Tuesday, May 22, 2007

NOT SO HEAVY TRAFFIC

Once again, my bestest of friends Ivy got peeved over the depiction of TV-NYC, this time in the disappointing finale of 'Heroes':

It's odd to see a fictional NYC with no pedestrians and no cars. In real NYC, Peter would've been squashed flat by a cab in two seconds rather than having a nap in the middle of the street. LOL!

She's right. In the two scenes of Peter lying in the street, we saw only one cab pass by off in the distance, near what looked to be the Met Life building/street arch. (Maybe that cab was from the Sunshine Cab Company of 'Taxi'?) Even the most desolate area in NYC has traffic well into the night, and this had to be early evening when the scenes took place.

And considering he collapsed right outside the entrance to a parking garage.....

I have no problem with fictional locations within an actual city like New York. This show provides an excellent example of that - Kirby Plaza, where the climax of the season-long story occurred. There is no such place in Manhattan; the location can actually be found in Los Angeles under a different name.

(The genesis for the name Kirby was a tip of the hat to the legendary comics artist Jack Kirby. But I'd like to think that WWII soldier Private Kirby {played by Jack Hogan on 'Combat!'} did something in the intervening years to merit having a plaza named after him.)

Tell me that ordinary people can develop super-human abilities, fine. But don't try to con me into thinking that the streets of the City are THAT deserted!

SNAP! There goes that suspension of disbelief.....

BCnU!
Toby OB

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd say the lack of traffic was a minor quibble for a good season of a show. I liked the finale myself and look forward to next season. I did think that Peter should have been able to just fly himself away to save everyone.

I'm surprised, Toby, that you have not posited a connection from Heroes to the revamp of Fantasy Island, as Linderman's ability with plants was the kind of thing Roarke could with a wave of his hand (as could Ariel). Perhaps Roarke's powers are greater on the island?

Any thoughts on the Simpsons/24 crossover? I know you separate cartoons (and I don't), but this gives another bona fide cross for the shows.

Hugh

Toby O'B said...

I liked that the '24' crossover into the Tooniverse happened, adding yet another Toobworlder to the dimension of TV cartoons. (Some of the others: Number Six of 'The Prisoner', Mulder & Scully of 'The X-Files' - all on 'The Simpsons', and Christopher Moltisanti of 'The Sopranos' on 'Family Guy'.)

But '24' isn't even in the main Toobworld so it's never been a show that I've cared much for. Hey, we all have different preferences.

For my money, I'm glad they didn't succumb to temptation and make it the 400th episode. I thought "You Kent Always Get What You Want" was a much better choice. (Nothing like sticking it the hand that feeds you and rightfully so on your 400th anniversary!)

Plus, I can't stop rewinding the tape and replaying the homage to 'Raising Arizona'! My only complaint: John R. Crowder, the yodeler, should have received vocal credit in the show!