive Nissan Cubes or search Google for grotesque cheerleader homicide stories or try to humiliate you over a lunch which they weren’t even originally invited to and for which your father — your RETIRED father! — paid.
Thanks, again, Otto. Great review.
I thought this was a great episode. A lot of the disappointed viewers mentioned the lack of action. There weren’t any major fight scenes, but I thought the episode was anything but boring. People forget is that Villains started out with tons of action, powers, the whole nine yards, kept that going, and went absolutely nowhere. If this is a filler, then its one of the best ones yet.
Emma, (a character I thought I wouldn’t like) ended up being the best part of the episode. It was that great characterization that Heroes has been lacking for so long. Deanne owned every scene she did, from her arrival to the beautiful cello scene in the park. I find it funny that Lydia (the tattoo lady) and Gretchen were in last week’s episodes, but Emma is the first to really make an impact, even in her first scene. I think Gretchen is too obvious. Another poster mentioned last week that she’s supposed to be obvious, and maybe she is. But she’s too weird, and doesn’t have any real genuine…anything to me. She’s fake. She cares, but she does it in a way that makes her look fake. Does that make sense?
Lydia is just bland. I don’t know if that’s due to Dawn Olivieri’s portrayal of her, or maybe she hasn’t had a chance to do anything yet. Either way, she doesn’t really convey any emotion. I didn’t care at all about her missing daughter plot, (mentioned briefly before the commercial) and Samuel was more convincing in their scene than she was. But it’s early yet.
Must give a shout out to Greg Grunberg. His performance was outstanding, particularly before he beat up the dealer. You could hear the fury in his voice, and I felt for Parkman when I realized that Sylar had been playing him the whole time.
Speaking of which, it was good to see Sylar chewing up the scenery again. He really does “ooze charm.” And was I the only one to crack up at the stuffed rabbit? He could’ve done a teddy bear, or something else, but no, it had to be a rabbit. Sylar really has a thing for rabbits, doesn’t he?
Also loved the “I always thought I would’ve had made a great cop.” It’s messed up because he’s right. He was corrupt, but admit it: Sylar was a great company agent. (once upon a time).
Didn’t miss Hiro, or his stupid antics.
A great episode overall.
Hello, Otto. Good to read the review, entertaining as usual.
A few points:
Samuel referred to the jar of ink as a batch, so it appears to me that it’s a special blend he uses. Actually, on Twitter it was confirmed by “Samuel” (aka someone NBC hired to Twitter as Samuel … and Edgar … and Lydia) at @Sullivan_Bros - “It is when I make it. Remember the jar o homemade ink I absorbed b4 NY” that was in response to “dirt isn’t in most tattoos, only poorly made jail ink.” (I’ll provide the direct link upon request.)
The cello scene … Heroes AT ITS BEST!! Loved it! The way it was edited, acted, directed and scored was beautiful and magical.
The compass tattoo … I think it’s just an indication that Samuel “marked” him, not necessarily that Peter absorbed his ability. At least, that’s how I took it.
Matt and Sylar, unfortunately, all I can appreciate about this story line is that ZQ is having lots of fun with it. Otherwise, I’m just completely detached from it.
LOVED how they introduced Emma.
One last comment, obviously I’m just as dense (or trusting) as Peter, because I didn’t see anything wrong with him shaking Samuel’s hand. It’s not like Samuel was a complete stranger he passed in the park. They had interacted before and Peter was trying to apologize. Oh well.
Anyways, for the most part I enjoyed this episode much more than the premiere. It’s the closest to a Season 1 feel that the show has achieved in a long time. I hope they keep it up … except I’m dreading the Peter and Faux Nathan scenes next week.
One more thing, Knepper is quite impressive. I hope he has scenes with Coleman and Rose.
Amazingly, I just found this site and have been spending most of today reading reviews–hilarious, and almost always spot-on.
The only thing I have to say about the potential lesbian plot with Claire and Gretchen is that, given that the last person to really hit on her was SYLAR, I wouldn’t wonder if she thought she ought to try out playing for the other team for a while. Getting hit on by the guy who sliced your head open and poked around in your brain might put any girl off guys for a while.
That’s a good point, actually.
Nice review Otto
4/5 for me too.
- Peter’s storyline so far is very delightful, after spending a season and a half being either dumb or stupid.
