Heroes: The Second Coming/The Butterfly Effect/One Of Us, One Of Them (Season Three)

Lawks oh lordy, I am so far behind on my reviews, and I humbly apologise for having to review no less than three episodes of Heroes in one go. I suck, I really do. Beat me.
Season Three kicks off with a resolution to the end of Season One, that being, of course, the shooting of Nathan, which has kept everyone wondering for a year. Who did it? So many bets were had, so many people believing it to be Bennet. How stupid to we feel?

I might actually review the first two episodes together, seeing as that's how they were broadcast, and the overall feel of the new season is "Season Two didn't happen"! Clearly it did, but there is also a clear desire not to make too much of what has happened. It's a little disappointing to see that Noah Gray-Cabey and Kristen Bell are no longer regular cast members, but hopefully they won't be gone forever. Certainly Bell turns up in the second episode to spectacularly fail in keeping Sylar contained. Sylar, now free from the virus that was stopping his powers, is back to collect as many as he can, and Claire is his first target, in a scene that probably qualifies as easily the grossest thing that Heroes have ever shown. When he tries to do the same to Elle, that's when things get interesting, and while it's great to see that Elle makes it through, her terrified reaction to Sylar's attack is the impetus for "Villains".

So while Sylar is trapped in the Company's prison, Angela Petrelli (Christine Rose now a regular - at last) assumes control of the Company and Elle is discharged. Bob, of course, is a lot worse off. Meanwhile a group of villains are running around countryside - one of whom appears in one of Angela's visions, another is Francis Capra and that one is actually housing Peter Petrelli who has been imprisoned there by his future self. Getting complicated? Oh yes, very much so and very much in a comic book way. The height of this is probably the revelation that Sylar is the third Petrelli brother. It's like the Summers family all over again!

Rather than rabbit on inanely, I will say that the first two episodes of the new series are particularly interesting, not only for bringing in a variety of new villains (including Hiro's nemesis - the speedster Daphne), but also because of the fact that Ali Larter now plays a completely different character who looks exactly like Niki Sanders but has the ability to freeze things. She is not Niki, and no matter how much Nathan may believe she is, something is clearly very wrong.

Oh, and Bruce Boxleitner is a recurring character! How can this series do any wrong?

Bring on the third episode, and this time round we get to see Bennet deciding to go out and retrieve the various villains roaming the countryside, but to his shock and horror he is partnered with Sylar. A great deal was made in the lead up to this season that some of the regular heroes could become villains. In the first two episodes it was hinted that Mohinder is possibly going down that path as he desperately wants to get "abilities", and when the opportunity arises he takes it, but it clearly isn't going to work out the way he wants it to. Angela has always been a little curious about exactly where her hero/villain status is, but this season sees her eager to assume control of the Company and, worse, to embrace her long lost son Sylar. Sylar's actions in the episode clearly establish where he stands and, despite the fact he is assisting Bennet in tracking down the villains, he is clearly not going to turn out the way Angela suggests he is.

Things are progressing along very quickly this season, but while Peter and Tracy are somewhat the center of attention (and how wonderful was it to see Micah back again this episode? Even if it did confirm the death of Niki...), Hiro's storyline seems a little tacked on, as does Matt and Mohinder (no Molly?? What??). Hopefully that will be redressed in the next few episodes, but this series is certainly once again firing on all cylinders.

"A"