SPOILER ALERT: This article reveals major plotlines for season 2 of Heroes
As Molly plays Two and a Half Heroes, the Bennets will be living on the down low in Southern California, though H.R.G. will put his family at risk by working with a surprising ally to settle some old scores with his former Hero-hunting employer. (Deadwood's Stephen Tobolowsky has been cast as the company's new boss.) Another complication: hormones. Yep, Claire's getting a boyfriend (Nick D'Agosto) — a fellow Hero, it turns out — following a love/hate courtship. Hiro's getting lucky as well, with a Japanese princess looming in his future. Past. Whatever. ''I really felt romance was a missing element last season,'' says Kring. ''These characters are young, single, and available — might as well hook them up.''
One last new and provocative ingredient being stirred into the Heroes mix: reality. With story lines set in post-Katrina Louisiana and addressing issues like illegal immigration, Kring is ratcheting up the with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility allegorical resonance. The majordomo of TV's premier escapist fantasy seems wise enough to not overstate this stuff, but he does firmly believe, ''Our world can and should have social relevancy.''
Right now, though, Kring and his cohorts aren't so much worried about saving the world as they are making sure their fictional one never falls into peril. The pressure was on immediately, as everyone reported to work for Heroes' sophomore season in mid-June — two months earlier than many other programs — all in hopes of getting a jump on the show's tricky writing and daunting production schedule. Oka recalls asking the producers, '' 'What's the main thing that can really screw up season 2?' They pretty much said 'Ego.' I'm taking that advice to heart.'' So are many of his other Heroes, a surprisingly tight-knit ensemble despite the fact that most of them rarely act together. No jealous fuming over Oka's Emmy nomination — just pride. And while it's hard to imagine Oka ever becoming Evil Diva Boy — if he did, what would it look like? ''I would just act everything at home on green screen,'' he jokes. ''Give them my facial expressions and say, 'There you go, that's season 3.''' But then, eyeballing the crew setting up the next shot in the hot sun, Oka quickly gets all Mr. Nice Guy: ''If I got to be an egomaniac, I'd give the crew more time and some breaks. We ride them like a horse.'' Smart, humble, hardworking — sounds like Mr. Squishy-Blinky already has all the powers he needs to dodge those arrows.
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