Alphas: A Better Version of Heroes

I'm very happy to bring you another guest post here on Light Speed Gaming. This one comes in from James Ged, who is going to share his fondness for the TV show "Alphas" with us and explain, why he thinks it is actually in many ways the TV show that "Heroes" should have been.

Alphas (SyFy) is what Heroes should have been. Everyone agrees that Heroes had a great first season, but it quickly went to crap after that. Alphas, on the other hand is stronger both narratively and structurally. Although these shows share the same basic idea—there are people among us who have extraordinary abilities and powers—they are very different in the way they approach plot and style, and Alphas pulls it off where Heroes failed.

Structure and Narrative

Part of the weakness of Heroes was that it didn’t set itself up with a particular structure from the beginning. That is, it set itself up as a free-for-all drama with no real structure or regular plot elements, so when the show had to grow and become something else in its second season, it had nothing to fall back on, and thus fell apart.

Alphas, on the other hand, has established itself as a procedural-type show with a plot structure based on a team of “Alphas” (or people with enhanced physical and mental abilities) who investigate crimes and track down other Alphas who may be a danger to themselves or others. Although the show broke with the procedural structure throughout the first series, the writers regularly returned to it, giving a continuity and framework to the show that allowed for good character development strengthened the overarching storyline.

Realisim: So Far as It’s Possible

Another way that Alphas distinguishes itself from Heroes is that the characters’ superpowers or “alpha abilities,” are actually based on real human abilities (inasmuch as superpowers can be “real”). For example, where Heroes featured people who could fly and travel in time, Alphas has characters that have increased strength because they can control the adrenaline in their fight or flight response or increased sense of sight and touch. This small twist on the superhero genre gives Alphas a more grounded sense of reality, which comes off as more genuine and relatable as a result.

Everything is Basically X-Men

Ultimately, Alphas is heading the same direction that many superhero shows head—into an us vs. them conflict that pits humans (and the Alphas/mutants who want to live together in peace) against those with abilities who believe they are superior. (When you think about it, any show of movie like this is basically X-Men, but we’ll overlook that for now.) However, Alphas is building the tension slowly, giving individual episode plots room to breathe and create character development rather than going for big cliffhangers and dramatic reveals.

A New Perspective on Superheroes

Overall, Alphas is a show that has taken on the superhero genre in a new way and with a new perspective, making it more grounded and realistic, with good character development and consistently good writing. If you were a fan of Heroes’ first season, but stopped watching when the show went to pot, check out the first season of Alphas and get ready for next summer when the story continues.

If you're interested in writing a guest post on Light Speed Gaming, please feel free to contact me (e-mail address can be found on the "about" page or you can send me a message on Twitter.

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