"I think this eclipse showed us exactly who we all are: Desperate, angry…weak."–Papa Petrelli
No shit, Sherlock.
…and after a somewhat okay episode last week, things on Heroes are back to the way we're used to: Blunt, blunt, blunt. If less is more, this show is proving the opposite is true. I swear, if Tim Kring cut out half the unnecessary explanatory lines, he'd have enough space to, I dunno, add a few more characters. (Not that he should.) But, here we are, the second worst episode of the season so far, the show suffering under the weight of its own inaction.
After hitting the show vs. tell point last week, I'm not sure I have it in me to expound much on "The Eclipse, Part 2." So forgive me for, essentially, the following list of stray observations:
The good:
– Adrian Pasdar. No matter how stupidly pithy the dialogue or longwinded the diatribe, he invests himself fully into the words. Nathan's quiet, impassioned speech to Peter–about the possibility that heroes can do a lot of good in this world–actually felt like it was being spoken by an honest-to-God three-dimensional character.
– The Haitian. Yes, his biggest strength is that he has few lines and rarely emotes (he's a model of Heroes excellence), but I had forgotten about his cool mind-sucking power. The fact that he used it on his own brother sweetened the pot.
– Lack of Niki/Jessica (what's her new name again? I forgot…finally), Angela Petrelli and that guy who gets stronger as those around him feel fear, to the point that you might say his strength derives from fear itself. No, the other guy.
– Bennett cutting Sylar's throat. Long time coming.
The bad:
– Everything else Bennett. The fact that he didn't kill Sylar in the last episode, back at the house, defies all logic–he was right there! But I guess he had to go take care of his daughter. Did you know he cares about her? That every thing he ever does, he does to protect her? His little Claire Bear? And as a result he's never around? Because of all the protecting? Claire Bear?
– Claire. Once again, I have no idea what the hell is going on with her. She's back on hating her father I guess. But you better believe that's all going to change, when she sees herself as a baby on that one roof.
– The Elle and Sylar's pillow talk, which doesn't just happen after they do the deed. It carries throughout: "We're all flawed, powers or no powers." STFU.
– The fact that no one dies on this show. Did anyone seriously expect Claire or Sylar to kick the bucket, just when the eclipse was ending? I'm glad they got rid of Elle (or did they?!?), just to do something different.
The downright insulting:
– Sylar's hunger. It's back, and with it proof that Kring had "Take your misunderstood tween to work day" in the writer's room.
– The wholly underutilized Seth Green and Breckin Meyer. (And this coming from a guy who thought Road Trip was, at best, not so bad.) There was some buzz surrounding these geeked-out guest appearance, and what happened? Meyer ate some junk food and Green cajoled 10-year-old Hiro out from the bathroom with a responsibility talk, then told an ominous tale about a mysterious bike messenger (seriously?). At least he explained how 9th Wonders was still putting out issues. Clunkily.
– Mohinder. Always Mohinder. When was the last time he did anything that advanced the plot for anyone but himself? Why the obsession with Maya still? And why would she ever answer the door for him?
– The terrible attempts at referencing modern verbiage: "Best. Day. Ever." Twice.
– The realization inside the comic book shop that Hiro must be traveling to the rooftop soon because he's "wearing the same clothes." We get it!
– "But…you're the fastest person…in the world." Do you ever think Kring meant to make a comedy?
Grade: D-