While the second season of Heroes won’t be out on DVD in the states until later this month, it’s already out across the pond. And as tends to happen, that means there is a variety of deleted and alternated scenes popping up in youtube for your perusal pleasure. Most interesting of them all is probably the alternate ending, a glimpse into the direction Heroes would have gone in if it wasn’t for the writer’s strike.

More after the cut.

The alternate ending

I’m not sure if a quarantine/virus storyline would have been the best way to go. We saw with Hiro’s stay in Japan that the writers don’t know when to cut a story short. I could see what’s an interesting concept lasting for entirely too long. It’s interesting to see that Nathan’s story would still continue along a pretty similar path as how the show ended, only instead of being taken out by a bullet, it’s the virus that does him in.

The main question would have been, where do you go from here? A virus doesn’t make the most exciting villain for audiences to hate, unless they were gearing towards making Nathan’s mom the big bad. And considering season three is titled Villains, we might still see this happening.

We also got a glimpse of Hiro’s dad power.

Io9 seems to think that the power to see the best possibility is an Asian stereotype, mainly because of “better than a supercomputer” line. I think that’s taking things entirely too far. I actually like his superpower and the way it is demonstrated in this clip. Then again, if he does have that superhero, the question arises as to why he couldn’t see the whole thing with Adam coming. Also, has it been revealed if Hiro’s sister has a power too?

In other none season two news, EW(Bunnyfear’s favorite mag) is reporting that Seth Green and Breckin Meyer are close to signing a deal to join the cast of Heroes. They’re in talks of playing two nonpower comic book geeks that will give advice to the other Heroes. I really hope this doesn’t pan out. While I’m a big fan of both Green and Meyer, I don’t like the idea of them in Heroes, especially in those roles. It’s a bit too wink wink to the audience.(For those that don’t know Green and Meyer and friends that have starred in several movies as well as the popular Robot Chicken) But what I really don’t like is the roles they’re supposedly playing. We already have a comic book geek in Hiro, i don’t think we need another one. And more importantly, it’s just playing to cast. I rather see Green and Meyer in different roles, sort of what we saw from Kristin Bell.

Each week we’ll watch one show and offer up three opinions. As always sometimes we’ll agree and sometimes we’ll violently disagree enough to slap the other in the face with a fish. Unfortunately you won’t get to see any of that hot fish slapping action but whats left is One Show, Three Opinions. Up first is Heroes “Kindred Spirits”.

See our reviews, after the jump…

Nicholas [6.5/10]

For the record, I love Heroes, and because I love Heroes, i hold it to a higher standard than most shows. That said, the first 3 episodes of season 2 have been so anticlimactic they are driving me absolutely crazy. These first episodes are purely setup with virtually no payoffs, and next week’s episode preview gave me no reason to think it will be any different. The special effects have been sub-par for a show of heroes caliber. In tonights episode, it was impossible to not imagine Claire and the flying boy, West, in front of a green screen as they soared through the sky. Ditto with Hiro and Kensai appearing in front of the 90 angry Ronin. However, all of the special effects involving Peter (bullet spitting out of his chest, moving the truck with his mind) as well as Kensai’s wounds healing did look incredible. In conclusion, the story lines are still intriguing (of course) and I know deep in my heart that the incredibly long setups will be followed by equally ample payoffs.

Bunnyfear [ 4/10 ]

