'Heroes' Serves Up Mixed Blessings for "Thanksgiving"

The table was set. The characters were assembled. Even the meat had been cooked just about right over these last ten, flavorful weeks. But for their "Thanksgiving" dinner, ‘Heroes' instead served up heaping gobs of filler rather than an actual meal.

It's not Noah's fault that he longs for a traditional, family-style meal with the Bennett clan. His wife left, he screwed up his daughter's education, and he's tired of Japanese takeout. So he decides to orchestrate this Kodak family moment at his DuPont Circle apartment. Unfortunately, what Primatech taught him about "bagging and tagging" though didn't crossover into "life skills."

Of course Noah realizes that he's no Martha Stewart. He did surveillance. Still, that doesn't stop Noah from pinpointing someone to be his domestic stand-in. Conveniently enough, former Primatech partner Lauren Gilmore (Elisabeth Röhm) reappears, and she's all-to-eager to help cook if it involves canned yams.

Speaking of canned things, it's both a surprise and a disappointment that Sylar took longer than another one of Angela's yarns to reappear. For a character so entirely consumed by the reunification of his mind and body, Sylar practically let Nathan pick the turkey clean at the Petrelli feast before he helped himself to dessert. Then again, Peter stupidly allowed the wolf, posing as his sheepish brother, to continue sleeping at his New York apartment while the real Nathan rests inside a Virginia storage unit.

Now it seems that Peter did not inherit any of Sylar's powers whatsoever after their bold escape last Monday from Midland General Hospital. Sylar made the leap into "Nathan's" body, but his control remained unclear. So, instead of getting Sylar's telekinesis, electric manipulation or shape-shifting, Peter received Nathan's flying ability.

Okay.

But why didn't Peter reject Nathan's ability then like an inferior donor organ?Well, that's because Nathan's "soul" has somehow overpowered the most invincible man on Earth.

In the meantime, logic still rules at the Sullivan Bros. Carnival as Hiro preps for the Thanksgiving festivities with his adopted, carnie family. He might stubbornly refuse to address Samuel as anything other than "Butterfly Man," but his devotion to Charlie excuses this continued annoyance.

That means little though to Lydia as her doubts about Joseph Sullivan's death mount. Was it truly a federal agent that murdered Joseph Sullivan, or has Samuel been dealing in half-truths?

She might be a human Etch A Sketch, but Lydia compensates for her relatively useless ability with a Siren-esque allure that startles Hiro enough to help out. Just as she had suspected, it turns out Samuel had a hissy fit, and killed his older brother with a dirt clod aimed at Joseph's throat. But just because they bore witness to the heinous act, Hiro isn't about to reveal the truth and lose Charlie forever.

Fortunately for Hiro, Samuel calls his bluff by singling out Edgar as the "traitor" that allegedly tipped off the feds and caused Joseph's death. Faced with either banishment or death, Edgar decides to hightail it rather than meet a fate similar to Joseph's. However, Hiro isn't so lucky after Samuel orders a dreadlocked carnie to scramble Hiro's mind. But instead of getting the intended affect, Hiro vanishes into thin air again, and could very likely be cellmates with Mohinder at the psychiatric hospital where the exiled Indian scientist sits.

Elsewhere, Claire creates a scene at Noah's dinner, but Gretchen extinguishes it with a surprise visit – at Noah's request. From there, the two, former roommates are reconnected, and decide to celebrate by swiping Noah's compass and exploring the open road in search of where it's pointing.

I'll just be thankful if it doesn't lead us to leftovers.