![[a case of the blog]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdW6m_GKpkUaPi56fHU6TFDQPOe1Rd_Lu0S_T5NgEIvzR2rJYBvUU6yRIyH7xtuBt0hVMDAcuqSlLEu9ooq2iwOOnskdsfS9BMjPZJsFJMVIlMJopdnOVjxqeNRR9etLlOY9wUNdSpW6D/s1600/newblogheader19.gif)
So we had some family over last night -- including my nephew Ryan -- and I learned a few things. For one, Ryan, like his uncle, is a big fan of television. He seemed especially fascinated by Hot Shots, Armageddon, and Casino Royale.
Speaking of Ryan, I surprised him today with a customized Build a Bear (a dog, actually). I took the liberty of filming my intense building experience for your enjoyment. So, enjoy! And Merry Christmas!
Okay, so THIS was the fall finale.
Actually, I really enjoyed this episode. While I’ve spent virtually the entire season complaining about Michael and his crew working with people who are categorically bad people, my absolute favorite scene of this episode was the fallout following the shootout at the Scylla exchange. Yes, I have repeatedly argued that T-Bag is an unredeemable, murderous psychopath, I thought it was great that he, of all people, fought for Gretchen’s life. When he’s finally written out of the show, I hope the writers have the cajones to do it in a fashion that won’t leave the audience saying, “You know what? He wasn’t that bad after all…” Nevertheless, these occasional brief moments of humanity work.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/12/24/prison-break-episode-4-16-review/
I just got back from California a couple of hours ago. I had every intention of posting an entry giving all the details of my long weekend, including whether I ran into Ms. Bilson, but to tell you the truth I'm struggling to stay awake (which is odd, since the time difference works in my favor).
So expect some stories tomorrow. Until then, watch this clip of my dad appearing on Fox Business this past Friday. Good stuff:
So I'm off to San Diego tomorrow, hopefully meeting a special somebody, and will be back on Monday. Not many people know this, but I'm a bit of a Pac-Man fanatic. So, to entertain you in my absence, here's a clip from Robot Chicken that some of you might enjoy. See ya' later!
Regular blog visitors and loyal PrimeTimePulse readers should know two things about me: I'm in love with Rachel Bilson, and it is my 2008 New Year's resolution to meet her, and hopefully take a photograph with her.
So I haven't had a chance to discuss the season finale of one of my favorite new shows, and the series finale of a show I've been a long-time fan of.
Lets start with Boston Legal, which celebrated its final episode last Monday. I'll be honest, I haven't seen a single episode this season, but I've long considered myself a fan of the show. That being said, the past couple of years, the show has become almost unbearable with its FAR FAR FAR left leaning rants. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with characters expressing certain political beliefs, but it drives me crazy when the show's creator uses his characters as a mouthpiece in an inappropriate environment without offering the other side any rebuttal (something Family Guy is often guilty of, as well). I mean, Alan would go on and on and on about some current issue, and the opposing side would have nothing to say whatsoever. And don't think it's coincidental that the only conservative character -- Denny -- is the series' comic foil.
For that matter, Alan has slowly become one of my least favorite characters on television. And not in the good, Dr. House way. The characters on Boston Legal are constantly talking about what an amazing lawyer he is, but for the life of me he I don't understand how he ever wins any cases. His argument very rarely ever truly relates to the actual case matter, and he's completely disrespectful to those around him. Despite the writers' intent, he's not charming either.
Anyway, as for the finale itself, I thought it was a fitting way to cap off the series. Alan and Denny getting married was....um....interesting, but inoffensive. Shirley and Carl tying the knot seemed a bit out of place, though. Like I said, I haven't watched this season, but I never really bought into that relationship. But, whatever, it's fine. I also liked the feeling that things aren't ending, necessarily, but that they'll never quite be the same. The law firm has new owners, a new name, and the characters we have followed throughout the years will likely be moving on. I suppose it can best be described as a perfectly acceptable finale.
And then there's True Blood, easily one of my favorite shows of the past season. I think Heroes should take note of this HBO series, as it manages to make the "gimmick" interesting without solely relying on it to progress the story. Don't get me wrong, the show is most certainly about vampires living in society, but you still get the sense that this series could still exist relatively unscathed without this distinction. That was arguably the charm of the first season of Heroes, and it's something they've most definitely drifted from in the past two years.
