No, Really, We’re Okay Now!: The Racialicious Review For Heroes 4.8
By Special Correspondent Arturo R. García
Also Posted At The Instant Callback
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Are people’s expectations really that low for this show anymore?
Going into this week’s episode, the word seemed to be good from my friends: “Heroes ftw” one said on twitter; “we’re on an upswing,” another told me this morning. Really?
I didn’t even mind that this was a placeholder episode; everybody needs those, I get that. But Sylar and Dudley DoWrong playing Law & Order: Superhuman Unit to track down a fugitive shapeshifter was by far the most effective plot in “Into Asylum,” which in itself was nothing more than passable.
Not to say that our latest installment of As The Petrellis Turn didn’t have bright spots: Cristine Rose and Milo Ventimiglia each showed some more welcome shades of humanity in Angela and Peter, respectively; and best of all, no Mexicans were harmed in the filming of the Claire-Bear Goes To Mexico sequences.
In fact, Claire was downright clever in using her regenerative powers to swindle a spring-drunk American coed out of his drinking money. But the ensuing reconciliation between herself and Nathan just felt hollow, because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this family – and Angela herself copped to this in her confessional – it’s that these folks are always gonna make the wrong choice.
Speaking of bad decision-making, the point of all those shots of Danko shaving and listening to oldies finally came through – the poor grunt is more EEEEEVIL than he is smart, and he finally came undone this week, not only teaming up with Sy but flat-out allowing him to get the power Sylar has been after since early on in the series. What’s the over/under on Gabriel turning on the “Hunter” and taking his shape – and his spot? Two episodes?
Near the end of the episodes, we got what was meant to be a dramatic sequence featuring the Petrellis and Claire walking away from their latest crises of faith and haircare. The problem for the series has been, we’ve always gotten this sequence, or some variant of it, where the First Family suddenly decides to stop practicing cranial-rectal exploration and get down to business.
And by this point, all I can say, again, is, really? After all that’s happened they still need to hit rock bottom? In his monologue at the church, Peter made a compelling case for him honestly wanting to do some good in the world. But heroism, as any comic fan can tell you, is about more than good intentions; it’s as much a job as a calling – with the same demands when it comes to your choices and your skill-set. And if the smartest people you know are manipulators and outright killers, you need to step up twice as hard. Here’s to hoping this latest family turn toward … well, outright intelligence sticks.
The Racialicious Scorecard
There. Now you’ve seen more POC core characters than were featured this week. And, hey, it’s one thing for the show to rotate featured cast from show-to-show; that’s the nature of an ensemble.
But, setting aside for a minute the convenience of Nate and Claire being safer in Mexico Hiro was on his native soil, what struck me most was, for all the talk about making things right, nobody – not even Claire – thought to mention Micah, who has been the most consistent force for good throughout this volume. And consider that last week, not only did Micah stick his neck out for Tracy’s sake, but Hiro and Ando willingly traveled cross-country to save a kid that doesn’t belong to either of them, and Mohinder has sacrificed himself for Matt’s sake a few weeks ago. When the time comes to pay off the “Fugitives” storyline, will the POC characters matter?
Previously: Racialicious Heroes Archive
Title and Claire images courtesy of HeroesWiki
Angela/Peter image courtesy of Comic Book Resources
Hiro/Baby Matt image courtesy of Greg Beeman’s Blog
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Lola wrote:
I thought all of the Claire and Bio Daddy in Mexico scenes were boring and pointless. I just don’t see howit served the plot at all. I assume the writers just think we REALLY care about what Claire is up to, but we don’t.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 10:21 am ¶
Renee wrote:
It really bothered me that they were in Mexico and somehow we hardly saw any Mexicans. How about a little reality. The whole drunken college co-ed this is tired and old and I found myself saying yeah really.
I loved the scenes with Ma Patrelli. I love the different dimensions that they are adding to her character. Now you can really see the suffering behind the decisions that she has made. I thought the whole empty matriarch that they had constructed her as before was very sexist.
For me the funniest bit was watching the shape shifter take on Danko’s character to get some. It made me think that if the man could connect with a more kind emotion like love he would not be so evil. As far as the partnership is concerned I have to admit that I do not like it. It reads like a bad episode of the highlander.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 1:09 pm ¶
The Cruel Secretary wrote:
@ Renee–
It really bothered me that they were in Mexico and somehow we hardly saw any Mexicans.
And added insult to injury by signifying Nathan and Claire being in the country by a car horn tooting “La Cucuracha.”
::headdesk::
The only redeeming point in that whole sequence was when Claire tried to say something in Spanish and the hotel clerk gave her direct side-eye. ‘Cause that’s what I gave this whole episode, even the scenes with my favorite character, Angela Petrelli, and that child of hers, Peter.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 1:36 pm ¶
Renee wrote:
Come to think of it I remember one more irritation, the front desk guy assuming that Claire Bear was a prostitute. I think that this plays into the whole brown men only seek to exploit the purity of white womanhood idea. Also it presents Mexican men as inherently sexist can you say machismo anyone. Yeah I did not like that little detail at all.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 2:56 pm ¶
jyl wrote:
@Renee. I thought front desk guy assumed she was a prostitute because they were at a cheap motel type place that frequently did that kind of business. He was after all fairly quick in offering an hourly rate.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 9:20 pm ¶
Madame Zenobia wrote:
Everyone has articulated thus far how I felt about this episode. I must echo the blog post itself and say that yes, I agree on Micah—the most consistent. I must echo Lola and say I felt the entire Mexico bit was a waste of tv-space and maybe this has something to do with the fact that Claire just irks me to no end. And this faux-relationship she and Nathan ‘are developing’; I don’t know. I feel next week Nathan will be on some other kick; wanting to strike down and take over and take charge and oh by the way Claire, you’re on your own. It just doesn’t feel ‘real’ to me. And Nathan or her biological father she’s always thought of as her Superman? Really? Hmmm. All those years with HRG and now Nathan is your Superman. *insert massive poundage of cheese* The Sylar/Danko duo-bit I can only sigh in response. I just have no clue, can only throw my hands up and expect nothing as far as they are concerned. The entire time spent in Mexico, the college boys and oh, Claire’s a hooker and Nathan’s her pimp; that was just so…bad. And I echo the rest of you, where the hell where the Mexicans in Mexico? lol I have no expectations…only hope that Micah makes another appearance next week as he’s about the only thing I really look forward to. And “As the Petrellis Turn”, indeed. Ma Petrelli has a ’sisssssterrrrrrrr’ (said in Darth Vader voice) who is the Svengali of all of this? Or who is some sort of Oracle with all the answers, eh? Really? I kinda liked things way back when, when it was burgeoning super humans banning together against the big, bad Devil “Company” in their midst… A faceless company seems a better antagonist than the faux-inner-turmoil these supers are struggling against. There’s just no mystery anymore…nothing to be ‘a-feared’ of, save the mighty-Danko and his legions of universal soldiers (not). Maybe a viewing of ALL of season 3, viewing all the episodes back to back is in order; unfortunately I have to let this season ‘end’ before I can do that.
Posted 01 Apr 2009 at 10:08 pm ¶