Radio Times

Sorry, Heroes fans, but I'm going to have a go at your precious great lump of a series. Prepare to shed inky-black tears. Prepare to write in to leap to its defence and tell me I don't understand, that I've missed the point. Only don't bother. You're right - I don't.

Throwing a rotten tomato at Heroes is, of course, hopeless: the show will just freeze time, step aside, grab the tomato out of the air and stuff it down my trousers before I can blink. That's more or less what happened in the first scene of the new series, only with a bullet. Four years into the future, cheerleader Claire, now a brunette, shot Peter, except he froze the bullet before it could reach his head.

Neat trick, eh? Yes, and neat special effects, too. But also the kind of thing that after a while drives any non-addicted viewer round the bend. If anything can happen in this show, if there's no rule of reality that can't be bent, then there's no jeopardy for anyone and I stop caring.

A couple of scenes later Nathan, who had been shot twice in the chest at the climax of the last series, sat up fit and well. So when main characters are killed, there's always a get-out-of-jail-free card, is there? Is everyone invulnerable? As they said in The Incredibles (now that's what I call a superhero story), if everyone's special, then no-one is.

The frustrating thing is that, like Lost, Heroes has its truly thrilling moments, flashes of something mind-boggling and fresh. But it soon goes back to being self-important tosh again, padded out with crummy dialogue and performances so plastic most of the cast would be upstaged by their own action figures.

But at least there are those flashes. In the opener, it was the scene where Hiro froze time and followed the twisting blur behind a new superheroine called the Speedster. It was enchanting, poetic even. And if she could maybe use her powers to speed up the show's plotting, so much the better.

To be honest i really think you should read afew comics before you attck this show. Because its storyline while slowing down alot lately i have to agree with you, is exactly right, you arn't supposed to know whats going on in the future of the plot otherwise it would be eastenders with superhumans. Then you've got to remember the fact that the people this show appeals to are generally familiar with the twists a sci fi can throw out at any point (erm duh because sci fi means science fiction). I want people to watch it and like it, if not go away. sci fi fans don't get to review the other %90 of rubbish that gets put on our television and moan because its to predictable and completely devoid of actual story past "oh know i slept with my husbands best friend what am i to do", or three fools on a panel judging people doing something that actually gives me headaches. Hows about this i know you gotta review thats obviousley your job but stay away from the things you quite obviousley don't really understand. I know this gets peoples backs up. But truthfully if you did understand then your review would not centre around parts of the story which any 15 year old could spot as abnormal and unnatural and actually focus on the real plot misses of which there are afew and you have mentioned none.

You. Are. Wrong.

What is the point of writing such a controversial (cough cough, WRONG, cough cough) article, when you know fans of the show will rise up and curse you. I have warned you. DOn't try and diss Heroes, it just doesn't work.

Um, if the reviewer doesn't "get" Heroes, then maybe they are the wrong person to be reviewing the programme. Maybe someone who can see the positives and the negatives should do it. I was under the impression that reviews were meant to be unbiased.

I loved Series One. I also loved The 4400, and I'm 99% sure the reason Heroes sucks at the moment is because, with the cancellation of The 4400, the writing team no longer have anything to copy. Seriously, The 4400 ended with a Government army vrs ability team, except better than most people can imagine, because most people have been limited to Heroes.

Boo to The 4400 being cancelled.

I hope David Butcher has been watching Heroes more recently - pleanty of main characters being killed off. Admittedly the "another big secret" plot lines make you wonder why teh previous big secret was such a big deal - but the characters are compelling and the story interesting (not to mention great effects). It is escapism after all

They had a brilliant concept and a fantastic first season. Now it's nonsensical, mundane and just plain stupid. I'm absolutely furious that someone could take what was such a brilliant show and turn it into what it is now.

What on earth did they do to their actors? They seem to become less adept at their craft with each episode. They look like amatuers. Whoever I assume took over after the first season and is running things should unequivocally be fired.

It was a brilliant start, I hope someone recues the show. I'm only watching in the hope that someone will and it will become worth watching again. Alas, my patience is not infinite.

Hold on.. This is a TV show. It's entertainment. That said, I am loyal and I hope they call time on it, or some other dimension, before it runs out of energy. Daphne, the "Speedster" is currently dead and can't help the author of the article at the moment.

yes yes thank yyyyyoouuuuu, at last some common sense!! i have been complaining since the 3rd episode, this series is SOOOOOO DULLLLL it hurts. Yeah has the action gone?? Where is the the mystery, the twists and turns

If it can pull its own head out of its ass we may return but until then . . .

