Well I think we've returned to the Heroes we're used to, some good, some bad, and some stuff that just seemed pointless. It wasn't on the levels of last week which delved into ridiculousness but I have some big issues with the direction the series is going.
This week sees Peter attempt to save Hiro by teaming up with Noah to find a boy with healing powers. Meanwhile in the hospital, Hiro tries to teach Emma how to appreciate her power and discovers he left someone off his list of saved lives. Samuel attempts to return Sylar to his murderous ways and places strains on Edgar when Lydia becomes involved.
We finally get to spend time with the residents of the mysterious carnival and every time we get a glimpse I want more. There's obviously so much tension and strife bubbling below the surface with this group, so many things that the audience isn't privy to and it'll be fantastic, if done right, to explore it all. Quite frankly Sylar's joining the carnival was not the highlight of the story but more about the structure of the carnival and the people who live there. There's a baptism procedure new recruits go through and all the different abilities in the carnies and attractions. The strongest theme was triangle developing between Sylar, Lydia and Edgar. It was fantastic to watch Edger actually have a presence from his fight with Sylar to the murder of Captain Lubbock after Sylar let him live. Edgar obviously has some rage issues and loves Lydia. The question is where does Samuel fit into all this, why is so able to control Lydia? This subplot looks to be the perfect place for a flashback and hopefully it's as fantastic as the past flashes with Angela. The return of Noah to what he does best, dealing with people who possess abilities, was wonderful and something that's been missing from the series. Noah's always been great with putting people at ease, good or bad intentions notwithstanding. His attempts to get Jeremy to heal Peter was amazing and there was some strong acting from both actors. Hopefully this leads Noah to doing more with other heroes, and maybe introducing some new heroes without making them main players.
Everything else was simply bland or dull which is a shame after such a strong start. Emma is slowly starting to grate and while her interactions with Hiro at the magic show was cute, her story has no point. Sure she can see colors with sound and she's trying to cope with being a person with abilities but that's it, there's no momentum to her plot line and nothing that makes her interesting aside from being deaf. If her sole purpose is to be a love interest for Peter I doubt she'll be staying. What about her mysterious back story, audiences need something! Sylar and his memories are also putting a strain on the series as it seems like deja vu. We know about Sylar being a murderer and having another confrontation with his past is repetitive. And his battles with his conscience seem so out of place, since Edgar brings up the question of why Samuel would want a Sylar who has no idea who he once was. Even with the revelation of his past deeds, Sylar isn't his past self making the whole thing seem pointless. And is Nathan really dead or should we expect some miraculous resurrection? How does Sylar's return fit in with Matt's visions?
I'm at a loss for words with Heroes. The series has so much potential now and it's being squandered on out-of-place plots and characters that don't seem to have a place. This week gets a 3/5.
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