"That's fighting smart sir. Don't get me wrong I give him a fair wage... if he lives." -- Adam, 'Heroes'

TV Watching the whole of the second series of Heroes today (all eleven episodes – it was raining outside) I could certainly see the concerns that some fans, tv reviewers and creator Tim Kring himself had with the first half of the season. Though there were enough exciting incidents to keep the viewer interested, not least the sight of Hiro falling in love in feudal Japan, the pacing seemed all wrong and unlike the previous series, in which the disparate stories all seemed flow in and out of one another, more than once the plotting seemed rather random and diffuse. Reveals such as Nathan Petrelli’s none mortality were thrown away and the death of Candice, a previously relatively important character albeit played by a different actress hardly milked for its worth.

Yet, like the fog of drowsiness we all have in the morning, by episode seven and the flashback, the series snapped back into consciousness and found a new sense of purpose. Though Adam Monroe was something of damp squib in villainy terms (not helped by actor David Anders apparently being directed to simply play a different version of Sark, his deliciously complex spy from Alias) the show returned to doing what it does best – demonstrating that not everything you thought you knew was right, that there are people who don’t have superpowers in the world and the importance of family, father and son, father and daughter and siblings; also some interesting ruminating on the sacrifices a generation often makes for the next.

Of the new characters, the brilliant Kristin Bell is the greatest addition as electric though unhinged Elle and makes me hope that Veronica Mars the series that discovered her is released on dvd over here soon. Similarly who thought Stephen Tobolowsky could be quiet so nasty? He’s a perfect counterpoint to HRG, neither entirely bad, both working for what they believe to be honorable reasons. I’ve also a soft spot for Dana Davis’s Monica Dawson though it’s a shame that by the conclusion she was relegated to being a fairly standard damsel given that she’d learned kung fu; hopefully she’ll be kept on and given more to do next season. About the only new character misstep are the Herreras; though Maya’s origin scene once revealed was pleasingly horrific, her arc, once she’d had intersected with Syler and the awe of Zachary Quinto’s performance (filmed, apparently all in one go due to Vulcan duties) her impetuous was lost.

Not everything is perfect with the series. Perhaps we’re attuned by comic books to expect more daring do, but having seen the heroes collect by the close of season one, it’s a shame to find them so scattered again by the close of this series. There’ll never be a movie budget smack down, yet the resolution here was constructed around persuasion and words rather than proper heroics and rather too much throwing of people into walls. I just wish it was more smartly written in places, all to often foregoing humour in favour of exposition, never quite noticing the inherent ironies in some of the situations. Perhaps I’m too attuned to the writing of Sorkin and Whedon and expect everything to have their deft rhythms.

Still this was hardly a rubbish season and didn’t flat line like the second series of Friends or the fifth in The West Wing and like those shows there were enough moments of charm to suggest that a proper rival is possible. I’ll still be there for season three, coming this Autumn, in step with the US, which means that the UK will have enjoyed many, many episodes this year. Will Nathan survive? Nothing conclusive in the closing moments either way. A news report suggested he’d been shot but surely an infusion from his brother should do the trick. Will Nikki survive? For all we know, she’ll reveal some hitherto unseen power or Peter will pop in at an opportune moment. In this series, anything is possible.