What happened after the season 4 finale on HEROES should not have come as a surprise. Hints were dropped all season long, especially with Claire Bennet, who wanted to come out in the open, and Sylar, who wanted to come clean.

So at the end of last night’s final episode of season 4 (Volume 5: Redemption), HEROES hints of where it is taking the show for next season… if… NBC renews the series.

But if the next season is written as well as last night’s season finale was, then I really have to say (again), HEROES will see better days!

So, here is the opening scene for next season’s volume 6 on HEROES, which is titled “Brave New World”:

The heroes breathe a sigh of relief, as they save New York and the world again. Sylar (Zachary Quinto) has a moment of clarity, and like a schoolboy who came up with the answer, excitedly tells Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) how satisfying it felt to control his abilities and not kill Doyle the Puppet Master (guest star David H. Lawrence XVII). But Peter wasn’t listening. Something else is going on. Something that can potentially destroy everything that specials have tried to protect for so long. Read More – HEROES Volume 6 “Brave New World”

HEROES 4.19 “Brave New World”
Airdate: February 8, 2009 (Monday, 9:00 pm)

Traditionally, HEROES shows a sneak peek of the next volume at the end of the current one. But given the series’ uncertain future with NBC, I wasn’t sure how the show would end tonight. Well, let me just say that HEROES was at its finest! And if the episodes for next season are anything like this episode, then by all means we’re in for a great ride!

With a show like HEROES, one wonders how all the separate storylines will finally come together. Well, tonight’s finale of Volume 5: Redemption was mind-blowing and impressive! Peter and Sylar’s, Claire and Noah’s stories now intertwined. Even Hiro got his answers and “made his wrongs right”.

So, after Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) escape from the nightmare of The Wall, they come face to face with the replicator man, who had overpowered Matt’s (Greg Grunberg) ability to control the mind. Sylar saves Matt’s life, and convinces him to give him a chance to redeem himself.

Elsewhere, Lauren (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) finds an empty lot where the carnival had been, but Noah (Jack Coleman) and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) are trapped thirty feet below ground. Noah asks Claire’s forgiveness and admits that his life was changed when she was given to his family as a child. It was an effective and dramatic farewell between Noah and Claire. As Noah runs out of air, Noah pleads with Claire to keep herself anonymous, to blend in and hide her abilities from the world. But Claire still thinks that people are going to accept her own kind, that people are different now than before. When Noah passes out, Claire panics and starts clawing the dirt! Water gushes in and Tracy (Ali Larter) appears! Don’t ask how exactly, but Tracy uses water to push Claire and Noah out above ground, where Lauren has a chopper waiting to take them to New York.

And don’t ask how – it was never explained – but Samuel (Robert Knepper) physically teleported the entire carnival and everyone in it, to Central Park New York City. Samuel pep-talks the Carnival family that this is the night that the world will know of their existence. Emma (guest star Deanne Bray) gets Samuel to reveal that he plans to kill thousands that night, but Doyle (guest star David H. Lawrence XVII) controls her like a puppet. Emma is forced to play her cello and lures people into the carnival.

Meanwhile, Hiro (Masi Oka) awakens and demonstrates to Ando that he is completely healed. Hiro finds a note from Charlie that she is in the same ward! When Hiro finally finds Charlie, she is an old woman at the end of her life! When Charlie explains that she was brought to 1944, Hiro offers to go back in time and “fix” everything. But Charlie tells him that she has lived a full life, and going back in time would erase all the wonderful memories and family that she loves. Hiro finally realizes his quest is over and the damsel has found her happy ending. Just in time, Ando (James Kyson Lee) tells Hiro of yet another adventure – Noah needs them in New York to stop Samuel Sullivan!

Claire, Noah, Peter and Sylar, Hiro and Ando now arrive at the carnival and prepare to stop Samuel from killing thousands and endanger the existence of all specials. Sylar stops Doyle from controlling Emma! To Doyle’s disbelief, Sylar declares that he is no longer a villain but a HERO! Sylar spares Doyle’s life and feels great about controlling his abilities!

