Heroes (American TV series)
Heroes | |
---|---|
File:Heroes logo.png Heroes logo | |
Genre | Drama Science fiction |
Created by | Tim Kring |
Starring | David Anders Kristen Bell Santiago Cabrera Jack Coleman Tawny Cypress Dana Davis Noah Gray-Cabey Greg Grunberg Ali Larter James Kyson Lee Masi Oka Hayden Panettiere Adrian Pasdar Zachary Quinto Sendhil Ramamurthy Dania Ramirez Leonard Roberts Milo Ventimiglia |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 32 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | September 25, 2006 – present |
Heroes is an American science fiction drama television series created by Tim Kring. It premiered on NBC on September 25, 2006. The show tells the story of several people who "thought they were like everyone else... until they realized they have incredible abilities." These people soon realize they have a role in preventing a catastrophe and saving humanity. The series emulates the style of American comic books in aesthetic as well as storytelling (i.e. short, multi-episode story arcs that build upon a larger, more encompassing arc). Kring said "we have talked about where the show goes up to five seasons."[1]
When the series premiered in the United States, it was the night's most-watched program among adults aged 18-49, attracting 14.3 million viewers overall and receiving the highest rating for any NBC drama premiere in five years.[2] The first season's run consisted of 23 episodes; 24 episodes were ordered for the second season,[3] to be followed by six episodes of a new spin-off, Heroes: Origins.[4] The second season of Heroes premiered on September 24 2007,[5] but it may be cut short by a strike affecting television and movie production. 11 of the 24 planned episodes are ready for broadcast,[6] and as such the scheduled December 3 2007 broadcast of "Powerless" may serve as the season finale.[7] The strike also led to the postponement of Heroes: Origins, originally expected to air in April and May of 2008.[8][9]
Characters
In its first season, the show features an ensemble cast of twelve main characters. Although NBC's cast page[10] lists only ten characters, Leonard Roberts (D.L. Hawkins), who first appeared in the series' fifth episode, was an additional member of the original full-time cast. Later Jack Coleman (Noah Bennet) was upgraded from a recurring role to become the twelfth full-time cast member as of "Fallout".[11] The series also features many guest and recurring characters, including friends and family of the main cast, criminals and villains, and other individuals with remarkable powers.
Zachary Quinto[12] and James Kyson Lee,[13] who were recurring cast members in the first season, join the main cast for the second season. They are joined by new cast members David Anders,[14] Kristen Bell,[15] Dana Davis[16] and Dania Ramírez.[17] Santiago Cabrera, Tawny Cypress, and Leonard Roberts are no longer listed as part of the main cast.[18]
Main characters
- Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere), (season 1, season 2), a high school cheerleader formerly of Odessa, Texas, now living in Costa Verde, California, who has a spontaneous regenerative ability. She is Mr. Bennet's adopted daughter, as well as Nathan Petrelli's biological daughter.
- Noah Bennet (Jack Coleman), (season 1, season 2), more commonly referred to as "Mr. Bennet" or "the Man in Horn-Rimmed Glasses (H.R.G.)", initially worked for the Primatech Paper Company, which is actually a cover operation for an organization that investigates people with superhuman abilities. He currently works for a generic "Kinko's" like store in Costa Verde called Copy Kingdom.
- Monica Dawson (Dana Davis)[16][19] (season 2), a restaurant worker at the Burger Bonanza in New Orleans. She is D.L. Hawkins' niece and Micah's first cousin. Monica has the ability to replicate any physical motion she witnesses to that of a "muscle mimic" or "copy cat" in the 9th Wonders comic.[20]
- Simone Deveaux (Tawny Cypress) (season 1), an art dealer and gallery owner whose skepticism and complicated romantic life are tested.
- Elle Bishop (Kristen Bell)[15] (season 2), a 24 year old woman [21] who is in search of Peter on behalf of The Company. She has the power of electric manipulation.
- D.L. Hawkins (Leonard Roberts) (season 1, season 2 recurring), a former construction worker and gang leader with the power to alter his physical tangibility and phase through solid objects. He is Niki's husband and Micah's father.
- Maya Herrera (Dania Ramírez)[17] (season 2), from Honduras, is wanted for murder by the police and is on the run to America. Under stress, Maya can create a deadly illness when she cries which is fatal to those around her.
- Ando Masahashi (James Kyson Lee)[13] (season 1 recurring, season 2), Hiro Nakamura's friend, coworker, and traveling companion. He has no known superhuman abilities.
