S02E07: 'Out of Time'

"There's no one here, Peter - they've all gone," squeals Caitlin in her dodgy Irish brogue. She's talking about the virus-ravaged population one year in the future, but it could easily refer to the fanbase of Heroes. Recent episodes have sorely tested the patience and dedication of the audience, so it's pleasing to witness a reasonably improved outing this week.

The Maury Menace is thankfully in town, enabling the excellent Greg Grunberg to have more prominence in the show. Fusing Matt Parkman's traumatic domestic history with a sinister dreamscape, the father versus son battle is both thrilling and poignant.

The episode finally showcases the genius of casting David Anders, as he shows real flair when Kensei displays his villainous qualities. It's a shame that his performance is bogged down by the tedious, contrived romance between Hiro and Yaeko. Still, it looks like a line has finally been drawn under the Japan subplot, with Hiro hopping back to the present day and Kensei tracking down Peter under the guise of Adam Monroe.

As a character, Mohinder continues to frustrate with his dithering and shifting loyalties. Like a virus, this trait seems to have been passed on to the entire Bennet family. Claire's ongoing smooching/arguing with West belongs in a daytime soap opera.

The disparate strands have yet to click in place, but this episode does demonstrate that the future for Heroes might be a lot more promising than the cleverly-rendered nightmarish future that Peter Petrelli discovers.

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