Cold Snap
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 07:45am by GeekBoyThis week, on Heroes …
RECAP DETAILS AHEAD (don’t read if you haven’t watched it yet) …
Something strange happened on this latest episode of Heroes: It didn’t suck! As expected, the return of Bryan Fuller as writer made all the difference in the world this week. Although it may also have had something to do with the absence of two of the more aimless characters — Sylar and Claire. And while I’m sure they’ll be back next week, it was nice to see some of the more likeable characters get their time to shine in the sun.
Providing comic relief this week were Hiro and Ando with their “Two Supermen and a Baby” routine, which, I have to say, was actually pretty funny. The ongoing joke of Hiro and Ando not noticing Matt Parkman on the television over and over again was right up there with Hiro believing that Baby Matt was Big Matt shrunken to baby size. Fuller doesn’t overplay the humor, however, and also uses the setup as opportunity for Hiro to finally tell Ando about the fact that he was there when his mother died. As for Baby Matt, it turns out he has a power. “He’s Toddler Touch and Go … he touches and makes things go … like a Baby Genesis Device.” (That’s one of two Star Trek references, for those who are counting.)
When Matt’s ex-wife returns home, the boys learn that Baby Matt’s powers first manifested during the most recent eclipse, but they don’t have much time to talk about it before the Government Goons come calling. Things look bleak until Baby Matt uses his power to jump-start Hiro’s time freezing power. Unfortunately for Hiro, this is the only power he gets back, and so instead of teleporting them to safety, he’s forced to load Ando into a wheelbarrow, strap Baby Matt to his chest, and walk them both to a bus station 12 miles away. Armed with the limited return of Hiro’s abilities, their plan is to keep looking for Big Matt.
Meanwhile, Rebel disrupts things at Building 26 long enough for Tracy to escape, who in turn helps Matt and Mohinder and an unconscious Daphne also escape before going her own separate way. Following Rebel’s trail of bread crumbs, Tracy makes her way to a locker at the train station, where she finally meets Rebel himself … who she is surprised turns out to be Micah. This throws a wrench into the deal she made with HRG — to lead him to Rebel in exchange for her freedom — and in a final act of nobility, she sacrifices herself to buy Micah time to escape, freezing not only the goons but herself. While Tracy’s frozen, the Hunter takes her out with one bullet, shattering her … but we’re left to wonder if she’s truly dead when we see her frozen face wink.
As for Matt and Mohinder, after they escape, they bee-line immediately for a hospital to get Daphne the medical attention she needs, with the help of some telepathic persuasion. The doctors are able to patch her up, and once she feels better, Daphne decides that it’s best if she and Matt part ways. She zips off to Paris, but Matt follows her there, and in a surprising turn, reveals to her that he can fly. He flies her around the Eiffel Tower, and just as things couldn’t get more romantic, tells Matt that he can let her go. This is confusing for both us and Matt at first, until Daphne reveals that she’s aware she’s still in the hospital, dying, and that this is all just Matt in her head, trying to give her a storybook ending.
I have to say, it’s one of the few “didn’t see that coming” moments this series has offered in the past couple of seasons, and it made for a very touching moment when — after Matt flies her to the moon — Daphne finally and truly dies, in a dark hospital room, with Matt kneeling next to her, holding her hand.
And then there’s Mama Petrelli, who has cashed in all of her political chips at this point, and is now being hunted the same as the others. Thanks to her ability to see the future while catnapping, she’s able to evade being captured, borrows some money from a friend, then evades capture again when Peter shows up at the last second to fly her away. When last we see them, they’re looking out at New York City from the head of the Statue of Liberty.
All in all, I thought this was a strong episode, and it has me hopeful for the rest of the season. I wasn’t happy to see Pushing Daisies get cancelled, but its loss was clearly Heroes‘ gain. And hey, we even got a cameo from Daisies alum Swoosie Kurtz! I expect a well-placed pie joke any episode now.
1. Dave said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 9:52 am )
I know! It didn’t suck! It actually had good parts!
The scene with Matt and Daphne probably was the most touching thing in the show’s run, I’m thinking. I gotta say, when Matt started flying, I rolled my eyes (after all, is this not the show where characters can do anything and act in any way necessary for the plot?). I should have seen it coming, but the show’s “suck history” blinded me, in a good way this time.
And I’m doubting Hiro gets his time travel or teleportation abilities back. I’m betting he’s been “depowered,” as Peter was, which will make for a better show. It’s too tempting when a character has a built-in “reset button.”
2. GeekBoy said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 9:57 am )
Re: Hiro … that’s my hope. I’ve been saying for a while now that the series would have been better off if both of those characters had been less powerful in this way right from the start. So this correction would please me just fine.