- Isaac Mendez (Santiago Cabrera) (season 1), an artist living in New York who can paint future events during precognitive trances. He also writes and draws a comic book called 9th Wonders! which has also been shown to depict the future.
- Adam Monroe/Takezo Kensei (David Anders)[14][22] (season 2), an Englishman who originally creates the role of the legendary warrior Kensei in feudal Japan. Monroe has a spontaneous regenerative ability which has made him effectively ageless, as he survives to the present day.
- Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka), (season 1, season 2), a programmer[23] from Osaka with the ability to manipulate the space-time continuum. He is convinced that he is a hero, and with other "special persons", he can change the future.
- Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg), (season 1, season 2), a former Los Angeles police officer with the ability to hear other people's thoughts, though his powers are developing further. He is currently an NYPD detective and the guardian of Molly Walker.
- Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar), (season 1, season 2), a former New York Congressional candidate with the ability of self-propelled flight.
- Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia), (season 1, season 2), a former hospice nurse with the ability to absorb the powers of others he has been near and recall them.
- Micah Sanders (Noah Gray-Cabey), (season 1, season 2), a child prodigy and also a technopath, which allows him to "talk" to electrical devices, giving him control of machines and electronic devices.[24] He is D.L. and Niki's son.
- Niki Sanders (Ali Larter), (season 1, season 2), a former internet stripper from Las Vegas who exhibits superhuman strength and a multiple personality disorder one of whom goes by the name of Jessica, the name of her dead sister. Another personality is Gina.
- Mohinder Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy), (season 1, season 2), a professor of genetics from India who travels to New York to investigate the death of his father, Chandra. Through his investigations, he comes into contact with people his father listed as possessing superhuman abilities. Mohinder's blood contains antibodies against a virus which only infects people with special abilities.
- "Sylar" (Zachary Quinto) (season 1 recurring, season 2),[12] real name Gabriel Gray, a former watchmaker with an intuitive understanding of how things work. He is a serial killer who seeks out superhuman individuals, killing them in order to take their powers. Sylar has multiple acquired abilities. Sylar takes his alias from the brand name of a watch company.
Plot summary
The plot of Heroes is designed to be similar to the stories of comic books. The series has large, overall plot arcs and minor story arcs within. No matter what characters exist and what events make up a season, each season of Heroes is planned to involve ordinary people who discover their abilities and their reactions to that discovery.
First season
The series begins as a disparate group of people gradually become aware that they have special abilities. Events illustrate their reactions to these powers, and how the discovery affects their personal and professional lives. At the same time, several ordinary individuals are investigating the origins and extent of these abilities. Mohinder Suresh, a geneticist, continues his father's research into the biological source of the change, while Noah Bennet represents a secret organization known only as "The Company".
While coping, each of the characters is drawn - willingly or not - into the Company's conspiracy to control superpowered people, and into a race to stop an explosion from destroying New York City and millions of its inhabitants. Throughout the season, the predatory stalkings of the serial killer Sylar and continued manipulations from casino-owner and mobster Mr. Linderman affect the characters directly and indirectly. The characters' individual stories, Peter Petrelli's abilities, his brother Nathan's campaign for Congress, Claire Bennet's search for her biological parents, Hiro Nakamura's adventurous journeys and the precognitive visions of Isaac Mendez all culminate in a climactic meeting of the characters at Kirby Plaza in New York.
Second season
The second season explores the heroes' lives four months after the events of the first season's finale.
The Petrelli brothers are still alive: Nathan has since lost his career and is now an alcoholic, while Peter has amnesia and is found chained inside a shipping crate in Ireland. Peter falls in love with a gangster's sister named Caitlin, and has no desire to find out about his past, until Elle, a mysterious blonde with the ability to manipulate electricity, shows up looking for him. Peter, in trying to discover why he is being hunted, inadvertently travels to the future, making a horrifying discovery: in one year, 93% of Earth's population will be dead.
Hiro is in feudal Japan (his story has not skipped ahead four months), where he assists his lifelong hero, Kensei—who is revealed to be an Englishman with the power of spontaneous regeneration—become the man history meant him to be. However, he finds himself conflicted when he falls in love with the swordsmith's daughter, Yaeko, who is supposed to be Kensei's love interest. Kensei, upon discovering this, betrays Hiro. Hiro sets to accomplish one of Kensei's final tasks: stopping Whitebeard's army, and thus fulfilling history.
