Heroes Season 1 Episode 12 “Godsend” (WARNING: SPOILERS)

So the next chapter of Heroes has officially kicked off, and it kicks off in grand style.
The confluence of characters continues, and as the tapestry gets more complex, not only does the main story become more involving, but some of the characters become even more interesting.
Seeing Hiro’s reunion with Nathan was a kick, and it’s good to see that Nathan’s humanity is resurfacing. He may be a jerk, but he’s a jerk who genuinely cares for his brother, so there’s still hope yet for Hiro’s favorite flying man.
And finally, Simone seems to be ready to get on the bus! At last! (Though I hope there’s some payoff here regarding Mr. Linderman’s apparent ubiquitousness. Apart from the symbol, Linderman seems to be the other common denominator of the show.)
Having mentioned the symbol, we also get to discover one of its meanings, as well as see Isaac’s “Hiro vs T. Rex” painting in real life! Heh.
But undoubtedly, the best bits of “Godsend” are Claire’s scenes, from her clandestine meetings with the Haitian (who is quickly becoming a character of interest for me; the hole Eden left must be filled!) to her attempts at once more becoming Zach’s friend (which leads to a wonderful reprise of our initial introduction to both characters from the pilot). Hayden Panettiere continues to be one of the best of the ensemble, as we clearly get to see the difficulty a teen-ager would have in her position, struggling with the isolation, dealing not only with her “very own private freak show,” but also with the lies her father has been feeding her, as well as his actions, which have compromised the memories of her family. (I’m also glad to see that Zach wasn’t prematurely written off the show, in light of not just what the Haitian did to him, but also the whole “is he or isn’t he gay?” brouhaha and Thomas Dekker’s having landed the role of John Connor in the TV series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a spin-off of the Terminator franchise. I just hope he sticks around and isn’t bumped off for his troubles.)
Top all that off with the introduction of Christopher Eccleston* to the cast, and we’re off and running.

* I’ve followed Eccleston’s work ever since I first saw him in Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave. I’m curious to see what he’ll bring to the ensemble, and what sort of chemistry he’ll have with Milo Ventimiglia. (Reportedly, Eccleston’s character, Claude, will become a mentor of sorts to Peter.) I also hope he isn’t the just-one-too-many-characters straw that breaks the ensemble’s back.

Parting shot: Heroes has had an early renewal for a second season. Hurrah!

Parting shot 2: “Godsend” is the first of a straight 7 episode run, then the show goes on another break, after which, the season’s final 5 episodes air consecutively.