Some of the biggest TV shows have been suffering in ratings, and the past few days have shown us just how desperate the networks are to drop their dead weight. A TV shows has to have success depending on what type of show it is, that is, hour-long dramas and shows with big effects cannot afford to bleed out viewers for too long. Networks are in the strongest competition between each other, and can’t pour cash into a sinking ship. Is your favorite show going to be off the air this fall? Read below to find out.

Law & Order

Let’s be honest, you don’t watch L&O. In fact, apparently no one does. Tied with Gunsmoke as the longest running prime time drama, Law & Order has made it through 20 years on television. It’s survived by L&O: SVU, L&O: Criminal Intent, and forthcoming L&O: Los Angeles, or LOLA, if you want to sound like an idiot.

Heroes

This show had some serious potential, but the writers kept characters that served no good purpose, and killing off the ones the fans started to like. Hayden Panettiere fans will have to get their “chick with linebacker shoulders” fix from I Love You, Beth Cooper on DVD.

FlashForward

I wanted to get into this show when I first heard the premise, but after two weeks of “Have you seen FlashForward” it seemed like just about everyone blacked out and forgot the show was on the air. Good luck Joseph Fiennes, maybe Voldemort needs a brother in the Harry Potter spinoff.

Mercy/Trauma

You remember that show about medicine and hospitals? Well, both of them got canceled.

I hope someone out there really loved one of these shows, because I was the only one upset when Kings got canned by NBC, or as it’s going to be called in five years, Nothing But Canceled.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS EPISODE DO NOT READ!

Air Dates: September 21, 2009 and September 28, 2009

Almost all of the gang returns in the first two episodes as we begin to see  the fall out of Angela and Bennet’s dangerous choice to Sylar believe he is Nathan. Claire starts college and finds out that it’s not easy keeping secrets. While Sylar and Parkman battle it out mentally for supremacy. Peter is busy trying to be normal and use his powers to save people as a Paramedic but is raising suspicion on how he is always the first on the scene. And did I mention that there is a circus full of supers out for revenge for the death of one of their own? Sounds like a lot going on.

I wanted to get a good feel for Volume 5 of Heroes before I started this segment. Also, I wanted to give the show a chance to redeem itself (Pun intended) from a lack luster season finale from last year. Again, the show is off to a rocky start. I really disiliked how last season ended with Parkman turning Sylar into Nathan. It was weak and it looks like the writers have already realized it. “Nathan” is showing signs that the transformation wasn’t exact and he is using other abilities that Sylar had. Angela is having dreams about “Nathan” but is seeing Sylar. It’s way to confusing and it never made sense that it could work because Sylar is just too powerful. Meanwhile, It seems that Sylar is hitching a ride inside Parkman’s mind trying to stay alive. Parkman can see Sylar and he wants to be put back inside his own body. This part could be fun because Sylar is so powerful that he managed to latch on to Parkman’s psyche, so there is no telling how far he will be able to go with that. Either he will drive Parkman mad or take control completely. Whatever happens needs to happen quick though because this could get old very soon.

Claire gets started at college and is barely in a few days, but still manages to accidentally reveal her secret. Claire’s roommate may or may not have committed suicide by jumping out of there window. Claire doesn’t believe that she would do that so she tests a theory by playing out the many ways a person falls out of a window. One being a push, Two being a fall or slip, Three being a jump. Obviously Claire does this herself and manages to get seen by the only friend that she has made at school. What is Claire to do now? I am so tired of Claire, I wish her powers didn’t work. It’s all the same stuff with her and it is getting old. There is still potential for the character, but the writers don’t seem to know how to write an immortal.

With all the short comings of Claire’s character Peter’s is just fine with me. I get that he wants to use his powers to help people. It’s noble and he does a lot of good as a Paramedic. Unfortunately, he is always first at the scene and does things that no “normal” person should be able to do. It’s great because he saves people, but then never talks to them. Not even so that they can say thank you. Now, what do you do when your fellow Paramedics think that you’re just a glory hound and that you may, in fact, be causing the accidents yourself? There in lies the interesting part of this character. Not to mention that someone you saved is trying to sue you because you hurt him while rescueing him. I really wish that they would not have taken so much of Peter’s power away, but I guess they didn’t want too powerful a hero to battle Sylar.