The Bennets have moved to California, where Claire struggles with being normal when she knows otherwise. Noah Bennet is working with Mohinder to infiltrate "The Company" and eventually bring it down. Noah is looking for a series of eight paintings by the late Isaac Mendez, one of which depicts Noah's death. Meanwhile, Mohinder gains the resources to cure the disease that killed his sister, Shanti.
Matt Parkman, now divorced, has adopted a troubled Molly Walker with the help of Mohinder. Matt soon discovers that his father, also a telepath, is the "Nightmare Man" haunting Molly's dreams, and tries to track him down with Nathan Petrelli.
Niki Sanders temporarily leaves her son Micah in the care of her late husband's relatives in New Orleans while she goes to the Company, hoping to overcome her multiple personality disorder with their help. In the meantime, Micah discovers his cousin Monica Dawson has mimicking abilities.
New heroes and twins Maya and Alejandro are introduced, each possessing a power; Maya produces a potent and lethal illness, while Alejandro's power is the antidote. They run from the authorities towards America, where they hope to find help from the author of the book Activating Evolution, Chandra Suresh, unaware that he is deceased. They pick up Sylar lying on the road (half-dead and powerless), who claims to know Chandra and says he can lead them to him.
Mythology
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2d/Heroes_helix.svg/220px-Heroes_helix.svg.png)
Several elements appear repeatedly throughout the series: the helix, the scar, the eclipse, the virus, the cockroach, and Chandra Suresh's book, Activating Evolution.
- The "helix,"[25] as it is referred to by the writers, is a symbol that first appears on the right shoulder blade of Niki Sanders/Jessica in episode Collision, and is seen on the sword hilt in the episode "Godsend." Writer and co-producer Aron Coleite has stated that it literally means "God sending great ability."[25] The symbol frequently appears as a pattern formed by mundane objects, but it also recurs on certain plot-significant items and on several characters.
- A mark consisting of two black parallel lines has been shown close to the neck of multiple super-powered characters. The mark is the scar left by the two-pronged needle of a pneumatic injection device,[26][27] which, as revealed in a biography of Hana Gitelman in the Heroes 360 experience, injects a radioisotope to allow tracking.[28]
- At the end of Season 1, a virus is revealed that targets those with powers. It is neurological and interferes with the user's powers. The Company has hired Mohinder Suresh to find a cure. Currently the antibodies in his blood are the only cure. Starting with episode 7, the virus becomes the central plot element to the second season. After Peter and Caitlin are taken into the future (2008), they find that 93% of the world's population has been wiped out by the mysterious virus.
- In addition to being the series logo, a solar eclipse has been a recurring image in the series itself. A terrestrial eclipse (an eclipse in which the Earth covers the Sun, as viewed from some observation point away from the Earth) is used in the series' title sequence.
- Cockroaches have appeared and have been mentioned several times in the series. Also, the cockroaches always seem to be near Sylar.
- Activating Evolution is a book written by Chandra Suresh. It describes Suresh's discoveries and predictions about the emergence of humans evolved with special abilities.
Production
Production notes
The series is filmed in Los Angeles, California and Santa Clarita, California.
When the writing team works on an episode, each writer takes a character and writes the individual scenes surrounding that character. These stories are then combined and given to the episode writer, allowing every writer to contribute to every episode.[29] This also permits the writing team to finish scripts faster, so the filming crew can shoot more scenes at a location.[30]
A special 73-minute version of the pilot was first screened to a large audience at the 2006 Comic Con in San Diego.[31] Initially it was reported that this unaired pilot would not be released, however it was included on the first season DVD set.[32]
In keeping with the comic book thematic elements used in the show, professional comic book artist Tim Sale was brought in to provide the artwork used as the work of Isaac Mendez. Mendez's work in the 9th Wonders! comic book on the show is also the work of Sale.[33] Additionally, the font used throughout the show in the various captions and credits is reminiscent of traditional hand-rendered comic book lettering. The font was created by Sale and is based on his handwriting style.[34]
Music
Music from the first season is composed by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, with vocals provided by Shenkar. The second season brought the addition of Manon Dave to the music team.[citation needed]
The Rogue Wave song "Eyes" from the Just Friends soundtrack is featured in the Season 1 episodes "Genesis" and "Collision".[35]
In France, the theme music of Heroes is composed by Victoria Petrosillo. Her song, Le Héros d'un autre, is used by television network TF1 to replace the show's original incidental music. The network created a new opening credit sequence in order to play Petrosillo's theme song.
