Heroes became a sort of punching bag towards the end of its run. It couldn't get ratings, the stories were frequently trite, the once enormous fan-base had withered away to a hard core stuck in denial. Heroes had it rough in the end, it couldn't even get canceled succinctly - leaving fans wondering for weeks what the plan was for their beloved, yet embattled, show. There was talk of a final reduced season to wrap things up, and hints of a Heroes movie should that plan fall apart. Long after the series was officially canceled, the final word has come down from Mount Peacock: there will be no Heroes movie. It's over. Screw your closure.

The news isn't necessarily newsworthy, Kring and NBC made many valiant efforts to lure Heroes' erstwhile fans back to the show, but they just weren't biting. After several seasons of trying every trick in the book to at least slow the attrition of Heroes' fan base, it wouldn't have made much sense for NBC to invest in an effort to bring closure to a story that hadn't been profitable for them for some time.

On the other hand, NBC should consider the fact that a final chapter very well could bring back a considerable slice of the first season's mammoth audience if it were not tied to the disastrous plot lines in-between. The first season of Heroes had a lot of heart and a terrific cast performing some genuine character work - bringing that magic back wouldn't so much be appeasing a Terry Malloy "I coulda been somebody" please. It might be a bit like turning your head to look for gore at a car accident, but it seems likely that a lot of Heroes' long lost fans - and surely those who never gave up hope - would tune in to see if the Heroes' crew could reconnect with its genius one more time.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

NBC Says No to Heroes Movie

It's about time, I'll say! It was announced today that NBC is indeed cancelling Heroes. No surprise there -- the series has been lagging in the ratings since its third season, and its fourth received such dreadful ratings that a cancellation seemed inevitable, despite rumors that NBC would pick the series up for one fifth and final season. Obviously, this did not come to pass, and Heroes has died out.

Many would trace the root of the series' woes back to its second season. Perhaps if they wanted to go further, they could even take it to season one's lackluster finale, which set the stage for an absolutely awful season two and the beginning of a decline throughout the next two years. Stale storylines and bland characters definitely didn't help anything for the show, which had become a cult favorite during its stellar first season. Iconic characters such as Masi Oka's Hiro Nakamura were featured in the show, and science fiction alumni like George Takei and Malcolm McDowell had occasional guest spots as important characters, though even they weren't enough to keep the viewership from dwindling.

If I had to point out one particular reason why Heroes got the boot, I would blame it on the fact that it tried to become too much like a comic book in its later seasons. The first season was all exposition, and focused on the characters all converging to fight a common enemy. It was good material, even if the ending of that arc left a little to be desired. Of course, after every origin story was the part where they actually fought crime, and unfortunately, that wasn't any good. Characters became stale and didn't develop, and odd, twisting, and nonsensical storylines were developed that didn't actually have any impact beyond their face value. If it had been my call, I would have made season two a basic reboot of the show, with a new storyline featuring mostly new characters, with perhaps a bleedover from season one with a few of the old characters showing up here and there. Because honestly, I don't feel that these characters have gained anything, developmentally, from my following beyond season one. Also, as good as Zachary Quinto was, Sylar should have been finished after season one. Just sayin'.

In the end, though, none of that matters, because Heroes has died a death more real than those of any of its characters. And, unlike its character deaths, it's probably a permanent one. Maybe it'll be remade in more capable hands in a few years.

NBC Puts 'Heroes' Out of Its Misery

The big news sweeping the online world today is that Heroes is likely to be canceled.  This is not a new rumor.  People have been proclaiming the death of Heroes for quite some time.  The fact of the matter is that I absolutely adored the show when it premiered and watched it religiously throughout its first season.  Like many fans, however, I felt that the show lost its way.  And I'm talking many, many fans here - 17 million people tuned in for the season 2 premiere and, after several years, only 5 million tuned in for this past season's finale.

It's really a shame because it's a show that had a great deal of potential, some terrific actors, and was something fun and new at the time of the series premiere.  But we could debate the quality and the direction of the show forever.  After all of the hoopla that's been happening with NBC this year - including declining ratings for the network overall - a lot of people thought that Heroes might get a chance for one final season beginning in the fall of 2010.  Then there was talk that maybe it would get a 13 episode run and the chance to wrap up some storylines.

Vulture, however, has a different take on it.  NBC has already picked up almost five or six new pilots.  It appears that the network is serious about bringing on some new shows (including a new series about undercover married spies by J.J. Abrams) and there's even talk about Chuck getting another half-season.  This leaves little room for the return of Heroes.  Vulture doesn't even hold out hope that Heroes will get a 13 episode order.  Instead, apparently, there is talk of putting together a three or four hour TV movie and wrapping up the series.

Of course, all of this is purely speculation at this point, but if you look at the ratings alone, it makes sense.  We'll know the final answer when NBC presents its 2010 Upfront on Monday, May 17.

The End of Heroes - Conjecture or Sound Guess?

Heroes just isn't getting any better, but this is one change that could really go either way for the series. Though he's been a mainstay cast member since season one, actor Sendhil Ramamurthy, who plays scientist Mohinder Suresh, is leaving the cast. Ramamurthy's voice-overs have been an integral part of the show during its four-season run, and have appeared in most of series' episodes.

