Arguably the most talked-about television show of the 2006-2007 season,
the Emmy-nominated fantasy Heroes gives viewers blends comic
book-style adventure with plotting and characters as rich and layered as
any graphic novel or drama series. Creator Tim Kring's premise is
deceptively simple - ordinary individuals in locations around the globe
discover that they have, for lack of a better term, super powers, and
wrestle with this reality while facing challenges both global (the
destruction of New York City, for one) and personal (indestructible
cheerleader Hayden Panetierre has family issues - serious ones, as the
true identity of her adoptive father reveals; Milo Ventimiglia's Peter Petrelli,
who absorbs other powers, must overcome his own insecurities). Add to
this mix a terrific villain - Zachary Quinto's Sylar, who hunts and kills
people with extraordinary powers like our heroes - and viewers have a
riveting series that exhibits an almost-perfect balance of cliffhanger thrills
(the action and special effects are truly impressive for a network program)
and genuine drama that sets the show apart from most speculative fiction
(save, perhaps, the revived Battlestar Galactica, which it compares too
favorably). The seven-disc set of Heroes: Season One offers a wealth of
extras for fans, who may be familiar with some of them through the
NBC.com website, especially the cast commentaries, which are featured
on half of the episodes. Kring is featured on the 73-minute uncut pilot
episode, which for some viewers, may be even better than the network
version; the main difference is the degree of character development,
including an entire storyline for D.L. Hawkins that isn't featured in the
broadcast version. Also on deck are some 50 deleted scenes from the
episodes, several by-the-books making-of featurettes, including coverage
of the special effects and stunt work, and a profile of artist Tim Sale,
whose illustrations are used for Isaac Mendez's prophetic artwork.
Prospective buyers should note that while all of these supplemental
features are included on the HD-DVD version of this set, the special
Web-connectivity elements are not available here. -- Paul Gaita
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Creating and executing a TV series in which each season takes place in
the course of just one day, with each episode occupying a single hour, is
no mean feat, but the makers of 24 have pulled it off admirably. And while
many of the show's longtime adherents seem to agree that this sixth
season (with 24 episodes offered on six DVDs, plus a seventh disc
loaded with bonus features) is perhaps its weakest, relative newcomers,
freed from the expectations generated by the five that preceded it, will find
it to be riveting entertainment. This is a show that hits the ground running
and then proceeds to relentlessly ratchet up the tension, balancing its
disparate elements--terrorism and espionage, political intrigue and
treachery, personal drama--with remarkable aplomb. Indeed, the first
episode is barely underway before we're told that a plague of terrorist
bombings is sweeping the United States, killing many hundreds and
leaving the nation in disarray. President Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), in
office for just three months following the assassination of his brother,
agonizes over the proper course of action while some of his advisers
counsel restraint and others urge him to adopt measures that will
radically restrict Americans' (especially those of Muslim descent) civil
liberties. Meanwhile, Jack Bauer (star and executive producer Kiefer
Sutherland) has been released after two years in a Chinese prison, but
only so he can be handed over to Abu Fayed (Adoni Maropis), a
particularly nasty villain who proposes to trade Jack's life for the location
of Hamri Al-Assad (Alexander Siddig), who's suspected of being the
mastermind behind the current reign of terror. That's only the beginning,
of course. Soon Jack (who, despite being severely tortured during his
imprisonment, is still cool enough to coordinate a manhunt while
simultaneously disarming a bomb set to detonate in two minutes) and
his counter-terrorism cronies are dealing with the specter of a nuclear
holocaust on American soil, more political assassination, Jack's feckless
family, and a good deal more. And that's only in the first twelve hours! It
doesn't all work--especially in the second half. Some of the characters
are less than convincing (Jack's brother Graem, portrayed by Paul
McCrane, is weak in every respect; in fact, the entire family sideshow is
fairly ridiculous), while the casting is sometimes off the mark (Woodside
does his best, but he lacks the gravitas needed in a plausible Chief
Executive) and the story contains multiple plot points that will challenge
even those willing to totally suspend their disbelief. By and large, though,
24 more than lives up to its own hype as the tube's most addictive
program. Bonus material includes commentary on selected episodes,
deleted scenes, a preview of Season 7, several featurettes, and a whole
lot more. --Sam Graham
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