Emerson lawsuit
On October 2, 2006, Emerson Electric Company, an appliance market competitor of NBC's owner General Electric, filed suit in federal court against NBC. The suit was in regard to a scene that appeared in "Genesis", the first episode of season one, when Claire Bennet reached into an active garbage disposal unit—labeled "In-Sink-Erator"—to retrieve a ring and severely mangled her hand. Emerson claimed the scene "casts the disposer in an unsavory light, irreparably tarnishing the product" by suggesting serious injuries would result "in the event consumers were to accidentally insert their hand into one."
Emerson had asked for a ruling barring future broadcasts of the pilot, which was previously available on NBC's website and had already aired on NBC Universal-owned cable networks USA Network and The Sci Fi Channel. It also sought to block NBC from using any Emerson trademarks in the future.[36]
On February 23, 2007, the case against NBC was dropped. NBC Universal and Emerson Electric reached an agreement to settle the lawsuit outside of court.[37]
The episode in question was briefly unavailable in the iTunes Store, but an edited version was soon made available for download. A non-edited version of the episode was shown in the BBC Two premiere on July 25, 2007. The DVD and HD DVD releases contain an edited version where the "In-Sink-Erator" label has been removed from the scene.
DVD releases
DVD name | Release date | Number of episodes | Number of discs |
---|---|---|---|
Season 1, Episode 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Season 1, Part 1 |
|
11 | 4 |
Season 1, Part 2 | 12 | 3 | |
Season 1 |
|
23 | 7 |
23 | 6 | ||
Like other American TV series releases, UK Region 2 will split Heroes into two halves, released at different times: part one being released on October 1, 2007 and part two on December 10, 2007. However, when the second part is released, the full season will be released as well.
Heroes: Origins
On May 14, 2007, NBC announced that during the 2007-2008 season, the network would air a six-episode Heroes spin-off called Heroes: Origins. The show was to air after the completion of the second season of Heroes. It was to introduce a new character each week, and viewers were to select which one would stay for the following season of the regular series.[38] However, on October 31, 2007, reports in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Origins had been put on hold, due to a strike by the Writers Guild of America.[39][40]
Reception
Critical acclaim
After completing half of its first season, Heroes had already collected an assortment of honors and accolades.
On December 10, 2006, the American Film Institute named Heroes one of the ten "best television programs of the year."[41]
Three days later on December 13, the Writers Guild of America nominated the program for "best new series" of 2007.[42]
The next day (December 14), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated the program for a Golden Globe Award for "best television drama", and nominated Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura) for Best Supporting Actor on a TV Series.[43]
Heroes won the award for Favorite New TV Drama at the 2007 People's Choice Awards.[44]
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People nominated Heroes on January 9, 2007 for an Image Award in the "Outstanding Drama Series" category.[45]
On February 21, 2007, it was announced that Heroes was nominated for five Saturn Awards. The nominations included "Best Network Television Series", "Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series" for both Greg Grunberg and Masi Oka, and "Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series" for Hayden Panettiere and Ali Larter.[46] The series won the award for "Best Network Television Series"; as well, Masi Oka and Hayden Panettiere won the awards they were nominated for.
On July 19, 2007, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced their nominations for the 2007 Primetime Emmy awards. Heroes was nominated in eight categories, including Outstanding Drama Series. The first episode, "Genesis", earned six nominations: Outstanding Directing (David Semel), Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series, and Outstanding Stunt Coordination. The episode "Five Years Gone" also received a nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects for a Series. Masi Oka was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.[47] On September 16, 2007, the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards were held and Heroes failed to win a single Emmy award despite the eight nominations.
On July 21, 2007, the Television Critics Association awarded Heroes with the prestigious Outstanding Program of the Year title during their 23rd Annual TCA Awards ceremony.
The cast of Heroes was named in the 2006 Time Magazine's Person of the Year issue under "People Who Mattered".[48]
In Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald lift-out section, "The Guide", listed Heroes as one of the best shows to come in 2007. It was described as a "Modern twist of The Tomorrow People."[citation needed]
Response to criticism
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heroes creator Tim Kring commented on criticism of season two, and the series' 15% decline in the ratings.[49] Kring said that he felt he had made mistakes with the direction of season two. He had thought that the audience was looking for a "build-up of characters and the discovery of their powers", similar to that of season one, when viewers were instead looking for "adrenaline."
