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Heroes is back: 'Claire's girl kiss, 'Hiro's bucket list, more
Lots of momentous things will be happening during Heroes' fourth season, which premieres tonight, with most of the major characters trying to return to their old, normal lives, but all anyone really seems to care about is the news that Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) will make out with a girl—specifically, Claire's new college roommate, Gretchen (Madeline Zima).
Panettiere and Masi Oka, the show's beloved Hiro, talked to reporters on a conference call last week, and, no shocker here, the topic of that same-sex kiss came up, with Panettiere even serenading everyone with a line or two from the hit Katy Perry song "I Kissed a Girl."
"She has a roommate who is the biggest relationship in this season thus far, because she has finally got what Zach [Thomas Dekker], her friend Zach, was in the first season, which was a confidant and somebody who she can tell her secrets to, who would be there for her and who she could trust," Panetierre said. "She hasn't had anyone like that since then, and then this new character, Gretchen, who becomes my roommate, comes along, and she becomes that person for me. And it's a very interesting relationship, because there's a little bit of a flirting with the whole [question of] are we friends? Are we more? Do I have feelings for you in that way? So that's the relationship so far, and where exactly it's going I have no idea."
The new season of the NBC sci-fi drama will kick off tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT with a two-hour premiere encompassing the episodes "Orientation" and "Jump, Push, Fall." Panettiere and Oka revealed a few other things that fans can expect to see:
♦Hiro is dying and he's got a bucket list: "I think he's taking life a little bit more seriously, yet at the same time trying to keep hope alive, and it's that dual [element], the juxtaposition between life and death and the hope and despair, that I think Hiro's balancing well," Oka said. "So this is kind of a new thing for him."
♦Claire is... happy, but how long can that last? Really?: "One little misstep and her dad will bring Rene [Jimmy Jean-Louis], the Haitian, in to wipe their memories, and that will be that," Panettiere said. "And she's happy that she's semi-caught up to normal life, that normal life that she's been chasing. But where exactly we're going to go, I think there's going to be some manipulation and just some fun stuff. We really don't know, so that's why we get so excited to read the scripts every week."
Excited as both Panettiere and Oka are right now, they've been excited about other seasons only to have critics and fans rip the show to shreds. Panettiere and Oka are used to the roller coaster and consider themselves lucky to be able to share the journey with their longtime co-stars.
"We're a big family and love working with each other," Oka said. "I think it's definitely hard not to ride the highs and the lows. Without a doubt season one was absolute lightning in the bottle, and we knew we had something absolutely special. Season two and three, it was definitely hard for them to meet the expectations, in some senses. Season four, our backs might be a little bit against the wall because we're, creatively, swinging for the fences, and there's so many like bold choices and risks being made. ... I would probably say this is as favorite a season as season one. It's fun to ride that ride, or the wave's ups and downs, and it's great to be on the crest again this season."
"I just celebrated my fourth birthday on the set, my fourth birthday cake," Panettiere said. "So it's been a while, and I grew up with these guys. These are my family. I was 16, and now I'm 20, and we're still loving what we do and enjoying each other. But I definitely agree, though, that we ride those waves of up and down. [When] everything's good [or] everything's teetering a little bit, you feel it and you just try to be there for each other and make it the best you can, which is, I think, what we're doing."
By myhandle1947 at 4:09 PM ON 09/21/09
Kill the cheerleader, save the series!
By JR at 4:20 PM ON 09/21/09
Should have died after the second season.
By Kikstad at 4:42 PM ON 09/21/09
There needs to be a unified story that brings all these great characters together instead of multiple storylines with each hero and villain doing their own thing.
Also, I want to see the events that finally turn Hiro into that cool future version of himself that we saw in Season one and then eventually killed by his friend.
By Kim at 5:17 PM ON 09/21/09
I agree with all of you who posted above me. And this girl-on-girl kiss sounds like a desperate ploy, nothing more.
By Dr. Malcolm Long at 5:34 PM ON 09/21/09
wait... what? I'm supposed to be excited that Claire might be a lesbian? Uh, no offense, but that doesn't exactly turn my crank.
