Don't Look Back (Heroes)

"Don't Look Back" is the second episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It was directed by Allan Arkush and written by Tim Kring. The characters deal with the consequences of their actions in the first episode ("Genesis"). Peter recovers from his fall, Hiro explores New York, Niki deals with the aftermath of the murders, and Mohinder continues to investigate his father's death.

Plot

Peter wakes up in the hospital after the previous episode, where his brother Nathan denies that they flew. Their mother reveals that their father was suffering from depression, and assumes that Peter is suffering from delusions that make him feel invincible, but will inevitably lead to his downfall. Peter becomes depressed, feeling that no one will believe him, and later stands at the top of a New York City building, prepared to jump. Nathan finds him in time, though Peter orders his brother to tell the truth, and admit he actually did fly. As he's saying this, it's revealed he is hovering in the air.

Claire's friend Jackie takes credit for saving the man from the fire in the previous episode, and Zach reveals that he cannot find the videos of Claire regenerating. Later on, Mr. Bennet is convinced that Claire has matured enough, and tells her he is trying to arrange a meeting with her biological parents. Unbeknownst to Claire, her father is in possession of the missing videos.

At his father's apartment in New York, Mohinder meets Eden McCain, a friend of Chandra's who believed in his theories. A man named Sylar attempts to contact Chandra, revealing that his "hunger" is out of control. Mohinder and Eden find a flash drive that contains a computer program formerly used by Chandra in his research. Elsewhere, at a murder scene, police officer Matt Parkman begins hearing a young girl's voice in his head. Following it, he finds the victims' daughter hidden. He overhears the investigators mention a suspect named Sylar. FBI agent Audrey Hanson questions Matt's knowledge of the girl's location, and arrests him on suspicion of being involved in the murder.

Having arrived in Times Square, Hiro sees himself on the cover of a comic book, which he purchases. He attempts to find the comic book's creator, Isaac. Upon arriving at Isaac's apartment, he finds Isaac's body, and the police arrive and detain Hiro. Discovering that he has accidentally traveled to the future, he manages to travel back as a large, apparently nuclear explosion occurs, decimating the city. In the present, however, Isaac tells Simone that they are responsible for stopping the eventual explosion that he painted, but Simone denies his precognition, and forces him to choose between her or the heroin.

While going to pick Micah up, Niki decides to watch the recording of the killings. She pauses at a stop light to view the film, but finds it blurry and fuzzy. The second the video ends, Niki finds herself elsewhere - at a parking lot, wearing a different outfit, four hours later. Niki has no memory of what happened during the last four hours. Niki later returns to her garage and finds a map inside, that leads her to a new car - inside the car are the bodies of the dead thugs. The map later leads Niki to the middle of the desert, where she finds a shovel waiting for her. Niki begins digging.

Continuity

the helix symbol shown in the episode

The helix, a recurring symbol throughout the series, makes several appearances in this episode. Peter draws the helix as part of a sketch; it also appears as patterns formed by data on a computer display, on the billboard behind Hiro on the comic book cover, and a rope floating in a swimming pool. Another common element, artwork that predicts the future, is represented twice. In the first one, the unfinished comic art Hiro sees on Isaac's drawing board depicts events that occur at the conclusion of the episode. The first two panels show Hiro on the phone with Ando, learning that it is November 8, while the final panel shows Hiro's shocked expression upon seeing the explosion that destroys New York. Reversing the process, a scene set in the future (where Isaac is found dead with his skull sliced off) is painted by Isaac himself in the later episode "Parasite".

Production

Narration

Introduction:

We all imagine ourselves the agents of our destiny. Capable of determining our own fate. But have we truly any choice in when we rise... or when we fall... or does a force larger than ourselves bid us our direction? Is it evolution that takes us by the hand... does science point our way... or is it God who intervenes... keeping us safe?

Conclusion:

For all his bluster, it is the sad province of Man that he cannot choose his triumph. He can only choose how he will stand when the call of destiny comes... hoping that he'll have the courage to answer.

Ratings

The total viewership for this episode was 12.57 million. It earned a 7.6/11 share for the week. In the 18–49 demographic, it earned a 5.3/13 share.

Notes

• This episode marks the first appearance of Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg).

External links

• Don't Look Back at the Internet Movie Database
• Beaming Beeman: Episode 2: Don't Look Back Director's blog on the filming of this episode.