Kring also outlined what he felt were problems with plot development, stating that the sophomore season "took too long to get to the big-picture story",[49] explaining that Peter's vision of the viral armageddon should have occurred in the first episode instead of the seventh. He feels that it would have been better to introduce new characters within the context of the main storyline, as with Elle, rather than in unattached arcs such as that of Maya and Alejandro. Kring also admitted that he should have resolved the "Hiro in Japan" storyline much more quickly, and that the romantic stories aren't working well. With regards to Claire and West, and Hiro and Yaeko, he said "I've seen more convincing romances on TV. In retrospect, I don't think romance is a natural fit for us."[49]
Comparisons to other works
The show's creators have answered criticism over similarities between elements of the show and the X-Men in their live blog, saying "I think there is a shorthand to compare it to X-Men when you have not yet seen the show. However, my guess is that that comparison will go away once you have seen what we are doing."[50][51]
Regardless of this statement, in the eyes of many viewers, especially those knowledgeable in the history of comic books, many of the elements of this show do resemble X-Men (and also resembles some elements of many of Marvel's other comics) as well as Mutant X (a similar mutant filled television series from several years ago). The similarity to X-Men is seen in many ways...
Some of the heroes work together as a team, just as many X-men, Fantastic Four, and other Superhero types in the Marvel Universe do. At one point during season 2, Mika even mentions that if He, and his father and mother were to work together to prevent crime, they would be very similar to the Fantastic Four, minus one. Interestingly, now that Mika has discovered that his cousin has superpowers as well, it may be possible that this idea may eventually come in to being in season 3.
There is a virus and/or some biological "cure" of some type that can take powers away from mutants, just as there is in X-men. Many Heroes try to hide their powers, just as do many of the comic book heroes in X-Men.
There is much time travelling done in Heroes that causes very big changes in the space-time continuum, just as there was in X-Men (see Wikipedia entry for Kang, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_the_Conqueror, and Apocolyse, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_%28comics%29).
In March 2007, two New York artists, Clifton Mallery and his wife Amnau Karam Eele, filed a lawsuit against NBC claiming the creators of the show had plagiarised a plot-line about an artist who can paint the future in a short story, a painting series and a short film that they exhibited in 2004 and 2005. In the lawsuit the artists claim that the character Isaac Mendez is "strikingly similar" to one they created.[52]
Ratings
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2007) |
- Australia: The first season aired on the Seven Network Wednesday nights at 8:30 pm. The series debuted strongly, attracting more than 2 million viewers in the five capital cities. Viewership settled closer to 1 million nearing the end of the first season and the show was moved to Thursdays at 8:30 pm, successfully attracting more viewers. In an effort to keep viewer numbers high the Seven Network began showing the second season on Thursday nights at 9:30pm, a week after the US screening.
- Finland: The series airs Wednesdays at 9:00 pm. It had its premiere on October 17, 2007 and according to Finnpanel, had 614 000 viewers.
- France: The first season aired over the summer of 2007 on TF1, with three episodes each Saturday night beginning at 8:50 pm. The series debuted strongly, with the premiere attracting just over 6 million viewers in France.[53] Over the summer viewership fell to under 4 million, disappointing TF1.[54] Nonetheless, TF1 will be presenting season 2 as VOD only, one day after the US broadcast each week.[55]
- Germany: The series currently airs on RTL 2 weekly each Wednesday at 8:15 pm. It premiered on October 10, 2007, attracting 2.90 million viewers (17.3% of share in the 18-49 years old target) on its first showing, making it a huge success. After 24, this is the most successful premiere on RTL 2 ever.[56]
- Hong Kong: The series currently airs on TVB Pearl every Tuesday night at 10:35 pm. The series premiere drew an average of 340,000 viewers.[citation needed]
- Italy: The series aired on Italia 1 every Sunday at 8:40 PM. The series premiered on September 2, 2007 drawing an average of 2.4 million viewers with 15 percent of share in the 18-49 years old target demographic. The first four episodes of the series attracted an average audience of 2.4 million viewers. On October 25, 2007 Italia 1 changed the show timeslot due to low ratings. The last episode broadcasted in prime time was .07%. The remaining four episodes of the season will air at 11:30 pm on November 7 and 14.
- Netherlands: The series currently airs on RTL5 on Thursday nights at 9:30 pm. The series premiere had low ratings (405,000 viewers), though a replay drew 572,000 viewers (8.6% market share).[57] Currently the series draws some 350,000 viewers each episode.
- Norway: The series premiered on September 3 2007. NRK is currently airing season one on Mondays at 21.25 on NRK3 and Thuesdays at 23.20 on NRK1.