- Samuel is for me so far the most likeable villain, thanks to Knepper. Already a good thing that his backstory is being developped (as opposite to Danko the Angola-boy).
- I’m loving Emma already. It’s always nice to have likeable characters, specially one who isn’t moppy or asking for sympathy/pity for being impaired. Always better than Sylar and his mommy issues, Sylar and his daddy issues, Sylar and his mommy issues AGAIN or crying because he doesn’t fit in (because killing people is great to integrate in the society let’s face it), Claire in the 2 past seasons, Hiro “YATTA LOOK AT ME” … Well I’ll stop the list here.
- Parkman/Sylar : Impressed by the way they use Sylar (won’t dig because I’m gonna be angry if I look back at pas season Sylar). That said, I’m still hoping it is all in Matt’s head, his guilt simply eating him from the inside and causing him to lose control over his ability and thinking he is becoming like Sylar. Waiting to see how it plays out though.
- Claire would be the part which makes me dock points. I said Gretchen was creepy last week? Well now, she is creepy. And Annoying. The biggest problem I have with Claire’s storyline so far is that it feels too much “déja vu”. Trusting someone with her secret (Zack, West, Aquaman?), being humiliated for it (West). I already don’t like Gretchen as much as I didn’t like West since the first episode he appeared in.
That said, I didn’t realize that it’s the first time Claire’s and HRG’s stories were heading different directions. But where? I’m okay for Claire having the only “normal” storyline, but I don’t see how they’re gonna make it compelling. I’ll reserve judgement.
On the opposite, I’m curious to see where HRG is heading, now that he doesn’t have to clean up Claire’s mess. We had nothing on the new Company yet, and I’m eager to see how/if it’s gonna be any diferent from the old one.
Keep it up man
Great review Otto - first time poster.
I’ve been a fan from the beginning and although I love when they do action (they do it so well) my favorite part has been characterization. This was indeed a shining hour in the entire history of the show. Every character sparkled.
Peter has always been my favorite character, from the confused hospice nurse to the multi-powered fearless hero to the powerless jackass to now. You are right, they have carefully crafted his story this season into something very watchable.
Emma’s scene with the cello is one of my all time favorite scenes: the music itself, the camera angles, and the joy of discovery radiating from her face. Looooved it!
And finally a compliment to you. Your reviews have showed me a different way of viewing the show and looking out for things unnoticable at first glance. For a characterization loving viewer, it’s been nothing but a helpful tool. Thanks Otto.
Keep up the great work!
Would you believe 4.01 Orientation hasn’t aired down here yet? Given that season 4 of Stargate Atlantis hasn’t reached here either, I’m willing to bet Heroes won’t air here until next year - in the 11pm timeslot if a season 5 is announced, or the 2am timeslot Firefly was dumped in if it is cancelled. I haven’t bought the season 3 boxed set yet (the money I’d set aside for it went to seasons 1 & 2 of Life On Mars, half-price special, instead), and was considering waiting until the series was cancelled and the DVDs were in the bargain bin… however, this review renews my hopes and I am once more looking forward to watching Heroes. Whenever it gets here. Thanks!
Thanks Otto for an awesome review.
Actually if i were to rate this episode i’ll give this 5 out of 5. why? because of superb acting (esp knepper, quinto and grunberg), great effects, and exciting storyline..
Thanks Otto, I agree with you!
Very nice episode, and I fear Claire is confusing things…and Gretchen, she thinks she is smart, but she appears to be creepy villain to me at the moment. Hysterical blindness? 
At this point, it’s hard to imagine how Noah could be any more awesome.
LOL! and totally agree!!!!
It’s almost like watching season one all over again. You’ve got characters discovering theri abilities and dealing with the confusion it brings. You’ve got the story arc (the carnies) that you can tell will be great even though you’re quite sure of what it will entail. You’ve got characters that are actually leading relativley normal lives, rather than half-heartedly trying to (Clair in the “Fugitives” opener). You got characters that are once more defined for themselves and not for showy abilities. I know I missed other good parts but that’s all I can name off the top of my head. Point is, Heroes has once more found its stride! (though admittedly, Fugitives was pretty good)
I agrre with you B. I would rather take no major fight scenes, than the unorganized, violent chaos there was in Volume Three. As for what you said about Hiro… well you may be right, but I’m reserving judgement.
