Full episode - http://video.aol.com/partner/hulu/heroes-the-line/MR7_M0RdEPiy-4n3Riz__3l1naRVI5hQ
Or
http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/video/episodes.shtml

I’m going to do yet another take on a recap. Let us know here at NZone what kind of recap you like best.

I like to look at shows like Heroes and Lost and say, what did we learn? Isn’t that the main reason we tune in? And the main reason there has been a backlash in the past year or so against both shows at times… when we don’t really get much out of it at the end of 45 minutes to an hour (depending if you Tivo/watch online or watch live)? So, what did we learn 6 weeks in to a season that many fans have, at this point, grown disappointed with?

This episode, we found out that the bad guy Noah we remember from early in the series isn’t far gone after all. Noah paid a visit to an old associate in Russia named Ivan (so that’s what he was doing there) in order to get his hands on Isaac’s remaining paintings (I just hope we won’t be dealing with Isaac’s paintings 4 seasons in - that’s one hell of a prolific artist otherwise). Noah and the Haitian tortured the guy, wiped away the memories of how he met his wife… until Noah got what he wanted - paintings he doesn’t understand very much. Then, to make sure the Company didn’t track him, he mercilessly killed Ivan and did his best to erase his tracks. Now that’s what the kids call “gangsta.” And it’s far more interesting than Sylar 2.0.

Yes, Sylar was here and didn’t do much other than none-too-subtly threaten to kill the Wonder Twins and take their powers… but he didn’t make his move yet. Yawn.

Suresh helped out Micah’s cousin Monica with the copycat powers and this too was yawn worthy. Not sure when we will see her again, nor what the whole point of all this was yet, other than that Suresh (eventually after much protest) gives in to Bob and the Company by giving Monica their “cure” in vaccine form. Noah drops Monica off at home and tells her that the Company is there for her, and Suresh has a new partner, Niki (”one of them, one of us,” remember?).

Didn’t learn much so far. Let’s forge ahead, shall we?

Ando is learning more of Hiro’s trip to the past. He gets double-crossed by Kensei, who is jealous over his romance with the swordsmith’s daughter, Yaeko. The actor formerly known as Sark in bad guy mode, I can get into that. There’s something we learned.

Claire is apparently being tempted into the dark side by West. They use their powers to convince a drunk cheerleading captain that she saw a flying man pick Claire up and drop her to her death. Claire doesn’t like the whole charade after the fact but it gets her on the cheerleading squad. So “using your powers for selfish/evil purposes” definitely seems to be the theme this season. So we kinda learned that, though we sort of knew it already.

Thankfully, having seen the following episode, I know that things pick up… maybe, not significantly but they do. And it all starts with Peter and Caitlin in Montreal. They enter the building from the painting and find a note from some guy named “Adam” who has been mentioned here and there in passing, who says they must fight the Company. This being amnesia-Peter, he has no idea what any of this means. Caitlin is scared and hugs him, asking him to tell her what the future holds. And - ta-da! They’re in Times Square, not unlike Hiro the season before (except the green screen effects are really obvious). And the place is empty (someone saw the trailer for “I Am Legend.”) Peter sees a flier saying that the city has been evacuated, and it helpfully gives us the date, June 14, 2008. We have story-arc, people! See you next time.
BY HENRY HANKS