Heroes Season 2

Heroes Season 2 has built a real following on and among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. Across 1 season, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Zachary Quinto's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Heroes Season 2 earns its spot. What makes Heroes Season 2 work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Season 2 introduces new stories — and new heroes — following the apocalyptic showdown in New York City. Claire has moved with her family to Southern California in order to hide her indestructible abilities and there she encounters a young man with a secret of his own. Matt gains new authority in tracking down a murderous force stalking the Heroes, while Suresh uncovers a virus that could eradicate them all. Zachary Quinto and Hayden Panettiere lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2007. The rules of Heroes Season 2's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Heroes Season 2 a chance. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Zachary Quinto anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.