If the writing ever improves we might be able to see what the actors are capable of, but at the moment they are chained to an uninspired and unoriginal script.
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Dissappointing4
Heroes Reborn is the latest edition in the Heroes franchise, and is created by Tim Kring in a desperate attempt to revive a previously great show. This miniseries follows the story of heroes, now know as Evos, who are trying to hide their abilities after they are blamed for a terrorist attack which killed hundreds of people, leading government and public alike to view all Evos as a threat.
As a fan of the original Heroes, I had high hopes for this new series, although I did fear that it would struggle to fill the very big shoes left by the original show. Unfortunately, it seems my fears had merit, as the new series fails to live up to its predecessor. This is not to say that the show doesn’t have potential, indeed the acting is decent, the concept has merit, and the show already has a fan base to work with. In truth, the show might even have worked, if it were not for one glaring problem, the writing. The script is predictable and flat, and while the actors do their best with what they have, nothing can save the show from the scriptwriters, who seem determined to include every cliché known to man. These include the alcoholic ex-soldier, the grieving father bent on revenge, the bully, the geek, the geek’s love interest (no prizes for guessing who she’s dating) and the cheerleaders, who of course walk around with pom poms all the time. These issues alone make watching the episode difficult, as they scream cheap, sloppy and recycled to any audience member paying attention.
The beginning of the episode will lull any avid fan of the original show into a false sense of security, as the oh-so-welcome image of Noah Bennet washes over the audience, accompanied by the music which is so synonymous with Heroes. This feeling is brought to a shocking halt however, when the characters actually open their mouths. The dialogue throughout is appalling, its basic, boring and full of cliché puns that are truly cringeworthy. Nevertheless, the dialogue truly hits a new low in the scenes between Ren and Miko, as the script falls into a dull and repetitive trap, presumably in order to be easily translated.
While the script is undoubtedly the biggest problem for this show, another issue that appears screamingly obvious to the audience is the constant ‘hidden’ references to the original show. If it isn’t the repeated images of cheerleaders to remind the audience of Claire Bennet, it’s the building friendship between Ren and Miko, as they set out on an adventure together, much like with Hiro and Ando’s quest to ‘save the cheerleader’. These references trap the show into being a cheap copy of the original, as it relies too heavily on being like its predecessor, rather than developing into its own show.
While the first episode failed to live up to expectations, fans can still hope that Heroes Reborn will improve in the following episodes. The groundwork for a good show is there, if only the scriptwriters would realise that their audience doesn’t want a cheap carbon copy of the original, but a new show which can rejuvenate Heroes and re-inspire its fans.
Heroes Reborn airs on Tuesdays at 9pm on 5STAR.
