So it's kind of a Dark Phoenix thing I guess?

The cinematic feel was successful, but the dialog was very weak. This being a new series, one would expect the introductions to overwhelm the dialog and plotlines. I think its going to take the six or more episodes for this show to hit its stride, much like Surface or Invasion. Unfortunately, It may only last a half a season. Seems to be somewhat of a niche show. Sci-Fi fans that like dark drama. Outside of Battlestar Galactica, there hasn't really been a successful dark sci-fi drama.

I didn't find the cheerleader annoying at all. Just the opposite. I didn't think she offered us much personality. Kind of bland. One facial expression for nearly every scene. I also found the comic relief in the Japanese guy to be somewhat of a stereotypical comic geek and not very funny. But again, we are just getting through the introductions.

Agree with all of this. I thought this was worlds better than last year's "Lost wannabe" crop of Invasion, Threshold, etc. I really liked the pace and the way they juggled the characters. The dialogue maybe wasn't Oscar-worthy but it served the purpose. And I like that it was serious in tone, I don't want it to turn out like Smallville.

Before watching the show, I was pretty optimistic. Why wouldn't I be? It's about a group of people finding out that they're special in some ways and, I assume, the rest of the series will be about how they deal with it. C'mon... this is the kind of thing that fueled the daydreams of the comic-book kid in me, so of course I'd be interested. Well, after watching the show, I'm still optimistic but maybe a little more cautious about it.

There are a lot of things a liked about it: Its an ensemble cast, so we don't have to get mired by a couple of characters or relationships that we may end up not liking as the show progresses. The show seems to be grounded in the real world. And there's a funny Japanese guy... and who doesn't like funny Japanese guys?!

There was one big thing that bothered me about the episode, though, and I know it'll probably put me in the minority. The obvious comparisons to Unbreakable are there except for maybe the biggest one: character development. I wish that the writers had actually taken a bit more time to develop the characters before revealing their powers, maybe even going an 2 or 3 episodes (I know this is impossible, though, given that they need to reel in viewers from the start). As it was, I had no real connection with any of the characters. So, when they had to deal with whatever powers they had, I couldn't be sympathetic one way or the other. This was definitely the case with the cheerleader. I wouldn't go so far as to say she's annoying, but her mindset was somewhat confusing. We become her "friend" who asks her why she isn't more excited about it. After she rattles on about SATs and the prom, I was left wondering, "is that it?" Is she pouty because her powers get in the way of high school?! Geez... it's like Dawson finding out he has powers and then getting all angsty because he doesn't know how it'll affect his relationship with Joey Potter. And don't get me started on the nurse...

Anyway, the good still outweighed the bad for me, so I'll be looking forward to next Monday... albeit a little more cautiously.

I like the show and actually like the cheerleader character. btw, Ali is smoking hot

For as many characters as there are, I think they did a great job introducing most of them in 1 hour.

There's always the possibility for flashbacks.

I find it interesting that a lot of the posts here feel the need to always mention how smokin hot Ali Larter is in this. She looks good, I know. Cool it.

X-Files...
Babylon 5...

It's probably just a lot of little things. Maybe she fell down and didn't get hurt. Thought nothing of it. Then maybe she cuts herself and it heals quickly.

And then she starts "testing" herself, little by little.

The dialogue from her friend indicated that she had been doing things like the fall for some time.

Ratings

It would have been great if the show had trusted the audience enough to actually develop these characters in this way instead of handing us a bunch of super powers and the fate of the world in the first episode. What makes someone believe he can not only stop time but teleport as well? What happens to someone that convinces him his dreams of flying are real enough that he should hop off a building? Stuff like that would make for an interesting show, these people slowly discovering their powers and then coming to realize the greater import of them.

I'm surprised people think this show has a slow pace. I don't think it could have been any more rushed. For those who didn't watch the show that followed, there's a scene where the network President says something to the effect of, "I don't believe those who watch television are dumber than those who write for television." When she said this, the first thing I thought of was Heroes, a show with a cool concept that treats us like we're too stupid to handle something better.

das

I guess if I had to spell it out for you, I understand why you like the show.

