This week we have “Hysterical Blindness”. I am already writing this late, so let’s get right in to it.
More generic plans by the carnival folk. We continue to randomly talk about the new member endlessly.
Claire and Gretchen enjoy lunch together. Claire especially enjoys being normal. She convinces Gretchen to tag along to a sorority initiation. Yawn. We get a bizarre speed dating segment at the beginning of the pledge day. Claire begins to get creeped out by Gretchen’s clinginess. It took her weeks to figure out the girl is a little odd? After an accident(?) at the mixer, Claire accuses Gretchen of some sort of murderous plot. She admits that she is a little bit stalking Claire. Gretchen admits that she has a crush on Claire (after the much talked about girl-on-girl kiss). We learn that Rebecca, head of the sorority, is actually Samuel’s ally and an invisible girl. She has been responsible for all the weirdness in Claire’s life of late. Samuel, Lydia, and Rebecca see the new member of the group after that.
Sylar gets pulled over by former ghostbuster turned police officer Winston Zeddmore. Or just a cop played by Ernie Hudson. I prefer to think it’s Winston though. But alas, he apparently is Captain Lubbock (meh). Why is a police captain on patrol in the middle of the night? Anyway, he gets a new criminal psychologist who is British. Strange, this stuff. Lubbock sends the good doctor away and tells Gabriel his identity. But he doesn’t remember any of this. He inadvertently uses his powers to send Lubbock crashing through the glass. He escapes with the doctor, but the cops quickly pursue. Sylar gets shot, and they both roll down the hill. Sylar’s wounds quickly heal and the doctor tells him to make a break for it. He runs down the hill... straight in to the carnival.
Emma continues to have problems coping with her new powers and in a confused state almost gets hit by a bus. Peter speeds to her rescue. She wanders off and Peter finds he no longer can run at super-speed. Instead, he has absorbed her synesthesia. He returns to the hospital looking for Emma, but only sees kids singing “The Greatest American Hero” theme. Nice. She realizes he can see the sound too. But she runs away from him. Back home, she learns that she can channel the light in to an energy attack. And as Peter returns home for the night, Hiro finally reappears (from last week) just to collapse in to his arms.
We do finally get past the Carnival’s quest for a new member this week. I think Emma’s story arc continues onward nicely and she continues to prove herself one of the show’s more interesting characters. It’s a shame though that the best storyline of this season, starring Parkman and phantom Sylar, spends the second week in a row on the shelf. It is good to see that the Heroes staff continue to know that former Veronica Mars cast members are good snags as Tessa Thompson joins the cast as Rebecca. Just as on that show, she seems to be able to channel the right levels of friendly and evil to make the character work. This season continues to have potential, but it is clear by the ratings that it cannot continue to push back that potential in order to build suspense. At this point, I hope that these eighteen episodes can serve to properly bring the series to a close.
Next week: “Tabula Rasa”.
