Heroes 2x04 The Kindness of Strangers

[oyceter]

First off, something completely unrelated! fan_eunice has made a fun and bouncy and happy Martha vid! I, um, haven't actually seen Dr. Who, but it is cute and bouncy and my feedback is mostly: "Martha! So pretty! Want her jacket!" Also, I love the ending of the vid.

Soo... mixed bag this week, but at least I wasn't tempted to throw my remote at the TV.

First, I really like Micah's cousins and his grandmother. I like that while Monica is working at a fast food place and had to drop out of college, it is portrayed as a consequence of Katrina, not as a "look at the poor black family!" Of course, it would be more unstereotypical if they were rich or comfortably upper middle-class, but right now, I'll take what I can get. We didn't get to see much of Micah's grandma (I didn't catch her name, did anyone here?), but I like her, and OMG much love for Monica! I'm not sure what it is -- I just like that she knows what she wants, that's she's doing all this stuff for her family, that she's thinking about the future, that she's not afraid to go for it, and of course, that swinging kick thing didn't hurt ;).

Please show please keep her kickass? And so far I really like the actress.

Also, yay manager being a black guy.

On the other hand, boo to the thief being a black guy.

No news on the Hiro front this week; it's so odd not seeing him in an episode!

Thank goodness Nathan shaved off that monstrosity. Also, am still curious as to what's going on with Angela and Not-Our-Bob and Matt's dad.

Matt, dude, you are mean for making an eight-year-old girl confront her worst nightmare. On the other hand, it was so worth it for the Matt-Mohinder argument about daddy issues. The slash, I can see it being written as I speak!

Oh. Yeah. Then there was the Claire arc. Show, I cannot believe you are making me hate the Claire arc. That is just wrong! But seriously! "Jump down the Hollywood sign as proof that you trust me, despite the fact that, oh, you feel all the pain even though you heal?" And that entire "look! I made you jump off and now I romantically swoop in to save you" didn't so much make me swoon as gag and yell at the TV. Claire! Get away from him! He is skanky and gross and pressures you to go out with him after you've turned him down several times. Ugh. I hate this arc SO MUCH.

I will instead think happy thoughts about Noah and Bob the Haitian going off and having adventures together in Texas, and Noah maybe even calling Bob by his name! There will be bonding and manly handclasps and communication via the teeniest of smiles.

Oh yeah, Maya and Alejandro! I have slightly more hopes for interesting plot for them, as adding Sylar to the mix always seems to spice stuff up. On the other hand, this seems to be a recipe for more dead POC and for another dead WOC, which does not make me happy. Also, Maya seems to have caught the Mohinder syndrome of last year, greeaaaat. The ultra-sad thing is that I am currently rooting for the twins to become evil Latin@s, just because at least then they might get some agency, something to do that isn't crying, and more expressions than fear, fear, weepiness, clinging, fear, helplessness, fear, fear.

I will think more about Monica and her getting to do kickass things instead.

Comments

[raucousraven.livejournal.com]

I will quote the Haitian: "Not Texas. Ukraine."

It made me giggle for at least a minute, straight. I'm still not sure why. But HRG Daddy just assuming it was Texas, because everything is Texas, and then... No, Odessa. Ukraine. Awesome.

[oyceter]

Heee! I totally didn't catch that! That is awesome!

[amai-kaminari.livejournal.com]

I totally love that Micah's grandma is Nichelle Nichols (i.e., Lt. Uhura from Star Trek TOS -- I guess George Takei was not enough Star Trek influence, huh?) ^_~

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629667/

I am not happy about the Claire arc either. Something about 'fly-boy' just seems smarmy -- and she doesn't have a good track record with men (e.g. that jerk that tried to rape her in the 1st season.)

[oyceter]

Yes! I didn't watch ST, but I knew from the casting spoilers! It's too bad Kaito's dead, because the two of them should meet.

I really really really dislike West. Er, if you couldn't already tell ;).

[amai-kaminari.livejournal.com]

Yeah -- and from Issac's paintings, it looks like stalker fly boy is the one who is going to kill Noah. 8^( Boo! 8^(

[almeda.livejournal.com]

Also? The fact that he's teaching her to lie to her dad with a straight face ought to be giving Claire warning signs.

Of course, she's a teenager, she can barely hear what he's saying past the hormones rushing through her blood ...