There are some interesting new cast members this year. Ray Park (GI Joe, Star Wars) and Robert Knepper (Prison Break) join the series as traveling members of a circus that seem to be heavily populated by supers. Park plays Edagr who is a knife wielding speedster while Knepper is a man named Samuel who can control the very earth around him. Samuel is the leader of the circus folk and has lost his brother. There is some revenge to be had because of this but we, as viewers, don’t know why yet. I like it when they give us some new characters, especially when they have powers and/or powers that we haven’t seen yet. Samuel is looking for a compass or a series of compasses and we don’t know what they signify at this point. He is very interested in Peter and has stated that he would be a good replacement for his fallen brother, whatever that means.

It was a slow start and I can’t say that I am impressed. I care enough about a few of the characters to keep watching, but there needs to be some action this season. Oh, and Ali Laters characters need to die and stay dead.

Comments? Post below

Fanboyz Grades:

Episode 1 D

Episode 2 C

For all of you fans of Heroes who are anxiously awaiting the new season to kick off this fall, this three and a half minute clip should hold you over. The new season of the NBC television show about superheroes among us will kick of on September 21st. This clip is titled Heroes: Chapter 5 – Redemption. Check it out after the jump.

Fanboy alert! Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, will be joining the cast of Heroes next season. Entertainment Weekly is reporting Park will be a prominent character in a large portion of the story arc during season 4. It is unclear at this time what specific role Ray will portray, but as stated previously, the villain next season is some sort of charismatic cultist, and considering Park’s unparalleled stunt work, he will be someone very physically active perhaps with swords. If Park will be good or evil is unknown, but he plays evil so well, here’s hoping he’s on the dark side.

His first mainstream role to garnish him fame was portraying the Sith Darth Maul in Star Wars. With expert martial arts and skilled sword play, he was a perfect fit for the role. He also, less notably, portrayed the Headless Horseman in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, wearing a mask for effects artists to render his head off the body. Others may recognize his name from the first X-Men film, as Magneto’s henchman Toad. Ray Park fans can catch him in August’s G.I. Joe as the silent assassin Snake Eyes.

As both a Ray Park and Heroes fan, this news is an early Christmas present. Anyone else excited to see him on the small screen this fall?

The fourth season of Heroes will kick off this fall with a new villain along for the ride. Robert Knepper will join the cast according to The Hollywood Reporter. Kepper is best known for playing Theodore T-Bag Bagwell on the now cancelled Prison Break television show. THR states, “In at least six episodes of the series’ fourth season, Knepper will play Samuel, a Jim Jones type — charismatic but evil, with a twisted sense of humor — who will veer into the lives of all heroes” The character is being referred to as “Carnival Barker” and will be joining the cast for at a least a six episode stint. With this past season’s ending who knows what the future will bring for Heroes. The fourth season begins filming next week. Stay tuned for more Heroes news!

By Roman Chavez
April 21, 2009

Air Date: April 20, 2009

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS EPISODE DO NOT READ!

This week on Heroes… Sylar is having difficulty controlling his new found ability to shape shift. Ando and Hiro are still trying to define their friendship while attempting to take down Building 26. Parkman brings his son back to his ex-wife and it looks like we may be gearing up for a huge season finale or another big let down. Plus we get an appearance from the best bit actor of all time, Clint Howard.

The writers have a decent hold on who Sylar is. In this episode they throw us a curve ball when Sylar has an identity crisis and can’t fully control his power to shape shift. He will go to sleep in his own form, but wake up in another. He is changing so much that when he reverts back to himself his DNA will still be changed. He will wake up with an extra tooth or his eye color will be different. It’s very interesting to see him struggle with this power, he feels as though he is losing himself with every change. We see that he is still having deep issues about the death of his adopted mother. While posing as an agent he requests her unsolved murder case file. Once he has it, he absorbs her DNA from the pair of scissors that killed her, and has a very disturbing conversation with himself while he poses as her. It was pretty twisted. I still really enjoy his character, but I hold out hope that he may one day become a good guy. We got another glimpse of his good heart as he helps Rebel escape from agents by posing as him to become a decoy. He doesn’t know why he helped Micah, but I think Micah may have shown him some light in himself. Micah tells him that he has the “power to save us all”.