This of course raises the question: is Heroes dead? The show hasn't been looking good for a while since its dismal season four, which only averaged at about 5.22 million viewers. There's been speculation that the series would be renewed for a fifth and final season, but there's also been speculation that season four will be the last.

Ramamurthy's departure can't spell good things for the series. If they're letting such an important character go, you know that the series can't be much of a priority for NBC.

So what is Ramamurthy going to be doing now that he's gotten out of Heroes? That's a good question, though the actor is currently frustrated that his London acting friends aren't getting any good jobs. "There's actually nothing for them to audition for," he said. "It's such a shame when talented people are not allowed to do what they want to do because of money."

What do you think? Has Ramamurthy's departure left Heroes high and dry? Or do you think the starving sci-fi series can continue on without Mohinder Suresh?

No More Mohinder: Sendhil Ramamurthy Leaves 'Heroes'

The forth season of Heroes is coming to an end on February 8.  The decision whether to renew the show for a fifth season is still, as far as I know, up in the air.  In the meantime, NBC has released seven sneak peeks for the finale, which we have for you below.

SAMUEL’S ULTIMATE PLAN SPELLS DISASTER FOR THOUSANDS

RAY PARK, DEANNE BRAY AND ELIZABETH ROHM GUEST STAR

In the climactic season finale, everyone bands together in an effort to stop Samuel (Robert Knepper) from taking the lives of thousands. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) joins forces with his most unexpected ally to save Emma (guest star Deanne Bray). Meanwhile, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) life hangs in the balance as he and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) find themselves trapped underground with oxygen quickly running out.

Elsewhere, Hiro (Masi Oka) starts to come to grips with the decisions he has made and is called into action to help stop a disaster. Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Zachary Quinto and James Kyson Lee also star. David H. Lawrence XVII, Harry Perry, Todd Stashwick also guest star.

Email: clarissa @ tvovermind.com

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Sneak Peeks - Heroes 4.19 "Brave New World"

Perhaps it's just because I'm such a huge television fan, but when I first heard about the earthquake in Haiti, I thought about the Haitian. You know, Heroes' resident mind-wiper and power blocker who hails from that little island which has seen so much chaos in the past week.

Jimmy Jean-Louis, who plays the Haitian, is, like his character, of Haitian descent. Only a few days ago, Jean-Louis few down to Haiti to reunite with his family, whose fates following the disaster he did not know. Upon his arrival, Jean-Louis was able to find his family alive and safe. "It was just this amazing relief to see each other," Jean-Louis told Radar Online. "It was calm and very emotional but nice to be able to see them and hug them - a genuine simple hug. That was great."

And though Jean-Louis' family is safe, his country is in ruins. The actor professed to reporters that the country, which experienced a strong aftershock to the earthquake this morning, is in worse shape than the outsiders may realize. "I think people still have no idea even with all the pictures you see, even with all the videos you see, you still have no idea of how bad it is," Jean-Louis said. "You really don't. It is extremely, extremely bad."

Jean-Louis himself was strongly affected even by the pictures, showing just how bad the situation really is. “When I started to see the pictures that’s when I freaked out, because one of the first images that I saw was of the palace, the presidential palace and that’s a strong block of structure. If that goes down then everything else is probably down,” Jean-Louis shared.

Many relief efforts have spawned in an attempt to help the devastated country. LOST fansite Lostpedia has set up a Haiti relief page detailing all the different ways that readers like you can help worldwide.

'Heroes' star reunites with family in Haiti

It looks like the January 18th episode of Heroes will feature a lot of old characters related to Hiro, including his parents and Adam. NBC has released several promo photos for the episode (again focusing mainly on Hiro), as well as a synopsis.  Check them out below.

THE VERDICT OF AN UNEXPECTED TRIAL COULD MEAN THE END OF HIRO

GEORGE TAKEI, TAMLYN TOMITA, MADELINE ZIMA, DAWN OLIVIERI AND DAVID ANDERS GUEST STAR

Hiro’s (Masi Oka) life hangs in the balance as his brain tumor worsens, prompting him to subconsciously deal with some of his past decisions. Meanwhile, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) pays Claire (Hayden Panettiere) an unexpected visit to get answers as to why he isn’t quite himself.

Elsewhere, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) plan to impress his long-lost love, Vanessa (guest star Kate Vernon), takes a terrifying turn. Jack Coleman, James Kyson Lee and Sendhil Ramamurthy) also star. Lisa Lackey, Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin, Satomi Okuno and Jordan Dang also guest stars.

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HEROES -- "Pass/Fail" Episode 416 -- Pictured: (l-r) David Anders as Adam Monroe, George Takei as Kaito Nakamura, James Kyson Lee as Ando Masahashi -- NBC Photo: Chris Haston

Email: clarissa @ tvovermind.com

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Photos - Heroes 4.16 "Pass/Fail"

Well, production has wrapped on season four of Heroes, and it does not serve as a series finale, actor Greg Grunberg emphatically confirmed. The actor, who plays mind reader Matt Parkman on the sci-fi drama, told TV Guide that "It would not serve as an appropriate series finale. To properly wrap up our show, which absolutely has to happen, we have to come back and do some more episodes. Without question."

