Five years after Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) revealed herself to the world in what ended up being the final episode of Heroes, the show is back on NBC September 24 with a new “event series” revival called Heroes Reborn. The new series has been described as a new take on the concept, but a lot of the stories written about it so far have focused on which characters from the original series are or are not coming back. So what’s the deal?
Thankfully, NBC has finally made the first two episodes (both airing back-to-back September 24) available for press, and I’m happy to say… it’s good! I was very much into the original show, so I admit a slight bias to what I’m saying, but also keep in mind that I wasn’t too big on some of the directions the original series took after Season 1, either.
The first thing I can say about Heroes Reborn is that one doesn’t need to have seen the original series to “get” the new one. Yes, Noah Bennet (Jack Coleman) is front and center for a good portion of it, but it’s clear enough to a new viewer as it is to an old one that he had a daughter named Claire who was an “evo” (evolved human) and that she was very special to him. The show doesn’t bog itself down — at least not yet — in trying to answer every question about every character of the original series. That’s actually a plus, because you won’t be watching and wondering “where is Peter Petrelli/Sylar/Hiro Nakamura/Mr. Muggles” the whole time that you’re watching.
Instead of mining and regurgitating the past, Heroes Reborn introduces us to some new characters: Tommy Clarke, a young man whose powers have had him and his mother moving all around the country. Carlos Gutierrez, a war hero who returns to a family that he had let down. Luke and Joanne Collins, a couple who lost their son and have a crusade against “evos” because of what happened. Quentin Frady, a man whose “evo” sister and what happened to her were part of the show’s Dark Matters prequel. Miko, a Japanese girl with a katana sword and an environment like nothing we’ve seen on the show before. And those are just a few of them… not all of the new characters are seen in the first two episodes, though we get a brief look at Malina (Danika Yarosh) and what she can do. Characters like Erica (Rya Kihlstedt) and Dylan Bruce’s character are still under wraps, not seen in the first two installments.
NBC is wise to run the first two episodes back-to-back because honestly, the first hour is a little slow, and then the second hour happens and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to see more. In some ways, that pacing is reminiscent of when Heroes began in 2006: A slow burn, and by the time Hiro Nakamura showed up from the future you’re like “Wait, WHAT?” and it was a roller coaster ride from there. Even with that said, Heroes Reborn is great TV for the year 2015: Really, I think it’ll make an even better show when you can watch 13 episodes back to back and get the journey in one sitting.
If I have any complaint at all, beyond the absence of the Tim Sale font that was used for the original series’ credits (could they not license it?)… it is that Heroes Reborn doesn’t start with the same sense of wonder that the original show did. In some ways, there are some great [though unfortunate] parallels to things that are going on in the real world — discrimination and even violence because of people being different — and that makes the show resonate more strongly… but there were also some elements of Heroes the first time around that just made you smile. Hiro’s first trek to New York and his first “Yatta!” Even Peter Petrelli jumping off a building — to prove to his brother Nathan that he was indeed different — was like that. I’m hoping these new “heroes” have those wins and those moments as the show progresses, but aside from Miko’s story, that optimism hasn’t arrived yet. In a world where shows like The Flash do so well, I hope those happy moments come.
All in all, Heroes Reborn is worth the wait. No carnivals, no Lauren, no Spider-Mohinder, and no Maya and Alejandro. A new cast of characters to love and enjoy, and some situations and challenges that I’m really looking forward to seeing explored. And, some surprises that I didn’t see coming, some of which involve the original series. While a “Veronica Mars movie”-like trip through to answer whatever happened to almost every character might have been fun for a week or so, I’m actually glad that Tim Kring & company are doing something new. In success, I would welcome Heroes into my home every year, assuming that future installments are as good as these first two. It should be a fun ride.
Heroes Reborn premieres September 24 on NBC.
