S1 EP.10 – This Isn’t Better – A review of the ‘Heroes’ TV series pt.2

The guys, (Kareem, Ken and Pat) continue reviewing the show Heroes with special guest Andy Thompson. Tangents include early 2000’s death shows, anthology shows and their merits, rampant amnesia used as plot filler, and more.


Show Notes

Heroes began development early in 2006, when Tim Kring, creator of NBC’s Crossing Jordan, came up with the show’s concept. Kring wanted to create a “large ensemble saga” that would connect with the audience. He began thinking about how big, scary and complicated he felt the world is, and wanted to create a character-driven series about people who could do something about it. Kring felt that a cop or medical drama did not have characters that were big enough to save the world. He came up with the thought of superheroes; ordinary people who would discover extraordinary abilities, while still rooted in the real world and in reality. Casting directors Jason La Padura and Natalie Hart brought forth a cast of new faces such as Milo Ventimiglia who described the pilot as a “character drama about everyday people with a heightened reality.” A heightened reality that was brought to light through the work of production designer Ruth Ammon. Kring wanted the series to have touchstones that involved the characters and the world they lived in.[31][32]

Before he began putting his ideas together, he spoke with Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof, with whom he had worked for three years on Crossing Jordan. Kring credits Lindelof for giving him ideas on how to pitch the series to the network and advice on the lessons he (Lindelof) learned about working on a serialized drama. The two still speak and support each other’s projects.[33][34][35] When Kring pitched the idea for Heroes to the NBC network, he described the network’s reaction as “excited…very supportive.”[36] He comments that he has been partners with NBC for some time based on his six-year run as showrunner for Crossing Jordan.[36] When he pitched the pilot, he described every detail, including the cliffhanger ending. When NBC executives asked him what was going to happen next, Kring responded, “Well, you’ll just have to wait and find out.”[37] After the project was greenlit, a special 73-minute version of the pilot was first screened to a large audience at the 2006 Comic Con in San Diego.[38] It was initially reported that this unaired pilot would not be released, however it was included on the first season DVD set.[39]

From <https://time.com/5752400/adult-animation-golden-age/>

Topic 1: Duration:30-45 mins

1. Main point –

Establishing what the hell happened to the show?

Sadly, as the show progressed, it turned out that the near-perfect first season was something of an anomaly. From the disastrous amount of time Hiro spent trapped in ancient Japan to the increasingly ridiculous number of powers both Peter Petrelli and his nemesis, Sylar, managed to acquire, it became obvious that Heroes was a show buckling under the weight of its own mythology. Meanwhile, the tantalising hints of a dystopian future world where no one could be trusted turned out to be less than enticing once we realised that the writers had no idea how to get their Heroes there.

From <https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/may/31/heroes-tv-show-america>

Segue (can be a sound effect, short musical clip, or a phrase)

Topic 2: Duration:30-45 mins

1.  Going over episode & character breakdowns

2. Supporting point

3. Supporting data

4. Supporting quote

[Sponsor message]

Topic 3: Duration:30-45 mins

1. Reviewing viewer reviews and complaints and adding our own to the list

2. Coming to a general consensus and summary

Closing remarks/recap


EP.122 – Wait, You Know Kung Fu Too? – A Review of The State of Martial Arts Films pt.2 Tangential Giants Podcast

Kareem, Ken, Pat, and returning chaos agent JPG dive into the second half of their martial arts saga, tracing how the genre went from the clean, wide‑shot choreography of the 80s and 90s to the hyper‑edited, camera‑trick chaos that took over in the 2000s.They unpack how The Matrix rewired Hollywood’s brain, how 9‑11 reshaped action aesthetics, and how Jackie Chan’s beautifully reckless stunt work got replaced by gunkata, tactical reloads, and enough quick cuts to make a film editor sweat. Along the way, the crew debates whether modern action is evolution or just caffeine with a budget.If you enjoy martial arts history, pop culture detours, and a guest who refuses to stay on topic, this episode delivers.#tangentialgiants #martialartsmovies #actioncinema #Gunkata #jackiechan #thematrix #filmpodcast #popculturepodcast #moviediscussions
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