But sagging ratings are begging to differ with the series, which has been rumored to be on the short list for cancellation -- even on NBC, which has recently freed up an additional five hours of weekly programming due to the end of The Jay Leno Show. Grunberg, however, remained optimistic that overseas performance and DVD sales will at least give the series one more season. "They make so much money on the show that they've got to finish it off," he says. "People want that and will demand it, which means we'll probably end up doing it."

Grunberg's quite a lot more optimistic than most viewers, but showrunner Tim Kring is at work trying to make Grunny's dreams a reality. The Futon Critic has reported that Kring is working on pitching a potential fifth season of the show to NBC, which the show desperately needs if it wants to give viewers a resolution on character fates, after the fourth season finale, which Grunberg describes as "strong."

Filming of Heroes briefly resumed Tuesday to finish out filming of the finale, and the cast acknowledged that it might be the last time they would be together filming the series. "You say your goodbyes and give gifts, because you really never know," Grunberg said of the potential end.

If Heroes does end with the fourth season, it'll be ending on what actor Masi Oka has described as the "second-strongest season," creatively. And I'll agree with Masi there -- it's been the best season since season one. But will that be enough to keep the show on its feet -- or on the air? What do you think?

No Definitive Conclusion for 'Heroes' If Cancelled

I had intended the title of this article to be a bit facetious.  And then I rethought that, because I feel like Grunberg is threatening me.  Look, here's the God-honest truth.  I like Heroes.  Well, I did.  In fact, I loved Heroes.  Back when it knew what to do with its characters (well, at least 95% of them), when it had coherent storylines, when it wasn't using time travel as a convenient (and often forgetable) plot device, when Nathan Petrelli was alive, and when it had a convincing villian who was actually scary and wasn't just sticking around because the guy who played him happens to be a good actor.

Now?  Allow me to use a story to illustrate: this week I forgot that both Heroes and The Good Wife returned (because I am an idiot - despite having written up an entire post about when shows return).  Both were automatically recoded by my DVR.  When I realized I had forgotten about The Good Wife, I raced home after work to watch.  Heroes?  It's still sitting there.  Waiting.  Always waiting.

This frustrates me.  But I barely have the energy to care anymore.  Because the characters are lost and so far from their original personalities (and not in a good way that characters should grow and change) that I can barely stand to watch.  There are some very talented people in that cast and now I feel like they're just wasting their time.  And mine.  With so many other good shows on television these days, I just don't have the patience anymore (for example, I've recently fallen in looooove with Supernatural, which is late coming, but more on that in another post). 

The ratings for the show have dipped.  There is absolutely no denying this.  The audience is not responding to Heroes like it used to, and hasn't been for a very long time.  There were rumors floating around that this would be the final season.  And then there were whispers that maybe it would be renewed after all, because, let's face it, NBC needs everything it can get right now - even if the show is ratings-challenged.

The next chapter in the "back-and-forth/will they or won't they?" story comes straight from the mouth of Greg Grunberg.  He recently told EW that the cast has wrapped up filming this year's shortened season (only 19 episodes in total), but that the "...the [final episode] is nowhere near a series finale,” he told us at last night’s People’s Choice Awards. “It is cliffhanger-y and exciting, but it is nowhere near an end to a series that people are so invested in. It does not tie everything up in a neat bow… I don’t have any doubt that the show will be back.”

Oh, really, Greg?  *sigh*  Why do you do this to me?  I like you.  You're funny.  You're good friends with J.J. Abrams and he finds fun ways to put you in his TV shows and movies.  But I cannot abide by this.  I don't want another season of Heroes.  I don't want more ludicrous plots that make no sense and drag on.  Grunberg thinks that perhaps Heroes should pull a LOST and set an end date (as in, have next season be their last).  Yeah, ok, that worked for LOST, but it's not going to work here.  Because that still leaves Kring & Co with the dilemma of having to come up with at least another 19 episodes that people want to watch.  And, I'm sorry, I don't see that happening.

Maybe I'm being harsh.  But you know what?  I'm tired.  We need to let Heroes go.  Maybe the best way to wrap it up is to end with a two-hour TV movie that could air in the summer or in the Fall (like the Prison Break two-hour TV special that filled in the blanks in the series finale).  If they don't do this, then my DVR is going to fill up pretty fast with unwatched Heroes episodes and I'm just going to have to take my Season 1 DVD and go rock in a corner somewhere.

Is Grunberg Threatening Me With Another Season of Heroes?

Okay, I'm confused.  I thought this guy named Samuel was the big baddie this season on Heroes.  Remember him?  Robert Knepper played him.  Yeah, so now he is reduced to sharing a floating puzzle piece with the implication that it is really Sylar who is the big bad... again.

As much as we all love Zachary Quinto - it is commonly known that he DOES walk on water from time to time - isn't Heroes a bit Sylar'd out at this point?  I mean, it used to be that Sylar was the one aspect of the show that never failed.  Used to be, that is.  Then there was that belly-laugh inducing sequence of Sylar turning into his own mother. Embarrassing.  Followed by this seasons schizo Nathan routine, and all of the continuity flaws that ensued.  Add to the fact that there is now a discernible pattern to the Sylar arc:

A) Begin the season with everyone thinking he's 'dealt with.'
B) Sylar considers a face turn, nearly becoming a good guy.
C) Succombs to the monster within and concocts plot to rule/destroy the world and make everybody pay.

