Heroes: Season 3 – Blu-ray Disc Review

August 29, 2009 – 5:46 AM - Posted by: Danielle Byington

Tags: Adrian Pasdar, Alan Blumenfeld, Ali Larter, Ashley Crow, BD-Live, Bonus View, Brea Grant, Cristine Rose, D-Box, David H. Lawrence, Greg Grunberg, Hayden Panettiere, Jack Coleman, James Kyson Lee, Jamie Hector, Jimmy Jean-Louis, John Glover, Masi Oka, Milo Ventimiglia, Noah Gray-Cabey, Ntare Mwine, Randall Bentley, Robert Forster, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Taylor Cole, U-Control, Universal, Zachary Quinto, Zeljko Ivanek

has an average rating of 8.4 on IMDb
1080p in VC-1 on FIVE 50gb discs
DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio
fairly extensive with “U-Control“
–
– 2009
– 1072 minutes
– Universal
–
Street Date: September 1st, 2009

Overall Verdict – Fans Will Be Pleased

Buy it for $52.49 @ Amazon.com

— Review written by: Danielle Byington —

Trailer for “Heroes: Season 3” on Blu-ray:

The Show Itself is the third season, containing “Volume 3″ & “Volume 4″ of the story, providing us with the continuation of the interlacing characters and their powers. We are introduced to a few new characters, including Daphne (Brea Grant) the Speedster, Tracy (Ali Larter, who also played the identical Niki) who newly discovers her deadly frost power, and numerous new villains. The characters also find themselves involved in new complex situations, such as the Pinehearst plot, and surprisingly, Noah will may to play-nice with Sylar.

The full 25 (total) episodes for The Complete Third Season are included:

• Episode 1 : “(Volume 3/Chapter One)The Second Coming“
Writer: Tim Kring — Director: Allan Arkush
Original Air Date: 09/22/08— 8.4 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 2 : “The Butterfly Effect“
Writer: Tim Kring — Director: Greg Beeman
Original Air Date: 09/22/08 — 8.5 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 3 : “One of Us, One of Them“
Writer: Joe Pokaski — Director: Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Original Air Date: 09/29/08 — 8.4 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 4 : “I Am Become Death“
Writer: Aron Eli Coleite — Director: David Von Ancken
Original Air Date: 10/06/08 — 8.6 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 5 : “Angels and Monsters“
Writer: Adam Armus — Director: Anthony Hemingway
Original Air Date: 10/13/08 — 8.4 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 6 : “Dying of the Light“
Writers: Chuck Kim — Director: Daniel Attias
Original Air Date: 10/20/08 — 8.6 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 7 : “Eris Quod Sum“
Writer: Jesse Alexander — Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Original Air Date: 10/27/08 — 8.3 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 8 : “Villains“
Writer: Rob Fresco — Director: Allan Arkush
Original Air Date: 11/10/08 — 8.5 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 9 : “It’s Coming“
Writer: Tim Kring — Director: Greg Yaitanes
Original Air Date: 11/17/08 — 8.5 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 10 : “The Eclipse: Part I“
Writer: Aron Eli Coleite — Director: Greg Beeman
Original Air Date: 11/24/08 — 8.3 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 11 : “The Eclipse: Part II“
Writer: Joe Pokaski — Director: Holly Dale
Original Air Date: 12/01/08 — 7.7 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 12 : “Our Father“
Writer: Adam Armus — Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Original Air Date: 12/08/08 — 8.7 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 13 : “Dual“
Writer: Jeph Loeb — Director: Greg Beeman
Original Air Date: 12/15/08 — 8.3 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 14 : “(Volume 4/Chapter One) A Clear and Present Danger“
Writer: Tim Kring — Director: Greg Yaitanes
Original Air Date: 02/02/09 — 8.6 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 15 : “Trust and Blood“
Writer: Mark Verheiden — Director: Allan Arkush
Original Air Date: 02/09/09 — 8.1 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 16 : “Building 26“
Writer: Rob Fresco — Director: Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Original Air Date: 02/16/09 — 7.7 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 17 : “Cold Wars“
Writer: Aron Eli Coleite — Director: Seith Mann
Original Air Date: 02/23/09 — 7.7 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 18 : “Exposed“
Writer: Adam Armus — Director: Eric Laneuville
Original Air Date: 03/02/09— 8.1 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 19 : “Shades of Gray“
Writer: Oliver Grigsby — Director: Greg Beeman
Original Air Date: 03/09/09 — 8.5 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 20 : “Cold Snap“
Writer: Bryan Fuller — Director: Greg Yaitanes
Original Air Date: 03/23/09 — 8.8 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 21 : “Into Asylum“
Writer: Joe Pokaski — Director: James Chory
Original Air Date: 03/30/09 — 8.4 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 22 : “Turn and Face the Strange“
Writer: Rob Fresco — Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Original Air Date: 04/06/09 — 8.5 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 23 : “1961“
Writer: Aron Eli Coleite — Director: Adam Kane
Original Air Date: 04/13/09 — 7.7 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 24 : “I Am Sylar“
Writer: Adam Armus — Director: Allan Arkush
Original Air Date: 04/20/09 — 8.6 rating over at TV.com
• Episode 25 : “An Invisible Thread“
Writer: Tim Kring — Director: Greg Beeman
Original Air Date: 04/27/09 — 7.7 rating over at TV.com

