Heroes - Season 1 Complete [DVD]

This is a truly slick, well made, fascinating series, which thank goodness is finally coming to UK terrestrial TV this week. From the start the characters are engaging and the multi plot format really works well. There are clear similarites with the themes in the X Men films but it is handled in so much more depth it is hard to compare the two. As the series progressing you get the tantalising build up created by having the separate story lines coming together... I won't say much for fear of giving it away, but the finale is worth waiting for. Excellent, adult Sci-fi that is a credit to the genre.

It's as if the 4400 never happened, humans with special powers, an evil menace needing to be stopped, angsty teenagers struggling to get a grip on whats happening. Yet Heroes is not just some ripoff. It has a completely different style, with shifts in mood from the humour of the 2 Japanese friends chasing 'destiny', to the surprisingly dark where a mother and her son are chased by a viscious gang while her alter ego begins to exert it's power, a seemingly normal cheerleader is invincible and finds her life unravelling piece by piece. The real horror comes with a killer who can't be stopped and a seemingly unimportant character becoming evil.
The style lurches from manga style scenes to dark & brooding through to bleached desert scenes and then we are launched sections that look like adverts with swooping overhead photography, quickly cut images & moody lighting. Heroes makes no bones of it's attempt to keep the interest of it's younger audience and although it's easy to see why some reviewers feel it may be a little disjointed the fact is that no episode goes by without surprise and although there are quite a few characters they all have something to contribute and all move the story forward.
This is not for the sqeamish or for those hoping for the deep & meaningful. However if you enjoy fast paced & action packed with a twisting plotline then this is going to do it for you. It is well acted for the most part, well plotted,(if a little convoluted), plenty of twists and a budget to match the writers imagination,(no cheapo effects here),.
The sound is a very good 5.1 mix and the picture is crystal clear, even the many scenes in the dark are never murky.
The extras are good with some interesting deleted scenes & a pilot episode that was never aired, although this is best watched after everything else as it compacts several episodes plots into one and is a bit of a spoiler.
This is not going to set any acting standards or get anybody thinking, but it does entertain and never goes off the boil. It's an enjoyable twist of a well used theme and I look forward to season 2.

I remember seeing the first episode of Lost a couple of years ago, and getting hooked within the first ten minutes. The mystery, suspense, shocking plot twists and nail-biting cliffhangers at the end of virtually every episode made the show compulsively addictive. Tim Kring, the man behind 'Heroes', actually consulted the 'Lost' team about maintaining tension and mystery in plotlines - and boy, has it paid off. 'Heroes' is at least as good as any other show on TV right now, and it is SERIOUSLY addictive. For once, all the hype is entirely justified.

Like 'Lost', 'Heroes' blends strong characters and emotive drama with action, suspense and horror (it's surprisingly violent for a mainstream US drama). The writing is always sharp and the virtually unknown cast is uniformly excellent, with Masi Oka (who plays the loveable Hiro, the show's comic relief) and Hayden Panettiere (who plays seemingly indestructable cheerleader Claire) particularly impressive in my opinion. There are plot twists so huge and surprising that it can take a while to absorb them, and plenty of ongoing intrigue - however, 'Heroes' is a bit more generous to its audience than 'Lost', providing explanations and setting up new mysteries on a regular basis, so you never feel like you're just being strung along. Also, the majority of episodes end with cliffhangers so huge that they would be season finales on other shows. And just wait until you see the ACTUAL finale...

Another reviwer has commented on a perceived mid-season lull, but I have to say I didn't notice one. There were a few episodes around the halfway point which centred on slightly less momentous events than the rest of the series, but really I felt like I needed a breather at the time, and even then the show was never less than absorbing. Anyway, the series quickly cranks back up into fifth gear, and the final six or seven episodes are extremely exciting, with more than one character biting the dust and revelations galore ( I have to admit I cheated and downloaded the final half-dozen episodes - I couldn't wait any longer).

BBC2 is due to start showing the series soon. Whatever you do, do NOT miss it. And preorder that DVD boxset now!