Sadly, Sylar was most interesting during season one - without steps A, and B.  But any who, can someone explain to me why this promo seems to be jettisoning most of what has passed for this season's 'story' in favor of what will certainly be another trip around the aforementioned cliche?  Is there hope?  Anyone?

Heroes Mid-Season Promo - Hide The Villain?

Please, NBC, I can't handle this emotional roller-coaster you have me on.  One week Heroes is great, the next week it sucks, then one of my favorite under-utilized Heroes actors Sendhil Ramamurthy (Mohinder) is cast on Doctor Who's David Tennant's new show (David Tennant doing a show for US prime-time?!  For. The. Win), now he's off because - apparently -  he'll be needed for the next season of Heroes.  And here I thought NBC had finally had enough abuse and had removed the feeding tube.  If Heroes is not in the television equivalent of a persistent vegetative state, I don't know of a better example.

So here is what is going on.  Kristin from E! is hinting at some inside info from the Heroes camp that Sendhil was yanked back to Heroes because the show is going to continue for another season.  The only way this could possibly be translated into good news is if NBC plans on announcing that a proven genre heavyweight will be taking the reigns of the show from Tim Kring - who is an otherwise perfectly good writer/show-runner who obviously knows truck-all about this kind of story telling.  I mean, giving the under appreciated Sendhil a chance to bask in the afterglow of the genius that is David Tennant is apt penance for three seasons of schizophrenic character development.

Taking Sendhil's place is going to be Jerry O'Connell.  Oh. Boy.  Loved O'Connell on Sliders, have yet to see any evidence that he possesses marketable comedy chops.  Need I remind you of... Carpoolers?  I'm sorry - it had to be done.

Time will tell whether Kristin's source is jumping to conclusions or not, but in the now - I fear for Tennant.  O'Connell could very well suck the funny out of that show.  And yes, I am aware he has a hot wife - still not funny.

Source: E!Online

Heroes Being Renewed After All?

We've all been thinking it, but now someone's said it: season four of Heroes is allegedly going to be the last. That's what E!Online is reporting, thanks to their 'well-placed Heroes source.'

"Everyone is expecting this to be the last season. The cast, the crew, everyone," the mole said, and that's not surprising at all. After a stellar season one, the show has been in a creative slump: season two was almost universally panned, and season three wasn't much better. Season four has shown an increase in quality, but is still not the amazing show we expected after season one.

This news comes after it was announced that Sendhil Ramamurthy, who portrays character Mohinder Suresh, had been cast on a new pilot for NBC, titled Rex is Not Your Lawyer. Though Mohinder has been scarcely seen on Heroes this season, this likely means that Ramamurthy will be written off the show -- or, as E! thinks, the show itself will be written off.

While I have seen every episode of Heroes thus far, I think it is probably the best time for the show to end. It seems fitting for the series to end on a volume titled "Redemption," because the show has indeed redeemed itself this season, if only slightly. The death of Nathan's consciousness in "The Fifth Stage" was the biggest step in creative change the show has taken, and if it continues to crescendo, we could be looking at one very big and very good season finale.

It needs to go out on the highest point it can, so that it won't be remembered as a show that just fizzled out. In retrospect, I think it would have been much better if the series just ended after the first season -- people would have been talking about how great the show was for years.

But bygones are bygones, and it certainly looks like Heroes will be a bygone come May 2010. What do you think? Is it time for the show to end, or should it stick around a few more seasons? Can NBC bring itself to cancel one of its only sci-fi series? Leave your comments in the section below -- we want to hear from you!

'Heroes' Expected to End with Season 4

Heroes is new on November 30th and the fight between Nathan and Sylar is heating up (and between Peter and Sylar).  NBC has released a sneak peek, and we also have a promo for you.  Check them out below.

Note: there's a bit of black screen at the beginning of the video...just let it play.

SAMUEL STARTS TO SEE HIS VISION TAKE SHAPE

H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) is greeted by some unexpected visitors and Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) grand plan begins to come to fruition. Meanwhile, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) struggles to accept the truth and takes extreme measures to get what he wants.

Elsewhere, Claire’s (Hayden Panettiere) journey leads her to an unexpected destination.

Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto and Cristine Rose also star. Jimmy Jean-Louis, David H. Lawrence XVII, Madeline Zima, Dawn Olivieri, Todd Stashwick and Elisabeth Rohm guest star.

Email: clarissa @ tvovermind.com

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Sneak Peek & Promo - Heroes 4.12 "The Fifth Stage"

Things just aren't looking good for Heroes. The show has been floundering in the ratings for quite a long time, and Monday night's episode, "Brother's Keeper," was no exception. With that episode, viewership for the series hit an all-time low, with only 5.1 million viewers. That's an even lower number than the same night's episode of Trauma, which gathered up 5.2 million viewers. And Trauma's already been canceled.