- Philippines: Solar aired the series through its terrestrial channel RPN, making it one of the more popular programs shown on TV. It has aired on terrestrial TV twice and on Cable-TV Crime/Suspense, also owned by Solar. Due to its popularity, Heroes will be shown on both RPN and C/S with a 2-3 week delay in October and November of 2007.
- Singapore: Premiered on November 12, 2007. It will be shown on Channel 5 on Monday night at 10 pm. The channel showed a premiere two-hour special.
- South Africa: The season 1 aired on SABC 3 each Wednesday evening until the 7 November 2007. The acclaim and ratings overseas were so high that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) bought the rights to air Heroes before Multichoice (Africa's leading and South Africa's only pay TV channel) could bid for it. The SABC does not release TV ratings but it is expected close to 3 million viewers tune in weekly.
- Sweden: Started to air September 4, 2007. The first episode had 965,000 viewers.
- United Kingdom: The series first aired on February 19, 2007 on Sci Fi UK. The premiere attracted 579,000 viewers on its first showing; with three repeat showings averaging 150,000. The series averaged 450,000 viewers, almost four times more than any other viewership for a program on this channel.[58] Terrestrial airing began on BBC Two on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 9:00 p.m., and for the first time in HD in the UK on BBC HD. It attracted an audience of 4.3 million viewers. This was the first time that BBC Two had surpassed its sister channel BBC One in terms of ratings in prime time for over a decade.[59] BBC Two will be showing season 2 of Heroes in 2008, as season one finishes in December.
- United States: Heroes was NBC's top-rated scripted show for the 2006-2007 television season, and the most successful of the shows debuting in that period. It ranked twenty-first in the ratings, with an average of 14.3 million viewers in the United States.[60]
Other media
Television
Heroes Unmasked is a series on BBC that goes behind-the-scenes of the production of Heroes. Many details of Heroes are revealed, including set design, props, special effects and costuming, as well as blue and green screen animation.
U.S. network G4 began airing Heroes episodes on November 3, 2007, along with an American version of Heroes Unmasked entitled The Post Show. The series, which will air following Heroes, includes interviews, live viewer commentary, interactive polls, behind-the-scenes footage and other Heroes. content.[61] U.S. Television netword MOJO HD also began airing Heroes episodes in High Definition in October 2007.
Internet
Heroes Evolutions is a digital extension of the series released on January 19, 2007 which explores the Heroes universe and provides clues to the show's mythology. It was entitled Heroes 360 Experience throughout the first season and rebranded for the second season.
Complete episodes of Heroes are available online, along with downloads through the "NBC Direct" service.[62] Episodes are available on iTunes, although this arrangement will cease in December 2007 as NBC and Apple Inc. were unable to come to a renewal deal.[63]
Heroes writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite hold a weekly "Question and Answer" column hosted by comicbookresources.com entitled Behind the Eclipse [64]. Every week, since October 23rd, 2006, Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite have answered questions regarding the previous weeks episodes, before the airing of the Monday night episode. Questions are submitted by fans and CBR editors. Currently, the column is on hold until the end of the writers' strike.
Show producer and director Greg Beeman also host a weekly blog on his blogspot where he discusses how the episode is shot and gives spoilers for the upcoming episode. This is usually posted on Monday's, prior to the airing of Heroes on NBC. The Beeman Blog began on August 4th, 2006.[65]
On November 12, 2007, the Create Your Own Hero promotion was unveiled. Heroes fans can go online on their computer or mobile phone and select characteristics for a new "hero", who will be built based on the most-picked traits. Each week, the character will evolve based on the fans' input, and he or she will be shown on air every Monday.
Heroes Interactive is an interactive website which began operation on January 29, 2007, during the airing of "The Fix". Hosted at NBC.com, it offers behind the scenes information, polls, trivia, and quizzes, as well as recent posts by Hana Gitelman. The features air once a week, and are designed to be viewed concurrently with that week's episode.