Ando and Hiro want to take down Building 26. They are not sure how, but they know that it has to be done. In the midst of there planning Ando tells Hiro that the game has changed. That Hiro must see Ando as an equal. Ando feels that he is seen as the side kick, but wants to be more like a partner. Hiro seems to understand, but still lets Ando become the bait as agents try to abduct them. We also find out that if Hiro is touching someone when he freezes time, that person will not be frozen. I agree with what Ando’s character is feeling. I would like the two of them to stop fighting so much about who has the most say, and focus on the tasks at hand. Their story takes an interesting turn for the worst when Hiro tries to stop time again, but it gives him a headache and bloody nose. What this means, I can only guess, but I know it’s not good.

Parkman’s story line kind of bothered me. He gets his son and all is well, but when he sees Janice he seems to want to patch things up. What about Daphne? You know, the woman he fell in love with just by dreaming about her. It seemed way too rushed for him to go from wanting revenge for Daphne’s death to seeing his ex-wife and getting nostalgic. I don’t know, I didn’t like the way that it progressed. I get that he wants to see his son grow up, and that’s probably easier when the family is together. I guess we will have wait and see. Parkman may just be caught up in the moment of meeting his son for the first time.

I have to say I was happy to see a familiar actor in this weeks show. Actor Clint Howard, who has played countless roles in film and television, plays a man that can explode objects by concentrating on them. Of course, Sylar kills him and takes the power but it was cool to see him in something. I know what you are thinking, “who cares about Clint Howard?” He is one of those actors that you have seen a million times, but have no idea who his is. He is also the brother of Director Ron Howard. I know it sucks to live in that shadow.

Well, next weeks episode is the season finale and it better be good. If we do not get at least a five minute super power fight I am going to be disappointed. I know it seems like a small order to deliver on, but if you remember the finale from season one and how bad that was you can relate. I am still not sure where they are going. I would assume that Danko gets what he deserves, but other than that the whole thing is up for grabs.

What do you think will happen?

Fanboyz Grade:  B+

Watch the Season Finale of Heroes Monday April 27th on NBC at  9:00/ 8:00pm Central

]]> http://fanboyz.net/2009/04/21/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-11-i-am-sylar/feed/ 0 http://fanboyz.net/2009/04/14/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-10-1961/ http://fanboyz.net/2009/04/14/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-10-1961/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:49:52 +0000 Roman Chavez http://fanboyz.net/?p=3267

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS EPISODE DO NOT READ!

By Roman Chavez

April 15, 2009

Fanboyz Grade: B+

This week on Heroes… Most of our main characters collide in a place called Coyote Sands. We got an eerie glimpse of the past in this one. Apparently Angela believes that everyone in her family must know this horrible secret of her past. As we venture to Coyote Sands, the Petrelli family begins to dig around what appears to be a run down, abandoned camp of some kind. While digging they discover human remains. Not just a few bones, we are talking numerous bodies. In 1961 the government finds out about people with abilities and they round them up into this camp. The camp is in Coyote Sands and its’ head doctor is Mohinder’s father. This camp is supposed to help people with abilities.

Amongst these people were Charles Deveaux, Bob Bishop, and Daniel Linderman. You may only remember Linderman in the show, but Deveaux was the old man that Peter cared for in season one, and Bishop was Elle’s father from the last volume. Angela is at the camp because of her nightmare-ish visions of the future. She believes that she can be “cured.”  Well, like most government involvement in T.V. or movies this goes horribly wrong. Angela’s parents and little sister, Alice, are believed to have been massacred there. Angela dreams the future and sees that they all get killed, so she and the boys sneak out to try and warn the authorities. When they are leaving Alice wants to come along and Angela tells her that she dreamt that Alice would be safe staying at Coyote Sands. Angela doesn’t want to get Alice hurt or killed by trying to escape and thinks it best to leave her there until she returns. It turns out that Alice can control the weather, but it’s affected by her mood. She gets agitated with Dr. Suresh and causes a storm that freaks out the armed guards and so begins the massacre. Problem is that Angela has been dreaming about her sister lately, but thinks that she is dead. That’s why they are in Coyote Sands, to find her sisters body.

