Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray

Heroes: Season Two

 (TV) (2007)

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi



The second season begins four months after the events of Kirby Plaza. The heroes are trying to return to ordinary lives despite their extraordinary abilities, with the exception of Sylar, who is on a quest to regain the use of his abilities. The main plot arc of "Generations" deals with the Company and its research on the Shanti virus. This research is explored through the Company's founders, whose identities are revealed, as well as through the effects of various strains of the virus on The Haitian, Niki Sanders, Sylar, and others. An amnesiac Peter Petrelli observes the potential devastation of the virus in a future New York City. The "heroes" ultimately come together in an attempt to stop the release of a deadly strain of the virus and avert a global pandemic.

For more details about Heroes: Season Two on Blu-ray, see the Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray Review

Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


Universal brings “Heroes: Season Two” to Blu-ray in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, utilizing the VC1 compression codec, on a series of 4 BD50 discs. The transfer is a decidedly mixed bag with scenes that appear bright, vivid and colorful while others devolve into a noisy mess. “Heroes: Season Two” looks almost exactly like the recent Blu-ray release of “Heroes: Season One” - - both are problematic at times. This raises a very interesting question: is this a flawed disc or is Blu-ray technology pushing the limits of the filming techniques used for the show?

“Heroes: Season Two” was filmed - - actual 35MM film and Panavision and Arriflex cameras were used for the entire series. Given these specifications, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bit of grain, but the noise present on this series of discs is a completely different matter. Perhaps the problem lies in the film’s transfer to HDCAM masters for the eventual HD broadcasts of the show? It would be impossible to know, without seeing the show’s masters first hand, if these discs represent the true artistic vision for the look of the series. Given that we’ve now seen “Heroes” in both HD DVD and two Blu-ray releases, looking very consistently noisy and inconsistent, I’d have to err on the side of caution that this is how the show is supposed to look. Bearing that in mind, be prepared for a whole lot of noise. Darker scenes swarm off of the screen with an amazing amount of digital hiss filling every dark nook and cranny. Shadow details practically disappear in the ensuing swarm with black levels displaying a significant amount of crush. Color reproduction is also strange. Flesh-tones vary greatly with various characters displaying a wide range of skin tones often within the same scene. Don’t get me wrong, some scenes look great. Plenty of bright, outdoor locations are rendered vividly and effectively. There are even some darker scenes in the show that don’t display the messy noise of the majority of the series. “Heroes: Season Two” is just very inconsistent. If your goal in watching this series is to pick apart its technical presentation, then there will be plenty for you to gripe about. Otherwise, one gets used to the look of the show after a while. Perhaps that’s the point?

Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


On the audio side, Universal has taken the high road, giving “Heroes: Season Two” the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio treatment. I have to give kudos to Universal for making a point of delivering lossless audio on all of their releases thus far. Other studios have made the mistake of delivering television content with a simple Dolby Digital track. Just because television is limited by broadcast standards doesn’t necessarily mean that studios shouldn’t strive for the highest quality possible on their Blu-ray releases.

“Heroes: Season Two” isn’t the most lively mix ever created. Much of the show is dialogue driven with a whole lot of character exposition and the occasional action sequence. When action does occur, the mix is effectively ambient with an occasional splash of rear directional surround activity. Dialogue is generally restricted to the center channel without a lot of movement through the front of the sound stage. With that being said, dialogue is crisp and easy to decipher. The show’s soundtrack is also nicely represented and even gets the occasional surround flourish. “Heroes: Season Two” easily sounds better than in its broadcast form, so the inclusion of the DTS-HD Master Audio track has definitely paid off.

Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Final Specs for Heroes Season 2 Revealed - July 30, 2008


• Specs for Blu-ray Heroes Seasons Revealed - June 10, 2008


• Heroes: Seasons One and Two Soaring to Blu-ray - April 17, 2008

Heroes: Season Two Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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