BBC7 radio broadcast "Heroes - The Official Radio Show" with Jon Holmes, every Saturday at 18:30 on BBC7 DAB digital radio. BBC7 The programme is also available as a podcast via iTunes. DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Video game
Ubisoft has announced that they have licensed the rights to produce an as yet untitled Heroes video game. The game is expected to be offered for PCs and console gaming platforms.[66]
Mobile game
Gameloft released the first Heroes mobile game on October 5, 2007. It consist of 8 levels and playable characters include Hiro Nakamura, Niki Sanders and Peter Petrelli. All three characters are played in their present and future forms as shown in "Five Years Gone". The mobile game has released the names of several members of the Original 12, including Arthur Petrelli, (father of Nathan and Peter) and Maury Parkman, (father of Matt Parkman).[67][68]
Books and publications
- Each week, NBC releases a Heroes webcomic. The comics give additional character background and plot information not shown in the television episodes. These graphic novels continued on a weekly basis during the show's 2007 summer hiatus. Wildstorm, a subsidiary of DC Comics, will release them in published form on November 7, 2007.[69]The collected volume will include novels 1-34, and will feature two different covers by Alex Ross and Jim Lee as well as an introduction by Masi Oka and artwork by Tim Sale.[70]
- Writer Aury Wallington, with the full consultation and cooperation of the Heroes writers, will publish the first Heroes novel. It will be entitled Saving Charlie and will be based on the relationship of Hiro Nakamura and Charlie Andrews, when Hiro went back in time six months to attempt to save her. It will be available on December 26, 2007.[71]
- Titan Magazines will release the first issue of Heroes Magazine on November 20, 2007. It will be the first of a series of six, slated to be released bi-monthly. The first issue will be a 100 page premiere issue. Feature articles include a cast group interview, a secret origins featurette, and a season one episode guide. Greg Beeman, executive producer of Heroes has confirmed that this is an official Heroes release, with the full support and cooperation of the Heroes production team and Tim Kring.[72][73]
References
- ^ Kring, Tim (2006-09-24). "How many seasons/scripts are plotted out?". NBC Universal Heroes Live Blog. NBC.com. Retrieved 2006-10-31.
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(help) - ^ "'Heroes' debut paces NBC's second Monday win of the new season" (Press release). NBC Universal Media Village. 2006-09-26. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
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(help) - ^ ""Heroes" spins off" (Press release). 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
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(help) - ^ "NBC delivers the quality once again this fall, [...] for its 2007-08 Primetime schedule" (Press release). 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
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(help) - ^ "NBC SHOWCASES FALL PRIMETIME ENTERTAINMENT SERIES BEGINNING WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 24". 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
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(help) - ^ "Casualties of the Hollywood writers strike". Canada.com. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ "'Heroes' Creator Apologizes to Fans". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-11-0.
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(help) - ^ ""False start for NBC's 'Heroes: Origins'"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 01-11-07.
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(help) - ^ ""NBC holds 'Heroes' spinoff, possible strike might have influenced decision"". Variety. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
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(help) - ^ "Heroes cast page". NBC. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (2006-10-23). "'Heroes' zeros in on its bad guy". Variety.com. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
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(help) - ^ a b "'Heroes': Sylar Here To Stay!". Access Hollywood. 2007-06-13. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
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(help) - ^ a b ""Heroes" updates, from the set and the 'Net". Seattle Post Intelligencer. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
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(help) - ^ a b "Exclusive: Heroes Promotes David Anders, Hires Deadwood Star" (HTML). Retrieved 2007-08-23.
- ^ a b "Heroes Program Information". NBC. Retrieved 2007-10-19.
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(help) - ^ a b "Davis powers way into "Heroes"". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
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ignored (help) - ^ a b "Bold arcs and a few angry thespians: Heroes Promises A Globe-Trotting Second Season". National Post. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
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(help) - ^ "NBC press release". NBC Universal. 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
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(help) - ^ "Heroes Program Information". NBC. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
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(help) - ^ "Heroes Spoilers Page". HeroSite.net. 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
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(help) - ^ http://www.nypost.com/seven/09162007/tv/power_girl.htm
- ^ "Josh Clinton Interviews David Anders". Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^ Coleite, Aron (w), Gunnell, Micah, David Moran (p), Roslan, Mark (i). "The Crane" Heroes, vol. 1, no. 2 (2006-10-02). Aspen Comics, Inc..
- ^ Interview with Bryan Fuller, Co-Executive Producer/Writer. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
- ^ a b WWLA: Loeb & co. talk "Heroes"
- ^ Wireless, Part 4
- ^ How Do You Stop an Exploding Man, Part 1
- ^ "Heroes 360 Experience Hana Gitelman Biography" (HTML). NBC. 2006-01-22. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
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(help) - ^ Taylor, Robert (2006-10-26). "Reflections: Talking with Bryan Fuller". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2006-11-01.
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(help) - ^ Standler (2007-02-07). "Heroes Execs discuss show's future, LOST, more". OgMog. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
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(help) - ^ Goldman, Eric (2006-06-22). "Comic-Con 2006: Heroes Pilot Premiere". IGN. Retrieved 2006-11-01.
