Showrunner Tim Kring has been open about the fact that this series is supposed to be accessible to newcomers while also having plenty to hook fans of the original. Now the daunting challenge is to come across as freshly distinctive amid a prime-time landscape littered with caped and masked crusaders, including the new CBS “Supergirl”.
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Ahead of the Thursday primetime launch of the NBC action drama, “Heroes Reborn“, Jimmy Jean-Louis and fellow actors released a short video in an effort to raise money for a school he built in the Déléard Zone of Kenscoff, Haiti. Together Joanne and Luke go along killing as many people with abilities as they can. Reborn is trying for a metaphor here between the Evos and other discriminated minority groups in our own world, but it’s handled with a heavy hand, and the message gets somewhat confused as potential antagonists who serve as the audience’s lens attack the Evos.
The original “Heroes” aired for four seasons, from 2006 to 2010, and engendered a loyal fanbase.
Story-wise, the biggest issue in Reborn’s return is the lack of actual Evos. Also dead is any chance of regular people accepting evos since Mohinder Suresh (returning Heroes player Sendhil Ramamurthy) is credited as the mastermind of the terrorist attack. There’s also a odd man (Pruitt Taylor Vince) who’s protecting Tommy, constantly following him around and using a penny to take away the memories of anyone who might harm him. On the bad-guy side: a couple with a grudge who are murdering evos for sport and an evil corporation whose new invention could tip the balance of power.
Emily (Gatlin Green) – Emily is the love interest of Tommy, who is kind.
This new Heroes Reborn teaser seems to be taking itself very seriously, and plays a bit more like an urge for charitable donations than a geeky TV advert. Here it is then, if you’re intrigued enough to watch it… One of them is “Chuck” star Zachary Levi, who will portray the role of vigilante Luke Collins.
“The tone of these two shows is very different”. Here are reflections from Kring on his reborn series:Time marches onBecause we didnt get that fifth season, I have always thought there was an unfinished nature to all of this. To celebrate this event, “Heroes Reborn – Book 1: courageous New World” will be made available as an exclusive, limited free eBook download on Amazon for one day only, September 25th.
The heroes are initially not willing to go on such superhero-y ventures.
It’s hard to become invested in Reborn because so much of it is a long throw; there’s not a hook to snap people back into the world like the initial pilot’s promise of something causing New York City to explode.
The Heroes Reborn opener features its share of potentially showstopping moments, but they land awkwardly and without much force.
There are some well-executed effects and a few welcome flashes of humor, though those don’t completely counter the overall sense of portent that fills most every “save the world” line.
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For the sake of full disclosure, I gave up on Heroes after season two. The reboot miniseries will run for 13 episodes. But if you’re a fan of the older NBC show, you’ll definitely want to check it out.
