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HEROES
SEASON 3
Studio: Universal
Original Airing: 2008-2009
Length: 25 episodes (17 hours, 52 mins), plus 3 webisode serials
Genre: Science Fiction
BD Resolution: 1080p
BD Video Codec: VC-1 @ over 20 mpbs
Color/B&W: Color
Audio:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Rating: Unrated (Some Sci-Fi Violence and Bloodshed)
Release Date: September 1, 2008
Rating: 2 ½
Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Jack Coleman, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Masi Oka, James Kyson Lee, Milo Ventimiglia, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Adrian Pasdar, Dania Ramirez, Kristen Bell, Christine Rose and Zachary Quinto, with appearances by Robert Forster, Malcolm McDowell and Zeljko Ivanek
Creator/Executive Producer: Tim Kring
Written by: Various
Directed by: Various
Heroes Season 3 is a five-disc Blu-ray set that holds the full 25 episodes of the show’s latest season, including the latest two volumes/story arcs (“Villains” and “Fugitives”). Where the second season was roundly criticized for going a bit off the tracks and rambling through too many storylines too slowly, Tim Kring and the show’s creative staff have taken the opportunity presented by the long layoff after the WGA strike to try to find their spark again. Based on the reactions I have heard, their work has not been enough to win the fans back into their corner. Ratings for the third season slid throughout the year until the season finale aired in last place for its timeslot and genuine concern began to be raised about whether the show had run its course. I’m not an expert on the series, as I don’t regularly follow it, but tracking through these episodes does get to be a bit confusing, with personas and allegiances regularly shifting and with the constant refrain of impending Armageddon not quite ringing as true when seen for the third and fourth time.
The Blu-ray set includes all of the episodes in 1080p HD picture and DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound, along with a PIP commentary for every episode, a “Hero Connections” U-Control feature that brings up biographical information on select characters at different points, and a collection of special features spread across the five discs that should satisfy any fan of the series, even those left disappointed by the quality of the episodes.
VIDEO QUALITY3 ½/5
Heroes Season 3 is presented in a 1080p transfer is a definite improvement from the standard definition transfer I watched of the Season 2 set, and will be more consistent and clear than the HD broadcasts fans have already seen. That said, I have already read a lot of complaints about inconsistency in the HD picture from episode to episode, from scene to scene and even from shot to shot. From what I have been watching, the series uses a variety of pictorial styles along the way, partly as a nod to comic books being drawn by different artists. But while I found this variety occasionally jarring, I am not seeing the transfer problems that people with large HDTVs may be encountering. I should note that I am viewing this season set on a 40” Sony XBR2 HDTV. If anyone with a larger HDTV (60” or more) notices a problem with the picture quality, please comment within this thread.
AUDIO QUALITY 4/5
Heroes Season 3 is presented in an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that focuses on the front channels but does bring the surrounds and the subwoofer to satisfying life on many occasions. The opening episode’s vision of Armageddon, replaced by everyday city sounds and music fills the surround channels with a nice envelope. And like the 2nd season standard definition set, the Blu-ray here provides a lot of punch from the subwoofer throughout the action scenes. Not every scene has that deep of a mix, and things vary wildly along the way, but when the surrounds kick in, they deliver.
DISC BY DISC:
As I did with the 2nd season, I think it will work better here to account for what can be found on each disc, in order. To save time, I’ll restate that every episode has a PIP commentary track available via U-Control, and a “Hero Connections” pop-up available the same way. In order to see the “Hero Connections”, you’ll need to turn off the commentary. When they are available, deleted scenes for selected episodes are presented in non-anamorphic standard definition.
The discs also contain the usual My Scenes bookmarking and BD-Live functionality of all Universal Blu-ray releases. D-Box functionality is also present for viewers with that equipment.
DISC ONE:
Episodes:
The Second Coming (includes PIP commentary with Tim Kring, Allan Arkush and Adrian Pasdar), with one deleted scene (0:35).
The Butterfly Effect (includes PIP commentary with Greg Beeman, James Kyson Lee and Brea Grant), with one deleted scene (0:13).
One of Us, One of Them (with PIP commentary from Christine Rose and Milo Ventimiglia), with deleted scenes (2:00 total).
I Am Become Death (with PIP commentary from Greg Grunberg and Jamie Hector), with deleted scenes (8:00 total)
Angels and Monsters (with PIP commentary from Anthony Hemingway, Andy Armus and Kay Foster), with deleted scenes (2:24 total)
This disc also contains:
Hero Connections – Network – This chart, available on each disc, tracks the various biographical (and superpower) information for the series’ characters through the season. Lines are shown between the characters to display family or other connections between them, and as characters shuffle off this mortal coil, they are literally “x’d” out. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT ACTIVATE THIS FEATURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EPISODES ON EACH DISC.
The Super Powers of Heroes (1080p, 8:01) – This featurette covers the work of stunt coordinator Tim Gilbert, and features a mix of interview and on-set video.
DISC TWO:
Episodes:
Dying of the Light (with PIP commentary from Sendhil Ramamurthy, Christopher Zatta and Chuck Kim), with deleted scenes (3:36 total)
Eris Quod Sum (with PIP commentary from cameraman Charlie Lieberman and editor Scott Boyd)
Villains (with PIP commentary from Allan Arkush and Jack Coleman) with deleted scenes (6:31 total)
It’s Coming (with PIP commentary from Blake Shields, Charlie Lieberman and (very dry) editor Don Aron) with one deleted scene (0:35).
