If you couldn't tell by my interests, or you just don't/haven't read this blog much, I enjoy the series 'Heroes' very, very much. I haven't been this excited about a periodical in quite some time (potentially since I had an X-Men subscription back in the mid-90's). I have to say the acting has definitely been kicked up a notch and the story is quite captivating. Remember, this is coming from a guy who's been reading several generations of comics for at least 3/4 of his life, too. I find myself eager each week for a new installment. I do, however, have one complaint about this currant season, and that is the treatment of the character, Sylar...
For those of you who have not been following the show, Sylar (or Gabriel Grey, if you like), is the longest running villain on the show, who has stayed the most villainesque than any other character. Others have strayed into the gray areas of hero and villain, like Noah (I WILL NOT REFER TO HIM AS HRG) or the staff of Primatech, whereas others, such as Nathan Petrelli, just haven't been around as long. Anyways, his primary concern in life is to appease his vampiric hunger for more power by any means necessary. To do so (for the most part), Sylar opens another powered individuals head and and absorbs whatever in there makes them special. Possibly something involving the adrenal gland, they haven't been 100% clear yet (which is good)...On to my complaint. In this particular season, Sylar has been tossed around by the two rival companies, Primatech and Pinehearst, and by consequence, between Arthur and Angela Petrelli. So far, he's been doped into a coma at least twice, convinced that he is a Petrelli, teamed with and then betrayed by and against Noah Bennett, reuninted and teamed with Elle then later killed her, and basically went from crazy bad guy to crazy sort of good guy to crazy chaotic guy and then back to crazy bad guy. Here it is: All that has gone on is way too much. Nothing involving him this season is being fleshed out enough (other than his back story [a little]), and thus, makes everything involving Sylar seem very half-assed and thrown together. I think his acting deals well with this kind of story, but it is not what I would have wanted to see...
Here comes the critic in me: Were I to have been a writer for this series (I wish), I would have made his transition into a Primatech agent been his main focus for this season, with the possibility of him going to Pinehearst near the end of it. This would allow him to develop more as a character and make his defection much more meaningful and traitorous. Further, he should not be a Petrelli and I am glad they have made it possible that this is likely (due to last weeks episode, based on what Noah noes...er, knows). His involvement with Elle was good, but much too quick from empathy to psychosis and back and forth. Just too quick. This kind of thing doesn't happen in comic books this quickly. These kinds of transitions take time to sink in, build meaning, and be worth breaking down and changing...
So there's my two cents. Make no mistake, I enjoy 'Heroes' very much, as well as Sylar as a character. I think his type is good for the struggle against the good and the evil. I blame most complaints on the writer's strike and having to shift all kinds of gears in its wake. But, I am still looking forward to the rest of this season as well as (hopefully) many as they throw our way. Viva la 'Heroes'!...