I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I’m actually looking forward to seeing Claire’s story line again, since it seems to be free of love-Noah, hate-Noah, forgive- Noah or whatever it is she does, and is taking initiative. And Peter’s story is as phenomenal as it ever was.
All in all… I’m really looking forward to future episodes. Oh and these reviews. Can’t forget those. Keep up the great work, EVERYBODY!
Thanks for the review, Otto.
I loved this episode. Emma’s amazing; I haven’t seen such a sweet, poignant, and magical combination of character and ability since Charlie. What a terrific power, and what a beautiful scene to show Emma’s realization of it. Just gorgeous all around.
I agree with Susan that the tatt, is probably Samuel marking Peter, not Peter’s replication of Samuel’s ability. I got the impression that marking Peter, after making certain that he was “worthy,” was the whole reason that Samuel absorbed the ink to begin with. BTW, I’m not sure Pete deserves a PING here; though undoubtedly he should’ve learned his touch-me-not lesson by now, he was just released from a lawsuit from a guy he sincerely believed that he’d wronged. Shaking his hand would be the expected and appropriate thing to do. Also, let us not discount that Samuel is not a double dealing, backstabbing Petrelli.
I’m still not sure about Matt/Sylar identity thing. I, at least initially, got the opposite sense that you did. That Matt’s subconscious is doing all the heavy guilt lifting here, especially in light of the similarities of the scene to when Matt first discovered his ability. (I’m rethinking it in light of your superb, if slightly sarcastic, preemptive rebuttal. ;^). ) We, of course, don’t know all of Sylar’s abilities, but I don’t recall any form of telepathy or mind control being among them. Which is not to say that a personality as strong as Sylar couldn’t find a way around that, especially from inside a telepath’s head, but still . . . I never bought the whole telepathy as addiction thing, anyway. Matt never behaved as if it were an addiction before, though he hasn’t always been a perfect angel. I think it’s pure fear and guilt manifesting itself through him. Frankly, despite Quinto’s excellent performance here, I prefer a more subtle origin for Matt’s self-inflicted torment. He’s always had a streak of morbid self-flagellation about him, and personally I think that one sub rosa Sylar is more than enough for the season. Imagine the horrors of competing Eeeeviillll Sylars should Sylathan re-manifest, AND Shadow Sylar take over Matt’s brain. {shudder}
Loved, as usual, Noah’s lines and delivery in this episode, especially the oh-so-thinly veiled threat to return from retirement, just to “help” the increasingly creepy Gretchen. I wasn’t so thrilled about the Haitian-reference. Don’t get me wrong; I love the character, but the show has only used in once in the last half-year and there has been no backstory about where he’s been, etc. Noah’s threat seemed to ludicrously objectify the Haitian even more, as in, “Let me just pull my pet Haitian ray-gun out of my ass, here, and we clean up this mess in a jiff.” Cheap, frankly. Also, the Haitian has his own relationship with Claire, and, per his increasing tendency towards autonomy in V3, he might not be so ready to just whammy Claire’s friends whenever Noah gets the itch.
I think that Claire’s actions and obvious hopes are totally in keeping with an adolescent in college who desperately wants a friend…even if that adolescent has been burdened with monomaniacal and megalomaniacal fathers bent on world domination. Perhaps especially then. Although it’s difficult to see how Claire can avoid realizing just how creepy Gretchen is. Even Sandra gave here the big double-take after meeting her, although Sandra has never been anyone’s fool and is probably exponentially more difficult to snow now than a year or two ago.
Samuel intrigues me more and more…also I keep free-associating with Carnivale because of the actor’s involvement with that show, and the Sullivans’ Carnival. I don’t mind that, actually, as I loved that series and was bummed when it was canceled way too early. Looking forward to seeing how he draws our heroes in.
Things are going so well; not sure how I feel about the return of Sylathan next episode. We’ll see, I guess.
Just wanted to point out something about Sylar saving Matt’s life: we have not yet learned FOR SURE if Sylar is really a delusion or if Matt actually did somehow split Sylar’s consciousness (my vote goes for the latter just because it’s more interesting). And I have a feeling Sylar junior from last season’s alternate future might very well be Matt Jr when all is said and done.