Anyway, a while back my friend commented that he couldn't bring himself to care about the characters. I think he gave up on the show by the time that everybody was developed to the point that you did come to care about them. Through time, you came to realize that guys like Sam and Jason are flawed, but good at the core. Yes, Sam snapped at Sookie that one time, and people even considered the possibility that he was the killer. But by the end of the season, you came to understand that he's a really good guy that genuinely cares for this girl, even if the possibility of ending up with her is remote. And Jason is pretty much that dumbass friend everybody has. He makes one stupid mistake after another, and he's totally self destructive, but at the same time he truly cares about the people around him. And he would never really do anything to purposely harm somebody he cares for.
I'd like to thank one of the commenters for pointing out that I fudged up a bit with my Prison Break episode numbers. I've made the correct alterations for my blog, and expect PrimeTimePulse to make the proper revisions shortly.
Anyway, while I really enjoyed this week’s installment of Prison Break, I can’t help but feel like it was one of the weaker episodes of the season (although that’s hardly an insult). This definitely felt a bit like a “stalling” episode, acting more as a catalyst of what’s to come than something that is to be appreciated on its own merits.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/12/10/prison-break-episode-4-13-review/
It's a full bag of Heroes discussion tonight. First and foremost, here's my review of this week's episode:
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/12/10/heroes-episode-3-12-review/
Alright, now some reader mail. Longtime reader Dan has a simple question:
Are you more nervous that Heroes will get cancelled soon now that Leno is going to be on in primetime five days a week?
I didn't have a problem with Arthur showing up in the past, as he did take Peter's powers, including time travel. I also thought it was interesting that he took Hiro's power as well, hopefully eliminating their reliance on "seeing a horrible future, and having to stop it". The only problem I had was, how did he know where to go? But I am okay with that, since it's obvious he has mental powers, or perhaps he just read the comic book. Hiro's father must've figured that baby Claire had some sort of resilence to have survived the fire, making her an inherently good candidate.
I've enjoyed Sylar's journey back to the dark side. I thought the idea of the hunger was a good thing, but I also remember that during his journey to America with Maya and her brother, he was totally manipulative, and murderous while his power (and presumably, the hunger) was suppressed. I am sorry to see Elle get killed, but having a Sylar around will hopefully thin out some of the superfluous characters. I would put Ali Larter on the chopping block, the fire brother and sister (actually, I'd like to see him kill one, and not need the other).
One twist that I would like is for Arthur to not be Sylar's father, but Angela really is his mother.And one more thing about Sylar, they needed him to be kind of good in order to establishe that he doesn't need to kill in order to take powers, now it makes it so much more evil that he does. I am curious whether or not the light has now died with Arthur, or if maybe it will transfer to Peter (since he's standing right there.)
Oh and as far as people getting killed while their powers are suppressed, remember for the death to stick, it's got to be through the head destroying the brain (I don't recall where Future Peter got shot though)As to being injected and getting super-strength, I think that's the easiest thing to believe as the most probable result of a drug.
This Christmas my grandpa turns 90 (yes, he's a Christmas baby) and tomorrow we will be throwing him a 90th birthday celebration. As part of the festivities, I made a video tribute to him, using some old photos (some dating back to the early to mid 1900's -- pretty cool). I thought I'd offer a sneak preview to my loyal blog visitors. How's THAT for a blog exclusive? Enjoy!
I must confess, my loyal Case Workers, that I'm a bit surprised and disappointed with the results of my latest blog poll. Out of the 11 people that voted, 8 believe that Heroes will be canceled in the foreseeable future. Now, to me, "foreseeable future" means it's either getting axed this year, or won't finish a full season next year. Perhaps some of the people that voted have a more liberal definition, but that's how I see it.
It's been a while since I've posted something non-wrestling related, so I thought I'd bring up an interesting contradiction I've observed recently.
In the recent Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe commercial (game looks awesome, by the way), Batman essentially notes that if one universe doesn't eliminate the other, they'll both be destroyed. Watch for yourself:
That's a fair enough stance, right? Except for the fact that in The Dark Knight, this very moral dilemma takes center stage (on a smaller scale, of course). In one of his sick games, Joker challenges that if two groups are told that if one doesn't kill the other, they'll both die, sooner or later one group will take the plunge and eliminate the other.
Batman, on the other hand, takes the more righteous approach, believing that people are inherently good and that the possibility of death or violence won't manipulate people into inflicting that same threat against others.
Yeah, yeah, I know that the video game version is on a much grander scale, but still...it's interesting that, of all people, Batman's the one saying, "We gotta do what we gotta do..."
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. So in a few weeks on Raw, WWE is bringing back the Slammy Awards. WWE.com recently announced the award categories, so I thought I would provide you with my predictions.
