TVSquad

So, you've heard so much about this Heroes show, but you didn't watch the early episodes and you're afraid to jump in because you're afraid you'll be lost? No fear, the Sci-Fi Channel is here to help you.

The network is going to run an all-day marathon of the show starting at 9am tomorrow. The only problem I see is that it seems like they're not running the shows in order, which seems like an odd decision. For example, the first episode at 9am is "Homecoming," followed by "Six Months Ago" and "Fallout." Huh? I think watching the shows out of order like that might be more confusing than jumping into the show sight unseen in episode 20. Not to mention the fact that all of the reveals and cliffhangers will be ruined.

If you're interested in seeing the pilot, it airs tomorrow night at 11pm. The season finale airs Monday at 9 on NBC.

(S01E11) Promos for this "fall finale" promised a stunning climax and that "a hero will die." Show creators can't be held accountable for, shall we say, the exuberance of the network publicity machine, but we do get a great episode this time that lives up to the hype. Bear with me, I kind of went overboard this week, with what I'll have to call an overly-extended review, but hey, it's the last episode until January 22nd anyway. Feel free to skim, my feeling won't be hurt.

Claire's Dad initially matches her honesty by revealing that he's known about her ability all along. Before tonight ends the new bond between them is turned on its head. That impressed me. HRG has become one of the most complex and interesting characters on the show. By the way, it's cool when characters actually communicate with each other; that then adds more conflict. It's great to see that happen again and again in this episode, as characters come together and talk about what they know, and to try and figure out just when the frak is going on.

(S06E06) The "fallout" of the title refers to the Kryptonian trash Kal-El brought back with him when escaping from his (approximately five-minute) imprisonment in the Phantom Zone earlier. In a good opening sequence that sets up the villain, a winged-creature thing possesses the body of the first Earthling unfortunate enough to encounter it. He's played by Bow Wow. However, from there on in, this hour of television is especially talky.

Hey, I want more Green Arrow. Slinging arrows at Zoners would have made Ollie a pretty lame sidekick for Kal-El, I suppose, so I'll have to wait till next week. No matter, Zoner hottie Raya returns, bearing superpowers and many half-digested lumps of exposition about Jor-El and Krypton to pass alone. She speaks in a throaty, steady, monotone that's robotic, yet sexy: as if she studied elocution under Cylon Model #6.

(S01E05) You know how NBC's Heroes does endings really well? Actually, they do everything really well, but their episode endings are particularly cool and intriguing.

Jericho is like that with their openings.

The power comes back on, and not only does an "Emergency Alert" sign come up on all televisions, but every home and business in Jericho gets a phone call from the Department of Homeland Security. It's a recording, telling them to stay where they are, help is on the way. This is an amazingly creepy, effective scene. You wonder if that's how it will be if anything like this really happens.