I do enjoy the flash back episodes on Heroes, however, with only two episodes left it doesn’t make much sense. This didn’t feel like it moved the story along, and it would have been better to show this earlier. It just didn’t seem to me that the writers are taking the main story anywhere. A few of the benefits were that we got to see what Deveaux’s powers are. He was a telepath of some kind. In the photo of the head people in charge of the company Deveaux is in the photo with the Petrelli’s, Linderman, Bishop, and the Nakamuras. We never knew what Deveaux or Kaito Nakamura (Hiro’s Dad) powers were, so this shed some light on that. We also got to see the birth of the company. Angela and the boys vow to keep their secrets and the secrets of others like them safe no matter what the cost.

I liked the back story in this one. I just wish I had some idea where the show was going. My DVR cut off before I could see the trailer for next week so I have some surprises waiting for me.

What did you think of the show? Let us know.

Watch Heroes Monday nights at 9:00/ 8:00pm Central on NBC

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS EPISODE YET DO NOT READ

By Roman Chavez
Air Date: April 6, 2009

This week on Heroes…  Parkman decides that he wants to make Danko feel what it’s like to lose someone special. Ando and Hiro set out on their trek to find Matt Parkman Jr’s father.  Sylar manipulates the Bennet family while the Petrelli’s try to convene in an area known as Coyote Sands.

After the death of his beloved Daphne, Parkman is in revenge mode. His plan is to make Danko paranoid of those around him and make him believe that the person he cares for most is in danger. After placing thoughts in Danko’s head Parkman follows him to the home of an ex-female escort, Elaina. While listening to their conversation we discover that Danko has not been truthful with Elaina as she believes him to be a book salesmen. Once he knows she is safe Parkman breaks in and tells her the truth about Danko. He takes her to where Danko lives and confronts him. Parkman draws his weapon on Elaina and is set to shoot her. This barely makes Danko flinch as he tells Parkman that he will not rest until all of his kind are dead. I would have liked this scene more if I could have believed it. They have made Parkman out to be this genuinely good guy. Even though he has done some hardcore stuff, I never felt that he would kill this innocent woman. It was interesting to see this side of Danko and you could really see that he cared for this woman.

I seem to be getting bored with a lot of the side story lines this volume. Hiro and Ando’s story is starting to wear thin. I understand that they need these little side stories but they are taking forever to go anywhere. So, Hiro and Ando are trying to take the baby to meet his father. I was under the impression that the kid might not be Parkman’s son because his wife was cheating on him. They never really let us know. Anyway, while on there drive the baby starts to fuss and shuts off the car. He wants to be entertained and will not let it start again until he is having fun. This infant has a keen sense of what is going on. I guess this story is meant to lighten the feel of everything, but all I want is for the story to move forward. This story is definitely stealing focus and time from the rest of the show.

I really liked the Sylar story line this week. After Sylar has gained the power to shape shift he decides to have some fun with HRG. First he poses as Danko to get up close and personal. To really get a feeling of satisfaction by seemingly fooling everyone that Sylar is dead. However, HRG is no idiot. He knows that something smells fishy and he does not believe Danko’s victorious story. Upon investigating, Sandra, his wife, comes to visit him at work with concerns about Claire. (Remember Claire is hiding with Nathan.) HRG somewhat dismisses her concerns and promises her that Claire is fine. The strain on their marriage is visible and Sylar uses this as an opportunity to introduce himself as Danko and shake her hand. Sylar wants a little revenge himself and plans on posing as Sandra to mess with HRG. Later the fake Sandra visits HRG at his apartment and brandishes fake divorce papers. This tears HRG apart and Sylar gets a great amount of satisfaction. I absolutely love it when Sylar is this maniacal and well thought out. It would be too easy to just kill HRG he wants to watch him squirm.  When HRG finally puts things together and realizes that Sylar is playing him, he believes that Sylar was Sandra the whole time. He goes to where “Sandra” is, not knowing that she is in fact the true Sandra, and man handles her pretty harshly. He is convinced that this Sandra is false. When he finally realizes that he has just accosted his real wife he is beside himself. This would drive anyone crazy. Not knowing who you can trust. Giving Sylar the power to shape shift was brilliant.

