Second Take: NBC's "Heroes"

Deja Tube. It's that feeling that you've already experienced a show on television before.

Back in May, I reviewed the original pilot of NBC's new superhero drama Heroes... and I was rather lambasted as a result of my negative review. While everyone I know who saw the pilot in Hollywood absolutely loathed it, fans of the show (how can a show have virulent fans before it's even premiered?) lashed out and members of the production staff assured me that what I saw was drastically different than what was scheduled to air in September.

So I thought: I've got an hour. I'll take another look at the series and tune in for the "new" version of the pilot episode ("Genesis"). I went in with an open mind, cleared out an hour of my schedule (and my TiVo) and sat down, fully prepared not to let my earlier feelings cloud my judgment. Guess what: the version NBC aired last night was only minutely different than the version I saw. (Still no sign of Leonard Roberts or Greg Grunberg.)

Sure, there were some differences between the two versions. Painter-turned-visionary Isaac doesn't cut his hand off in an attempt to escape from his self-induced imprisonment in order to quit drugs cold-turkey; instead he overdoses after painting a vaguely apocalyptic painting about the coming test for the heroes... and a picture of Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) flying. (Gone from earlier in the episode is Tim Sale's evocative painting of Simone standing in the doorway with her briefcase, which is a shame as it was a rather eerie and portentous piece.)

There's also a new plot thread with a comic book called "9 Wonders" that seems to come into play in subsequent episodes and which might indicate that the heroes' stories are being told in a comic book. Also tweaked: the pilot ending that has Peter jumping off a building in front of his would-be Congressman brother Nathan (Adrian Pasdar), only to have Nathan swoop up and catch him in his arms. Instead of registering shock (and relief at not having splattered himself all over that alley), Peter pushes himself out of Nathan's grasp. Gasp!

What hasn't changed is some seriously painful dialogue ("I just wanted to feel alive..." "You hero-worshipped him") and awkward and highly expository character development from writer/creator Tim Kring. There's definitely something very... off about the whole show. It takes itself way too seriously from the start. As I mentioned in my original review, there's something wholly ludicrous about beginning a genre show with a Star Wars-esque rolling text sequence and the indication that this is "Volume 1" of the heroes' story. (Talk about optimistic.) And I still feel that the eclipse that all of the characters seem to talking about endlessly comes and goes without any real weight or significance. It seems as though the pilot is building up to something HUGE with the eclipse but it seems to pass with nary an implication so far.

Sidebar: what still irritates me is that incorrect reference to Uncanny X-Men issue in which Kitty Pryde is able to travel through time. The storyline in question is "Days of Future Past" and any X-nerd will tell you that it occurred in issues #141-142, NOT #143 as Heroes would have you believe. Seeing as that error has been widely discussed several months before the premiere of show leads me to believe that someone should have fact checked that. It also makes me question Tim Kring's comic book background/awareness, even if he does have Jeph Loeb onboard as a producer.

This second time around watching the Heroes pilot, I was just as bored and disconnected as before. I'm a comic book fan and have been since I was twelve, and I didn't find anything the least bit rewarding or intriguing about this series, certainly not enough to get me to tune into the second episode. I could see why this series might lure a fiercely loyal crowd looking for a comic-tinged serialized drama, but I for one won't be tuning in.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); Heroes (NBC); Gilmore Girls (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); House (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: The Unit (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); Runaway (CW); Help Me Help You (ABC; 9:30-10 pm); Standoff (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: Smith (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Boston Legal (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Gilmore Girls.

It's the first non-Amy and Daniel episode from new showrunner David Rosenthal. Will he be able to reverse the downwards trend of last season and reinvigorate the dramedy series, now on the newly minted CW network? On tonight's season premiere ("The Long Morrow"), written by Rosenthal, Lorelai deals with the repercussions of sleeping with Christopher but is asked to elope by Luke; meanwhile, Logan gives Rory a plane ticket to London. Check back here tomorrow for my thoughts...

9 pm: Eureka on Sci-Fi.

The whimsical new sci-fi drama that's more Northern Exposure than Stargate. On tonight's episode ("H.O.U.S.E. Rules"), Carter's sentient house gathers together the gang and traps them inside until they resolve their differences. My house never does anything except sit there and gather dust. Hrumph.

10 pm: Smith.

On the crime drama's second episode ("Two"), Hope is worried that Bobby had something to do with the museum robbery in last week's premiere episode, while Annie asks Tom and Jeff to work on another job involving identity theft.