...

That's a good idea.


I'm not sure I understand the question.

My first reaction to the title of this thread was 'Yes they are'.

I definitely think that the screentime in bad stories is hurting some of the male characters.

We really didn't need to see Sylar until Maya and Alejandro turn him over. Actually he would have been ten times better if he just showed up with surgery scars calling himself Gabriel Grey in the middle of a mexican dessert. but the boat has sailed on that one.

Peter's relationship with Nathan has been more interesting than his relationship with Simone because Nathan's story was not primarily about Peter.

The men were generally shown as being more disassociated than the women in the previous season.

Peter: in hiding from his family and girlfriend.
Nathan: putting up such a false front that he's willing to let millions die for his ambition.
Noah: erasing his family's memories to maintain an illusion of a normal family.
Sylar: connected only to Mohinder under an alias. When he tried to connect to his mother he ended up killing her.
Mohinder: trying to find what happened to his father. Missing connections to the heroes. When he does find a hero he connects only with an assumed identity.
DL: in prison, then on the run from his wife.
Claude: opting to be invisible and distrustful.

Hiro/Ando were the exception. Their friendship remained a defining characteristic of both men, even when they decided to part ways. They are also the ones who found it the easiest to make connections with other characters.

The second season has more story lines of men who are not alienated: Alejandro with Maya, Matt/Mohinder with Molly and the West/Claire romance. I can't count Peter/Caitlynn since Peter isn't really 'Peter' at this point.

OK. In the short run I would say no, since more screentime allows more opportunities for character development. Plausibility is an especially tricky thing on a fantasy show like this, which does ten impossible things before breakfast. I know for me, with this kind of show I often reach a point where so many implausibilities have piled up that I can't suspend disbelief any more. The characters who get more screentime could get there sooner, I guess. It's hard to say at this point.


I think it's more that it damages the story than the character, but it's fine line.


Very true, but this is a general problem with season two IMHO. We also didn't need to see Maya accidentally unleash her power three times, we didn't quite so many scenes at Claire's high school, etc.

One thing I do like about the male characters is the vulnerabilities they're given. In particular I like how Peter and Hiro go against manly-man comic book stereotypes. Peter's emotions are central to his powers and story, he's a nurse, and he was central to the first season without being all noble (I also find him one of the less admirable main characters, but that's a whole other post.) And Hiro of course is all cute and silly.

But it also allows more opportunities for character assassination. I think that this ultimately comes down to the writers. I'm sure a truly talented writer can write an entire episode about Peter that is rich in plot and development, while someone like me would run out of ideas in two minutes and ruin Peter in a five-minute scene.


Neither is butch either (aside from Peter, who, as Aunty Mib said, isn't 'Peter' right now). In the entire cast, actually, only Nathan is (was?) butch, and he has been shunning the heroic life.

Of all the characters, male or female, I think Peter is the least disassociated. He was only in hiding when he was with Claude, and that was only because he empathically picks up on the characteristics (powers and personality) of those he's with, IMO.

I actually think all characters define themselves by other people/things. DL's focus was as much on Micah as Nikki's was (we even know he doesn't keep the Peanut Butter at the right temperature---well, didn't, I guess: RIP DL). If Mohinder isn't defined by his father, I don't know who is. Nathan is as defined by Peter as Peter is by Nathan, as we discovered. He's just a little less emo about it. HRG had two self-definitions, and when forced to choose between them (Company Man and Family Man), he chose to define himself by his family. Sylar apparently had serious Mommy issues, but I also think Sylar's personality has serious continuity issues... or maybe "crazy" just seems like bad continuity.

I would call HRG butch, as well (and not just because of the haircut!)

I think HRG is the most "butch" -- though I'd say stoic.

Nathan only appeared butch/stoic. It was all a facade.

Sorry. I meant physically butch.

Well, plenty of them are in good enough shape---mostly the most emo (Sylar and Pete). The Haitian always seemed to be in pretty good shape too. And he's rather stoic. But Matt called him a "Euro looking guy" which probably negates the "Butch," I imagine.

In an HRG vs. Nathan fight, I think HRG could easily take him, even sans super power. Not sure how one determines "butch" though.