Personally, I find it pointless to even have a rating for each episode here, as a show like “Heroes” is more like one massive story, with all of the characters set on a similar mission that they progress towards episode by episode; then, take for example a great show like “Seinfeld“, in which each episode revolves around new off-the-wall occurrences each time. It makes more sense to have an opinion that reflects each episode regarding a show of the latter mentioned example, than a show that is written in the style of the one being reviewed. With that said, the show itself can honestly be looked at as a whole, combining all of the plot information from seasons one, two, and now three. However, for the purpose of providing you with a rating, the show has proven itself to continue to stand firm amongst other television series, though this particular installment to the story has not been thought of as highly as the two previous seasons. Though, if you are a “Heroes” fan, then you are a definite fan of the show through even the weaker points, and you will remain interested in this unique twisting-turning series season after season. Overall, this piece of the story receives a “3.5 Star Rating“.

Video Quality on this release is 1080p in VC-1 on FIVE BD-50′s (50 gigabyte dual-layered Blu-ray Discs) using the 1.78:1 aspect ratio.

Disc Usage:

Disc 1 uses 44.3GB total. Disc 2 uses 43.2GB total. Disc 3 uses 43.6GB total. Disc 4 uses 45.0GB total. Disc 5 uses 44.1GB total.

The majority of the show’s video quality is solid and should please the fans; however, it does tend to fluctuate scene to scene with each character’s thread of the story, making for an immense number of settings with different lighting sources, CG effects, and so forth. Also, according to the technical specs on IMDb, the use of three different cameras is listed (Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL, Panavision Panaflex GII, and Arriflex 435), though this is a vague listing, as this only reflects all seasons, and technical information is not listed per episode. Upon personally contacting Charlie Lieberman, cinematographer for the majority (18) of the episodes for this season, he was kind enough to take the time to fill me in, thus I can inform you (the readers) with a bit more detail regarding the equipment used:

“We use Panavision 35mm cameras with the Primo series of prime and zoom lenses. If we need slo-motion we use the Arri 435. The film is transfered to HiDef for the entire post production work flow. We shoot mostly Fuji 500T film stock [Kodak was used for the first two seasons]. I’m a great fan of Blu-Ray and HiDef. It really shows the effort we make in the details of the sets and the lighting.“

As the show begins with the first disc, several examples can be made. We are first shown the thread of the story regarding the Petrelli family, which bares a definite solid black level, a neutral color palette with accurate fleshtones, and minimal film grain/noise, with above average definition present. Next, we encounter the situation with the Bennet family, and as Claire deals with a very unwelcome visit from Sylar in her locked-down home, the primary lighting source is just that of weak sunlight bleeding in through windows; here, definition is still good, with clarity equal to the scenes involving the Petrelli family mentioned above. You’ve also got the thread of storyline involving Matt, whom we see in an African desert setting for a while. These scenes look really crisp and sharp, significantly highlighting the details of the set and actors, and bare the apparent use of a color filter, as the palette looks very cyan.

With those examples, and a majority of the show, the visual content is impressive, however, the weak points tend to lie in the majority of the scenes involving Mohinder and Maya. From within his apartment, the color palette is much warmer with lower lighting sources, but the clarity is rather dampened compared to the rest of the show, with a fairly fuzzy presentation, and salt & pepper film grain lightly plaguing the black level.

Another very small flaw worth mentioning involves a subtle gliche or skip in frames, occurring with actions on screen. The first moment this occurs is in the very final minutes of the first episode as we see Sylar strolling down the sidewalk of the suburbs, which is actually a slow-motion moment; the other handful of times this happens are not (keeping in mind a different camera was used for “slo-mo”). This is perhaps from the video encode itself, or simply an error from the editing process; either way, it is there, and not at fault of a particular player, as I checked these specific moments on three different players from three different manufacturers.

If you have seen the show at all, you are aware that it incorporates an abundance of visual special effects. Some examples that look great in Hi-Def include Tracy‘s ice-power, freezing objects in a deadly frost, which really exhibits a great amount of detail, the time-freezed sprinting essence trailing behind the Speedster, Daphne, and for that matter, the majority of Hiro‘s moments of stopping time, which look very cool in High Definition as the camera shots maneuver around the still extras and set, almost like a demo for the series displaying frames of what its clarity is worth. Also especially notable is the scene of Tokyo falling to destruction in the season’s premiere, an effort of the production team that is almost that of a blockbuster movie. These are all just small examples, as an abundance of visual effects are used through out the show, and all look really sharp.