[oyceter]

The thing that really bugs me is that prior to the flying scene, Claire never really showed interest in West. I read her as wanting to prove him wrong, but mostly she seemed annoyed by his constant needling.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure Nichelle Nichols is Micah's aunt, or great aunt, not his grandmother. Seems to me we saw his grandma early in S1, played by a different actor.

But yes, much love for Nichelle Nichols in general!

[amai-kaminari.livejournal.com]

Ah... Oops! *embarassed* You are probably right! (But I adore her all the same) ^_^

I am so utterly bummed that George Takei's character is dead. 8^( I really love watching him. (I had the honor of meeting him some years back. He was a guest speaker at an Asian leadership conference -- and since my good friend was the event organizer, I got to meet him and talk to him before the event began. He's such an intelligent, thoughtful gentleman... and he's got a great sense of humor. Meeting him made me even a bigger fan of his!)

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I loved Takei's work on Heroes, too. I hope he'll return in flashbacks at least. Very cool that you got to meet him!

[vonnie-k.livejournal.com]

I love that Martha vid SO MUCH.

I liked a lot of what we've seen of the Dawson family (the chapter title gave out their last name) in Louisiana. Monica is all optimistic and proactive and her power kicks ass! I'm so encouraged. I liked Nana Dawson and Monica's little brother as well.

(By the way, I think Nana Dawson must be Micah's great-grandmother, not grandmother. Because we met Mrs. Hawkins last year -- she was very disapproving of Niki, if you recall -- and she did not look anything like Nichelle Nichols. Her maiden name must have been Dawson, and from D.L.'s and Monica's power, one can assume that the power runs on DL's mother's side of the family, not his father's.)

The thief being a black guy didn't bother me much, because most of the people we saw from the storylines were black, and for all my worries, there weren't much egregious racial stereotyping.

To Claire arc: I can only say, "Oy".

[oyceter]

Ohhh, good point about great-grandmother vs. grandmother.

Oy the Claire arc. Just.. make it stop! We all know it will not end well, please no more West being skanky and stalkery. He makes my skin crawl.

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

I keep expecting to see Wolverine, Storm or Beast show up to drag his sorry butt back to the Academy where he can write "I will not stalk girls" several thousand times in the Danger Room.

[likethemodel.livejournal.com]

I think she was introduced as his great-aunt ...

[likethemodel.livejournal.com]

also -- Hi! =D I found your journal from a friend of a friend.

[oyceter]

Hi! Nice to meet you ^_^.

[likethemodel.livejournal.com]

Never! I think I made that up.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

New Orleans plot: I <3 Monica. Her attitude, her portrayal, her family, her power, everything! Show, don't disappoint me, here. I am even totally cool with the robber being a black guy, because Monica + family + manager + robber all together gave the impression of an American neighborhood that is majority-black, and you really don't see that on U.S. TV except on 1) shows marketed towards a black audience and 2) cop shows ('cause that's where drug happens, ya know).

I totally prefer the Dawsons NOT being wealthy; one of the things I loved about their interactions is showing how superpowers impact the lives of families who *aren't* rich (Petrellis, Nakamuras, Deveaux's) or middle-class (Bennets, Parkmans). The Hawkins-Sanders filled that niche last season, but who knows wtf is up with them now.

Maya & Alejandro & Sylar: I predict that Sylar will eat the brains of one of the twins (my $ is on Alejandro), and the other will then be stuck traveling with the psycho-killer. I really don't see this plot going in a good direction.

Claire: While her taste in boys is realistically teenager-atrocious, it is not fun to watch. Boo!

[oyceter]

Claire: While her taste in boys is realistically teenager-atrocious, it is not fun to watch. Boo!

Yes! Also, it feels so OOC for Claire, because prior to the flying scenes, she didn't really seem to be very into West or like how he was constantly pressuring her. And suddenly, he flies her through the air and she is smitten. ARGH.

I really hope they'll explore more with Monica's powers and the Dawsons's class; heresluck has some neat comments on S1 and class and how the lower the class, the more the heroes worried about how their powers set them apart and how to concretely use those powers, as opposed to Peter and Hiro's immediate leaps to specialness and destiny. I'll be interested to see if Monica continues with the notion of specialness and how (or if) she uses her powers on a practical level as well.

[anenko.livejournal.com]

Oh. Yeah. Then there was the Claire arc. Show, I cannot believe you are making me hate the Claire arc.

