Too bad the heroes didn't make as good a showing as the villains. Claire spent a good amount of time grieving for her father. Which would've been far more affecting if we still thought he was dead. (And I know I said I dug that popping-up-from-the-grave twist at the end of last week's episode, but if I knew they were heading into the mopey grief zone, I'd have advised that they keep us as invested in Noah's death as Claire is.) Claire found the woman indirectly responsible for her father's demise, and all she did was punch out a window and threaten to call the press? Call me shallow, but I'd want some righteous payback in the form of a busted-up Electra-Lass.

I'm not even gonna mention Suresh anymore. He's just so monumentally stupid that I can't waste my time chronicling his inane decisions. (Like, why is he living in the same decor-by-Seven apartment that Sylar almost killed him in? With his new ''daughter''? Because it's good for kids?)

And New Orleans. Poor, poor New Orleans. This is the story line such a legendary city gets? Before I get into my problem with Monica and her lame-ass power, I want to take a moment to point out a little exchange that underscored one of the reasons this show frustrates me. Micah showed off the ''valuable'' comics, explaining to Monica why some crime fighters tool around in masks. And she said, ''That's why Clark Kent wears those glasses.'' Jeez, what a fundamental misunderstanding of the Superman mythos. Not to get all Tarantino on their asses, but the glasses aren't Clark Kent's disguise, Clark Kent is Superman's disguise. Kal-El arrived on Earth as a super human. His costume is made of the swaddling he was ''packed'' in. When he lets down his guard, he's Superman, not the other way around. It's a small thing, I know, but given that this is a comic-book-oriented television show, Your Honor, this goes directly to credibility.

If I found out that I could do anything by watching it once, I'd spend every waking moment watching everything. I'd pull a Neo: ''Whoa...I know kung fu.'' I'd do that just in case I found myself on the losing end of a crappy plot twist that involved me breaking into a gangbanger hideout to steal a backpack full of comics (and, yes, a medal) and getting jumped by said bangers. I'd do that so I didn't get tossed in the back of a mysterious van like Kim Bauer from 24 with little more than double Dutch up my sleeve.

The verdict? The quality of the villainy outweighed the tepidity of the heroes. Not a bad week, but if next week's episode is the last of volume 2, I sense another super-rushed finale that leaves me wanting more.

What do you think? What does Bob plan on doing with Bennett? Who'll die next week? (C'mon, Mohinder!) And will Nichelle Nichols ever actually get anything to do?

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