3. Greater Czarina said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 10:49 am )
Really strong episode and, since I had no attachment to Pushing Daisies, I’m thrilled Fuller came back. The writing, the characterization – all much stronger than we’ve seen for awhile. And BMP (baby Matt Parkman) is just as cute as can be.
4. genevieve said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 11:40 am )
Although the baby was cute (and about the same age as my own kid), I couldn’t get over the fact that in season 1 Matt read his wife’s thoughts and found out the kid wasn’t his, so therefore he wouldn’t have powers.
Also thought it was funny that the actor who plays Micah is obviously a lot older yet they kept him with the same hairstyle and backpack to try to make us believe he was only slightly older (how much time has passed since season 1 anyway?).
5. Maggie said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 12:37 pm )
I guess it’s just me, then. I thought it was hysterical when Hiro pushed Ando out with that wheelbarrow, but I really hope they stop saying “Toddler Touch-and-Go!” I winced every time.
I also didn’t like the way Daphne’s death played out…Parkman’s ex-wife comes back in the picture just as Daphne leaves…it didn’t sit right with me. I’m much less a romantic than you guys, I guess. I thought the scene of her death in the hospital room was quite sad but the throwback to Superman’s flight with Lois Lane fell a little flat.
Yay for Micah’s return! How I’ve missed him.
6. Maggie said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 12:39 pm )
Genevieve, I’d forgotten! I wonder how they’ll work that in. I’m sure they’ll come up with something.
7. GeekBoy said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 5:33 pm )
Is Parkman’s wife really “back in the picture”? My impression is that they just brought the actress in for an episode to validate Hiro and Ando taking her baby — otherwise, they’d be kidnappers. Now that they have the baby and are (presumably) getting on a bus to find Big Matt, I don’t think the ex-wife will figure into the story anymore. Although I did think that having Matt talk about her to Daphne was a clever way to clear things up for somebody who may not have seen Season 1.
8. GeekBoy said ( Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 5:49 pm )
Was it ever established for certain that Matt wasn’t the baby’s father? I mean, I know Janice was sleeping with Matt’s friend. And I know Matt told Nathan that the kid wasn’t his. But what was that based on? An actual paternity test? Or just sour grapes on Matt’s part? It’s a sloppy lack of continuity regardless, but I think there’s probably more than enough room to explain it away based on the little bit we know.
9. Jason said ( Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 12:05 pm )
Was I the only one who thought the whole Matt/Daphne flying scene was almost shot for shot like the Superman/Lois scene in the first Superman movie?
Another thought… With Tracy possibly dead and Niki/Jessica dead, wasn’t there supposed to be a third sister who was injected with the super-juice as a baby, or was Jessica the third one who somehow manifested herself within Niki?
10. GeekBoy said ( Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 12:17 pm )
I don’t know about shot-for-shot, but I do think it was deliberately referencing that scene, yes. That was part of the point, wasn’t it? Matt was creating a “storybook ending” for Daphne, and since Matt’s not a particularly creative guy, that ending would have to come from somewhere — in this case, his memory of a romantic scene from Superman. He even gave himself the ability to fly like Superman to carry the scene out. And in the end, it’s what tipped Daphne off that it was an illusion.
As for Tracy, yes, there is a third sister waiting in the wings yet, which I’m sure we’ll see this season or next. Niki and Jessica were the same person.
11. Dave said ( Friday, March 27, 2009 at 10:14 am )
I see Fuller’s role kind of the same as Obama’s role. There’s some crap to clean up from the last regime before he can truly start to do his own thing. Based on this episode, I’m cautiously optimistic about this show for the first time in a good long while.
12. mason said ( Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 12:32 pm )
i know this thread is probably on the dead, but.
i’ve really enjoyed this part of the season. the pairing down of the characters, and storylines is fantastic. as for the baby not being big matt’s i think maybe it was sour grapes from janice. i think maybe she knew at the time that matt could read her mind and so put it out there to hurt him. he didn’t have the ability to really get in there and see if she was telling the truth. the whole matt flying thing i thought was a total homage to superman, why not? i thought it was nice, and to me they finally got the right to have daphne pass. before then it was like, wtf? you’re just gonna kill people willy nilly like that. i felt the same way of tracy. i liked that she finally got what it meant to sacrifice, really be there for someone.
i’m wodering about the “hereos” leaving the others in the lab. it just bugged, but that may just be me.
i know i’m probably just dumb, but i was really surprised about micah. i’m glad he’s back and i hope they use him more.
here’s to more and more fuller bringing back the show.