Heroes. Ahhh Heroes. The potential you had. I remember watching you for the first time and thinking that sure we’d seen most of these characters, plots, and themes before but maybe just maybe there was something new here. Was it simply the yearning for something different to be on air? Was it the decent special effects and the wonderful tag line? However as the first season went on to reveal that it was just the same story I was let down, disappointed and finally outraged when I saw the anti-climatic finale that made many fans go “thats it?” But we all tuned back in this season and thought they’ll win us back. Oh the times we had Heroes. I remember falling in love with this show. It can’t be over it this quick can it? Don’t you want me to love you anymore Heroes? Baby don’t you want us to stay together in blissful tv love? To answer all these worries Heroes has provided us with 3 mediocre episodes that have me thinking “hmm what else is on right now?” In this episode we find out about the image of the 8th painting which as we know shows the future but the future can be changed. Its a trick they tried last year and are we really going to fall for it again? After all Peter was dead in a painting and was supposed to explode and where is he now? Oh he’s kissing some Irish lass and being even more boring that we thought possible. Hiro remember our love affair? Oh from the beginning I dubbed you (like many others) Super Hiro! I laughed with you. I hoped with you and I wished oh how I wished you’d get your samurai sword. And mmm I remember you stopping time in order to warn Peter but then I saw how you became future Hiro. It wasn’t believable and our love affair hit a rough patch. Your huge fight with Sylar was nothing more than one quick jab and now you’re stuck in the past making me wish you never come back to the future. Hiro? Whats wrong with us? Sigh I believe its not me , its you and you need to reclaim your humor, mission, and character you had before. Please Hiro? I want to save us. Save our love and save my love for Heroes. So this week i’m giving Heroes a 4/10 and hoping just hoping next week it’ll make me remember the love we once had or else I’m so cheating on you with CBS.

Matthew[7/10]

After seeing what “Prison Break” pulled tonight, it’s hard to
concentrate on our awesome “Heroes” threesome article tonight. Oh and
by the way, if you’re not still watching “Prison Break”, kudos to you
for getting out (probably during season 2) and as for their big stunt
tonight, that is for another time and another TV blog site because I’m
still a bit pissed. Speaking of “pissed”. I love “Heroes”. It really
is an amazing show with characters I love, but so help me, if it doesn’t
pick up and the writers don’t learn to fill in the blanks of their great
story arc a bit better, I’ll…I’ll…I’ll keep watching a little more
and more disappointed each week. There is so much tension building up
to what’s about to happen in every episode, that it seems to me that
what does happen gets a little lost. What happens isn’t ever quite as
big as the waiting and tension that precedes it. I can’t count the many
episodes I’ve seen where I feel like they’re about to get somewhere.
Someone is about to show us everything, and then I hear what now sounds
like fingernails on a chalkboard: “Stay tuned for more Heroes on NBC.
And check out Hiro’s blog at NBC.com/Heroes,” the NBC female robot that
can show no emotion says. “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” I scream.
My roommate is tearing up couch pillows and we’re both weeping with a
nasty case of the “Heroes” tease. Well tonight’s episode was a bit
better than that. Thank you, “Heroes”. It still moved at a snails pace
and I think they wasted probably five or so minutes of good airtime with
every actor staring off-screen while the camera spins around and out to
dramatic music before the next scene or commercial break, but I’m
digging Peter’s story a bit and Silar’s predicament was infinitely
interesting to me though I think they could have left him out just a
little longer. The Irish brother’s keeping Peter’s Identity in a box as
leverage for anything struck me as melodramatic and a bit silly. Sure
he needs to find out who he is eventually, but for some reason all I
could do last week was ask “Really??”. But still, I am glad that he is
alive. Did anyone notice that Peter’s tattoo turned into the “Heroes”
symbol and slowly faded out when they kissed? Neat! I don’t know what
it means, but just something I noticed. Now random thoughts on Sylar in
Maui. No, the jungle? With a hot chick. Awesome. No, a fat chick?
Okay well she’s dead now. That’s okay, but wait he’s gonna get her
power! Yes he is! Yeah, the same power Agent Baldwin’s wife had on the
4400. Wicked. Man, with that power he would be unstoppable. No?
Sylar’s denied said awesome power? I know exactly what your thinking.
“Hiro has a blog?” No, I don’t think so. I just made that up.
Awesome. And I’m going to watch “Heroes” another week.

Overall 17.5/30. If this were Dancing with the Stars then I don’t think Heroes would make it to the next tango. Lets us hope the next episode , “The Kindness of Strangers”, reminds us why we need another Hero.