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- TV Series: Heroes
- Episode: Exposed
- Starring: Jack Coleman, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Milo Ventimiglia, Zachary Quinto, Masi Oka, James Kyson Lee, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Ashley Crow
- Written By: Adam Armus and Kay Foster
- Directed By: Eric Launeuville
- Network: NBC
- Series: Heroes
Heroes: Exposed
You Never Know When a Kevin Costner Movie Is Going to Save Your Life By
Rob Vaux
March 03, 2009
Peter running around trying to save the day in HEROES: EXPOSED(2009).
© NBC
Remember Alex (Justin Baldoni), that kid from the comic book shop who can breathe underwater? Claire's (Hayden Panettiere) been hiding him in her closet like a stray puppy. He's reluctant to go on the lam, but she's pretty adamant and frankly knows what she's talking about. They're interrupted by Claire's mom (Ashley Crow), who winnows the truth out of them the way moms always do and declares that she is "very disappointed" by Claire's deceit. She also lets on that the pool-cleaning van parked across the street has been there for a suspiciously long time and that she has a plan to get Alex clear of it.
Over at Building 26, the power struggle continues between Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) and the Hunter (Zeljko Invanek). The former wants to hunt Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Matt (Greg Grunberg) down like rabid dogs; the latter would prefer it be done with the sheen of respectability. Luckily, neither of them have to make that call, because Matt and Pete are coming to them! Holed up in Isaac's old apartment, they stew over Matt's visions of an impending apocalypse before a mysterious computer message from the Rebel clues them in to Daphne's (Brea Grant) exact location. They split just before the Feds bust down the door.
Out on the road, Luke (Dan Byrd) keeps pushing Sylar's buttons as they make their way to Sylar's dad. Their repartee is interrupted when Sylar inexplicably turns off into a boarded-up hot-dog stand. He remembers being brought there as child with his father and sold to his adoptive parents. When his mother protested, Sylar's father killed her… apparently with a telekinetic swipe to the head. Sylar decides to kill his father and abandons Luke in the hot-dog stand rather than put up with the kid's overall teen jerkiness for one more instant.
Peter borrows Matt's powers and they both make with the Jedi mind tricks to get deep inside Building 26. Peter then hacks into the computer network while Matt uses a pair of SWAT meat puppets to hold the Hunter and his team hostage in their office. As Peter works, the Rebel crops up again, directing him to video files of the heroes shackled and being loaded onto planes. Peter makes a copy of the files in order to expose Nathan's activities. Daphne's been moved, but the two feel that they can exchange the files for her life. HRG (Jack Coleman) and the Hunter disrupt their psychic abilities by activating the fire alarms, and they're forced to flee. The Rebel comes through for them again by briefly cutting power to the building. Matt holds off Nathan and the Hunter while Peter flees with the files.
Back in Cali, Mrs. Bennett cobbles a fake ID for Alex, while he and Claire start to make significant eyes at each other. She then reveals a secret panel in the wall where he can hide, just as the agents from the pool-cleaning van come busting down the door. They find nothing, but that still doesn't solve the problem. Alex needs to get clear of the house and make a train for Albuquerque. Mrs. Bennett runs interference, using her son as a decoy while Alex and Claire slip free. They're pursued by the Feds, but luckily, Alex caught that screening of Waterworld on the Superstation and hides them both under a neighbor's pool by breathing sensuously into her mouth.
Peter calls Nathan, offering to trade the files for Matt and Daphne. (Ali Larter's Tracy is apparently SOOL.) Nate's willing, but the Hunter plans to take Peter down instead. He shoots Peter in the shoulder at the exchange point, but Nathan manages to surreptitiously fly his brother to safety. The two then have it out under the watchful eye of their mother (Cristine Rose). Nathan admits that the situation has gotten out of hand, but Pete's not buying his admonitions and swipes Nathan's powers to fly away again. The video files end up on the national news. In response, the Hunter straps Matt to a bomb--setting him up to look like a terrorist--and dumps him near the Capitol building… just as Matt's visions predicted.
With Alex free, Claire and her mother have a feel-good hug and plan to watch a DVD together. When Claire goes downstairs to pop some popcorn, she finds Erik Doyle (David H. Lawrence) waiting for her with a message from the Rebel stating that she will save him.
The Good
Mrs. Bennett kind of rocks the house here--even with that goofy little dog--and helps make the Claire thread the high point of the evening. Matt and Peter's escapades held their share of amusements too, and I do so love watching the heroes really and truly exploit their powers. "Why should we shoot you in the head when these nice flunkies of yours will do it for us?" Sylar made the right call by ditching the annoying kid. Presumably, he will circle back around to the remainder of the storyline any episode now.
The Bad
Seriously, can Matt do anything right? He bungles his way through yet another scheme which by all rights should have come to a successful conclusion in about a minute and a half. Mrs. Petrelli's Lady Macbeth routine needs to kick into a higher gear soon as well, and they need to stop writing Peter out of trouble by having him just fly away. Also, for all his bad-assery, the Hunter's final solution for Matt lacks a certain finesse. You just strap him to a bomb and dump him on the rotunda? That's your plan?! Come on, we're supposed to be really scared of you! They're still making Panettiere wear too much make-up, which is kind of distracting, and I won't even get into her new boyfriend's Waterworld stunt. (He exhales carbon dioxide and she breathes it in, and that… that… no, sorry, that just ain't working.)
The Prognosis
Alex makes a Harriet Tubman crack about Claire early on, and that doesn't seem far off now that Doyle has shown up. Is she setting up a de facto Underground Railroad for the paranormal? Not healthy with the FBI permanently camped in her driveway. Matt's dilemma should come to an interesting conclusion, one way or another (though I'm guessing he doesn't blow up). And does anyone out there have any theories on the Rebel's identity? All signs point to Micah Sanders--especially with the technological acrobatics he was performing tonight--but that feels a little too easy. Alternate notions would be much appreciated.
I still haven't watched this show for the last 2 weeks and I really don't feel like I'm missing much. Have fun guys! I'm waiting for more Fringe!!! >:o)