NBC plans to bring Heroes back for a fourth season

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

From The Hollywood Reporter:

NBC plans to bring back "Heroes" for another season, said entertainment president Angela Bromstad.

The action-drama's ratings decline has caused some media reports to speculate as to whether the show will return next fall. As part of Hollywood Reporter's annual Q&As with the five broadcast network chiefs, Bromstad was asked if "Heroes" could be considered "on the bubble" for a renewal.

"No," she said, and added that the network plans to order 18-20 episodes of the show for next season.

That's fewer hours than "Heroes" first or current third season (which each had orders of at least 23 episodes), with season two having been cut short due to the writers strike.

For all its headline-making audience erosion, "Heroes" is still tied with NBC's "The Office" as the network's top-rated series among adults 18-49 this season.

Also being factored: NBC's pilot project "Day One," about a group of survivors in the wake of a catastrophic global event. If the serialized "Day One" goes to series, having an established sci-fi drama like "Heroes" could help the new show in a few ways, including possibly airing as part of the same Monday night block.

"Day One' is a big event and we're looking at that to come into the 'Heroes' spot," Bromstad said. "It's right now being looked at as a 13-episode run -- something people could commit to and we could make a big splash with."

If "Day One" does launch in the "Heroes" time period, "One" would get the advantage of its strong sci-fi-established slot for a number of weeks. With a slightly shorter episode order, "Heroes" can then continue its usual pattern of airing with few breaks by virtue of debuting later in the season. A second potential home for "Day One" is on Sundays, she said, where quasi-futuristic "Kings" will premiere March 15.

Another point in "Heroes" favor is the show performs well internationally. Bromstad said she experienced the drama's global popularity first-hand in her previous NBC post, heading the network's international efforts based in London.

"Every single place you go has heard about 'Heroes' -- whether you're in China or Japan or Russia," she said. "And to me, that is global content."

The network has privately discussed setting a series end date for "Heroes," which would followed the creative model used with critical success by ABC's "Lost," Sci Fi's "Battlestar Galactica" and FX's "The Shield." But even if NBC ever made such a move, Bromstad said, they wouldn't want to make next season the conclusion.

"Heroes" fans aren't entirely in the clear yet: a renewal isn't a deal until it's a deal. If the show took a sudden dire ratings turn, the network still has time to reevaluate this strategy. But barring something dramatic happening, NBC is not deterred by the current ratings and will bring back "Heroes" for a fourth round.

[CaptJimboJones]

They can bring it back, but I won't be watching. The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

[Pilot Ace]

CaptJimboJones wrote:

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They can bring it back, but I won't be watching. The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

I agree. I'm barely giving Heroes one last chance the rest of this season to see if Bryan Fuller's influence can somehow bring the show back on track. But, I'm not very hopeful.

So, I may check out Season 4 in chunks every so often, just to see if it's not complete shit, but there's little chance I'll be watching regularly in any capacity.

[Professor Zoom]

CaptJimboJones wrote:

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They can bring it back, but I won't be watching.

Agreed.

The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

What about Alias? That turned into a craptacular show that began with such incredible promise.

[bigdaddy]

CaptJimboJones wrote:

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They can bring it back, but I won't be watching. The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

Never seen Seaquest?

[Garak]

CaptJimboJones wrote:

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They can bring it back, but I won't be watching. The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

Ditto. They really messed that show up something fierce.

[OmahaStar]

bigdaddy wrote:

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Never seen Seaquest?

Now, now ... The second season was nowhere near the crapfest it descended to in the third season.

And I dunno about Heroes. I watch more out of habit these days than really caring about the series. I don't know really why I tune in. Maybe Milo? Though if the spoiler I've heard holds true, that reason will no longer exist. Sigh.

[Thrall]

I gave up on Heroes this season. Such a mess. Hopefully this is good news for Chuck, because it gets almost the same numbers as Heroes does and doesn't even cost half to make. But this Day One thing has me worried.

[TheArsenal]

CaptJimboJones wrote:

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They can bring it back, but I won't be watching. The decline in quality on Heroes is unlike anything I've ever seen before on television - after a nearly perfect first season, the show has descended into utter crap. And even worse, boring crap.

Yep. I'm riding this season out and then I'm done. As the show is structured, there is nothing they can do with the current characters that would make me want to come back.

[RoJoHen]

I've been working Monday nights, so I've missed the last 3 episodes of Heroes. I still make the effort to catch up on Chuck online, but I can't bring myself to care enough about Heroes anymore to try.

If I hear this season gets better towards the end, I might catch up, but I doubt it. Heroes is dead to me.

[Barbados Slim]

This week was the first one I deleted after watching like 30 seconds and failing to muster up the give-a-shit to watch. I'm officially done. I'd rather see them renew Life and Friday Night Lights.

[CaptJimboJones]

Alias also similarly declined, as did Seaquest, but IMO neither of those shows were as good in their first seasons as Heroes. The first season of Heroes was, for me at least, a simply brilliant treatment of the superhero story. I remember watching and thinking, these guys should be the ones to do the Watchmen movie, because they absolutely get it.

And then is very abruptly turn into utter shit starting with season two, and has failed to improve. Such a shame.

[Norrin Radd]

I stopped watching mid-season 2. It hasn't gotten better, I see?

[Pilot Ace]

Norrin Radd wrote:

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I stopped watching mid-season 2. It hasn't gotten better, I see?

I like Season 2/Volume 2 more more the first half of Season 3/Volume 3.

[Aragorn]

Season four's issue will be about a villain who has made all the clothes in the world disappear, and Ali Larter and Hayden Panettiere will be the main leads.