A Case of the.... Heroes - Episode 3-10:
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/25/heroes-episode-3-10-review/
Some notes that I forgot to mention in the column - First, I loved the contrast between how HRG taught Claire to fight and how Meredith taught her to fight. HRG used Claire's psychological issues to strengthen her, and was undeniably proud when she succeeded. While it wasn't with mal intent, Meredith used Claire's psychosis to break her down, leaving her even more damaged than she was before.
Oh, and Ando + Hiro + Daphne + Parkman (the weak link in the equation) = comedy gold. I just love how Ando and Hiro explicitly refer to Daphne as "nemesis"....right to her face. These guys are great together (and giving Hiro amnesia allows the writers to conveniently dodge the issue as to why Hiro isn't scared to death of Parkman, given their interaction in the future).
A Case of the.... Prison Break - Episode 4-12:
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/26/prison-break-episode-4-11-review/
Longtime reader Dan had this to say in response to my 24: Redemption column, in which I wondered if female president Taylor is the first instance of a Republican commander-in-chief on 24:Keeler ran against Palmer in season 3, so he and Logan must be Republicans.
Dan is spot-on correct. In fact, I half-remembered that, except that I got a little confused because season 4's Keeler was an honest, upstanding, honorable man. Season 3's version was conniving and underhanded, as he plotted with Palmer's ex-wife in order to blackmail him into dropping out of the election. Clearly, it was easy to forget that they're one in the same.
Anyway, Keeler ended up being hit with a missile while in Air Force One, and was possibly killed. Logan disgraced the nation and was forced to resign. Then he was stabbed by his ex-wife, and was possibly killed. Could the third time be the charm for the Republican party? Lets hope, for Ms. Taylor's sake.
To quote Chandler Bing, “Could that beginning BE any more Cloverfield-esque?”
So a week after my long rant about how nobody’s going ballistic about Prison Break possibly being cancelled (unlike Heroes, which brings in better ratings), rumors began circulating that this could be the series final season. This would be disappointing, of course, but you also have to consider that a show like Prison Break wasn’t meant to last ten years. Another year would be nice, because I do think there’s fuel left in the tank, but quite honestly, if this season ties itself up with a “happy ending,” it would quite possibly be the perfect way to conclude the series. The Company is taken down, Michael and his crew become completely free men, Michael can sail into the sunset with Sara, and those who didn’t survive either received their retribution, or died heroes. A very strong argument could be made that this is the right time for the show to call it quits.
Anyway, this week’s episode of Prison Break was another exhilarating one. I do have one major qualm, though: During the heist, why on EARTH would you send the guy who has repeatedly passed out and had seizures, who you know isn’t supposed to push himself physically or mentally, out on a wobbly, narrow plank to delicately sneak into a glass prison to nab their salvation? Yeah, yeah, I know he’s the star of the show, but it (a) took away from an otherwise incredible and flawless scene, (b) it made the rest of the team look incapable, and (c) it made Michael pretty unlikeable. I mean, is Michael so prideful and egotistical that he would risk the freedom of the rest of his team in order to be the big hero? That’s awfully selfish.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/20/prison-break-episode-4-10/
On Halloween I sadly reported that a close friend of mine had died, likely taking his own life. Well, tragically, it does appear as if it was certainly a suicide. Today was his memorial service, which was beautiful and did a wonderful job of reminding me what an incredible person he was, and I thought I'd simply share the Irish blessing that appeared on the backside of his memorial card:
In my Heroes column and on my blog, I’ve been discussing this – in my mind – completely unfounded belief that Heroes is on the verge of cancelation. People go on and on about how the ratings have gone down, but consider this: Is anybody out there proclaiming that Prison Break is a show in crisis? I mean, they’re on Fox, a station notorious for not giving their programs much of a chance before axing them. Fox also has a long line of hit shows to fall back on (which NBC does not). Perhaps most significant, this past week, Heroes LOST 330,000 while Prison Break gained 175,000 – yet Heroes STILL brought in over two million more viewers.
People are so dramatic when it comes to Heroes.
