October 14, 2008

How to Fix Heroes

Raoul Mowatt at MSN TV has a list of ten things that writers need to do to make Heroes a good show again.

3. Idiot-Proof All Plots

Too often, I find myself asking, “Why would a reasonable person do this?”For instance: Why would Mohinder inject himself with an untested serum when anything could go wrong? Particularly when he goes to some random dock to do it, instead of a controlled environment? The answer, of course, is to provide a convenient opportunity for random thugs to hassle him and then get taken down by his newfound Spider-man like powers. But there’s no in-story reason.

The formula for the first season was perfect.  Every episode, they:

  • Introduced a new major mystery (or mystery component)
  • Introduced and paid off a new minor mystery
  • Paid off a major mystery (or mystery component)
This kept the show interesting and fresh, without sacrificing the overall arc.