If Matt puts Sylar back in his body, what happens to the personality currently inhabiting Sylar that thinks it’s Nathan? Might this cause inner turmoil in the character? We saw with Candice could split into two people with her shape shifting power (at least for a second– S2 premiere she becomes a pair of hot twins), could Sylar’s body actually DIVIDE via some form of osmosis and give us– somehow– Nathan AND Sylar back? And, would personality traits of each carry to the other? i.e. might we actually SEE the “good” Sylar from season 3 reappear and the “evil” Nathan from Season 3 appear?
More so- when Sylar says to Peter in season 3 that they are brothers, maybe he meant because he’s got a piece of Nathan in him rather than that he’s an actual petrelli… hard to say. But dibs on all of these predictions. You read ‘em here first
Dear God, Man!!! PLEASE don’t even hint at a possibility of a mitotically self-replicating Sylar clones!!
Candice didn’t split herself in two; she just created an image of twins. She was an illusionist, not a shapeshifter.
Interesting predictions, though. But I don’t know about Sylar splitting himself into more than one person. After the Niki/Jessica/Tracy/Barbara debacle, that might be a bad idea and border on pandering.
But I bet the producers/writers HAVE thought of someone having the ability to replicate/clone themselves.
There was a whole series of GNs about that very thing.
For the clones : Yep, Dumont if I remember correctly.
I’d rather it all be Matt losing control over his ability because of his guilt. Sylar being still alive is already hard to tolerate for some fans, so having 2 of them… If he was trapped inside the body (ie what future Peter did to Peter), okay, but nope for me. That, and for some reason some people have problems following (while I think Heroes’s stories are pretty simple, maybe too much, to follow) so making it any more complicate would basicly destroy ratings even more.
About Matt Jr being “IABD Noah Jr”, it could be possible, but unless Matt whammies himself so that Ghost Sylar thinks he is Matt (Oh Boy, I’m saying stupid things… ), I don’t see the psycho raising a kid. Because of his mommy (fake) issues, mommy (the one who pretended to be his mother) issues, daddy (the “real” fake and the one who pretended to be his daddy) issues, and daddy (real this time) issues… I think I’m losing the point but that and the fact that he *seems* (well obviously is) uncapable of social relations, I think he’d kill himself rather than raising a child who isn’t even his.
Oh my … Sylar cloning himself…
Oh, boy. I can’t help but feel that the show is going down a slippery slope with the Claire/lesbian thing. This has the potential to both pander to GLAAD and to royally piss GLAAD off. Offering them a bone for the Zach debacle? Perhaps. But making the “gay” character evil. Won’t go down too well.
And I said it before, I HATE these gay-conversion storylines. If somebody is avowedly and decidedly heterosexual (as Claire clearly has been), then how can they “convert” any more than a gay person can become straight. This becomes even more problematic if they keep Claire gay after Gretchen is inevitably exposed as evil.
I just can’t help thinking of Joss here. He said that Willow’s relationship with Oz wasn’t a lie and that she “just happened” to fall in love with a woman. Fine. Why, then, the introduction of the lesbian lover (whom everyone hated) in the last episode.
Just imagine if they did a “conversion” story of a gay person going straight. Even though there are real-life examples of this, the writers would never be allowed to do this.
I am not against gay characters. I like Kevin and Scotty in Brothers and Sisters very much indeed. But I really hate it when a gay character is previously portrayed as decisively heterosexual. I prefer gay characters to be gay from the get-go.
I just really, really, really hate this whole idea.
Oh, boy. I can’t help but feel that the show is going down a slippery slope with the Claire/lesbian thing. This has the potential to both pander to GLAAD and to royally piss GLAAD off. Offering them a bone for the Zach debacle? Perhaps. But making the “gay” character evil. Won’t go down too well.
I had the same thought. Of course, we’re assuming GLAAD even bothers to watch the show anymore. If it turns out that TPTB did this to win points with a viewership that isn’t even there anymore, that’ll be an additional problem.
She was also hetero in the FYG alternate future. This is character assasination, no doubt about it.
Is it a slippery slope, or is it just a fine line? I’m reserving judgment until we see how it plays out, but I don’t think it has to amount to character assassination. Not every romantic relationship is an indication of sexual orientation. Claire’s relationship with Gretchen doesn’t necessarily make her a lesbian. If you look at it from a “college-is-for-experimentation” angle, it’s not about “Claire turning gay” so much as “Claire meeting someone she trusts and cares about and opening up to them.” If you consider that Claire’s so desperate to confide in someone — anyone, male OR female — then it’s understandable that she’d reach out to the first person who returned her longing for trust and intimacy.