I hate that he blackmailed (?) her into a date: "even though you said no, I'll keep on pushing you until you say yes!" And she agreed to his terms. Oh, *Claire.*

The part where she said "I like you, too" actually made me wince. What *reason* has he given you to like him? You were creeped out by him not two episodes ago, Claire.

I don't care how many people note that we're probably supposed to dislike West, I continue to loathe him (and the show) for being creepy, and for having Claire fall under his spell. The only thing I find interesting about this storyline is the painting of Mr. B's death, and Claire/West's(?) involvement in said death--and I remain interested and not upset only because I firmly deny any possibility of Mr. Bennet dying for real.

[oyceter]

I KNOW! I am so mad about the "No means yes as long as you push more." Just. ARGH. WTF?

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Heroes yet, so I'm averting my eyes!

But that Martha vid is seriously cool. And if I were you I'd consider watching all the Martha episodes of Dr. Who.

[oyceter]

I am meaning to watch S3 of Dr. Who! Just for Martha! I think I had watched most of S1, but I was only half paying attention, so I don't really know what's going on. But... Martha!

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

I am so hating the Claire/West storyline.

Am I alone in getting major "Devil tempting Jesus in the desert" vibes from that scene on top of the Hollywood sign?

Liking the Monica/Micah storyline a lot. Monica has such a cool power.

Not liking the direction that the Maya + Alejandro + Sylar combo is likely to go in.

But curious about what the heck was going on in the previous generation. Let's have some flashback episodes that actually show some the goings-on, please.

[oyceter]

Am I alone in getting major "Devil tempting Jesus in the desert" vibes from that scene on top of the Hollywood sign?

Ooooo. Interesting.

I really want more flashback episodes, especially with Angela/Kaito and more of Charles Deveaux.

[cryptoxin.livejournal.com]

I like that while Monica is working at a fast food place and had to drop out of college, it is portrayed as a consequence of Katrina, not as a "look at the poor black family!" Of course, it would be more unstereotypical if they were rich or comfortably upper middle-class, but right now, I'll take what I can get.

I wonder; I'm more inclined to think that poor/working class black characters are actually somewhat underrepresented in most TV. I'm thinking of regular/on-going characters (vs. victim/perp/witness-of-the-week in Law & Order-type procedurals). Most black characters that I can think of offhand are portrayed as at least solidly middle class (at least on dramas, genre & otherwise -- sitcoms might be different).

But then, you could say the same for TV characters in general in the U.S., regardless of race -- you're way more likely to see the trials and tribulations of the rich than the poor, and middle class is the default norm. Even characters described as having a lower economic status/background generally have improbably large homes & expensive wardrobes without ever seeming to experience much struggle or strife around money & class.

[oyceter]

*nods* Good point about the regulars almost always being middle or upper class. And ha to the wardrobes and large homes! It's like Buffy always having a new outfit even while working for Doublemeat.

[tarysande.livejournal.com]

I just thought of something re: the Claire storyline (which I am also hating passionately.) We were shown West creeping around her house on two occasions... and Mr. Bennet dropping Claire off at school when she almost got hit by West in that car. Perhaps West has SEEN the Man With The Horn-Rimmed Glasses (whom he will never forget) and it flat-out USING Claire to get to him. In fact, West could be a Candace character already working for The Company, since he has, in the past, been captured by them.

All this aside, I cannot get over the "coincidence" of Nathan=Dad=Flying West=?=Flying. I feel like I'm watching weird incest, even if I'm not.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I suspect West is double-crossing somehow, though I still hate him! And I hate that we are supposed to buy Claire being into him romantically! Because it's not like West has been good at being charming...

Hee to the weird incesty vibes.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

If indeed he is CreepyBad From The Start, it actually shows a certain sophistication on the writers' part: because so many OTHER shows use insta-romance that is Destined To Beeeeee, we as viewers fell for it this time. :->

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I've now seen Heroes and I think I'm in love with Monica.

I'm rather hoping that the black woman in the photograph is Micah's grandmother, but she doesn't look much like her at all. Seconding the opinion that Nichelle Nicolls is Micah's great-grandmother, unless Niki is suddenly being revealed to be mixed-race.

[oyceter]

Yes! I want more Monica! I really liked her!

vonnie_k had a post on exactly how Micah was related to the Dawsons, except I couldn't make it through because my head was spinning from all the connections.

Then again, I kept being like: people have two sets of grandparents! Therefore DL could have had two sets of parents, one being the woman we saw in S1 and one being Nana Dawson!

Oh wait, that's not right....