So, Claire confronts the Carnival people and uncovers Samuel’s agenda. How he killed Joseph, who tried only to keep the family small to limit Samuel’s powers; how Samuel is using everyone to build up his own power. Once convinced by Claire, Edgar and Noah, the Carnies began leaving. In his anger, Samuel rushes to the front stage where carnival goers gathered, and began shaking the ground to swallow everyone!

Peter tackles Samuel, absorbs his abilities and challenges Samuel to a duel of earth-moving. Everyone around them scampers to escape from this earthquake. Just in time, Hiro gets supercharged by Ando and teleports everyone else – yes, all thousands of them – out of the Carnival and away from Samuel! Immediately, Samuel feels his powers disappear and the Butterfly Man is defeated.

And that’s the end of Volume 5: Redemption.

But it may not be the end of the story…. next Volume: “Brave New World”

Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

SMALLVILLE 9.14 “Persuasion”
Airdate: February 19, 2010

It’s the Valentine Day episode of SMALLVILLE, and Lois and Clark are moving fast in their relationship!

Here’s the episode description from CW –

LOIS MOVES IN WITH CLARK — It is Valentine’s Day and while Clark (Tom Welling) is out on a date with Lois (Erica Durance), he unknowingly becomes infected by gemstone kryptonite, which has magical wish-fulfilling properties. Clark mentions to Lois that he wishes they had a more traditional relationship,so Lois quits the Daily Planet, moves in with Clark and starts planning their wedding. Still unaware of his new power, Clark also casually tells Chloe (Allison Mack) he wishes she would spend more time watching out for him, so an infected Chloe takes his wish to heart and sets her sights on a new target – Lois. Written by Anne Coffel Saunders and directed by Christopher Petry

Can you imagine Lois in an apron, and being a docile homemaker? The love-averse tough girl planning a wedding? This I got to see! And Chloe versus Lois over Clark? Yup, this is going to be fun to watch.

SMALLVILLE 9.13 “Warrior”
Airdate: February 12, 2010

There’s a new superhero villain in town. Oh sorry, villain superhero. Well, whoever he might be, he just got dibs on Chloe’s heart. Guest star Carlo Marks is Stephen, a comic con fan of Warrior Angle who gets the superhero’s powers when he gets charmed with a bewitched copy of the Warrior Angel comic book , thanks to returning character Zatanna (guest star Serinda Swan).

Oh, and the episode is directed by Allison Mack!

So check out the trailer for SMALLVILLE 9.13 “Warrior”, and find out if this version of Warrior Angel is hero or villain. And following it, a webclip of a rather embarrassing encounter between Chloe and Stephen.

Read More – SMALLVILLE 9.13 “Warrior” Trailer and Webclip

HEROES 4.19 “Brave New World”
Airdate February 8, 2009 (Monday, 9:00 pm)

It’s the final episode of HEROES “Redemption” tonight! Check out these sneak peeks of HEROES 4.19 “Brave New World”.

It’s Samuel’s pep talk to his Carnies, and it’s like he’s pre-empting a catastrophic event will happen.

We already know Emma will cause thousands of people to die, but watch the preview below and you’ll understand just how she does it.

Read More – HEROES Season 4 Finale: Web Previews!

HEROES 4.19 “Brave New World”
Airdate February 8, 2009 (Monday, 9:00 pm)

HEROES season finale today! And from the looks of it, it’s going to be one hell of a ride! So check out the gallery of promo images for a quick SPOILER of tonight’s episode.

Sylar is back, Samuel is angry and Claire had escaped from being buried alive!

Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Consider this a rumor, but here’s the news about Hayden Panettiere that opened in my inbox! Last week, I wrote about Hayden Panettiere’s new relationship with a professional boxer so I wasn’t expecting this to come out in the tabloids early!

But according to a source close to the actress, Hayden is so smitten by her new boyfriend, professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, that she’s hoping for a wedding ring by the end of the year!  “Hayden is head over heels with Wladimir. She says he’s her dream man — tall, dark and handsome!”

Image: Newscom

SMALLVILLE 9.12 “Absolute Justice”
Airdate: February 5, 2010 from 8-10 pm.

SMALLVILLE rocks! And Geoff Johns is the man. DC comics fans should have a field day with the cool references and inside quotes, and yet casual fans still won’t get lost in the storylines. AND, there were more superheroes and villains than expected. All in all, the SMALLVILLE “Absolute Justice” was a cool treat for everyone who loves superheroes and comics.

