Comments on: heroes: all the things i loved http://www.jon22.net/heroes-all-the-things-i-loved/ The Website of Jonathan Dobres Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:58:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: GDeeeeZL http://www.jon22.net/heroes-all-the-things-i-loved/comment-page-1/#comment-3179 GDeeeeZL Thu, 24 May 2007 23:38:15 +0000 http://www.jon22.net/heroes-all-the-things-i-loved/#comment-3179 Sorry, just to be clear about my typo above: *faith = fate Sorry, just to be clear about my typo above:
*faith = fate

]]> By: GDeeeeZL http://www.jon22.net/heroes-all-the-things-i-loved/comment-page-1/#comment-3178 GDeeeeZL Thu, 24 May 2007 23:35:20 +0000 http://www.jon22.net/heroes-all-the-things-i-loved/#comment-3178 Nice review over the past two entries. I like your comments on the FX. You make a good point about how the use of the powers is believable. I feel this is how Heroes has kept itself segregated from the portrait painted in the X-Men movies. True, there is some wordplay to be considered regarding normals, specials, mutants (?), etc. However, these people have been slowly and surely learning to adapt to their powers, and as exaggerated as it may be, I can honestly believe the telekinesis and the healing. Overall, I would agree with you and say that the mythology and science surrounding the characters evolutions are very well presented. As for your comment about the movement of the plot, "That may, by the way, have been the major problem..." One of the most substantial theses of Heroes is the argument of faith versus free will. The prophecy plays off that idea as the lines are blurred between what is going to happen and the different paths we can take to change what is going to happen. I still don't quite understand what you mean by characters being pulled into conflict rather than pushed by their own motives. There are many stories, I would contend, that present the protagonists with a conflict that is seemingly inevitable, and the characters can't help but go along for the ride. Some examples are two of your favourites, Buffy and Angel. Buffy has a prophecy to defend the world from ever lurking evil and seemingly inevitable doom. Then there's Angel, torn between the atavistic/evil and the humane/good. He doesn't always have control over his destiny as people toy with his soul. It seems these characters are "pulled" into the plot line as well and their motives for action aren't always clear cut. In any case, I think Joss W. should take a stab at the Heroes dialogue. Who knows, maybe things will improve for Heroes and its character scripts in the coming season. As we know (and yes, we really do know), the dialogue in Buffy Season 1 was pretty terrible compared to the later seasons, when the real wit and charm of the characters developed. Nice review over the past two entries. I like your comments on the FX. You make a good point about how the use of the powers is believable. I feel this is how Heroes has kept itself segregated from the portrait painted in the X-Men movies. True, there is some wordplay to be considered regarding normals, specials, mutants (?), etc. However, these people have been slowly and surely learning to adapt to their powers, and as exaggerated as it may be, I can honestly believe the telekinesis and the healing. Overall, I would agree with you and say that the mythology and science surrounding the characters evolutions are very well presented.

As for your comment about the movement of the plot, “That may, by the way, have been the major problem…” One of the most substantial theses of Heroes is the argument of faith versus free will. The prophecy plays off that idea as the lines are blurred between what is going to happen and the different paths we can take to change what is going to happen. I still don’t quite understand what you mean by characters being pulled into conflict rather than pushed by their own motives. There are many stories, I would contend, that present the protagonists with a conflict that is seemingly inevitable, and the characters can’t help but go along for the ride. Some examples are two of your favourites, Buffy and Angel. Buffy has a prophecy to defend the world from ever lurking evil and seemingly inevitable doom. Then there’s Angel, torn between the atavistic/evil and the humane/good. He doesn’t always have control over his destiny as people toy with his soul. It seems these characters are “pulled” into the plot line as well and their motives for action aren’t always clear cut.

In any case, I think Joss W. should take a stab at the Heroes dialogue. Who knows, maybe things will improve for Heroes and its character scripts in the coming season. As we know (and yes, we really do know), the dialogue in Buffy Season 1 was pretty terrible compared to the later seasons, when the real wit and charm of the characters developed.

]]>