NBC followed up those two shows with The Jay Leno Show, which got 4.5 million viewers, perhaps pushed up by the guest appearance of New Moon star Taylor Lautner.

FOX was the real winner of Monday night, with House, their sure-shot show amassing 12.9 viewers, making it the most-watched show of the night for the network. It's follow-up, Lie to Me, gathered about 5 million less viewers, but was still a success for the network.

CBS was also on top of their game, with How I Met Your Mother reaching 8.4 million viewers and Accidentally on Purpose reaching 7.8, tying with Lie to Me. Big Bang Theory and CSI:Miami, both on CBS, both reached 13.5 million viewers. However, they weren't the most watched shows of the night.

That honor went to ABC's Dancing With the Stars, which got 18.8 million viewers. It was followed by Castle, which amassed 10.9 million viewers.

The CW's Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill both managed to get in roughly 2.5 million viewers.

What do you think this means for Heroes? The shows been in a steady decline throughout its fourth season, and things aren't looking any better now that they've once again hit a series low for ratings (and that wasn't the first time that's happened this season). I think it'd be a miracle if it gets a fifth season. Compared to the rest of the shows of the night (save for the CW's niche shows), it's just not holding up. You can crank up your "Save Heroes" campaigns now, if there are any to be had.

'Heroes' Hits All-Time Viewership Low

I guess the Heroes writers were going for the obvious with this episode title, instead of trying to come up with something more subtle.  The November 23rd episode is Thanksgiving-centric and our two main families (the Bennetts and the Petrellis) come together with some big confrontations (for example, the fact that Nathan and Peter now know what their mother did with Nathan's body and Sylar).  We've got 5 sneak peeks for you, along with a promo.

THANKSGIVING UNITES FAMILIES TOGETHER AND BRINGS NEW REVELATIONS

H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) hosts an untraditional Thanksgiving dinner. Elsewhere, the Petrelli family gets a surprise guest at their table. Meanwhile, Samuel (Robert Knepper) continues to hold Hiro (Masi Oka) hostage, as Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) goes in search for the truth.

Greg Grunberg, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Cristine Rose and Milo Ventimiglia also star. Ashley Crow, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Madeline Zima, Ray Park, Harry Perry, Elisabeth Rohm, Andrew Connolly also guest star.

Email: clarissa @ tvovermind.com

Follow: twitter.com/clarissa373

5 Sneak Peeks & Promo - Heroes 4.11 "Thanksgiving"

Were you as confused as I was by the news that Adrian Pasdar was the actor who had been let go from Heroes?  We all saw Nathan die at the end of the last season and a lot of people, myself included, thought that he was definitely dead when Nylar got shot and Sylar regained possession of his body.  Apparently we were wrong.

The confusion over this was rampant (and a lot of people called out Heroes for the un-classy way in which Pasdar was fired - he apparently read about it in a script instead of being told face-to-face), so an executive producer (Adam Armus) has given an interview to SciFi Wire:

"We all know that Nathan Petrelli last year was killed, and his mind was put into Sylar's body and shape-shifted into Nathan," said Armus. "We made some commitments last year, and we've committed that there is going to be an epic battle between two characters and who's going to win and who's going to lose. That's something we've been planning all this year. So we know that someone has to lose."

"This whole Sylar-in-one-body-and-his-mind-in-another with Matt Parkman, all that's going to come to a head, because ultimately Sylar is going to win. He's ultimately going to get out of Matt Parkman's head and get back into his body," said Armus.

"Once Nathan and Sylar come back together, there is a battle for the life of that body. Who is going to be in control? And whoever loses is the one that dies," said Armus. "It's the knock-down-drag-out 'Who's going to win this body?', and it's going to be between Peter and Nathan/Sylar. And Peter's going to be fighting for his brother." And obviously not winning.

So it appears that Nathan will be returning (although for how many episodes we don't yet know) and he and Sylar will have to battle for control over Sylar's body.

This whole "teasing a death for Heroes" thing hasn't gone off very well.  A lot of people resigned themselves to Nathan's death and I think most people always suspected Sylar would eventually regain control over his own body.  I really miss Pasdar - I always thought he was a great actor and I liked his character - but I'm kind of sad about how this whole thing played out.

Email me at clarissa @ tvovermind.com

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Clarification on the Big Heroes Death.....Just in Case You Were Confused (As We Were)

Call Heroes the fast food of television: even through its very worst moments, it still manages to be greatly entertaining television. This label is most applicable to the second and third volumes (not seasons) of the series, which were mediocre at best, with only a few high points (puppetmaster Eric Doyle, for instance). However, I still tuned in every week -- not because it was great television -- but because I was entertained. Oh, and because there was always a hope that the show would get better, and that I would be vindicated in my dedication (and be automatically entitled to bragging rights when the show returned to its former glory).

While that's not quite the case yet, I have to say that Heroes is striving to move out of the fast food category of television and more toward the gourmet category. Volume four, "Fugitives," was the best volume of the series since "Genesis," perhaps due to the creative efforts of Bryan Fuller, who returned to Heroes after the cancellation of his other series, Pushing Daisies. Fuller's involvement definitely helped Heroes improve greatly; volume four was more concise and pointed on a central storyline, finally listening to the advice of critics. The future looked bright for Heroes as the fourth volume ended.