But rather than make a full play-by-play recap of the episode, here are the highlights from tonight’s episode.

• Chloe’s Watch Tower had been trying to bring Clark’s team together, or as Oliver refers to everyone as “the superfriends”!!! (Love it!)
• Justice Society of America was referenced as an older generation of superheroes, who used to keep the streets safe, until government task force turned their lives upside down. The JSA were wrongly accused of crimes they didn’t commit. Though the accusations didn’t stick, the JSA folded and and the superheroes went their private ways.
• As leader of the JSA, Carter Hall AKA Hawkman (Michael Shanks) maintained the brownstone headquarters and kept all the JSA members’ memorabilia as museum pieces. That’s where Clark Kent found him with a mentally unstable Kent Nelson AKA Dr. Fate.
• Sylvester Pemberton AKA Star-spangled Kid trained his sidekick Stripesy’s young stepdaughter, Courtney Whitmore AKA Stargirl.
• The Justice Society of America was tracking Clark Kent’s new team, and they knew everyone’s identity but were not impressed with the young superheroes. Carter Hall was specially skeptical of their heroism, but Dr. Fate saw Clark’s future and knew that he was different than everyone else.

Read More – SMALLVILLE “Absolute Justice” Highlights

SMALLVILLE 9.12 “Absolute Justice”
Airdate: February 5, 2010 from 8-10 pm.

There are three reasons why tonight’s SMALLVILLE is a must-see!

It’s the first time this many DC Comics superheroes (and villain) are in one SMALLVILLE event – Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Stargirl, Martian Manhunter, Skyman/Star-spangled Kid, and of course Green Arrow and the boy scout Clark Kent (not to mention Chloe aka “Watch Tower”). Counting Icicle as villain, there are more Justice League members in this than in “Legion”! Of course, SMALLVILLE isn’t calling the superheroes as the JLA (they can’t) rather they are called the Justice Society of America. That works for me, we know who they are.

And because it’s a powerhouse of supers, SMALLVILLE is making this a two-hour movie event! It’s from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., so don’t change channels along the way!

And third reason for watching SMALLVILLE tonight? The script was written by DC. Comics writer Geoff Johns! AND the second part is directed by TOM WELLING. The first hour is directed by Glen Winter!

So see you at SMALLVILLE tonight! Check back here for a post-show discussion! Meantime, check out the following SPOILERS and teasers –

• SMALLVILLE Absolute Justice Episode Description
• SMALLVILLE Absolute Justice Promo Images
• SMALLVILLE Absolute Justice Trailer
• SMALLVILLE Absolute Justice Sneak Peeks (Video Web Clips)
• SMALLVILLE Absolute Justice teaser

Image: © 2010 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

HEROES 4.17 “The Wall”
Airdate February 1, 2009 (Monday, 9:00 pm)

This is what I’m talking about! This episode rocks! I love it that the entire episode was focused on two storylines only. It allowed the stories to flow perfectly. Though we were essentially watching two disconnected storylines, we know the stories are going to connect in the end, and makes this show extra special.

Right after Matt traps Sylar in his own mind, Peter attempts to bring Sylar out of the trap. Instead, Matt was sucked into the same nightmare that Sylar is living. In Sylar’s world, he has been there for three years already when in reality only three hours passed. Peter explains to Sylar that he must get out as there is no one else who can save Emma but him. Unfortunately, Peter becomes unsuccessful in getting them out using the powers he got from Matt, so they try to find another way out. They come across a tall brick wall, just like the wall that Matt built to trap Sylar and the reluctant companions work at breaking the wall down.

As the seeming years drag on, Peter and Sylar learn to tolerate one another. Peter learns that Sylar has truly repented from killing his brother and so many other people, but it was Peter who could not release the anger and hatred he feels for Sylar. After what seemed like years, Peter finally gives up holding on to his grudge, and the wall begins to break! Finally, Peter and Sylar get out of the mind trap, and realize only several hours has passed. Sylar asks Peter if their experience was less real, and Peter tells Sylar it’s time to save Emma.

Read More – HEROES 4.18 “The Wall” Episode Recap