With an ensemble cast as big as the one on Heroes, you're definitely going to have certain characters and storylines you favor over others.

From what I've seen of the series thus far, these are the "fantastic" four that I like the best. Be warned that some spoilers might be within:

Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka): I'm a comic book geek, so how could I NOT like this guy? Hiro represents a sense of humor and a lighter side that a show like this definitely needs. His curiosity is going to get him into trouble for sure, but I think if any one character aspires to be the ultimate hero, Hiro would be it. 30 years from now, when people will look back on Heroes, no matter how long the show lasts, Hiro will be the one that everyone remembers.

Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar): I'm not totally sold on his brother Peter's "I have a destiny" talk but Nathan Petrelli, the politician with his own agenda, is REALLY interesting to me. I'm especially curious about how his powers work. And their mom cracks me up.

Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg): One, he's played by Greg Grunberg. But two, Matt seems to have one of the closest involvements with the "villain plot" of the series. I'm REALLY curious about the threats that these future-Heroes face, and I know Matt - with his ability to hear others' thoughts - will help us to know what exactly is going on. Plus, it's Greg Grunberg, one of TV's most underrated talents who ALWAYS puts in a good performance.

And then finally...

Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere): I was pretty surprised to read that Hayden (the actress playing Claire) really is 17 years old, and for someone so young, she's got a lot of talent. But what interests me the most about Claire (AGAIN BE WARNED OF SPOILERS) is her connection to the man with the Horned-Rim Glasses. HRG himself gets an honorable mention, as he pulls off creepy in a way that I haven't seen since the Cigarette Smoking Man. Some cool things are happening with Claire and I think her character might be in more danger than some. Claire also seems to be quite popular here on the 'net and on 9thWonders.

My opinions could change as the series goes along. That's the fun of a show like this - a varied cast, all played by strong actors, each of whom will get their chance to shine. Who knows, in a month maybe I'll be carrying on about four other characters.

Which characters do YOU like the best? Why not talk about it on the 9thWonders boards!