. . i wait for Star Trek

I found the 1st half of season 3 very confusing and it didnt seem to be going anywhere, but the secound half of the season has got me hooked again. It actualy has a solid plot and is keeping me entertained

I think Heroes is great and always look forward to each episode. Its randomness is part of its attraction. Have I missed something? What happened to the second half of series three?

I disagree, you dislike the fact that there is no jeopardy - then I'm afraid you're never going to like any sci-fi show (excluding BSG - which is really a drama, just with space ships), anything with time travel or supernatural powers means that any character can come back (such as the excellent malcolm macdowell) I have found series 3 to be very good, I stuck with season 1 although it plodded a bit, and season 2 just stunk - but Tim Kring apologised and it was basically the fault of the writers strike, all the ideas were canned and tied up in the early finale - it should be forgotten about, series 3 meanwhile has kept me interested, mainly because of Robert Forster as Arthur Petrelli and seems to actually have a plot - even if the backstory now confuses me because of all the time-travelling and the whitewash over season 2

I think the 'problem' with Heroes is perfectly illustrated by comparing it with Battlestar Galactica (which, personally, I feel succeeds where Heroes fails...):

BG perfectly manages the balance between long term plot lines (mysteries, revelations, relationships...), which maintain interest and intrigue over the course of a series (or even several series...), and short, action-based plot lines that resolve within each episode (victories, defeats, discoveries...), giving each episode a satisfying, self-contained story.

Crucially, the writers of BG don't over-use cliff-hangers as a plot device, mainly reserving them for mid-season breaks, end of series, etc.; allowing most episodes to resolve naturally.

Heroes does almost the exact opposite; short, action-based plot lines - which should resolve within one or two episodes - stretch out for weeks on end (just waiting for the heroes to decide to actually DO something takes half the series!), while within each episode we are bombarded with 4 or 5 mysteries, revelations, resurrections, rediscovered relatives, realigned allegiances - which ideally should be developed over the course of the whole series, to maintain tension and intrigue.

Moreover, the Heroes writers determination to end each episode in a cliff-hanger (sometimes 2 or 3...), has the opposite effect to that intended; it burns out the audience's interest, gradually eroding any sense of danger or urgency because it happens ALL THE TIME...

I enjoyed Series 1, I tried to enjoy Series 2 & 3, but I find my interest waning at almost exactly the same point in the series - at this stage I've ceased to care what happens; when my phone rings in the middle of a Heroes episode, I don't bother to hit 'pause' on the video anymore...

In Heroes' defence... it is getting better. Yes, it's annoying how everyone seems to have powers and new revelations that they're all related is tiresome and unfulfilling. They've aknowledge the mistake of killing of isaac in series 1 by bringing in the african bloke.

For me, Sylar is keeping it alive. His character is really interesting and I'm enjoying how Peter's powers have been removed. His father is looking like a good bad guy - as is the puppet master - so i actually reckon it'll get better and better.

It's a shame they couldn't get Eccelstone back, he was fantastic.

I gave up during series 2 but came back to try series 3 because I'd been promised it had got back to it's best. Unfortunately, what I encountered was even worse than the second series. The characterisation and plotting has just become so uninvolving that watching for longer than 15 minutes has become just too much of a chore. I don't hold entirely with the length of series complaint really as I'm always disappointed when a series of Smallville or Battlestar Galactica comes to an end. Though I don't think people who make the length of series point can be dimissed as them conveniently ignoring "the elephants in the room called "Casualty," "Heartbeat," "EastEnders," "Coronation Street"..." as these British series are either soaps or pseudo-soaps - not sci-fi adventure serials.

If I'm bored by the end of episode 1 then to me a tv series is not doing the business.

David you are right in a way, which also the show acknowledges through the way claire reacts despondently after the events so far and particularly with her last encounter with sylar. left with the impression that she cant feel pain, what is the use for this superhuman abilities. That itself becomes the exhitential philosophical nature of the show, no matter what they do try and save the world they can't another future reality takes place could be worse so. What are they to do, are there answers - no, its the questions and dilemmas the show poses that make it interesting not what they do, tho the fx and action make it a good ride too!

