Article originally published as HEROES REBORN Review on Seat42F.
More
than five years ago, NBC’s Heroes ended their four-season run with a
barely-begun Volume 6, “Brave New World,” and the words To Be Continued…
Now, HEROES REBORN finally gives us that “Brave New World,” the title
of its first episode back, as it begins a new Volume 1.
Because a number of years have passed
since the events of Heroes, the new show can’t just jump right in. We
get a series of flashbacks to introduce a number of the new players, as
well as a huge, traumatic event that shakes the world. Then, the action
picks up one year later, with the world living in fear of the Evos (what
those with powers are called), and a fresh batch of heroes in hiding.
The one man who may be able to usher them into a new era is the one who
resisted attempts to change the world in the first place, and a familiar
face.
Yes, Noah Bennet, a.k.a. HRG (for
Horn-Rimmed Glasses), is the bridge between Heroes and HEROES REBORN.
Having lost his estranged daughter, Claire, in the big attack, Noah (Jack Coleman) is
trying to build a new life for himself. But HRG was never one able to
sit on the sidelines, and as soon as Quentin Frady (Henry Zebrowski, A
to Z) enters his life, it takes little prodding to get him back on
track.
HRG is the perfect character to continue
the story. He is involved with many of the heroes, but isn’t a hero
himself. He also has history with The Company, which is very much a part
of the new conspiracy and story. He is the relatable everyman, while
also being the mysterious guy in the know. And his presence, a strong
one in the new miniseries, is part of the reason that HEROES REBORN
feels just like another season of Heroes.
Now, Heroes itself was a mixed bag, but
in the early days, it was very good, and HEROES REBORN gets us back to
those early days. There’s a lot going on that the audience doesn’t
realize and must figure out. There is a high school student just
learning how his abilities work. There are a pair of adorable Japanese
geeks. There is a man who resists stepping up, but must in order to
protect those he cares about. The Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) may hold
the answers. Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy) is on the run from the law,
presumably framed for something he didn’t do. So yep, pretty much the
same stuff.
I mention Mohinder and The Haitian, and
both are part of the two-hour premiere, sort of. They are not the only
people who get shout-outs from the past, and I’m sure there will be
others. One former player, in particular, has a surprising role in the
second hour. But like Heroes, which introduced new players each season,
HEROES REBORN keeps the world alive and growing, while bringing in fresh
elements, with a bit more overhaul than previous new seasons.
There are a bunch of faces we’re seeing
for the first time that are quite welcome. Tommy (Robbie Kay, Once Upon a
Time) is the aforementioned high schooler who, like Claire, is hunted
and must stay in the shadows. Kaye is a very talented young actor, and
the perfect choice to continue this tradition. We also meet Luke
(Zachary Levi, Chuck) and Joanne Collins (Judith Shekoni, The Twilight
Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), who have lost a son and seek revenge, as
well as a mysterious man (Pruitt Taylor Vince, Deadwood), whose
intentions are unknown. This grouping is the second big story, aside
from HRG’s, that plays into the main mythology.
HEROES REBORN also needs a bit of humor,
as Heroes had, and that’s where Miko (Kiki Sukezane, The Yokai King)
and Ren (Toru Uchikado) come into play, serving much the same purpose as
Hiro and Ando did in the first go-round. They’ll get involved with
everyone else, eventually, but first they have their own quest.
Basically, HEROES REBORN re-creates what
was great about Heroes, makes good use of its forbearer, and still
manages to seem fresh and interesting. I hope this miniseries ends up
being the start of another multi-season run, as the initial installments
prove that the franchise has plenty of life left in it. As long as this
time quality is maintained, perhaps partially by keeping the seasons
shortened to thirteen episodes, as this one is, it would be great to get
another four years.
HEROES REBORN premieres Thursday, September 24th at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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