I see your argument, but I don’t think Claire’s relationship with Gretchen is about pandering to anyone, or about switching Claire’s sexual orientation in order to boost ratings with a gimmick (although that was inevitably how everyone was going to see it). As I mentioned in the review, I’d like to think it’s about expressing something deeper, and I think the show is setting Claire up to be hurt quite considerably when it turns out that Gretchen has an ulterior motive.
KellyH - Claire isn’t gay. We’ve established that. But she’s capable of being bisexual… or at least allowing herself to explore an odd new relationship with someone who, on the surface, understands her.
Same thing happened on Buffy, till they went politically correct and said Willow was ‘100% lesbian.’ Which was breathtakingly insulting to everyone who watched S1 - S3
I think we’re overlooking the fact that this whole Grethen plotline is primarily and fundamentally about having a reason to show college girls in their underwear.
Done.
gay lover in the last *season of Buffy (not last episode)
Actually, Tara showed up in S4 of Buff; the show ran a complete 7 seasons, so the “gay lover” showed up pretty much smack in the middle of the series’ run.
I think KellyH was referring to Willow hooking up with Kennedy…? That’s what seemed to suggest that Willow’s relationship with Tara was more than a one-time thing.
The room mate story line was Hayden’s idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K_AZ5WKRQo
Which bugged the Hell out of me, considering she loved both Xander and Oz in a sexual way.
Just a thought, looking at the dialogue in the episode for a moment:
Claire on the phone to HRG: “It’s not just us anymore, and I’m gonna have other people in my life, friends and boyfriends, and I can’t close myself off with lies.”
I’m not getting the impression that the show wants to pretend Claire was never interested in guys. If they were, I can’t believe they’d intentionally write in stuff like that. It could be that Claire will be more surprised than anyone by her feelings for Gretchen.
Yes, it was the Kennedy story that bothered me and a lot of other people. Most people actually liked Tara and found the relationship moving and touching. And at the outset, Joss said she was a heterosexual who fell in love with a woman. It was the Kennedy relationship, not the Tara one, that made the feelings for Oz and Xander a lie. They even had an S4 episode where Willow cleared things with Oz–his farewell episode.
Great review Otto! I was really very happy with this episode. I am officially in love with Emma. She is a great character with awesome potential and I can’t wait to see more of her.
As for the Sylar/Matt thing, I don’t think Sylar is a ghost, but the character’s conscience. Its too complex for it to be Matt just tearing himself up, self-destruction being his thing, or no. Matt was treating him like a ghost, but I have a feeling that after this episode, Matt is going to call up Bennet and tell him what is happening. Or he’s going to find “Nathan” and fix this issue once and for all. I think it would be good to see Matt take some initiative for once to fix a huge issue like this without someone else (with a body) egging him to do it.
Good to see Claire growing up. I don’t know if I like where her relationship is headed. I have hope though, and I pray that the writers know what the heck they are doing.
Samuel is pure awesome.
I like Peter again instead of rolling my eyes at his idiocy. I’m not saying he got any smarter, just more likable.
Looking forward to your review next week.
Lets all hope that this season stays afloat so people don’t go around quoting Sylar again. (”I hate heroes.”)
Michael, great point about Sylar needing Matt to survive. I hadn’t thought of that. It’s got to be a major issue for Sylar.
Raissa, thank you.
B., word to your whole post.
“If this is a filler, then its one of the best ones yet.”
Yes. I think there was definitely a “set-up” element; the ongoing plot will undoubtedly expand on what happened this week. I’m not sure this one counts as filler. Everything seemed like it was here for a reason; Peter meeting Samuel and Emma, Matt accepting that he’s a basketcase and can’t give up his ability; Claire’s relationship with Gretchen. All of that seemed like pretty substantial material for the broader story arc.
On Gretchen being a fake — yes, although I’m on board with everyone who thinks that that’s the idea. My guess is Gretchen’s a lot like Eden: she has a hidden agenda, but she genuinely cares about the person she’s been assigned to befriend.