By Scott at 6:01 PM ON 09/21/09
This is the trouble with being a big hit in the first season. The people with no attention span will decide that you've gone downhill in the second season and they will yell and scream about it no matter what you do. Shakespeare, Dickens and Tolstoy could write for Heroes and the online element that decided it was cool to hate Heroes would still complain. Here's hoping that the easily bored and the ones who feel better about themselves by sreaming to take such and such a show off the air find a new target this year and that Heroe stays on the air for a long time...
By T.D. at 6:57 PM ON 09/21/09
I totally agree with Scott. I really like heroes. I do think it has ups and downs, but so does every other show, still unsure as to what the F.... is so bad about the show...
By JeSinclair at 7:17 PM ON 09/21/09
To Scott: Wait a second there... are you trying to say that season 2 was anything BUT sub-par compared to season 1?
I'm sorry... but that whole storyline with Peter in Ireland (if I recall the country correctly...) was just plain dumb. NOT ONE OF THE CHARACTERS THERE HAD ANY IMPACT ON THE SERIES!
Even Elle, who at least made it to season 3, was just really a means to get other sci-fi fan who watched her on the WB to jump the Hero bandwagon.
Now don't get me wrong, I like Heroes A LOT, but I have watched and waited for things to get better, and all I get is the same feeling I had with BSG:
Being strung along after season 2, because they forgot what made the show good, and are in such a mad scramble to 'fix it' that they overcompensate and lose total cohesion.
Like I said, I really like Heroes, but if they don't get back to the characters who are worth watching... then this is the last go for me.
FYI: I agree with Kirkstad. Anything to moves Masi Oka to the 'future' Hrio faster, I am all for. I'm tired of seeing a grown man play the character of an overgrown child. For that, I'd watch Big with Tom Hanks. And I hated that movie.
By Kim at 11:20 PM ON 09/21/09
I agree with JeSinclair above. Well said. My thoughts exactly.
The down-turn in the show starting in season 2 was obvious, I thought. Season 3 was the worst, IMO, aside from the last few eps. I feel like I've waited FOREVER for them to bring it back around again. The season 4 premiere wasn't bad though. I think I have hope!
By Sad at 12:49 AM ON 09/22/09
PLEASE kill this show. It is a total waste of network Broadcasting time.
By Pagrin at 5:35 AM ON 09/22/09
A lot of people make comments like some of those above about getting ride of this or that, kill off this person or that person etc.
Look of you don't like the show...don't watch it. Get off your ass and go do something with your life, instead of wasting complaining about what other people do with their lives, via the net.
However there are also people like myself, who enjoy Heroes. Good and bad whatever. we like the show. We are not so fanatical that we don't see the bad idea and stories for what they are, and we don't go on and on about the good bits either. We just enjoy our show, and then we go on with our lives.
It's frankly not that hard, give it a go.
By killthemall at 11:00 AM ON 09/22/09
Kill them all and start over. That should save the series.
I couldn't even bring myself to watch the premier. To hear they are resorting to lesbian kissing to get a fan base is just sad.
I predict that Heroes will be canceled on NBC and SyFy will pick it up for next season.
By Old Guard at 11:55 AM ON 09/22/09
This whole nonsense about Heroes being a 'sucky show' is just nonsense. Sure, some of the episodes weren't that great. Season 2 was very uneven and the cast, writers, and producers admitted that. But they tried to get on track with Season 3. Overall they did all right. The main problem with the show is sometimes they don't follow through where the storyline is going. For instance, after all Clare has experienced she should be much smarter now and yet, she continues to pull dumb stunts. Sylar should be dead, period, and I like Sylar as a villian but he should be gone. He's done too much. It's time for a new main villian. Matt should give up being a cop and become a private detective, him, HRG, and Peter. The point is, let some things evolve naturally. Not every season has be hyped a 'do over'. Because the reality is this, you're never going to win over the killjoys. But there remains a large audience out there eager to enjoy some entertaining television and that is what Heroes is supposed to be, aspires to be. This show is far from over, if the writers and producers allow themselves to relax, take a breath, and throw in some common sense. Then simple as that Heroes is back on track. Also, it would be refreshing to see some of the other characters have humorous moments besides Ando and Hiro. That's what made Primeval work. And yeah I know, I know, fat lot of good it did that show. But still, it was that balance of drama, escapism, and humor that kept the viewer engaged. Heroes has the potential to capture that.