However, Fuller left only a few episodes into the fifth volume, accurately titled "Redemption." However, the quality of the series didn't decline at all; if anything, it improved, and is quickly on my way to becoming my favorite volume of the series, perhaps even above the groundbreaking "Genesis."

Most of this can be put to the fact that the series has become out the characters again, instead of the series being just another vehicle for cool special effects and superpowers. Now, the characters are taking front and center stage, and I'm loving it. And not just because the characters are the focus -- because less characters are the focus.

In tonight's episode, "Once Upon A Time in Texas," only Hiro, Sylar, Samuel, Noah, and Claire appeared out of the main cast (not counting Mohinder's brief end-of-episode appearance). Out of those, only Hiro, Sylar, and Noah recieved any focus at all. The episode was very tight, as opposed to the epic scope of each and every episode of volume three, which featured on average about seven members of the main cast. The writers have caught on that we don't need to see Peter and Claire every episode, and I like it. It works, and it makes the show run that much more smoothly.

Another thing that works is the inclusion of Robert Knepper's new character Samuel. Even though he's appeared in almost every episode so far, we know very little about his character's background or history. In fact, the most shocking reveal we've gotten so far is that he killed Mohinder eight weeks ago (accounting for the much-needed break from Sendhil Ramamurthy's voice-overs). However, the character is a wonderful enigma, and he adds a great layer of mystique and macabre to the series.

However, that's not to say that season five couldn't stand to improve just a little bit. The lesbianism-for-guys thing with Claire is somewhat detracting from the storyline, as is uncertain fate of Nathan Petrelli. Is he or isn't he dead for good? Kristin says he is, but the lack of a concrete answer leaves two Sylars running around (one in Parkman's head and one at the Sullivan Bros. Carnival), and until the situation is resolved, we probably won't get much of a good answer.

Of course, ratings have been floundering for the four-year-old drama. It's even reported that NBC is considering giving Heroes the axe after the season's end, though at this point this is unconfirmed rumors (though it wouldn't be shocking if it did happen. "There isn't much happening with this show in terms of audience, and giving it a 'final chapter' feel is something the network is considering to help allow the show to go out with a bang," claims Airlock Alpha.

So even with the redemption of a once must-see series, there is a possible end approaching. It's a Lost-ian redemption, for sure. But it's a redemption all the same.

The Redemption of 'Heroes'

A few weeks ago we reported on a story about a major death planned for Heroes.  E!Online's Kristen refused to name the victim and speculation ran rampant, since we were told that it would be one of the original, core characters.

Earlier today, Greg Grunberg insisted that the Petrelli brothers would be safe.  I myself had thought that Peter would be the one killed off, but Grunberg's statement seemed to disprove that.

Then Nikki Finke over at DHD said that Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli) was the person who had been fired from the show.  Those of you who have been following the storyline know that Nathan died at the end of season 3, but Parkman and Mama Petrelli turned Sylar into Nathan.  Sylar recently transformed back into himself and Nathan disappeared, but there was always the hope that he would return.

Well, something got lost in translation, because Kristen is now confirming the DHD post:

Adrian Pasdar's Nathan Petrelli is the major character death happening on Heroes this season, and no, he wasn't told he was getting fired, he learned about it from a script.

But what about reports from fellow Heroes castmembers that the Petrelli brothers were definitely safe?

After Heroes star Greg Grunberg recently told a radio station that Nathan and Peter weren't the Heroes death, I doubled back with my source and he confirmed, "I know Adrian is getting killed off and was pissed about it because they didn't tell him...Greg could be talking about another death but I think he's probably covering and throwing fans off."

And of course, Greg certainly doesn't want to meet the same fate!

So there you have it.  Nathan is dead and I'm very depressed about this.  Especially since now it seems very anti-climactic and pointless, since Nathan already died and his disappearance a few episodes ago didn't seem like it would stick.  If the producers were hoping to shock us, I think they didn't do a very good job of it.

Big Heroes Death Revealed

Last week we posted promo photos for the November 2 new episode of Heroes, where Hiro goes back in time to try and save Charlie.  Now we have a promo and four sneak peeks to share with you (thanks to NBC).  It looks like we'll be seeing Bennett's past, as well as his old partner.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN TEXAS HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE – JAYMA MAYS RETURNS AS CHARLIE

When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further.

Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past is revealed. James Kyson Lee, Hayden Panettiere and Sendhil Ramamurthy also star. Elizabeth Rohm, Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin and Dawn Olivieri also guest star.

Promo & 4 Sneak Peeks - Heroes 4.08 "Once Upon a Time in Texas"

DVD ratings for week 3 of the fall season (Oct 5 - 11) are in and Smallville and Dollhouse have reached the top spot yet again.  For week three Dollhouse received a little more than 40% increase (it actually hit 50% increase for its premiere episode) which is definitely good news for the beleagured show.  Although the boost doesn't do a whole lot in regard to the actual overall ratings, for a show like Dollhouse, its certainly going to help.

