Heroes: US season 1 boxset review

Natasha Ross

Heroes on DVD. You can buy it from the UK in two boxsets. Or, if you're like Natasha, you can buy it in just the one from the States. It's not a tough call, is it?

Published on Nov 9, 2007

When I first began watching Heroes earlier this year, I got as far as Episode 9 - "Homecoming" - and I have to say, I lost interest. I think it must have had something to do with the show introducing so many different characters early on without having sufficient time to explore each one in any real depth. However, I gave the series another chance, and having watched practically every episode back-to-back, I now have a new love of this thus-far incredible show.

Heroes, of course, is an action drama told in the style of a comic book, about a group of very ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary powers. There’s a politician who can fly, a cop who can hear people's thoughts, an artist who can paint the future, a cheerleader with regenerative self-healing abilities, and there are many more. Oh yes.

This boxset thus offers a tasty opportunity to find out what all the fuss was about, and unlike the UK edition, the US comes with all the episodes in one set.

The series begins with Peter Petrelli, a hospice nurse who is having dreams that he can fly. These dreams lead Peter to believe that he is special and as he explores his ability, he discovers he can absorb the powers of other heroes.. With each episode we discover more about Peter and the other characters along with a mission they face to stop a nuclear explosion.

Some of the characters are very likeable and others, predictably, are not, My favourite has to be Hiro, mainly because from the moment he realises he can control time and space, he’s so excited to learn about his ability and never sees it as a burden, unlike some of the other characters.

There are so many twists and turns throughout the series that will keep you hooked and although most of the episodes are good, I think Episode 20 “Five Years Gone” stands out as one of the best. It looks at what would happen if the explosion wasn't prevented and has an overwhelming sense of hopelessness running as an undercurrent throughout. It's also a great deal darker and more sinister than the other episodes.

Whether you’ve missed the series on television, or have already watched and enjoyed Heroes, this season one boxset will not disappoint, and you’re soon bound to have your own favourite character too. Whether, given the current debate over season two, this is as good as Heroes will ever get is another debate entirely, though...