Great Expectations

I often wonder if high expectations ultimately set us up for a great fall?

I believe I wrote about this last year, but I was struck by this thought thinking about "Heroes".

This show, in its first season, was must see TV. On my PVR, if I had a list of different episodes to catch up on, Heroes wouldn't have even appeared on that list, because I would have viewed it immediately. The first season was full of exciting energy, great suspense, and the viewer had a sense of wonderment that matched the characters as they discovered their powers. The show had a super cool villain (Syler) and I, being a huge comic book fan, was impressed by this slightly new take on superheroes. There were some brilliant episodes, like "Company Man" which involved flashbacks of the decisions that Mr. Benet had to make to protect his family. The series built up momentum and then had it promptly deflated by a wimpy season finale.

Of course, we had great expectations for Season 2. And maybe that is the problem with expectations, because they are usually never met. Season 2 was a mess. Too many characters were added. Sylar wasn't kick-ass Sylar. Hiro was trapped in Japan for way too long. Peter lost his memory and promptly became boring. Mohinder didn't disappear or die.

You know there was real trouble, because the show didn't even bother to come back and serve up a couple of more episodes.

This third season? Talk about heavy handed. The writing has been ponderous and laborious. The characters have no background to them. They just do whatever they need to do to fit the whims of writers who have focussed on action, but miss all the hallmarks of any great show--character development. All of the character's motivations make little sense thus far. I don't really care about any of the characters and that is a bad sign considering how many characters I can choose from. The narration by Mohinder, always clunky, makes me cringe. Are you a hero or a villain? Sheesh, talk about the worst thematic yin-yang ever. Hearing about next season's theme "Heroes: Fugitives" doesn't make me that more excited.

How far has this show fallen? I started watching Monday's episode last night (that would be a Tuesday, ONE FULL DAY after airing) and got through halfway, then decided to watch Fringe and Eli Stone instead. I don't even know if I really want to watch the rest of it. I probably will because I am a glutton for punishment. But this idea of gathering up a team of "bad guys" serves what purpose? Any show about people with special powers would appear to be ridiculous, but the first season had a sense of realism that made you relate. Now? I don't know what to make of this mess.

It is tough living with great expectations. Rarely are expectations met or exceeded.
Pearl Jam "Ten" meant "Vs" was a letdown.
The Killers second album "Sam's Town"-- letdown.
Death Cab for Cutie's second album--letdown.
Back to the Future II--letdown.
Three's Company spinoff, Three's A Crowd--letdown.
Friend's spinoff, Joey--letd... oh wait, both shows sucked.
Lost Season 2--letdown.
New Coke after Classic Coke... letdown.
Guns N Roses "Use Your Illusions 1 & 2"--letdown from "Appetite for Destruction"

But every now and then, expectations are met or exceeded.
Return of the King after Fellowship of the Ring & Two Towers
Empire Strikes Back after Star Wars
Godfather II after Godfather
Smashing Pumpkins "Siamese Dream" after "Gish"
Spiderman 2 after Spiderman
Harry Potter 4 after Harry Potter 3 (the books not the movies)

I only wish I could temper my expectations. As I wrap this up, let's finish with a "Heroes" flourish. Imagine Mohinder's British colonial accent...

"Humans are full of expectations. Expectations for themselves (cut scene of Hiro), expectations of others (cut scene of Peter Petrielli), and expectations of what life should be like (cut scene of Claire). But sometimes, in the grand tapestry of this world, our expectations may be too high (cut scene of Nathan Petrielli) and with these expectations we can only be disappointed or led astray (cut scene of Mohinder). With great expectations can come a curse, a curse that may cause us to ask ourselves, 'Are we more hero, or are we more villain?' "

End Scene. Picture of planet Earth.

I don't think there is hope for this show this season. I don't have any expectations, because at this point they have simply been quashed.

XOXO
Gossip Girl

Sorry wrong show.