With the episode rapping up we find out that the Petrelli’s are heading to a town called Coyote Sands. Apparently we will be getting some greatly anticipated answers. Angela says that it’s time that her children find out the truth. What went on there may echo through out the series I’m hoping. We were left on a pretty decent cliff hanger where we see that something awful has happened there.

It was a strong show this week. We only have three more episodes to go, but I’m not really sure where we are going. They need to really make some ground up next week and not rush the season finale. I am really hoping for a huge super hero fight. I know that we probably wont get one, but I am still holding out hope.

What did you think? Let us know.

Watch Heroes Monday Nights at 9:00/ 8:00 pm Central on NBC

By Roman Chavez

Fanboyz Grade: B+

March 31, 2009

This week on Heroes…  As members of the Petrellis go underground, strange alliances are being forged. Sylar and Danko share some common ground as they hunt a shape shifter.  Claire and Nathan do some bonding south of the border.

Peter and Angela seek sanctuary at a local church.  For Angela, this church has a lot of meaning. She was married there, and her husband Arthur Petrelli’s funeral was there. Peter wants answers from his mother. He believes that she always knows more than she lets on. Angela is looking for answers too, but has not been able to sleep much lately so that she can dream the future.  It would seem that her power only works from natural sleep.  No drugs or sleep aids. Peter has an interesting conversation with God in the church. He says “I asked to be extraordinary, and I promised I’d make the world a better place. So when I got my chance I lived up to my end of the bargain, for what?… Do you even care what you put people through?… I’m angry. I’m angry at my father, Nathan and my mother… at you. We had a deal. I think it’s about time you lived up to your end.” Milo Ventimiglia (Peter) does an awesome job of acting in this scene. I liked the church theme because both Peter and Angela are looking for forgiveness and/ or direction. It was well done. Let’s see where it takes them.

Danko is tracking a shape shifter that has killed some of his men. It turns out that Sylar is doing the same thing, but for his own personal benefit, of course. Sylar intends on helping Danko in exchange for the chance to collect more powers. This was an interesting change of pace for these characters. Sylar makes some clever observations about the shape shifter that they are hunting. It seems that Sylar is actually quite the detective. He sifts through people’s personal stuff and finds routines and patterns. That must be how he finds his victims. Danko believes that Sylar wants to be someone else, that’s why he is looking for this man. The power to shape shift would surely make Sylar a more dangerous opponent.  Though their partnership is shaky, they end up getting the job done. This may be a fruitful relationship for both of them. Danko seems to hate people with powers more than anyone, but is ill-equipped to track them safely, or fight them when he finds them. Sylar wants to stay out of the spot light, but wants to collect powers. It’s win win.

Finally we come to our loving father daughter moments. Nathan saved Claire from agents in the last show, and thinks it is wise to hide in Mexico? They have no money, but Danko’s reach does not extend south of the border. We really don’t get too much from this story, but a few revelations occur to Claire about her “real” dad. She sees that he is a good man with good intentions. I seem to remember good intentions paving the road to hell. He admits that he didn’t know how to handle her birth and that he thinks about her everyday. That’s why he gave her a “free pass” when others were being rounded up. He was trying to buy her affection. So is Nathan going to turn around and save the day? Who knows? But I am excited to see where it goes.

A good episode. I am starting to crave some action though. We need a good super power fight.

What did you think? Let us know.

