I have a Heroes question: Was what we saw of Hiro running in time-parallel with the other scenes? Couldn't have been, right, because the election hadn't happened.

What I got from it was that, in bending the space-time continuum, he had accidentally jumped forward in time when jumping to New York. Like, he sent time backwards (or telekinetically moved the clock, whatever) while staying in the same place, so moving in space resulting in moving in time.

I do love the fake-out, etc, but resent them inserting another timeline right into the rest of the show.

Oh, I loved it, because it means that we have a specific timeframe to work in to get to what I'm mentally calling the First Big Challenge. In order to move along the plot, unlike, say, Lost (glares in its general direction), we might get a resolution to this mystery and bring everyone together, who, after this FBC, might have another one! It's great. Also, Hiro and the guy that paints the future are now two people who know that Something Big is going to happen; and Hiro has information to meet Crazy Painter Guy, which makes the first probable, tangible thread between the eventual not-X-men.

Did anyone else notice that Crazy Painter Guy and Dead Father both had their heads sawed off and their brains eaten? So there's First Minor Challenge, probably, to bring this Super Villian Serial Killer to justice, which connects Grunberg and Crazy Painter Guy. Awesome.

I was a little surprised that they actually froze the guy to death, taking that straight out of a comic book, as opposed to the more banal deaths of the two Debt-Getting Thugs and even Dead Father's wife. It's kind of neat, because it means they're going to take comic book standbys and force them into normalized reality.

On the whole it reminds me a lot of Powers (with obviously different things going on) and it's no surprise to me I'm really into Heroes when Powers is one of my top five favorite titles.

(And I'm finding Grunberg hot.)

grawr.

Sylar is killing other supers and somehow using their brains (which he's apparently been taking with him, considering little traumatized girl's frozen and debrained father and the debrained Isaac from Hiro's jump to the future) to steal their powers.

Ooh. Interesting. And because of this I see more clearly the connection between Grunberg and Mohinder (subtitled Really Pretty Man). This show is so chewy for my brain.

Loved also how reserved and uncomfortable Jesse (TM Gilmore Girls)'s brother was, as opposed to the delight and excitement of Jesse when they hugged. Heroes gives me so much to enjoy, really.

The show continues to rock. More at eleven.

Oh yes. I'm pleasantly surprised that it it went so gruesome so fast. The potential was there in Niki's story, but that seemed to be the anomaly, but Claire's story turning so dark so fast was a shock.

I'm not sure what's up with Sylar. I think the idea that he's stealing other people's powers might have some merit, although I also wonder if he's resistant to some powers, too. After all -- assuming that was Sylar in the bar -- it seemed Matt couldn't read his mind.

The next episode is called "Come Together," so I imagine -- pure speculation here -- that we finally begin seeing the Heroes find each other. (Starting with Niki and Hiro, it seems. Which should be interesting, as their stories are the most opposite of each other's.)

I think that's a good thing. I'm glad they've taken the time to show people dealing with their powers and the mystery threats on their own for a while, but the pace will probably escalate when we're not split between six or so different plotlines.

Speaking of Heroes: wasn't the end icky?

Uh-huh, but also, FUHN-KNEE!

The next episode is called "Come Together," so I imagine -- pure speculation here -- that we finally begin seeing the Heroes find each other. (Starting with Niki and Hiro, it seems. Which should be interesting, as their stories are the most opposite of each other's.)

From the previews, it looked like Nikki somehow..ahem..hooks up with Adrian Pasdar's character in a hotel. Maybe he goes to Vegas on campaign business/celebration?

I couldn't quite swallow that the Clea Duvall character would so readily bring GG along with her (damn, what is the deal with not being able to remember half the character's names!). I was also thinking Nikki's trunk is going to be DNA-fest for any police she comes in contact with, but that particular angle played out differently than I thought it would.

etaaq: Nikki is the Ali Larter character, right?

Niki is indeed the stripper/single mom.

After all -- assuming that was Sylar in the bar -- it seemed Matt couldn't read his mind.

I don't think that was Sylar. I mean, we didn't get a good look at Sylar in the shadows, but...I don't think they would have done that and then shown him in good light so quickly. Of course, I didn't expect to see Sylar at ALL this quickly! Per the promos, Mysterious Black Dude seems to be working with Evil Dad.

SA, nice post! Didn't think of the Powers connection.

After all -- assuming that was Sylar in the bar -- it seemed Matt couldn't read his mind.

I was thinking that the guy could be Niki's husband.

I was thinking that the guy could be Niki's husband.

D.L.? Possibly. We've not seen him yet, and there's a lot of questions surrounding him, so odds are he'll turn up eventually. One question being, did he really kill those guys in the desert, or did Niki's alter ego do it? And is their kid just regular-old super smart, or is he super-powered like his mom?

I'm not sure the guy in the bar was the same guy we saw trying to kidnap (or whatever) the kid that Matt and Not!Marcie stopped.

• head thonk* MARCIE. I've been trying to place her all day. Of course.

And I think Mysterious Black Guy is played by the guy who played Forest in season 4.(The actor gets around. In Smallville he played one of the nasty Kryptonians in the Phantom Zone, who was sent there after landing in the ship a year ago.)