Heroes Gets Lost

I’m about to give a less-than-favourable review of Heroes, but don’t get me wrong – I’ve watched all five episodes that have so far screened on Australian TV and intend to continue watching it. I do enjoy it, but I just think it steals many of its more creative and storytelling elements from a show that outshines it (IMHO), Lost.

If you haven’t seen it, Heroes is a show about a group of young people (why are they all young people – will this change or at least be explained at some point? Why aren’t we seeing elderly grandparents suddenly developing the ability to drive at the speed limit, rather than twenty kilometres too slow?) who find themselves gaining superhuman abilities. Each person discovers a different ability. One guy can fly; one can paint the future. One girl is indestructible; another loses time and appears to be a Hulk-like character when her subconscious takes over. One guy is able to ‘wish’ himself through time and space, while another guy appears to adopt the powers of those around him, like a sponge. And then there’s the cop who can read minds (you wouldn’t want him to pull you over for a speeding ticket!).

Apart from one standout Japanese character, all the others in this ensemble cast of unlikely superheroes are (of course – because that’s just how things work on US television) Americans. (At least Lost features a Brit, a Saudi, and an Aussie – still not as many Aussies as you’d expect on a flight from Sydney to LA, but at least those other nationalities are represented!) But let’s not get too caught up in that aspect.

Instead I want to focus on the aspects of Heroes which remind me – a little too much – of Lost. Bear in mind as we go through this list, that Lost did it first. (And, in most cases, better.)




Lost does not have an opening credit sequence as such. Instead, only a title card for the name of the show is given. All other credits are played over the top of the first scene. Actors’ faces are not put against their names in the ‘regular’ fashion.

Heroes does not have an opening credit sequence as such. Instead, only a title card for the name of the show is given. All other credits are played over the top of the first scene. Actors’ faces are not put against their names in the ‘regular’ fashion.





Lost has an ensemble cast of characters all going through a tough time together and wanting to discover the truth about where they are and what their companions are up to.

Heroes has an ensemble cast of characters all going through a tough time together and wanting to discover the truth about who they are and what they can do.





Lost utilises the intriguing storytelling method of looking back at parts of each character’s backstory in order to tell a new aspect to the one long story on the island.

Heroes utilises the intriguing storytelling method of jumping around from main character to main character in order to tell the one story – eventually hooking them all up in the one place and giving them the same purpose.





Lost employs the clever method of having tiny links between the main characters in their ‘former lives’ (such as common minor characters or appearing on TV screens in the background of each other’s flashbacks) to intertwine their lives before they’d even met. This rewards the eagle-eyed viewer and adds depth to the overall story.

Heroes employs the clever method of having tiny links between the main characters in their ‘former lives’ (such as common objects like comic books being in each other’s possession or appearing on computers, newspapers and TV screens in the background of each other’s stories) to intertwine their lives before they’d even met. This rewards the eagle-eyed viewer but does not seem to propel the story.





Lost has clever references in characters’ names (Jack Shepherd, John Locke, James Ford, Henry Gale, etc) that mean something about their personalities to the intelligent viewer.

Heroes has the character name ‘Hiro’, which is similar to the show’s title.





Lost has Jin and Sun, a pair of Asian characters whose dialogue we understand through the use of subtitles and one of them being able to speak English. They are Korean.

Heroes has Hiro and Ando, a pair of Asian characters whose dialogue we understand through the use of subtitles and one of them being able to speak English. They are Japanese.





Lost has ‘The Others’, whose exact motives are unclear, but who clearly wish to capture the survivors and/or play mind games with them. These people fill the need for having ‘baddies’.

Heroes has Mr Bennet and his associates, whose exact motives are unclear, but who clearly wish to capture the Heroes, determine the extent of their abilities, and/or play mind games with them. These people fill the need for having ‘baddies’.





Lost has the cute brunette (Kate) with a troubled past (and present) who finds herself having to choose between two men (Jack and Sawyer).

Heroes has the cute blonde (Niki) with a troubled past (and present) who finds herself having to choose between two men (DL and Nathan).





Lost has the quiet but brilliant dark-skinned guy (Sayid) who doesn’t let on as much as he knows or is thinking.

Heroes has the quiet but brilliant dark-skinned guy (Mohinder) who doesn’t let on as much as he knows or is thinking.





Lost had the infiltrating nasty guy (Ethan, then later Goodwin and Henry ‘Fenry’ Gale, aka Ben) who pretended to be one of them and a friend until he turned on them for his own nefarious purposes (although he was doing someone else’s dirty work for them).

Heroes has the infiltrating nasty guy (Mr Bennet) who pretended to be a friendly adoptive father to the cheerleader (Claire) but will eventually turn on her (and the others) for his own nefarious purposes (although he’s doing someone else’s dirty work for them).





Lost has the little black kid with the old-man name (Walt) who may or may not have amazing abilities.

Heroes has the little black kid with the old-man name (Micah) who may or may not have amazing abilities.





Lost has elements of the supernatural or the ‘unexplained’ running as a major part of its basic plot.

Heroes has elements of the supernatural or the ‘unexplained’ running as a major part of its basic plot.





Lost was promoted as “The new series of Lost”.

Heroes was promoted as “The new Lost”.






All that being said, Heroes is impressively put together and lots of fun to watch. The drama and intrigue are enjoyable and for the most part it’s an enticing story. But personally, I’m not as impressed as I might have been if they hadn’t so obviously lifted everything that makes the show so good directly from Lost.

The original and the best: Lost.


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