By Praetor Shinzon II at 12:36 PM ON 09/22/09
Come on! This show lost it during season 2. They should have killed off Sylar like they intended before the strike. They started turning every other person into a mutant and even made the main character ( the Indian guy whose name I don't even remember any more!) into a monster. Stupid. Claire should have remained the key to saving the world. They can't seem to find any good villans after Sylar because he does it all so they just resurrect him when other bad guys fail to catch on. Did not watch any season 3 except the finale which again was a disappointment. Get rid rid of Sylar only to show he is coming back YET AGAIN! Geez people, enough already. I recorded the premier last night and I will try to get through it but I am not optimistic.
By dscarron at 7:45 PM ON 09/22/09
The shark was jumped a long time ago.
I question why we are still being served this crap and being told it's goose liver.
By Kim at 8:44 PM ON 09/22/09
Old Guard said: "...it was that balance of drama, escapism, and humor that kept the viewer engaged. Heroes has the potential to capture that."
------
Heroes actually HAD that... in season 1. They lost it through a series of really bad choices. In many ways that qualified it as a 'sucky show'. They've spent the last 2 seasons trying to get it back and it hasn't been ALL bad, but it's nowhere near the level it could've (should've) been by now. They messed up and the series suffered for it bigtime.
By Ikissedagirl at 2:49 AM ON 09/24/09
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
lol sounds funny. Relax enjoy life.
By shuls at 8:22 PM ON 09/25/09
Seems theyre all doing it.....samesex kissing.
Havent even seen SGU and I believe its in that too! Whats all that about!
Keep to a story base.
By Paul at 8:22 AM ON 09/27/09
I like the show. Clair wow tuff girl get back to season 1 guys Introduce some more characters but don't over do it !! So what if Clair kisses her roomie at laest she won't be getting into her panties! your best fan Paul Wilhite
By Paul at 8:44 AM ON 09/27/09
Get back to season 1 thinking writers! Clair wow tuff girl! So, what if she Kisses her roomie, at least she does'nt get into her panties!! Put new characters in the show but don't overdo it! Heroes fan to the end; Paul Wilhite
By Mathenarus at 9:08 PM ON 10/05/09
Okay... for starters, the lesbian kiss isn't always a fan-base ploy!
take a look at buffy, that (willow and tara's) relationship developed out of nowhere, and people didn't complain, suggesting it was a ploy to get more fans. It was a legitimate piece of story telling, and i feel this will be done in the same way.
All i can hope for is that they don't scrap the idea of claire and gretchen's relationship immediately after this season, cause that would just solidify it in everyone elses mind that it was nothing more than a ratings move.
As for the comments "take it off the air" and such... deal with it. there's still a loyal fan base who want to watch it, and as long as that's the case, you're not going to affect a change in the programming. If you have no interest in the show, why are you on this forum?! go fap to something stupid like lost, or reruns of big brother.
just my two cents
By delores at 3:28 PM ON 10/11/09
Who cares if she kisses a girl! If it was two guys, the series would die. Total double standard. If that's what they need to boost ratings, it's over.
By theshowisdesperate at 6:12 PM ON 10/28/09
The bummer about the kiss and the sex with Syler (who was posessing what's his face) is that there are a ton of young kids that love this show. Mine included... They made a show about super heroes and the kids love it, but they're now pushing too hard for the adults to like it as well... Bad idea. this show has "Jumped the Shark". Too bad, it had incredible potential... We're done.
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theshowisdesperate:
The bummer about the kiss and the sex with Syler (who was posessing what's his face) is that there are a ton of you...More »