Heroes: Hiro Protagonist

This show is rolling along nicely. We've finally gotten past the exposition and we're getting straight to the big stories: Sylar, nukes, and, of course, Peter's love life.

The Petrellis: The show tries to butter me up by showing Peter face-planting twice in a row. It works. Yeah, kid, I'd have brought a soda, too. And some popcorn. Peter, feeling the pull of destiny, quits his job and kisses Simone. Nathan, feeling an October surprise in the making, tells everyone that Peter is depressed like their dad and tried to kill himself. The thing I can't figure out about Nathan: he chooses a red tie because that's what the president wears, and yet he's going to win next month. Is he a Republican or not?

Niki: She digs for a damn long time and finds a ring that makes her think that her husband, D.L., killed someone. He did escape from prison, though, and Micah may know where he is. I like the mystery surrounding D.L., because it makes me think that there's something going on with him as well. And, as yet, Niki is not connected to any of the big stories, so maybe D.L. is the link. More on this later.

Hiro: Everyone's favorite Star Trek geek spends the episode following the dictates of the comic book he stars in. And what the book tells him to do is convince Ando (his awesome friend/straight man) that all this is for real, fly to Los Angeles, and road trip to Vegas. Now, Hiro spends a lot of time talking about destiny, it's true, but what makes it endearing in his case and not in Peter's is Hiro's dramatic flair. The panache he puts into his lines. He's enjoying it, and so am I. You could learn something from him, Ventimiglia.

Claire: Having a bad day. Her dad is evil, the quarterback almost rapes her, and the only thing that stops him is her impalement on a piece of wood. When it's finally removed, Claire wakes up - in the middle of her own autopsy! Damn. And yet, this is precisely why I like this character. I like the idea of this ordinary girl trying to deal with both small problems and extraordinary ones; you know, the Buffy formula. And Claire herself is awfully tough, which helps. I want more of her nerdy sidekick, though.

Matt: The FBI realizes the value of an agent who can read minds, so Matt is recruited. Sylar shows up only a few minutes into his new job, impales an agent on the ceiling, and goes all "Pusher" on Clea DuVall. Of course Matt shows up and empties his clip into Sylar, and do I need to tell you how unaffected Sylar is by this? And just when Matt is trying to unwind by eavesdropping on people's thoughts at a bar, he comes across a man whose thoughts he can't hear (the mysterious D.L.?). And then he's drugged. Matt, no!

I'm looking forward to seeing Matt working with the FBI on the Sylar cases, because that would be a good way to give us a broader picture of what's going on. I mean, sure, there's Mohinder, but I'm not really sure he knows what's going on. He seems to be confused a lot, you know? Not to mention that the Bad Guys find him really easy pickings.