The "Super"strength of Heroes

One of the better television shows this year has been Heroes. But what makes this show so good? Most new shows tend to come into the business with the wrong ideas that get them axed before they have a chance to flourish. Let's look at a couple of things that Heroes has done very well thus far this season.

Casting - Many new shows use gimmick casts full of has-been movie stars that audiences will recognize. These big-name actors and actresses are often miscast and do not fit the show well. The best shows on television usually create their own stars by finding actors and actresses looking for a breakout role and giving it to them. Heroes is no exception. The most well-known star of the bunch is the young Hayden Panettiere, who is playing a drastically different role then she played as a child. The casting of Heroes, as a whole, is top-notch. Every character seems believable in their reactions to their superpowers or the current plot. One actor who stands out is Masi Oka. His sheer enthusiasm while playing the role of Hiro kept me watching Heroes from the beginning.

Surprises - If you watch shows on television today, many of their plots and surprises are often predictable or ill-contrived. Heroes falls into neither of these traps. Every twist and turn that is revealed takes me back more and more. One plot line for the last couple episodes has been "someone flies, someone dies." Of all the characters I guessed to die, the one I never thought of bought the bullet. If you can see where Heroes stories are going episode to episode, you probably should be writing, not watching, television.

Special Effects - NBC has no problem going all-out for their new star show. The special effects are often unbelievable for television and even better when watching in high-definition. Whether it be by showing gruesomely real injuries healing or by destroying a home through nuclear waves, Heroes always delivers visually when needed.