On Lydia being bland — yeah, I know what you mean. My feeling is that it’s down to a lack of screen time rather than a lack of charisma on Olivieri’s part. The actress comes across as very charming and charismatic in interviews, and I really think that that will translate to the character if she gets more material work with. I hope she won’t be stuck with 90-second webisodes and GNs. Those are cool, but the character deserves material on the show.
“Also loved the “I always thought I would’ve had made a great cop.” It’s messed up because he’s right. He was corrupt, but admit it: Sylar was a great company agent. (once upon a time).”
Absolutely. In a way, I wonder if that’s part of the tragedy; Virginia Gray was right, Sylar could have been anything he wanted.
Susan, thanks for the heads up on “Samuel” twittering. I hadn’t heard about that. Very cool.
On Peter getting branded with the compass tattoo — yeah, I didn’t take it as a sign that he’d absorbed Samuel’s ability either. Just thought it was an idea worth throwing out there. The whole compass-tattoo concept seems like one of the big mysteries to how the carnival operates: are the compasses tracking devices? Does everyone at the carnival have one? Does Samuel always use the tattoo approach and did Joseph always use actual compasses?
On the handshake — yeah, totally.
I spared Peter an award, but I find it kind of amusing (/heartbreaking) that all of Peter’s misfortune comes down to getting touchy-feely.
Sorry to hear the Matt/Sylar thread isn’t working for you. I fully expected to be on the same page after the Sylathan twist last season, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see the show making the most of it.
Anathema — welcome, and thank you. Great point about the Sylaire horror putting Claire off guys for life. Who could blame her?
Pas, great post. I’m going back and forth on the Sylar issue. I think it really is Sylar’s consciousness, but if it is a part of Matt’s head messing with itself, I think somehow it enriches Matt’s character arc. If that’s Matt’s own mind admitting that Sylar would have been a great cop, is Matt admitting to himself that a psychokiller could be as good a cop as he is? The whole psychoanalytical aspect of that seems very cool.
I’m as curious as you to see where Claire and HRG’s storylines go now that they’ve (apparently) diverged. I recall us wondering the same thing last volume when Sandra kicked HRG out of the house: where do their storylines go when they’re separate? What is HRG without the “everything I do, I do to protect Claire” mission? What is Claire without the “my dad means well, but everything he does ends up hurting people” issue? That strikes me as an interesting creative challenge; the show needs to define who the characters are individually.
Welcome, Kevin! You sum up perfectly what made this episode great. Thanks so much for reading, and for the kind words.
Myrystyr, welcome back. Sorry to hear you guys are still waiting for this season. Hopefully Australia caught up with the last volume? Any thoughts on how it ended?
I really recommend the Season Three DVD. There are some very insightful deleted scenes (particularly the ones regarding Zimmerman and where his story might have gone), and some very cool behind-the-scenes features. It’s sad to see Beeman and Arkush working their asses off, though, knowing how it turned out for them.
htg, welcome! Respect to your score — the episode would definitely deserve it.
CJM, welcome! Great post. You nail precisely why the show has hit its stride very quickly this season.
kevin,
“Emma’s amazing; I haven’t seen such a sweet, poignant, and magical combination of character and ability since Charlie. What a terrific power, and what a beautiful scene to show Emma’s realization of it. Just gorgeous all around.”
^ ^ This. My feeling exactly. I really love how the show introduced a character with an ability that’s not remotely aggressive. That’s such a rare thing on this show.
“I got the impression that marking Peter, after making certain that he was “worthy,” was the whole reason that Samuel absorbed the ink to begin with. “
Yes, although I wonder if he also brought the ink along for its other applications. We saw him doctoring the newspaper clipping, and when Hesam mentions that William Hooper was listed in the hospital’s accident records, I think we can assume Samuel also edited those.
“BTW, I’m not sure Pete deserves a PING here…”
Did I say anything? Don’t think I didn’t want to! I spared him the award!
With the Sylar-in-Matt’s-head issue, perhaps it’s not a question of Sylar being capable of telepathy so much as using Matt’s telepathy as a “mental feed” to climb into Matt’s head. The whammy Matt used to brainwash Sylar was more extensive and more drawn-out than the typical whammy, and perhaps that’s an opportunity Sylar used to worm his way into Matt’s head.