I dunno, the previews looked more like a subplot from the shortlived Dead at 21 than STF. And I'm sure Dead at 21 wasn't the first to use it ()

I like the show a good deal, I didn't care for the cab driver or the genetics subplot, but the rest of the show was pretty interesting, will definitely stick around. Certainly more entertaining than I was expected. Certain segments were handled better than others, but overall very few complaints.

That said, I'm also not a fan of trying to rationalize these things, as it generally comes off as a bit phoney. And yes, the first episode was a bit rushed, but seeing as how shows get canned so easily these days, it's pretty understandable that they went after the hook so quick.

I'm sure flashbacks would work... they've worked for LOST and have become a cornerstone of that show. The difference, though, is that with LOST the audience is instantly sympathetic to the characters. I mean, who hasn't had thoughts of your plane going down? Or thoughts about what you would do if you found yourself stranded... how you would survive? The castaways on LOST are living some of our worst fears.

On the other hand, the situations that the people in Heroes are going through are so fantastic that the only way we can hope to sympathize with them is through their characterization. (I must admit, though, that I've thought about what I'd do if I found out I had superpowers... but those were stuff of daydreams and wish-fulfillment, not fear or anxiety.) Unfortunately, we're introduced to these characters almost at the moment they're realizing how special they've become. And with the amount of characters introduced, the pilot just seemed to be a showcase of powers rather than characters. I understand that this is probably a necessity, though, because if they built up each character first, the audience would quite likely get bored.

But don't get me wrong. I do have a lot of faith in this show and I'm sure, in time, I'll grow to become sympathetic. I guess I just wanted more from the onset.

These were my exact concerns, too... except maybe better thought-out and presented.

It sounds to me like you and many others are dealing with unrealistic expectations. We're talking about a show created by Tim Kring, the Creator of Crossing Jordan. Joss Whedon might be capable of churning out the sort of series you'd like to see. Kring isn't. He's a guy who got his start on Knight Rider and Misfits of Science and who spent a good amount of time working on Providence.

The reason what Jordan said an hour later resonated is because it does accurately describe Heroes. It's a down the middle network series that I'm betting will manage to entertain folks for longer than Studio 60 will because it's just a reality that not everybody wants TV to challenge them like most of the people here do. I love both shows for very different reasons, but I make no illusions about where they're coming from.

Nah, my expectations are pretty measured. I'm just stating my opinions about the pilot. And for the record, Crossing Jordan was a lot of fun whenever Kring wasn't getting bogged down in that nonsense about Jordan's mom, so there's potential for a fun show here. Like anything else, I try to judge a show by what it strives to be. At least in the pilot, Heroes took itself pretty damn seriously (save Peripheral Vision Teleportation Man). For me to enjoy it, they either need to lighten up a bit or deliver better content. Pilots are always a mixed bag, so I'm not bailing just yet, but I do hope they have something with more substance for us down the road.

das

I definitely agree about the potential for a fun show, though I must say I enjoyed Crossing Jordan's continuing storyline because it was what involved Ken Howard. The show just isn't the same without him.

Kring is one of my primary concerns, there is not much of a Sci-Fi pedigree there. But you never know, maybe this new territory will take some time for him to explore and tap some deep down creativty that suites the genre.

Wow, I did not think I would feel like the minority here, but I liked the pilot.
It is a pilot after all. I think the show has a lot of promise.
I didn't like Lost that much when it first started (I ended up waiting for the DVD to watch the rest of the first season) and now I wait for it with bated breath.

(edited my Lost comments)

I didn't fall in love with it from the first episode (which was bumpy and probably just a *little* to packed). But I didn't dislike it either.

I'm interested in the concept and characters enough to stick with it a bit and see where this goes. The show is my "rotation probation".

So, is it ever possible to see a solar eclipse at the same time from both America and Japan? I'm guessing not.

I had the same feeling after this that I did after watching Firefly the night it premiered. It feels like there's an episode or two missing and NBC just started off with an episode they thought would draw people in.

I really liked the show, much more than Studio 60. It's funny that others thing Heroes is stiff/smug/pretentious; I feel that way about Studio 60. This show has me intrigued, which is all I can ask for.

I really just came in here to see how many people would be saying it was a rip off of the 4400, can't believe there is only 1 comment on that. It is SO similar. I think much more so than to X-Men or Unbreakable. That being said I was entertained and will most likely watch this.