Review: Heroes Episode 3.04

A series that started strong, Heroes seemed in big danger of jumping the shark after the Writer’s Strike of 2007-2008. Anticipation was high for season 3, especially as the show’s creator, Tim Kring, openly admitted and – gasp – apologized for the show’s sub-par performance during season 2.

And, up to now, Season 3 is definitely delivering. It is as exciting, annoyingly confusing, thrilling and delightfully frustrating as Season 1, and I can’t wait for next Monday (never thought I’d say that!).

But the highlight of yesterday’s episode didn’t have much to do with the plot line. It was one of those absolutely wonderful moments that thrill you to the core for no other reason than it has something to do with something that is close to your heart. It was a gentle tap on the fingers as an unfortunate stigma was approached with a particularly efficient brand of serious humor.

Remember when The Native (why doesn’t he have a name?) tells Matt Parkman that he must continue on his spirit walk, find his guide and see where the guide will take him? Parkman, still unsettled by the future that he ’saw’, snaps: “Is this some kind of African voodoo?” (or rather, something very close to that). Calm, dignified yet a little puzzled, The Native replies: “No. Carl Jung, analytical psychology. You don’t read much, do you?”

At the risk of sounding terribly childish…. BOOYA!

And now, if only they would give The Native a name…

Your eyes are sleepy, veryyyyyyyy sleepy…

I always felt safe from being brainwashed because I spend a lot more time with my nose stuck in a book that sitting in front of a TV.

“Braiwashed?” I’d scoff at anyone who’d broach the subject. “Hogwash! I’m reading!

OK, so I didn’t say it in those words – after all, I am not a 60 year old man from England. But I do admit that I didn’t think I was in danger of being brainwashed – because after all, isn’t the best defense against brainwashing reading more and more to further expand your horizons?

Maybe not. Apparently, books can control your mind as powerfully as television. As a writer, it gives me some truly terrifying ideas (how can I make all the readers of my blog give me weekly offerings in the form of chocolate?). It does the same to me as a reader.

However, there is one thing that makes books better than television. We usually tend to ‘wind down’ when we watch TV, which means that our defenses are down – and this is when we are more vulnerable to being brainwashed. However, we usually tend to be more ‘with it’ when we are reading a book, since reading activated your brain more than watching TV does.

Therefore it means while it isn’t the medium per say that makes you vulnerable to brainwashing, but rather the way the medium is used, the usual way that we use the medium of television as opposed to the way we use the medium of reading makes the incidence of brainwashing higher with television than with reading.

I should know. I read it in a book .