Heroes

[author_by_night]

So I've noticed a few people watch Heroes on my flist - either they always have, are just starting, etc.

I was a huge, huge fan the first season, but I didn't like the second season, and I didn't like what I saw of the third. However, I've heard that it's really picked up. And I always did sort of think that the second and third seasons were largely marred by the writer's strike - actually, I think a LOT of shows were marred by that.

Is it something you like or don't like? Or do those of you who are into it think that it improved and is worth giving a second chance? I'm just curious. 

(I also don't think it helps that I got into Heroes because "everyone" was into it and because I was trying to find a new fandom.)

Comments

[amberdulen.livejournal.com]

I fell off the Heroes wagon about ten episodes ago, but my sister stayed on until last night--and now she says she's done. FWIW.

[vaultedthewall.livejournal.com]

The magic started to ebb for me in season two, and by this season it was done. I think the last one I really watched was when Meredeth made some witty comment to Nathan about "Still prefer blondes, I see." and I didn't even laugh before I muttered "Now name three lead women on this show who aren't."

It was then that I realized I wasn't the target audience, and I haven't really watched since. It doesn't help that my OTP doesn't even interact anymore and my favorite characters have been completely forgotten.

[greedyskunk.livejournal.com]

I loved S1 and watched all of S2, but was disappointed. I tried watching S3, but I gave up around November. Part of that may have been because of NaNoWriMo.

A criticism I heard about Heroes is that it moves so slowly and there are tons of characters. It didn't bother me at first, because I watched S1 in a marathon session over a week to prepare myself for S2. But oh, how I noticed it this year. It just drags. And the characters I don't like (Traci, Maya, Miguel, Mohinder) took up so much of the storyline while the characters I loved (Sylar, Matt, Hiro, Ando, Daphne, Adam) either had greatly reduced roles or changed in ways that were moronic to me. I can only yell at Hiro's goofy naivete so many times before I turn off the TV.

Maybe I'll rent it on DVD and give it another go. Maybe I'm just not cut out to watch a long-format show with a continuous story arc and no standalone episodes.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

S3 is TERRIBLE. We're still watching only to mock--it's just awful. We stopped watching three or four episodes ago for real, but we're masochists and we wanted to know what happens so we've caught up, but it's really just completely awful.

[nore-fortuna.livejournal.com]

I have liked Heroes through all the seasons even with the missteps. It seems everyone downs the show and yet *every* single show I watch, their last season wasn't at the level of the previous seasons so yes I blame the writer's strike in goofing up all the shows.

It seems like all the writers have been tripping on acid, weird incoherent storylines, plotholes, disappearing characters, you name it all the shows have it.

[brillianteyz.livejournal.com]

All of the previous years' hype did nothing for me. I didn't watch Heroes until this season and I came in after the first few episodes. It's not one of those shows where you need lots of backstory so I was able to come in the middle and not have to educate myself on the fandom. It's grown on me. Quite simply, I like it! ; )

[vifetoile.livejournal.com]

Well, a whole bunch of friends of mine were into it from the beginning. I didn't watch it, but I thought that "The Cute Asian Guy" was cute - later he was amended to be "The Cute Japanese Guy" and later "OMG Masi Oka." I started watching the series for real about midway thru season one, partially because of friends talking about it EVERY TUESDAY morning, and partially because I couldn't stand it; I had to watch Masi Oka in action and not just fangirl him from afar.

Watched up to the end of season one, then started watching the episodes online, and then recommenced watching with my mom beside me. We had a great time. Really looked forward to Season Two.

Season Two was disappointing in a large number of ways - Claire's character development backtracked. I didn't expect Sylar to be back in the picture so soon. I thought Nathan would be dead. I realized I really liked D.L. And Niki (such a wonderful actress!), Monica, the Haitian, and Hiro all got wasted plotlines when they had so much potential. (How could Hiro forget Charlie?) I maybe watched two episodes of Season Three before I gave it up.

I still like Masi Oka and Ali Larter (Niki/Jessica/Tracy/whateverelse), and think that the first season was really cool.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Well I only just started, like I said on my LJ I've seen the first three eps of S1 and the last three eps of S . . .I thought 4, but is the current one only 3?

Whatever this current season is.

Anyway, so I ahve no character understanding or attachment, but wha tthey did in the last ep was IMHO way cool in a sick sick way.

On the otherhand, my Husband, the regula Hereos viewer (basically I started watching weekly when we got married) was all WTF OMG! WTF! Plothole!! You don't need to do the thing my wife things is super cool because of plot point X (trying not to spoil you) and I have to admit, if plot point X exists as my Husband thinks it is, then yeah the thing I think is super cool is maybe kinda WTF, well if you want to do things the HARD way ok, I guess . . . but ummm logic fail just maybe?

So yeah . . . . I don't know if it's actually good or good because I'm jumping in with nothing to go on (kinda like the difference between my thinking some Video Game Movies was good because I never played the game, where as my friends wanted to stab that movie to death because they know what it should be).

[doriscrockford2.livejournal.com]

I've been watching it from the beginning, and generally enjoy it. Once I let go of the "Ooh, this must mean something" mentality I watch shows like Lost and Fringe with, and just enjoyed the ride, it's been fine.

It's interesting that a lot of complaints I've seen had to do with "too many characters", and yet in this post alone there's a variety of who prefers whom: my favourites are Hiro and Ando (since the beginning)and depending on the season: Mohinder (season 1), Noah (season 2) and Matt (this season). Nikki/Tracey/Barbara/whatever-the-hell-her-name-is-now annoys me. And I hope Denko gets killed in the finale (on next week here in the UK).

There are popcorn movies and award movies; I think Heroes is a popcorn TV programme and shouldn't be denigrated for that; there's room for a variety of styles.

Now if only Pushing Daisies would come back...

[huehau.livejournal.com]

I watched the first season of Heroes and really enjoyed it. I did watch a few episodes of season two but just never got back into the habit of watching it. I think part of it had to do with the knowledge that Sylar was coming back. I enjoyed him as the villian of the first season but I think his worth as a character had been played out and the writers should have left him dead.

[kennytrent.livejournal.com]

Really? I'm watching it out of loyalty. I did like what they were doing with the whole Heroes/Villains thing and this season when they appeared to be making alliances or "Supergroups" but now *sigh*...I honestly just do not know. I will continue to watch and pray for Jeph Loebs triumphant return...but yeah...just waiting and loving teh other shows I watch while I wait for Heroes to come back around.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

I loved the first season, thought the second was okay, and just totally gave up on the third. It didn't help that they took my two favourite characters and totally screwed with their characterisation, but it was just *so* WTF every episode that I couldn't take it any more. Mostly it was the characters, though; everything I'd liked about them wasn't there any more. For pretty much all of them.