Watch Heroes Monday Nights at 9:00/ 8:00 Central on NBC

]]> http://fanboyz.net/2009/03/31/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-8-into-asylum/feed/ 0 http://fanboyz.net/2009/03/24/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-7-cold-snap/ http://fanboyz.net/2009/03/24/heroes-recap-vol-4-episode-7-cold-snap/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:19:33 +0000 Roman Chavez http://fanboyz.net/?p=2265

Warning Spoiler Alert: If you have not seen this episode DO NOT READ!

By Roman Chavez

Fanboyz Grade: B+

Air Date: March 23, 2009

This week on Heroes…  HRG and Angela scheme to get closer to Danko while Daphne and Parkman reunite. Tracy is allowed to escape so that she may be used as bait to draw out Rebel. Hiro and Ando try to save Matt Parkman Jr. with a happy twist. And finally Rebel’s identity is revealed.

With Nathan now on the outs with the program assigned to track down supers, Danko seems to be assuming control. HRG needs to find away to get close to him and the only way to do that is to try and give him Rebel. HRG theorizes that Rebel may have some connection to Tracy so he wants to let her escape and follow her to Rebel. In letting her go, HRG quietly confronts her and says he will quit hunting her if she cooperates with leading them to Rebel. Tracy agrees. Rebel has been helping supers since the government stepped in. It is sad to see how much Tracy wants to save her own skin that she would sacrifice someone who has been willing to help so many. We will get back to Rebel Later.

Angela Petrelli is finally getting thrown into the mix, but I don’t think that she likes it there. She is now being hunted by the government group and is running out of places to hide. Meanwhile, Hiro and Ando are trying to figure out why Rebel would send them to save Parkman’s child. It would seem that the child may have abilities – but what is it? When Matt Jr. keeps turning the T.V on it seems to be just a minor annoyance. However, when he turns it on after it’s been unplugged, it shows us he can turn things on or even power them up. When the black ops team shows up to take him, Ando steps up to protect Hiro; and the child then realizes that he can hold on to his charging power, and concentrate it into a weapon. Sadly he only takes out one guy before being hit. When the team tries to get to Hiro, Matt Jr. touches him and just like that Hiro can stop time again, but that’s it. Hiro tries to teleport them all to safety but is unable to. I was wondering when they were going to give Hiro his powers back. It’s kind of a weird way to do it, but it is interesting. I wonder can baby Parkman can give Peter back his powers?

Speaking of the Parkman family, when Tracy escapes, she breaks a few prisoners out on her way. Parkman, Mohinder, and Daphne are among those lucky escapees. However, Daphne is still banged up from getting shot and she needs to be taken to the hospital. It is always fun to see Parkman use his powers to get things done. He uses them to get her into the hospital and makes it so that no one is asking any questions. But it seems like these two just can’t catch a break as it is too late for young Daphne. Parkman, being the good guy that he is, puts her mind in a dream state where they are both in Paris France. He tries to make her as comfortable as possible when she passes away. They pulled this off well, but I almost didn’t care that she died. We hadn’t really seen her in a while, so for me, it was just like, “Ok, let’s move on”. I feel bad for Parkman so we will see where his story goes from here.

Drum roll… Rebel is Micah Sanders. I called it. I have to say they did this well too. Some of the people I know, that are fans, did not see this coming. It was cool because some fans forgot about him. The last time we saw Micah was when Tracy went to see him when she was looking for answers last volume. Tracy leads the team right to Micah, but when she finds out it’s him that’s been helping her, she feels awful. He is disappointed that she would even lead them to anyone. In a final act of heroism, Tracy sacrifices herself to save Micah by dong a pretty cool, forgive my pun, total freeze out of an entire parking garage. This stops the agents that are after Micah, but leaves her in an ice form that Danko destroys. Poor Ali Larter, she just can not survive in this show. She is probably not gone forever. I hope they do not bring her back in some lame way, like another sister or something; however, I would be fine with her melting and then coming back together.

It was another good week. I am happy with the show. We will see what happens next.

What did you think? Let us know

Watch Heroes Monday Nights 9:00/ 8:00 Central on NBC