Heroes Spinoff: Origins AKA No Hiatus

[WayneLigon]

Interesting idea, and a good way to prevent hiatus-related ratings slips. From Variety:

"Heroes: Origins" will air in "Heroes'" Monday night time slot, most likely after the original completes its season run (but possibly when it takes a hiatus). The net has ordered six segs of "Origins," which, combined with "Heroes" makes for 30 hours altogether.

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly said "Heroes: Origins" will allow the regular show to air virtually uninterrupted through the season.

"I'm calling it the 'Bulk-Up Challenge,'" Reilly said. "We're trying to stay more consistent in the scheduling for our audience... so we'll fill out the year, with not a lot of repeats or a long hiatus. We'll keep the pedal to the metal next year on 'Heroes.'"

Reilly credited "Heroes" creator-exec producer Tim Kring with pitching the spin-off. Kring will oversee a second crew that will write and produce the episodes simultaneously with the original skein.

"Heroes: Origins" will air as stand-alone episodes that center each week on a different character not yet seen on the original show. Peacock has also added an interactive element to the show: Viewers will be asked to pick their favorite character from "Origins," who will then join the cast of the full-blown "Heroes" skein the following year.

 

[Krug]

Hmm not sure if this is wise, but will definitely be catching the eps.

 

[Vanuslux]

With solid writers, this will be brilliant. If the writing team is anything less than top-notch, though, it's going to suck some b****.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Great. :\

 

[Steel_Wind]

Sounds like a good - nay - very good idea.

It also plays on the idea that one of the best elements of the Superhero story is the "discovery". The further from the discovery the Hero progresses away from, the less the viewer identifies with the character.

I somehow doubt that each episode will be totally stand alone. They'll work in the main Heroes plot into some elements of these shows.

My expectation is that many of these episodes will be set back in time as well - so that the origin of Linderman and the Petrellis etc. will have a chance to be fleshed out.

I doubt that the quality can all be there though. The reason for the hiatus is that the post production elements to Heroes are such that a break is necessary for the technical side of production to catch up to photography.

Which means the technical side of much of the show's current crew will not be available to do its work on Heroes: Origins.

 

[Silver Moon]

Cool - almost like the rotating characters concept that they used back in the 1950's on "Maverick" where Brett and Bart Maverick (and later Beau) would be in alternating episodes.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Survivor Heroes! This sounds like a bad idea to me.


Why can't they just run 23 episodes straight through then do repeats over the summer so people who missed out can catch up? I have suggested a few watch them on the web but most I know don't like to watch TV on a 17" monitor. Anyway, I don't know if this is going to help much. They whine about ratings but they just break every run of the show up to make sure key episodes on on sweeps weeks and crap like that. Sometimes I think its best just to wait and then watch on DVD when it comes out in a season set.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

This sounds like a decent spinoff. I'll at least be checking the first episode.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Even with 30 episodes to run straight through the season will either need to start at the end of October or have some skips if they want to start it in September at the start of the new season.

 

[DonTadow]

Survivor Heroes! This sounds like a bad idea to me.


Why can't they just run 23 episodes straight through then do repeats over the summer so people who missed out can catch up? I have suggested a few watch them on the web but most I know don't like to watch TV on a 17" monitor. Anyway, I don't know if this is going to help much. They whine about ratings but they just break every run of the show up to make sure key episodes on on sweeps weeks and crap like that. Sometimes I think its best just to wait and then watch on DVD when it comes out in a season set.

Blame nielson

This is a new and innovative alternative to the
1. lots of small breaks inbetwen episodes except for sweeps months
2. long breaks from one sweeps months to another