The week 3 top ten (except for 2 Monday night exceptions) features shows that all air on either Thursday or Friday nights.  Thursday night features some of the best shows of the week, making it difficult for some fans of shows that cross networks.  Friday nights have been branded with the timeslot of doom, with much lower than normal ratings for most networks.  But regardless of the actual gains in overall viewership, the DVR news is good because it shows that some fans of the show are doing whatever they can to enjoy their favorite shows, and it just might help remind Fox and The CW that while these shows are on a less than appealing night, they're still being followed.  The top 10 consists of:

1. Smallville - CW - 44% increase from DVR
2. Dollhouse - Fox - 40% increase from DVR
3. Fringe - Fox - 36% increase from DVR
4. Castle - ABC - 32% increase from DVR
5. Numb3rs - CBS - 31% increase from DVR
6. The Mentalist - CBS - 30% increase from DVR
7. FlashForward - ABC - 30% increase from DVR
8. Vampire Diaries - CW - 29% increase from DVR
9. Heroes - NBC - 29% increase from DVR
10. FlashForward SP - 10/9 - 29% increase from DVR

Fox has indicated that one of the main reasons Dollhouse has yet to be canceled yet is due to its successful DVR ratings.  But whether or not these DVR ratings will be enough to give us more Dollhouse, or any of these shows for that matter, will remain to be seen.

You can see the full ranking at TVbythenumbers.com.

Dollhouse Continues to Excel in DVR Ratings

Jama Mays returns to Heroes and Elizabeth Rohm guest stars as someone with ties to H.R.G.'s past.  NBC has released the synopsis and promo photos for the episode, which you can view below.

HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE – JAYMA MAYS RETURNS AS CHARLIE

When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further.

Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed. James Kyson Lee, Hayden Panettiere and Sendhil Ramamurthy also star. Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin and Dawn Olivieri also guest star.

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HEROES -- "Once Upon A Time in Texas" Episode 408 -- Pictured: Masi Oka as Hiro Nakamura -- NBC Photo: Trae Patton

Email me at clarissa @ tvovermind.com

Follow me at twitter.com/clarissa373

Promo Photos & Synopsis - Heroes 4.08 "Once Upon a Time in Texas"

Now that the lesbian kiss is done, Heroes can move on.  To Claire getting hazed into her new sorority with Gretchen and to wondering whether Nathan will ever return.  We've got the synopsis, a promo and promo photos for the October 26 episode to share with you.

THE HEROES ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS WITHOUT THE USE OF THEIR POWERS

Matt (Greg Grunberg) goes to extreme measures to extinguish Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who continues to torment him. Elsewhere, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) calls in a favor from Tracy (Ali Larter) to save a troubled young boy whose misfortunes resemble her own.

While Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) are being hazed by their new sorority sisters, they realize pledging might not be their biggest problem. Robert Knepper also stars.

Lisa Lackey, Tessa Thompson and Rick Worthy guest star.

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HEROES -- "Strange Attractors" Episode 407 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jack Coleman as H.R.G, Ali Larter as Tracy Strauss -- NBC Photo: Adam Taylor

Sources: NBC and TVontheBrain

Promo, Synopsis & Promo Photos - Heroes 4.07 "Strange Attractors"

I don't know why I like Heroes. Maybe it's because amidst all the moments of stupidity, there are glimpses of genius shining through. And, after reading this spoiler from E!Online's Kristin, , I'm getting even more renewed faith in this once-brilliant show. So what's the spoiler?

Someone's gonna die. And if it's who I think it is, then Heroes will have won me truly over once again. Not because I hate the character; I love him. But because it will mean that Heroes truly intends to change and move forward, and stop with the silly comic-bookish elements. I'd probably be extrapolating a little too much from this singular event, but it would definitely be the biggest change to happen to the show since Zachary Quinto popped up a few episodes into the first season.

While Kristin was tight-lipped about the identity of the soon-to-be cadaver, she confirmed that the death would be4 a male member of the original cast, and that it would be "huge." "This is not one that will go unnoticed by even the most casual fan," Kristin assured.

So who does that leave? Well, honestly, when I think of Heroes, I think of three people. The first person is Claire, but due to her invincibility, it certainly seems unlikely that she'll get the axe. The second I think of is Sylar, because, well, he's the most interesting character on the show. Period. But thirdly is the character who I think has been the face of Heroes from day one -- Masi Oka's Hiro Nakamura.

Hiro has been such an endearing and innocent character on the show that his death will certainly tug on plenty of heartstrings, even to those fans who only tune in every few weeks. And it's been set up in such a way for the past group of episodes that if the writers weaseled their way out of it, it would probably prompt me to sever ties with Heroes forever.

So who will be the one to die? I certainly hope it's Hiro, even though I love him. It'd certainly be one of the greatest moments of the show, if done right, and would indicate that Heroes is at least trying, if not succeeding, in getting better.

Major death plotted for Heroes

If you're a bit spoiler-shy, especially to breaking news about character deaths on NBC Heroes, now would be a good time to stop reading this post.  Although, obviously, we're not going to be giving you any names, the implications are there, as is the speculation.  So here it goes...