But this column isn’t devoted to Heroes, it’s about Prison Break. Last week I complimented the way Bellick’s death was handled, and that continued into this week. Sure, the St. Brad stuff got a little heavy handed at times (T-Bag fondly reminiscing about Bellick was perhaps the biggest stretch), but I thought it was an overall sweet way for his character to be remembered. I was especially pleased with the way Mahone refused to deliver the goods unless Bellick’s body was brought to his mother. And I liked Sucre’s feeling of responsibility to contact Mrs. Bellick.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/12/prison-break-episode-4-9-review/
told, while it was a risk, Christian moving to TNA ended up being an enormously beneficial move. Undoubtedly, the Canadian Superstar's stock has risen exponentially following his tenure in Jeff Jarrett's playground. But, alas, THIS is the time for Christian to return home. At this point in time, TNA is far more overstocked in the main event scene than any of the three WWE Brands, which means -- logically speaking -- a move to WWE could place him higher on the overall pecking order.
the ring, not sure what he would do. The announcers would naturally assume that he's there to join in on the attack. He'd grab a chair, indicate that he's going to beat down Taker, only to crack the chair Big Show over the head. He'd then Spear Chavo, and attempt to fight off his former Edge Heads. Taker would then rise to his feet, and the two Superstars would clear the ring. After briefly staring each other down, Edge would leave the ring (incidentally, this would also be a nice mirror image of what happened the year before).
Check out the incredible official preview for the fifth season of Lost:
2009 can't come soon enough....
This episode saw the very sweet reunion between Clark and his ever so beautiful cousin, Kara. Along with the lack of Lex, the other thing that has really irked me about this season is how Clark can mope about being alone, yet never once mention the fact that his cousin is, ya’ know, missing. That being said, I did think that their scenes together were rather touching, and I’m REALLY glad they didn’t kill her off. I thought both characters possessed a certain sense of maturity that was lacking during much of the previous season. I thought her comment about him always being close to her heart was especially sweet. I truly do hope this isn’t the last time we see Kara. And damn, she couldn’t teach him to fly before leaving?
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/07/smallville-episode-8-8-review/
As per the etiquette discussed in my previous post, click the "Read More" link for my thoughts on tonight's episode of Survivor. There are some spoilers (if they're still considered that), 'natch.
While I completely understand that there's a lot of stuff going on that we the viewers don't see, and that there's a lot of information we're privy to that the competitors aren't, it absolutely drives me crazy when some of the players make completely asinine decisions.
Such was the case tonight, when Susie decides that she's going to jump ship. Let me get this straight: Instead of being part of the majority that always wins, you decide you want to be part of the minority that always loses? What sort of sense does that make?
And yes, I recognize that, in her eyes, she's the low person on the totem pole. But she still had a better chance of making it to the final six (which, of course, WE know never would have happened -- but she didn't) and hoping that she can survive based solely on immunity challenges and becoming the swing vote. I really don't know what her plan is, because even if they make it to the merge, they still won't have the numbers. Next time Fang loses, Matty's getting voted off. And if Koda loses again, they'd probably vote a tie anyway.
And you know what? She spent the entire season bitching and complaining about her status within the alliance, and they made it perfectly clear that this was the case because they were worried she would flip. And what does she do the first chance she gets? Flips.
But man, are things ever going to be awkward between Marcus and Crystal's cousin...
Earlier today I was perusing the True Blood message board on IMDb.com when somebody very nonchalantly revealed the identity of the serial killer -- ya' know, the big mystery and central premise of the show -- in the midst of a discussion that was in no way related to that topic. This was a HUGE reveal -- one that could potentially very negatively impact my enjoyment of a show I have really been getting into.
The justification was that the show is based on a book series and that the identity of the killer was revealed in the books a long time ago.
This got me thinking: When is something considered a spoiler? For example, after an episode airs, is it appropriate to post what happened without any spoiler warning? Or is it proper etiquette to provide a "buffer" zone? If so, how long is appropriate?
Along with that, if something is revealed in a preview or commercial (such as the return of a character), is that fair game? I would think so, however I do know people who avoid watching previews like the plague, because they want to go in completely fresh.
And what if something is based on a novel? Even if it's a relatively well known book, should you respect the fact that not everybody may have read it?
Then there are classic movies. After almost 30 years, is it okay to talk openly about Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's dad? And now that nearly a decade has passed, do we need to continue to hide the twist ending of Sixth Sense?
I tend to take a pretty conservative stance. You'll notice that I only post the introduction to my television reviews (you have to click a link to read the full column), and I typically don't openly discuss shows like Lost without any spoiler warnings until after the season has ended.
Like I said, the identity of the serial killer could easily tamper with my enjoyment of the show. While likely unintentional, it was still an inconsiderate and unnecessary thing to say. But I am curious, at what point does everybody consider something "fair game"? And when is it still a spoiler?
