‘Heroes’: A strike and a plague

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More twisted than the nightmare man. More conniving than HRG. More evil than Sylar. It’s ... the writers’ strike!

Who knows how long this thing will last? ‘Heroes’ has already felt the sting. The anticipated Origins spinoff has been shelved (why?). There are rumors that the season could end in December, with a scripted and filmed possibly season-ending scenario(s) just in case. And poor writer/producer Adam Armus had to tell his kids that Christmas might be a bit lean this year.

All of this is happening when the show is hitting a crucial (plot-wise) juncture. Last year, stopping the exploding man was the unifying theme (saving the cheerleader was just one step). Now, averting a plague that will wipe out 93% of the world’s population will be the rallying point (with ‘the generations’ story line as the major subplot).

Recap: Niki stopped herself from killing Bob by injecting herself with THE VIRUS. Confused Mohinder drank the Company Kool-Aid (it seems). Parkman’s found a new power and rescued Molly. Noah found his paintings, but he and Claire are butting heads over trust issues (West still seems crazy to me). After a short but epic battle with Takezo Kensei, Hiro returns to find that his father’s been killed. Peter Petrelli has traveled to the future, lost Caitlin, and returned to meet the mastermind of this season’s ills, Adam Monroe -- or Takezo Kensei.

There’s no need for the ‘I told you so’ just yet, but I’ll keep it in reserve. I said Adam (Takezo) was the killer last week, and it’s still pointing that way more than ever. How he will use Peter, and the possible upcoming fight between Peter and the rest of the heroes, is what I’m waiting for. Throw in Elle and Monica, a soon-to-be vengeful Hiro, a murderous Sylar with Maya in tow, and you have some fireworks in the making.

There’s still a fair ways to go, but it doesn’t look like a ‘slow road to nowhere.’ Hopefully, as Hayden continues to be a real-life hero, and Masi rides that popularity train with ‘Get Smart,’ the writers and producers can get their acts together.

Photo: NBC

-- Jevon Phillips