This week’s episode directed by John Badham was… wait! John who? Doesn’t ring a bell?
Obviously you do not sit until the bitter end of movies reading the credits do you? Badham has made some culture warping movies and some easily forgotten ones also. But keep in mind that Peter Jackson made some horrid movies like Dead Alive before he was given the honor and distinction of directing The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Let’s start with one that did change pop culture forever. Saturday Night Fever ring a bell? That’s his puppy. The tear jerking Whose Life is it Anyway. Who can forget Matthew Broderick in Wargames? How about the suck-fest that is Johnny Five in Short Circuit. Yes, it blew chunks, but if you were alive back then, you remember Johnny Five, don’t you? Heck I remember J5 holding hands with participants in Hands Across America (I’m dating myself aren’t I?) He also directed the hilarious Stakeout; back when Richard Dreyfuss was still funny and Emilio Estevez was still relevant (I have yet to see Bobby). He also directed the not-as-good-as-the-original-remake Point of No Return. The last time Badham really pumped my nads was with the real-time suspense thriller Nick of Time. If you haven’t seen this forgotten gem, rent it, download it, pod it, I don’t care just get it in your brain.
Since then he’s been relegated to directing television. Though this isn’t a condemnation since television now produces better quality story telling than the movies could ever aspire to accomplish. And Heroes isn’t his first foray into television. Way back in the '70s he directed episodes of The Streets of San Francisco. It’s just a damn shame the man doesn’t get more work but after this week's episode, he should be installed as a series regular. Why?
Well, the over-hyped episode just rocked.
"Fallout" was easily one of the best so far this season, even though it did not live up to the promotion machine. Nikki gets with the program and realizes that if her man can walk through walls, it’s going to take more than bullets to knock the brother down. Sure, he takes the first one, but the second one just flies right through his head like he’s vapor. So what’s a girl to do? Obviously the Sarah Connor on the warpath bit isn’t working. So let’s try to rip on Buffy Summers. DL can put up a good fight despite getting thrown around like a rag doll. But the fight ends when Jessica throws a meddling Micah aside and into a rock wall. Micah is injured, DL runs to his side and Nikki resurfaces. Nikki is engulfed with regret and turns herself in to the police investigating the earlier shooting. Personally I impatiently wait until Nikki and family get to meet more of the other Heroes.
Article comments
1 - tink
OK...so we watched the six episodes that ran on Sci-Fi last week and thought we'd caught up. We were thrown at first, then realized that S-F ran only the first six and not all. But...we caught up pretty quickly. Except we're still not sold on Eden and is she a good guy or a baddie.
Definitely good stuff. And I don't even like Sci-Fi anything!!
(ducks rotting veggies)
I caught Badham's name right away, btw. Gotta say I agree with your assessments. Stakeout rocked (and I'll remain mum about the second one if you will!!).
And yes, yes, YES...Nick Of Time. I like to think of it as the lost Johnny Deep movie as I thought the hub and I were the only ones that had ever watched it!!
Great job!!!
2 - Joe
It's nice see that you scorn the promotion machine. They want Heroes to be the next Lost but they don't want to wait for the audience. They're trying to jam in down our throats. Every time I see a commercial promising high drama and revelations I just roll my eyes and feel less inclined to watch the show. Lost earned our eyeballs; Heroes may too but I wish they'd wait for it not force it.
3 - anonamous
They ended buffy mad retarted!!!!!!! They should of not canceled it or just made a BETTER ending too!!!! they could of made buffy fall in love with spike!!! what about angel!!!! who ever wrote the last episode you could of done it better!!!!!! sorry!!!!! you lost my attention!!!!!!