Why Some Heroes Fans Gave Up On Season 2
"Heroes" was a huge hit for NBC back in the '00s — at least during its 1st season. The action-adventure series predated superhero fare like "The Flash" and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." in making superheroes cool and relevant to modern TV audiences. Unfortunately, after an action-packed 1st season, the 2nd was met with disappointment from the fanbase — and a 15% ratings drop (via Entertainment Weekly). Even series creator Tim Kring ultimately apologized to viewers for the quality of the 2nd season, admitting that its slow pace, poorly written romantic subplots, and reliance on newbie characters likely led to the show's downfall.
It wasn't all bad news for "Heroes," however. The show survived for two more seasons and even got a miniseries spin-off called "Heroes Reborn" in 2015. But perhaps it's best to turn to the show's fanbase to ask why 15% of its audience evaporated during Season 2. Why did they give up on a show that had pleased and intrigued them so much in Season 1?
Fans cite poor writing, bad plotting for Season 2's failure
Fans who hang out on the "Heroes" subreddit tend to cite Season 2 as the show's downfall due to poor pacing and awkward plotting. "I think if Season 2 had consisted of Generations, Exodus and Villains spread over 25 episodes, it would have found its feet," said u/brokennarrative.
Others note inconsistent plotting and characterization as a major issue for the show. "The moment Peter loses his powers is the moment the show ends for me," said u/Kiwi_OW. Others denote a plunge in quality between the show's first two seasons. "It just continues to plummet for a long time before then [sic] show gets a second wind," said u/KayTheLedge. "It felt like they no longer had a direction for the characters to go, and instead they became action figures in someone's play-drama," said u/eissturm.
Some fans blame the 2008 Writers Guild of America strike, which took place during the production of Season 2, for its issues. "[It] really ruined the trajectory of the show," said u/badkarmabum. But that leaves one to wonder: Do fans think "Heroes" improved at all between Season 2 and its eventual cancellation?
Did the show improve in Season 3 or 4?
Did "Heroes" rebound during its 3rd and 4th seasons, or for "Heroes Reborn"? Viewers have mixed opinions.
On the negative side of things, u/sammytinboss called Season 3 an "avalanche [of] plot holes" upon rewatching it. "Every time Noah Bennet and Sylar are together they literally have the exact same conversation," they added. Redditor u/b-mint94 pointed out plot holes such as "conveniently forgetting that Claire's blood can bring people back from the dead and not using it on Nathan," which contributed to the later seasons' weak reputation. They also noted, however, that some dangling plot beats were better left to the audience's imaginations. "I know a lot of us wanted to know what happened after Claire jumped off that tower and revealed the existence of Evos to the world, but sometimes some things are just better left unexplained," they said.
Other fans have spoken approvingly about the show's later seasons. "There'[re] lots of silly parts but [I] think season one set the standards too high which makes you all deem the later seasons unwatchable," said u/powlesy6. Redditor u/EchidnaLunar, who confesses to "absolutely [adoring] season 4," thinks that fans have misjudged Season 4 due to Season 2's negative reputation while admitting to having mixed feelings about Season 3.
Whether fans love or hate what "Heroes" became, it's hard to deny that it made quite the cultural impact on the world.