Save the Cheerleader, Save Me From This Show By Mike Coughlin

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks "Heroes" is overrated. I liked it for a while. I was on the "Heroes" bandwagon but not anymore. I'll probably still watch it again next week. And probably the week after that. But I don't have to like it. Every week after it's over, I slowly come to the same realization. Nothing happened. It is the slowest moving TV show ever made.

It is X-Men on Dramamine. It's like we are trying to eat Thanksgiving dinner with chopsticks. We are over 12 weeks into the season and nothing has been accomplished. In fact, we have only gotten more questions and a tag-line that is cryptic, if not incredibly corny -- "Save the cheerleader. Save the world."

How about this for fiction: A politician who doesn't use a superpower to his advantage. If a real life politician could fly, he would do it every chance he got to entertain and awe the crowds. Imagine that approval rating -- it'd be sky high. Yet he keeps it a secret; the only thing realistic about this politician is how he's avoiding doing something good.

They're getting ahead of themselves -- not a difficult thing to do considering the glacial pace at which they've been moving.Even the heroin addict, Isaac Mendez, hides it. This guy can paint the future, but usually only when he's high. You hear horror stories about what junkies do to get their next fix. This guy could head out into a New York alley and offer to paint someone's future for some smack (a welcomed alternative to what some people have to do). But no, he and the other eight "heroes" coincidentally decide to keep his or her powers a secret.

I know TV -- even reality TV -- isn't supposed to be realistic but as long as there are going to be superpowers at least give us a little more action. Come on NBC; it's the top show, your cash cow. It won Favorite New TV Drama at the People's Choice Awards. Throw a few bucks toward the special effects crew. What is the point of having a show where the characters have superpowers if we never get to see them?

Don't confuse my point, more action would be great, but that is secondary to moving the plot along. Give us something besides a baby step. According to a blog on the NBC website, they have been discussing where to take the show for as far as five seasons. They're getting ahead of themselves -- not a difficult thing to do considering the glacial pace at which they've been moving.

They've been foreshadowing the motives and secrets Claire's father has and the nuclear explosion in New York for weeks now and we are no closer to any answers. The writers must work for the city because they've gotten nothing done.

I give up. Maybe that means I'm no hero. Save the cheerleader. Save me from wasting an hour of my life.

[Photo credit: http://www.nbc11.com/2006/0919/9888072_240X180.jpg - Heroes logo and main cast]