Thanks to an exclusive from Kristin at Eonline, we have the following information about a major, upcoming death on Heroes of one of the original cast members

Sources over on NBC's Heroes confirm to me that a major death is in the works, and this is not one that will go unnoticed by even the most casual fan.

It is huge.

So who is it?

Well, you know how these things go...We can't come right out and name any names. (Unless someone can hook me up right quick with the Witness Protection Program?)

However, I will tell you that this leading character is a male, and he is not necessarily pictured above. (He might be, he might not be.) And he is one of the original cast.

And you thought Hayden's same-sex kiss was surprising, eh?

Clearly the producers are pulling out all the stops this season in an effort to ramp up storylines and pull out a big watercooler-worthy surprise.

But I have to say that I, for one, will miss this guy. Big-time.

Source: Watch with Kristin

So, let the guessing begin...One of the top guesses, I'm sure will be Hiro, but I'll have to say no way on that one.  He's the obvious choice and it really wouldn't be a shocker at all, considering his health issues, bloody nose, etc.  No, if they're actually trying to surprise us, Hiro should be safe.

Next up is Sylar, who's always a possibility when these "death" spoilers pop up, but I just don't see this one either.  You see, Sylar thinks he's Nathan, and so if they kill off Sylar, then Nathan's character is gone as well.  While this is certainly possible, it seems like two major, original character deaths might be more than they'd want to give us at this point.

Nathan, well...he's already dead, so I don't see how they could kill him again, so he's out as well, I guess.  That leaves us with Parkman, Peter, and Noah (HRG).  I think any three of these are very viable candidates though I'm leaning more toward Peter or Noah, as they seem to be more major impacts in my opinion.  Either character dying would be a sad story turn in my opinion, simply because both of these characters have so much future-story potential.  Of course, that's assuming that Heroes has a future beyond this season, which I'm not anywhere near convinced will happen.

So what's your guess?  Who's going to die?

Spoiler - "Heroes" Death Coming Soon

WOW!  Huge cliffhanger in last week's episode of Heroes, right?  Is Nathan gone for good now that Sylar is back?  I hope not, but we'll have to wait and see.  In the meantime, we have a sneak peek for you for Monday's brand new episode of Heroes.  Gretchen starts freaking Claire out.  Check them out below.

SELF-DISCOVERY ROCKS THEIR WORLD AS OUR HEROES ENCOUNTER NEW ABILITIES, TRY TO RECALL PAST LIVES AND STUMBLE UPON AN UNEXPECTED KISS -- MADELINE ZIMA, DAWN OLIVIERI, DEANNE BRAY, TESSA THOMPSON, ERNIE HUDSON, RAY PARK AND ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER LOUISE FLETCHER GUEST STAR

Samuel (Robert Knepper) prepares for new additions to his family, while Lydia (guest star Dawn Olivieri) warns him of the consequences. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) discovers that her roommate Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) may have a hidden agenda. Meanwhile, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) finds an unexpected way to connect with Emma (guest star Deanne Bray), who would prefer to stay distant. Elsewhere, a different side of Sylar (Zachary Quinto) emerges as he desperately tries to remember the person he used to be. Masi Oka and Cristine Rose also star. Rachel Melvin and Jack Wallace also guest star.

Show Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Ali Larter, Hayden Panettiere, Greg Grunberg, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Masi Oka, Adrian Pasdar, Jack Coleman, James Kyson Lee, Dania Ramirez, Zachary Quinto, Cristine Rose

Sneak Peek - Heroes 4.05 "Hysterical Blindness"

Heroes "Acceptance" was probably the best episode of the series in sometime.  No, seriously - I mean it.  It was even moving at some points.  I even got into the silly Hiro-subplot of the week where the man-child time jumped in a fruitless attempt to prevent a suicidal guy from photocopying his butt and ruining his life - ultimately teaching the hapless jumper that living with his mistake and facing it head on was the answer.  An epiphany, and not one of the Jon Gosselin variety.  This one was real!  The motif was distributed evenly, with each character having a cathartic moment and resigning themselves to destiny.  The wowzer: Sylar/Nathan's new set of powers is helping him uncover repressed memories.  Result in a sense of ratings: none.

None-the-less, the episode was a sobering moment for anyone who sees Heroes as being in steady decline.  Another sobering fact, however, is that "Acceptance" was written by Bryan Fuller - the writer once heralded as Heroes' best chance for survival - who abandoned the show for unknown reasons.  Cynics will no doubt point this fact out when weighing the odds of any more corner-turning episodes.

While we are enjoying - or not - our moments of clarity,  what does the raw data say about Heroes "Acceptance."

The bottom line was around 5.4 million live viewers, and when you are one of the big three nets that number pretty much kills any chance of finding a demographic win significant enough to spin away the stink of death.  Heroes seems to be terminally locked in sub-par numbers.  Will the rest of Heroes staff lock on to the thoughtful metaphorical writing of Bryan Fuller, causing the mighty hard core of fans to lure back the absent masses of Heroes-doubters?  It seems unlikely.

If you are looking for an opinion on next week's episode, check out Craig Byrne's review of "Hysterical Blindness" at Heroesite.com

Ratings Watch - Heroes Bleeding Slows, Will The Healing Begin?