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(help) - ^ "The HD DVD of "Heroes" Comes Packed With Interactive Extras". Retrieved 2007-07-26.
- ^ Smith, Zack., TALKING HEROES AND COMICS WITH TIM SALE, Newsarama.com, 2006-11-14, Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
- ^ George, Richard., Loeb Talks Heroes, IGN.com, 2006-10-26, Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
- ^ Olund, Melissa (2006-09-26). "Rogue Wave on 'Heroes'". Spinner.com. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
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(help) - ^ "Garbage Disposal Maker Sues NBC Over 'Heroes' Scene". Zap2It.com. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
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(help) - ^ Goetzl, David (2007-02-23). "Emerson Drops Product Placement Case Against NBC". MediaDailyNews. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
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(help) - ^ NBC announces schedule, shows
- ^ ""False start for NBC's 'Heroes: Origins'"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
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(help) - ^ ""NBC holds 'Heroes' spinoff, possible strike might have influenced decision"". Variety. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
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(help) - ^ "AFI Awards 2006 Official Selections Announced" (PDF) (Press release). American Film Institute. 2006-12-10. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
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(help) - ^ "2007 Writers Guild Awards Television & Radio Nominees Announced" (Press release). Writers Guild of America. 2006-12-14. Retrieved 2006-12-14.
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(help) - ^ "Hollywood Foreign Press Association Announced the Nominations for the 64th Golden Globe Awards" (Press release). Hollywood Foreign Press Association. 2006-12-14. Retrieved 2006-12-14.
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(help) - ^ Associated Press (2007-01-09). "Aniston, Depp are People's Choice winners". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
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(help) - ^ "The 38th NAACP Image Awards Nomination Results" (PDF) (Press release). NAACP. 2007-01-09. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
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(help) - ^ 2007 Saturn Awards nominations
- ^ ">Hinman, Michael (2007-07-19). "'Heroes' Grabs Eight Emmy Nominations". SyFy Portal. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
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(help) - ^ Poniewozik, James (2006-12-17). "People Who Mattered: The Cast of Heroes". Time. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
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(help) - ^ a b c Jensen, Jeff (16 November 2007). "'Heroes' Creator Apologizes to Fans". Entertainment Weekly (964). Retrieved 2007-11-08.
Tim Kring admits mistakes were made at the beginning of season 2, but promises to get back on track
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(help) - ^ [1]
- ^ http://blog.nbc.com/heroes/2006/09/ Heroes Live Blog
- ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1625389220070320 New York artists sue NBC over "Heroes" concept
- ^ http://www.imedias.biz/television/actualite-heroes-seduit-6-millions-de-telespectateurs-11977.php
- ^ http://www.lejdd.fr/cmc/scanner/media/200731/tf1-la-chute-des-heroes_44055.html?popup
- ^ http://www.01net.com/editorial/357283/la-saison-2-de-heroes-en-vod-24-heures-apres-les-etats-unis/
- ^ "Mega-Start: «Heroes» übertrifft sämtliche Erwartungen" (in German). quotenmeter.de. October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
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(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ http://www.mediacourant.nl/?p=3393
- ^ Weekly Viewing Summary, BARB.
- ^ US TV's Heroes is hit for BBC Two, BBC website
- ^ "Hollywood Reporter: 2006-07 primetime wrap". May 25 2007.
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ignored (help) - ^ http://www.g4tv.com/heroes/splash.aspx
- ^ http://www.nbc.com/Video/
- ^ http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/08/nbc-universal-d.html
- ^ http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=8694
- ^ http://gregbeeman.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html
- ^ "Ubisoft finds Heroes". Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ http://www.gameloft.com/corpo_press.php?date=2007&press1=573
- ^ Heroes: The Mobile Game developer walkthrough video
- ^ "Heroes Hardcover Release Date Announced". IGN. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
- ^ DC COMICS TO PUBLISH GRAPHIC NOVEL BASED ON NBC'S EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED HIT SERIES 'HEROES'
- ^ DEL REY TO PUBLISH NOVEL 'HEROES: SAVING CHARLIE,' BASED ON NBC'S EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED HIT SERIES HEROES AND ITS JAPANESE TIME TRAVELER 'HIRO'
- ^ http://www.titanmagazines.com/app?service=external/Product&sp=l1077
- ^ http://gregbeeman.blogspot.com/
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Heroes on NBC - Heroes Official site
- 9th Wonders - Semi-official site from Heroes creator Tim Kring
- Heroes on BBC - Official BBC site for Heroes
- Heroes at IMDb