One of the problems with Heroes

I'm still watching Heroes, even though most people seem to have given up on it.  I still watch it because I like the concepts, even though I'm often not a fan of the execution. And I don't imagine it will be back next season. Plus, CSI: Miami is a much worse show and I'm still watching thatn.

My latest (perhaps fever-inspired) theory about what's wrong with the show is that the writers are not fans of geek culture.  The Geek/Nerd core of fans could drive the show to success, yet those (often fervent fans in other endeavors) have lost patience.  The writers may be normal people -- trying to appeal to a normal base of fans.  But they are alienating those he make the whole super hero genre possible, and who sustained it for years.

My theory is based on the main geek character -- Hiro Nakamura.  Hiro, with his ability to bend time and space, travel when and where he wants, pause time, and basically alter the history of the world, is potentially the most powerful of the Heroes.  Perhaps it was a mistake to give him that much power to begin with, and since then they have a made a half-hearted attempt to nerf him.

With all this power, though, his primary role in the story is comic relief.  The play him as a naive, bumbling character who gets into all sorts of wacky scenarios with his sidekick, Ando. 

Hiro could be a powerful representation of geek-power.  He could still be naive.  He could still try to fight the good fight.  He can still quote comic books.  But if they take him seriously, he could become a much richer character which would definitely improve the story.

If they are trying to appeal to a geek/nerd fan base, then does it make sense that the character that fan base could relate to most closely is the one they treat as a joke?

Are their core fans going to relate most to the challenges of a patrician-born EMT, or an angst-ridden cheerleader struggling with her sexuality?

The other character that could have had some geek cred is the one with the engineers eye for, and obsession with, how things work.  And that's the guy they chose as the super villain. 

Perhaps if the writers had more respect for geek culture they would see the potential in a character like Hiro.  He doesn't need to be a joke. And then, maybe, the show would have a few more fans.

Or maybe I'll have a different view once the aspirin kicks in.