Heroes - Orientation; Jump, Push, Fall - Recap

Heroes is back for a fourth season, and quite surprisingly, I am not throwing the remote at the TV. Thankfully, I can fast-forward my DVR, so I don't have to go through the really slow pacing. This show has completely lost it's wow and mystery factor over the years. When every cliffhanger from the past 2 seasons has been for the most part a dud, expectations are now very low for a loyal viewer like me. Which is probably why I was pleased with last night's episode the two-for-one: "Orientation" and "Jump, Push, Fall".

The best part was Peter Petrelli becoming a hero again. No more emo-Peter. Just reliable I-want-to-help-people Peter. He goes back to being a paramedic and helps peeps by secretly using his arsenal of abilities -- which at the beginning was super-strength, then later on, super-speed. Yay.

The Sylar-Nathan-Parkman Frankenstein plot was also interesting, though the scenes with Parkman still made me tune out. So Sylar's body thinks it's Nathan -- and Sylar's brain is inside Parkman. What a neat concept -- except that it's Parkman. Is there a petition I need to sign somewhere to get rid of this character?

Claire is in college and apparently is Veronica Mars.

HRG and Angela Petrelli are reviving the Corporation, and HRG recruited Tracy Strauss somehow. They uncover the new villains of the show: Samuel and his band of carnival cultists (or something like that) after Danko is killed. Samuel is played by Robert Knepper who was T-Bag in Prison Break. He really does a great job. What a great addition to the show in my opinion.

Hiro and Ando start a hero for hire company in Japan. Hiro is dying. He is convinced by Samuel to "right all the wrongs he has done in the past" which we know is another recipe for disaster. Hiro is just beyond annoying now. Oh Hiro, at least your characterization as an idiot for the past 3 seasons has been consistent.

So our Heroes are off on their merry ways and the overall arch is this sinister band of other "heroes" trying to recruit them. I can live with that. For as long as Peter has the super-speed power, I will be happy.

One thing really disappointed me though: Where's Mohinder? Was he completely removed from the show? He didn't even show up for the previews in the end. He was one of my favorite cuties! His character could still be saved and yet they kept Parkman. There is no justice.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Watch the video clip here: