Unoriginal Heroes

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!

First, let me state conclusively that I like Heroes. It is an entertaining show that keeps me coming back week after week. It is nice to see something so geeky affect the public as much as it does. Whatever negative words follow, are valid points but not deal breakers.

Begin rant:

Heroes has never been the most original of shows. In essence, it is just X-Men done for television. This premise has even been televised before, via The 4400 to name one example.

But what really annoys be is just how fragrantly and obviously they steal, and how much they get away with. They're bringing comic book stories to the mainstream audience, but because that audience have no idea about the original source material, they seem to be cutting and pasting entire plots.

The characters themselves are sub-par versions of the X-Men. The healing power was explored better with Wolverine, Jean Grey was always a better psychic than Matt could ever be, the stealing of powers was Rogue's to begin with and Peter Petrelli is Peter Parker without the spider powers. They didn't even bother changing first names.

Jessica's split-personality, which seems original enough, is just a sexed up version of Moonknight.

But I can ignore this. There are only a certain amount of powers available in the world, and it was sort of inevitable that X-Men would get there first.

But then some very similar plots start coming to a screen near you. Mutants held in cells because a company thinks they are a danger to mankind. Weapon X or 'The Company'? Teenage angst about not being normal from Claire "Spiderman" Bennet. A nightmare man that haunts a young girl is just the Phoenix Saga all over again.

The first two episodes of the third season have taken the biscuit though. In 80 minutes we've had a character from a nightmarish future in which mutants are hunted travel back in time to stop it all happening (Bishop from X-Men), a scientist that tests a serum on himself to gain powers, only for it to go disastrously wrong (The Green Goblin from Spiderman), that same man sticking to and climbing a wall (So obviously Spiderman that I want to cry), characters coming inexplicable back from the dead with no explanation (Any Marvel title you care to mention), and even manages to stick in a character with magnetic powers (Magneto!).

In two episodes they don't manage to come up with one original idea. But because people don't read comics, the same people are hooked to these "wonderful" storylines.

They've even taken to stealing from themselves by once again travelling to the future, seeing everything go horribly wrong, then keeping the audience guessing until the end.

They aren't even answering the important questions on everyone's lips: Does Mohinder's power of voice-over go away when he has super-strength, does Sylar's power not work through wicker cupboard doors, and why does future Peter still have a scar when he has a) the power to heal and b) the power to change his appearance?

Heroes is an over-rated, clichéd piece of television. And a damned guilty pleasure.

I know it's rubbish and I know it is plagiarising every comic under the sun, but it is done in such a way that I just don't care. I can see where they are manipulating my curiosity, but for forty minutes I'll let myself be manipulated for the pure adrenaline thrill.

It is not the best programme on TV, or even remotely close. But it is stylish and entertaining enough to keep watching.

For now.

[/Rant]

:D

http://wanderlustlove.deviantart.com/art/Superhero-14208376