So the past few weeks I’ve been watching Prison Break with my dad, and any time they break into an office or secure area, he brings up that it was entirely too easy for them to break in, and nobody questions why they’re there. I gotta say, I think this is a perfect example of how we, as an audience, have unrealistic expectations for what should be happening. I work in an office, and I can’t tell you the amount of times that I walk past a room and see somebody that I’ve never seen before. And very rarely do I ever wonder who they are. And even fewer times do I bother to inquire. As a viewer, we are aware that these people don’t belong there and that they are up to something unsavory. But if we were actually in that situation, and we didn’t have that knowledge, I highly doubt that we’d even raise an eyebrow.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/11/04/prison-break-episode-4-8-review/
Lets lighten the mood a bit, shall we? For my birthday I bought the entire series of The Office, which I had been watching for the past couple of years, and suffice to say I've been getting really into the show. Anyway, I thought you guys would enjoy a little tour of my office (and by "office" I mean "cubicle").
Oh, and since I hate when people toot their own horn, I'm going to simply pat myself on the back on that home made opening Office sequence. I thought it was done quite well, actually. I especially love the water cooler part (and yes, that's the actual water cooler from my workplace).
Happy Halloween, everybody. I was originally going to post a new edition of Top Ten Cases today, ranking the ten best horror films, but I received some troubling news today that made me reconsider.
At about 1:30 PM today one of my college friends called and reported that one of our close friends had died the day before, and it appears that it was likely a suicide. In respect to his family's privacy, and to not speculate further until anything is confirmed, that's all I'm going to say on that matter.
I will say this, though. It's easy to simply judge those that take their lives by saying they're weak or selfish. I disagree. I have nothing but compassion for somebody who feels so down and depressed that they can do something so drastic. That being said, it's an awful thing to do to those who love and care about you -- your family, your friends. There's always another option, and there ARE people out there that care.
Here is a link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Asking for help is often times scary. But it's well worth it. Rest in peace, my friend. God bless.
Has anybody ever said to you, “Hey, did you ever notice that huge mole on Terry’s forehead?” Despite having never noticed Terry’s mole before, now every time you see him, that’s all you can see. I think Heroes is in a similar boat. There’s a very vocal group of people complaining about certain deficiencies. Fans read these complaints, and suddenly that’s all they can see. That’s why, overall, I try to steer clear of message boards. As a whole, the posters tend to be entirely too negative, and their negativity is contagious. I enjoy Heroes. For the most part, I really like most of the characters, and I’m interested in the story. In hindsight, yes, season two was an epic disappointment. But why would I judge this season based on last season’s less than stellar performance? The writers have made a concerted effort to remedy their mistakes, and while the writing hasn’t been perfect, it’s been (in my opinion) pretty fun and exciting.
http://primetimepulse.com/2008/10/28/heroes-episode-3-7-review/
So the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly proclaims that Heroes is a show in crisis, and needs to be saved. I mean, yeah, the ratings have admittedly dipped and many of the people who gushed over the show now seemingly don't have a nice thing to say about it, but isn't this just a TAD dramatic? It would be borderline suicidal for NBC to cancel the show, and I think they know it. While Heroes isn't one of the top 10 highest rated shows on TV right now (it may not even be top 15), it's 
the second highest rated drama on NBC. It's also among the highest rated shows in regards to the 18-49 year old demographic (the one that advertisers pay the most for). And while it may no longer be a ratings juggernaut, the series is still highly marketable and well known. I suppose that may not mean much if people aren't watching, but NBC would be hard pressed to find a new show that could match the overall exposure that Heroes receives. I'd be utterly shocked if this show is even near the verge of almost being cancelled.
And while there is a very vocal group of people panning the series they once loved -- and Nielson ratings have declined -- it's still the #1 top rated show on TV.com, beating out shows like House, Lost, Prison Break, Grey's Anatomy, and other popular or highly rated shows. Ditto for IMDb.com (which is surprising, considering how much the posters there tear it apart).
Honestly, I think a lot of the criticism aimed at this season has more to do with the bad taste last season left in the fans' mouth than anything they're seeing this season. That being said, the show REALLY needs a smack to the back of the head. While I have really enjoyed this season, there are some inherent flaws that the show hasn't addressed since the beginning of the series.