Overall, the fluctuations of the release’s video quality heighten and lower what its final verdict could have been, landing it in the end on a “4 Star Rating“.

Audio Quality on this release is in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. There is definitely a huge kick with this audio track, in all details from the score, to the intense audio presentation of action-packed scenes. Those familiar wales and whines of the show’s original music are definitely striking, and even more so as they accompany sequences of action. Regarding the action sequences, this season is over-flowing with them compared to seasons 1 and 2, making for terrific sources of content to really show off the audio track. From the collapse of Tokyo, the plane crash, and the shattering of objects deathly frosted by Tracy, there are waves of panning, frequent bright use of the rear channels, and solid rumbles from the subwoofer. Another great example lies in the scene of Sylar attempting to take Claire‘s power; on the audio level, this scene is exhibited as a mind-trip played very well through out the 5.1 setup, with subtle voices and the tick-tock of clocks growing in sound volume, certainly achieving its job of climatic hysteria.

Foley is also presented nicely within the soundscape, representing all respective actions on-screen perfectly, especially those conveying the powers of the characters, which really assists in bringing the heroes to life. Soundeffects are also often presented from an assigned channel, again, providing fuller realism and depth. The dialogue is bright and clear, presenting no issues of being subdued by other going-ons, and is certainly audible with out cranking. Overall, every note from every source of sound does its job impressively, leaving the audio quality on this release worthy of a “4.5 Star Rating“.

Bonus Materials are all presented in Standard Definition, 1080i, and High Definition (these will all be noted with each supplement), using Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.

Deleted Scene From Season 3:

• U-Control on this release includes “Picture-In-Picture” using “Bonus View“, as well as “Heroes Connection-Bios“, which was available on the previous seasons of the show on Blu-ray.

• BD-Live is available for those of you using a profile 2.0 Blu-ray Disc Player. This feature can be accessed through the “What’s New” tab on the main menu, and offers exclusive content, specifically including a sneak peak at “Heroes: Season 4“, and of course the latest trailers.
• “Hero Connections – Network” (HD) shows viewers a spiderweb-like map of the characters depicting their relations to one another, as well as a current season three description of each.
• “D-Box Motion Code” will surely rock your socks with the copious amount of roaring action scenes in this scenes.
• “My Scenes” allows you to bookmarks your favorite scenes, and create your own clips.

Disc 1:

• “Deleted Scenes” (SD, 14 minutes) includes a total of 13 scenes from episodes 1-5.
• “The Super Powers of ‘Heroes’” (HD, 8 minutes) is a great interview with Tim Gilbert, stunt coordinator for the third season of the show, with some behind the scenes looks at the organized stunts.

Disc 2:

• “Deleted Scenes” (SD, 12 minutes) includes a total of 10 scenes from episodes 6, 8, 9, and 10.
• “Completing the Scene” (HD, 8 minutes) offers a deeper look at the special effects used in the show, interviewing members of the crew.
• “Alternate Stories” (HD, 18, 10, and 18 minutes, respectively) includes “‘Heroes’: The Recruit“, “‘Heroes’: Going Postal“, and “Nowhere Man“.
• “Pinehearst Commercial” (1080i, 39 seconds)

Disc 3:

• “Deleted Scenes” (SD, 4 minutes) includes 6 scenes from episodes 12, and 15.
• “The Prop Box” (HD, 5 minutes) interviews James Clark who takes us behind the scenes to the “gold room”, giving a look at the assigned props of the characters on the show.
• “Tim Sale Gallery of Screen Art” (HD, 1 minute) is a nice little one-minute run of passing stills of the artist’s work.

Disc 4:

• “Deleted Scenes” (SD, 22 seconds) includes 1 scene from episode 18.
• “Genetics of a Scene” (HD, 24 minutes) includes 4 chapters which give viewers an in depth look at the makeup prosthetics used, the CG behind the Speedster, and much more.

Disc 5:

• “Deleted Scenes” (SD, 6 minutes) includes 6 scenes from episodes 21, 22, and 24.
• “The Writer’s Forum” (HD, 13 minutes) involves a discussion amongst Tim Kring, Adam Armus, and Aron Eli Coleite regarding the season three storyline. You can view a clip of the writers discussing Arthur Petrelli HERE.
• “Building Coyote Sands” (HD, 11 minutes) is a behind the scenes look at the development of the set used in the show. View a clip of this supplement HERE.

Blu-ray Disc packaging:

Screenshots:

NOTE: The full-sized 1920×1080 files are in a .PNG file format and uncompressed. Bare with the slow loading times, keep in mind these files are at least 1MB (1 megabyte) in size each.

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