On the telepathy-as-an-addiction subject: yeah, I agree, it was never convincingly portrayed as an addiction. I think the reason it still flew with me is because it could become an addiction, and it probably would become an addiction if Matt didn’t fight the temptation. As with Eden’s coercion, it’s the kind of ability anyone would fall back on whenever life got difficult, and that seems to be where the show was going with the analogy. Not perfectly executed, I agree, but perhaps a valid point for the show to make.
The Haitian reference: it never occurred to me, but I see the problem now that you mention it. Only way past it that I can see is to argue that HRG and the Haitian are such tight friends off-screen that calling him up for a favor doesn’t make the Haitian look like a convenient tool. It’s probably less a case of “I’m going to tell the Haitian to drop everything and do what I tell him to do,” and more, “My friend the Haitian who just happens to be in town for a few days and who’d jump at the chance to help me out.” It didn’t sound that way, though, I agree.
Matt, welcome! Awesome post. I especially love the Li’l Noah = Matt Jr theory. Very nice. If the Elle backstory has been discarded, why not?
Splitting the different sides of Gabriel/Sylar and Hero-Nathan/Jerk-Nathan? Very cool. That could make for an outstanding episode. The Sylar half of it, especially, strikes me as the kind of episode that “I Am Sylar” should have been.
After watching the end of season 3 recently with my father (I videotape the episodes, as he doesn’t get to see them otherwise), I decided to refer to Sylar-Nathan hereafter as the Slitheen… the Sandra/Noah/Sylar divorce scenes were the highlight, I think. Being lifelong fans of Doctor Who, Hiro’s time travel ability was one of the main joys for us - and the only thing more frustrating than seeing Hiro depowered was seeing him so thoroughly character-assasinated.
Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll bump the season 3 DVD set back up my “buy when I can afford it” list
Why is Matt even still in the show? About the only thing that makes a Matt scene watchable, for me at least, is when someone else (usually Janice or Molly) is stealing it from him. Nor does it make any kind of sense that someone who lost his job at the LAPD, got shot, got a job at the NYPD only to ditch it for daddy issues and an unbelievable doomed romance (Ando/Daphne would have worked better), then get branded a terrorist on national television… I mean, come on, is he really going to get his old job back? Did he whammy his old bosses??
Mind you, I still think turning Sylar into the Slitheen at the end of volume 4 ties into Five Years Gone…
Oh, and when is Peter going to get his scar?
Thanks again, and I look forward to your next review!
I agree that a lesbian kiss doesn’t necesarly make Claire lesbian. We’ll have to see how it plays out but the problem is that it’s been on so much promos that people already asume Claire is turning gay.
“Matt Jr -> Noah Jr” could be a good idea, since they never officialy etablished who the mother was, but I seriously have doubts about Sylar raising a kid. He’s a evil sociopath with mommy and daddy issues. It would take a lot for him to become a sugar daddy. That said, I’m really interested to see what Sylar is gonna do if/when he gets his body back… Taking Matt Jr away seems to me the only road involving no power-hunting/head-slicing so far, so why not… That could also add more to Matt’s character, shall that happen.
About the Haitian, I’m still waiting to see either some of his backstory, either know his motives. Basicly, for 3 seasons, the guy has been running around whammying people either for Angela (over HRG in s1), HRG (over the Company) or the Company itself. Time to give JJL more to do than stand in the background, isn’t it?
I noticed someone wants more Haitian information. Apparently we’re going to get it this season. I don’t know if this is too spoilery, but I do know we get to learn his name.
As for Sylar being a cop I find it extremely sad because being around law enforcement officers my whole life he would (would have?) be perfect. If this show gets another volume, (and he’s still around, which is likely to happen) maybe Sylar should become a cop like Peter the paramedic, and use it to help others. Although I can’t see him being so obsessive about it. It would also give us a break from the head slicing madness.
As for the Lil’ Noah = Matt Jr theory. I thought about that long before season 3 ended. (I’m not trying to take credit or anything, I swear!) Just saying that if more than one person thought about it, I’m wondering if the writers have too. If they have, they most likely won’t use it since it is a tad over the top for fear of loosing more viewers. I do have a spoiler to support that it could happen, but I don’t know if I can post it.
Yeah, and lesbian kiss doesn’t make Claire a lesbian. She may freak out if Gretchen does it for all we know.