For example, let me lay out this story arc, and you tell me which season I am referring to (including this one): A character goes into the future, sees that something cataclysmic is going to happen, and returns to the past to attempt to prevent it. Along the way he hits some obstacles and makes some bumbling mistakes. Peter, meanwhile, puts his trust in the wrong person and comes to discover that HE is the person who will be responsible for the future devastation, only to be talked down by Nathan, who presumably dies in heroic fashion. In a somewhat unrelated story, Suresh does experiments while unknowingly working for the bad guys. HRG does some morally questionable things to ensure that his family remains safe, only for an angst-ridden Claire to begin to distrust him. While this is all happening, Angela Petrelli acts cryptic and all knowing, and has this "the ends justify the means" mentality.
So, which season did I just describe?
Even a show like Lost has gone through its fair share of slumps, but I honestly don't think you could use the same blanket description in reference to each season.
And this criticism isn't even necessarily about the repetitiveness, although that is a HUGE problem (as I have noted in my Special Heroes Special Report, why should we care about the heroes saving the future when we know that there's an equally crappy future waiting in the wings?) You also have to consider that the characters' growth has been so stunted that they can continuously fall into these same predicaments. All three seasons we've seen Hiro desperately want to go on a heroic quest, only to constantly watch him make idiotic mistakes along the way (and, as the EW column noted, did we honestly just see Hiro lose a destructive formula BECAUSE HE WAS BORED???) Peter is still that naive, all trusting guy that hitches his horse to the wrong wagon, necessitating an 11th hour save from big brother. And, for the love of God, how many times do we have to watch Claire trust, not trust, and then trust her father again? AND EACH YEAR THE TRUST ISSUE IS OVER THE SAME MATTER!!!! In the three years that this show has been on, Peter, Claire, Hiro, and all the rest haven't developed to the point that they no longer fall into the same trap time and time again.
Along with that, one of the strongest points of the first season -- its ensemble cast -- is now arguably its greatest weakness. What made season one so fun and exciting was that these individual characters each had a strong story, and it was genuinely enjoyable seeing them come to meet each other. It was this great feeling of everybody being connected. Some of the connections were strong, and others were loose. But in the end, they were all intertwined. I still get goosebumps when I think of the scene in which Peter and Claire first met. Or when all of the central characters were together in the finale at Kirby Plaza. They came from Texas, Vegas, Japan, India, and elsewhere....but they all ended up in New York City, and for different reasons.
That thrill is now gone. All of the characters basically know each other now, and most of the pairings have been exhausted. Yet the show seems so pathetically desperate to hold onto these characters/actors. I cannot think of a more boring, more useless character than Parkman. Yet he's still around. He seems like a nice guy, so why not give just write him off by giving him that happy ending he deserves? Ali Larter is fun to look at and a fine actress, but for whatever reason, she's just not meshing with this show. Her storyline is constantly the weak link of the season. It's time to let her loose. Maya.....holy hell, what more can be said about her? I truly hope she's dead (not only because she's a terrible character, but also because it adds a little weight to the deeds Mohinder has committed). And while I've actually really, really enjoyed Mohinder's dark turn this season, I also think he's at the point of no return. Kill him off by the end of the season (or volume, preferably). I also think that having him die as a man who tried to do noble, great things, but ultimately became obsessed with achieving grandeur -- to the point that it literally turned him into a monster -- can be very poignant.
Two characters that I will defend, though, are Nathan and Claire. Most (vocal) fans believe they've either run their course or are unbearably annoying. While I do think they need to grow a bit more (especially Claire), I also feel they are crucial to the overall story. And I think people fail to realize that Nathan has become one of the strongest characters on the show. Tim Kring has often said that this series, at its core, is about families, priarily the Petrellis and the Bennets. I think it would be a mistake to take away the two members that connect those families.
The thing I've come to realize is that the writers of Heroes are great storytellers, but only "good" writers. If anybody ever listened to any Chris Jericho interviews during his book tour, he explains that there was a ghost writer, but that he (Jericho) wrote every word of the book. As the former Undisputed Champion explains, he's perfectly capable of telling stories and putting words on paper, he just needed help with the overall structure. And I think that's one of the weaknesses of the Heroes writers: They're fully capable of writing, and they're great at telling stories, but they have a really tough time doing it in a cohesive, well paced, logical manner. Consider that season two was entirely too slow, season three has been on speed, and season one was a combination of both. This also explains why there are so many apparent plot holes and inconsistencies.
Let me offer a few comparisons: In my opinion, while the Heroes staff is great at story telling and only good at writing, I think the Smallville writing team is the opposite: they're great writers but only good at telling a story. And finally, I think a show like Lost does a phenomenal job at both. Ultimately, I think Heroes knows where it wants to go, but it has a lot of trouble getting there.
