Contender

It’s interesting that the most moving moment of “Heroes”, thus far, and the UK is now exactly in the middle of the first season, is borne out of the relationship between the character who is meant to be the light relief, Hiro (Masi Oka), and a supporting character who has but a few scenes, the diner-waitress Charlie (Jayma Mays). The moment they almost kiss in the episode “Six Months Ago”, only for Hiro to be whisked away before they can consummate their affection for one another, mirrors the scene in the “Doomsday” season two finale of new “Doctor Who”, when the Doctor (David Tennant) doesn’t quite get to tell Rose (Billie Piper) that he reciprocates her love. The difference is that while the good Doctor dwells on the sentimentality of the scene, with tears aplenty, in “Heroes” it’s over in a split second leaving you dumbfounded as the drama moves inexorably on to the next scene.

To compound the tragedy of losing the one you love, not only can Hiro not alter the course of her destiny, and save Charlie from her murder, but it’s revealed she has a brain tumour and was going to die anyway. Ironically, Hiro had given her back the will to live, doting on the girl with his truly-loving gifts of origami, a Japanese phrase book and the more-traditional flowers! Their relationship lasted the course of several episodes and, although not occupying much screen time, the brief love affair made Charlie’s demise all the more potent than the ultimate fate of Eden (Nora Zehetner), blowing her own brains out in “Fallout”, under the control of the imprisoned arch-nemesis Sylar (Zachary Quinto).