So “Chuck” and “Heroes” both had their season finales on Monday. Thoughts, including frankly unavoidable spoilers, follow.
HEROES: I’ve been patient this season. Honest to God, I have. In a season that seemed preoccupied with depowering Hiro, knocking off blonde heroines, Sylar flipflopping between hero and villain (he’s a freaking serial killer of innocent people; HOW can he be a hero?), and a plotline that moved at a glacial pace (at the beginning they were busy rounding up heroes, and as of the last episode, they were…still rounding up heroes), and the snore-inducing opening and closing narration, I have stuck with it.
And what’s our payoff?
Nathan is brutally killed by Sylar, and Sylar is brainwashed into pretending to be Nathan. And it’s all his mother’s idea.
Am I the only one who thinks that’s sick? A cop out? Revolting? Borderline necrophilia? Mother Petrelli doesn’t want Nathan out of her life, and so she transforms Nathan’s killer into Nathanmania, an incredible simulation? How about she wants him dead because he just slaughtered her son and will, without question, kill again? Oh, but what will the president say if he discovers that a senator was killed by someone with powers? How about if he’s told, “This guy killed Nathan Petrelli, but we put him down like the rabid dog he is so he’ll never hurt anyone again.”
The notion that she’s keeping her son’s killer around, looking at him every day and pretending he’s her son…it’s hideous. And Peter is supposed to treat him like his brother? Claire like her father? It’s an exercise in cruelty for all concerned. It’s madness.
And what’s the outcome of the major storyline? That the president suddenly decides that heroes might be of benefit to the government and therefore the government should work with them? “Hey, guys, sorry we were rounding you up. How about we employ you instead?” They couldn’t have thought of that earlier?
Nothing worked for me. Nothing made sense to me. Nothing rang true for me. I may check it out next season, but I’ll have this series on a VERY short leash.
CHUCK: On the other hand has gone from strength to strength. Over a period of time the characters have grown, become deeper, more layered, more lovable, with some of the best cast chemistry on the air. The addition of Scott Bakula to the cast (however temporary) and the jaw-dropping revelations that entailed were nothing short of brilliant. The loopy wedding performance by “Jeffter” contrasted with the firefight in the wedding reception room was deftly edited, the introduction of a new (or expanded) villainous outfit was well executed, and if one of the key dramatic beats was predictable (you just knew Chuck had to get the intersect back in his head) they nevertheless built upon that and gave us an ášš-kicking climax that was genuinely exhilarating (not to mention worth it just for Sarah’s and Casey’s reactions. I want a t-shirt of Casey saying, “Chuck me!”
“Chuck” has had miserable ratings luck, ranging from a strike-truncated first season to a heavily promoted episode being derailed by an Obama speech. Plus the competition from “Dancing With the Stars” has been brutal. Consequently it’s iffy as to whether the show will be renewed. I sure hope so.
PAD
Originally published April 17, 1992
Jakob cautiously crept forward and came to the steps of Sullen Manor. As Jakob reached to open its towering doors, his mind overcame with second thoughts. Perhaps it was a mistake to come. After all who was to say Bela was even home. Or maybe she was on the couch making time with Edwood, could Jakob bear the sight of his beloved embraced in passion with his rival. Yet still, what if she was home shaving her legs, clipping her toenails, or some other ghastly sight one shouldn’t see if one hoped to keep the image of that impossible perfect ideal one has of their true love.
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