The Eclipse, pt 1 (with PIP commentary from Greg Beeman and Sendhil Ramamurthy), with a deleted scene (1:16)
This disc also contains:
Hero Connections – Network – This chart, available on each disc, tracks the various biographical (and superpower) information for the series’ characters through the season. Lines are shown between the characters to display family or other connections between them, and as characters shuffle off this mortal coil, they are literally “x’d” out. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT ACTIVATE THIS FEATURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EPISODES ON EACH DISC.
Completing the Scene (1080p, 7:52) – This short featurette discusses the CGI VFX work done to provide the visuals for each episode.
Alternate Stories (1080p, 46:00 Total) – What we’ve got here is a collection of the three webisode serials made during the 3rd season, presented here in full 1080p HD. Fans of these webisodes will likely enjoy the higher picture quality afforded here.
Pinehearst Commercial (1080p, 0:39) – As an extra bonus, viewers can see the full 40 second commercial for the fictional Pinheast company, presented in 1080p HD.
DISC THREE:
Episodes-
The Eclipse, pt 2 (with PIP commentary from Greg Grunberg and Christine Rose)
Our Father (with PIP commentary from Masi Oka and Brea Grant), with deleted scenes (2:38 total).
Dual (with PIP commentary from Zachary Quinto and Garry D’Amico)
A Clear and Present Danger (with PIP commentary from Tim Kring, Greg Yaitanes and Milo Ventimiglia)
Trust and Blood (with PIP commentary from Mark Verheiden and Allan Arkush), with a deleted scene (1:16)
The disc also contains:
Hero Connections – Network – This chart, available on each disc, tracks the various biographical (and superpower) information for the series’ characters through the season. Lines are shown between the characters to display family or other connections between them, and as characters shuffle off this mortal coil, they are literally “x’d” out. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT ACTIVATE THIS FEATURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EPISODES ON EACH DISC.
The Prop Box (1080p, 5:36) – This short featurette deals with the property department and the various hand props used on the show.
Tim Sale Gallery of Screen Art (1080p, 1:14) – An HD art gallery is presented to music for just over a minute’s running time .
DISC FOUR:
Episodes:
Building 26 (with PIP commentary from Art Director Sandy Getzler and Production Designer Ruth Ammon)
Cold Wars (with PIP commentary from Jack Coleman and Sendhil Ramamurthy)
Exposed (with PIP commentary from Milo Ventimiglia and Greg Grunberg) with a deleted scene (0:22)
Shades of Gray (with PIP commentary from David H. Lawrence and Oliver Grigsby)
Cold Snap (with PIP commentary from Masi Oka and Bryan Fuller).
This disc also contains:
Hero Connections – Network – This chart, available on each disc, tracks the various biographical (and superpower) information for the series’ characters through the season. Lines are shown between the characters to display family or other connections between them, and as characters shuffle off this mortal coil, they are literally “x’d” out. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT ACTIVATE THIS FEATURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EPISODES ON EACH DISC.
Genetics of a Scene (1080p, 20:30) – This collection of four featurettes shows how various scenes are put together from the writers’ room to the set.
DISC FIVE:
Episodes-
Into Asylum (with PIP commentary from Nate Goodman and Joe Potaski), with deleted scenes (3:12 total)
Turn and Face the Strange (with PIP commentary from Mark Verheiden and Rob Fresco), with a deleted scene (1:45).
1961 (with PIP commentary from Jon Koslowsky and Adam Kane)
I Am Sylar (with PIP commentary from Nate Goodman, Kay Foster and Adam Armus), with a deleted scene (0:55)
An Invisible Thread (with PIP commentary from Charlie Lieberman and the continually dry Donn Aron)
The disc also contains:
Hero Connections – Network – This chart, available on each disc, tracks the various biographical (and superpower) information for the series’ characters through the season. Lines are shown between the characters to display family or other connections between them, and as characters shuffle off this mortal coil, they are literally “x’d” out. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT ACTIVATE THIS FEATURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EPISODES ON EACH DISC.
The Writers’ Forum (1080p, 13:24) – Tim Kring and two of the series’ writers sit down to discuss their work for the 3rd season.
Building Coyote Sands (1080p, 10:46) – This featurette focuses on the building and filming of the show’s major set piece for the “Fugitives” story arc. THIS FEATURETTE IS LISTED AS EXCLUSIVE TO THE BLU-RAY RELEASE.
Subtitles are available in English, Spanish and French for the episodes and for the special features. Standard chapter menus are included for quick reference. The usual Blu-ray pop-up menus work fine. In the event that you pause the show for more than a few minutes, a Universal Logo will appear as a screensaver. For my PS3, I only need to hit the “Enter” button to get back into the episode in progress. Regarding the packaging, as with the BSG 4.5 release, there’s an odd setup here where several of the discs are packed in a way that you must remove one disc to get to the other. I was okay with this, but I’m hearing that other people were frustrated by it.
I also noticed that the back of the packaging advertises a Season 4 “Sneak Peek”, but the only thing that I could find was the very end of the final episode of the 3rd season, which has a pair of scenes to start the next volume, “Redemption”. If anyone else finds this special feature, please let me know, and I’ll post it. But I didn’t see it as an opening before the menus unfolded, and I couldn’t find anything listed under the “Extras” menus.
IN THE END...
Heroes Season 3 will probably not win many of the series fans’ back to the show, but the Blu-ray set does contain a hefty amount of extras, enough to at least make them curious to see how the show was made and what the creators were thinking.
Kevin Koster
September 7, 2009.
