'Heroes' is the new 'O.C.'

I had many emotions Monday night watching the "fall finale" of Heroes -- boredom, anger, um, bordeom -- but after it was all over I was struck by one thought. Heroes is the new O.C..

All TV junkies know that The O.C. was pretty much perfect when it started out, but fell apart as the seasons dragged along. It was like a soap opera on speed - everything great that could happen to the characters seemed to work itself out in the first season. It's probably the closest we've come to a telenovella on American TV. Sure The O.C. had its fans all the way through to the season's end, but it never reached the popularity or pure fun that first season had.

How does that relate to Heroes? Really, is there anyone who has cared what happened after they saved the cheerleader? The idea that this group of super mutants will have to constantly save Earth from doom is a little exhausting. The cast keeps getting larger and duller - Maya (or Mayja as her thankfully deceased brother would call her) and West, really? - and all we got from Monday's episode is that if you are remotely interesting as a character you're doomed (nooooo Nathan!). Now Tim Kring has admitted that this half of the season didn't really work and volume 3 (villians) will be better. So, here's hoping I'm totally wrong about the show. I'm fairly certain that Tim Kring has a better idea of what's going on than I do , and I've definitely held out on shows much longer than they deserved only to be rewarded (I'm looking at you Lost!).