The scene in S2 where The Haitian visits Noah in Costa Verda, for me, confirmed they were genuine friends. Even extended to S3 - where Noah didn’t ask The Haitian to help him kill Sylar. That suggests Noah knows that The Haitian and Angela have a close relationship too.
And THAT is why I dislike hardcore criticism of this show. The Angela-Noah-Haitian writing is always so damn good, and so damn subtle, that it deserves props.
Oh, and Otto - they should really consider splitting Ando-Hiro like they ‘may’ split Claire-Noah. Ando and Hiro were a fine double-act in S1, but they really should be interacting with everyone else more. Heck — Hiro and Peter’s emerging storyline during S1/S2 was great.
It’d be nice to see them return to that.
Pas,
“Taking Matt Jr away seems to me the only road involving no power-hunting/head-slicing so far, so why not… That could also add more to Matt’s character, shall that happen.”
If Sylar wanted to take revenge on Matt after months of being stuck inside his head, stealing Matt Jr would probably be the most effective way to do it. It might also be an interesting way to continue the addiction analogy, because I can’t see Matt showing any restraint on his ability if Sylar kidnaps his son.
LeeAnna,
“I do have a spoiler to support that it could happen, but I don’t know if I can post it.”
I tend to steer clear of them where I can in reviews, but if it’s relevant to the discussion then please feel free to mention it. The only time I’d draw the line would be crucial plot points. Examples of this would be “Character X is about to die,” “Between Popular Theory A and Popular Theory B, Theory A is correct,” etc. Hope that approach makes sense. If you’re not sure, drop me an e-mail.
Samuel absorbed the ink from the jar into his body at the beginning of the episode. I think the hand shake was a cover for putting some of that ink into Peter to be transformed into the compass. Just speculation, as I am not sure what the compass stuff actually signifies yet.
Great review as always Otto!
This episode, surprised me, a lot. I wasn’t expecting something so emotional like “Ink”, we don’t need fights in every episode, we need to know the characters’ stories, motivations, etc.
I really liked Emma, she seems so sweet
I hope she doesn’t end up death in a pool of blood if you know what I mean…
Peter… auuuwww!! This man is so so charming! He’s starting to be empathic again, does that mean that he’s getting his powers back anytime soon? My fingers are crossed…
Matt/Sylar: I didn’t like that storyline in the premiere, but after watching this ep., I kinda like it! I mean, for a second, just for a second, I thought: “Aw, Sylar wants to help Matt”, how wrong I was! He just wanted to mess up with Matt, of course! Wouldn’t be easier if he’s nice and politely asks Matt to give him back his body??? haha just kidding! Love the tragic life of Parkman right now, poor man, but the lesson’s learned: If you mess with Mr. Gray, he’ll comeback and bite you hardest in the a**…
Wow, I’m looking forward to Claire’s storyline again since season 2… She’s growing up and that’s very cool! And I keep believing: Gretchen’s a b***c! And Clairebear’s being so naive. And for her sake, this “relationship” won’t last so much… Seriously, I want to see Gretchen in a ditch, is too much to ask? Call me crazy, but I want Claire to be bad-ass like her “future self” in “I Am Become Death”, really!
I’m really happy, NO Hiro!!! Yaii!! They focusing in less character per episode which is helping to understand better and avoid disasters like volume 3…
Kisses!
This was actually a great review, and I’m very happy with what happened and the way their characters where handled, especially Emma. It seems that now they’re focussing on very personal crises and that’s amazing. So far the only one that doesn’t seem to be working for me (though it wasn’t in this episode) was Hiro’s, it just reeks of the same old Hiro. But if I look at Matt’s predicament, Claire’s growth, and Peter becoming a very likeable heart-of-the-show character like he was in season 1 and never again, I think it more than makes up for it.
Only thing I really disagree with is your absolute hatred of Gretchen, I think there’s more to her than meets the eye, and I think the show is trying WAY TOO FREAKIN’ HARD to make us think there’s something fishy with her, you know what I mean? The show wouldn’t go so far off its way to make us suspect so much of Gretchen if it weren’t meaning to pull the rug from under our feet. Do I think she’s weird? Yeah, Do I think she’s kinda annoying? Yeah, but I kinda find her likeable and hope to find out more about the character. I think you should give her a break until we know a bit more about her.
But anyway, I think this is an amazing episode and I think if they can keep this attention to character throughout the season Heroes might regain its good name.