In a way, I agree with you. If I hadn't watched and LOVED series 1 then I would be wondering if the Heroes writers were any good at what they do. However, I know they can be brilliant - so I'm left confused and wondering what on earth they're trying to do with seasons 2 and 3.

Season 2 was pointless because it was so short and predictable, and season 3... well, let's just say that the changes in characters are so over the top that nobody feels 'attached' to them any more.

However, I've been addicted since season 1 so I'll just have to see what happens...

yeah, i really liked the first season of heroes since it was different than all the other crap on tv.

but this second season, its like Deja Vu and Predictable. ITS SO F****IN ANNOYING NOW! its the same story, its the end of the world and peter has to save it. now that immortality and back to life concept is back, the story is lacking in magic and mystery. boo!

has anyone also noticed that the Sendhil Ramamurthy narrative has disappeared?

anyway, heroes is sucking and they are lucky i'm still watching. a few more shows and i'm out.

"Heroes suffers from another common complaint of American TV serials - it just goes on and on and on." Weird how people who point this out conveniently ignore the elephants in the room called "Casualty," "Heartbeat," "EastEnders," "Coronation Street"...

I heard the US got annoyed at how long it took to build the characters and wanted more action, which is why they wrote series 3 the way they have. In doing so I think it was all action and 'no characters'. I loved the slow build in series 1 and you grew to know and like characters (Hiro!). What a pity, lets hope they slow it down and focus on the characters and plot more in the episodes to come....

Team America said it all. If you don't find this predictable shlock then you need to watch something else

I have to admit that the third series has been a huge disappointment but i am gonna stick with for at least a few weeks more. The first series was amazing and unlike many others on here it seems, I also enjoyed series 2. I agree that writers strike has not help with the flow of the story and the Mohinder story just doesnt make any sense at all i've not seen a character change so quickly since wwe! Anyway we'l just have to see where they are going with it and hope the show gets back to its best.

I enjoyed series one, loved series two and am thoroughly disappointed with what I've seen of series three. Just looks like they're flogging an already very dead horse

Why have they given Mohinder powers. Now he's getting cocky and thus more annoying. The only plus thing is seeing a "I needn't realise she was as hot as she is" semi-naked Maya. They better be back on form shortly or I'll do a Lost and wave bye bye to this too.

They killed issac in the first season that's got to count for something right?

"Prepare to shed inky-black tears. Prepare to write in to leap to its defence and tell me I don't understand, that I've missed the point. Only don't bother. You're right - I don't."

Thanks for making pretty much anything you say about anything redundant, Dave.

Couldn't agree more. The amount of characters the show has seemingly brought back from the dead is beyond ludicrous, it's gotta be hitting double figures by now at least. And when will they get rid of Mohinder? Surely the most self-righteous, hypocritical, unlikable character on the show.

you're SO right, unfortunately i'm obsessed..

I absolutely agree. I thought the first series of Heroes was brilliant and original (well, X-Men on Tv hadn't been done before). Then the second series left me seriously wondering why they hadn't just let the show stop at Peter and Nathan flying up into the clouds to save the city. Series 2 added absolutely nothing to what had gone before and series 3 has left me just not caring about any of the characters anymore. Pointless, just pointless.

I don't envy you once word gets out that you have lambasted this show. At the very least, you should expect a small gathering of ninja-like devotees outside your house.

Thankfully, I watched the first series of Heroes. I say thankfully as I'm grateful for the opportunity of learning just how frivolous and trivial American television can be at time.

Aside from the quite obvious flaws you've already highlighted, Heroes suffers from another common complaint of American TV serials - it just goes on and on and on. You name it, Lost, 24, Prison Break, they all require far too large an investment of time. I get bored after the six or so episodes that we Brits are more accustomed to from our home-grown programmes.

I guess it appeals to the teens who, even now, can be found debating the finer points of a life inside of 'The Matrix', in the many teen-based forums.

somebody shoot that man

I have to say I totally agree - I watched (it turned out to be foolishly) the first series thinking "this has to get better". For 20-odd weeks I had a narrative that brought us nothing new and as the closing credits rolled to the final episode I thought "was that it?" Heroes built and built to an anti-climax that was avoidable and Heroes has become the kind of series that it if you speak out against it, pious people give you that look that says "pity him for he doesn't understand", well, yes I do, Heroes is pure waffle.

Heroes gets better, stick with it. The writer's strike threw a spanner in the works, so it's a bit dis-jointed. Give it a few episodes before you make a judgment.