There’s some good news for fans of NBC’s ailing Heroes TV show. Though the sci-fi series has been struggling to hold onto its audience, the network’s entertainment prez says there’s no plans to cancel the super-powered ones. Still, the show isn’t in the clear just yet.
Heroes revolves around ordinary individuals who are suddenly endowed with amazing powers — super abilities that cause them to become both hunted and feared. The large ensemble includes Sendhil Ramamurthy, Jack Coleman, Masi Oka, Hayden Panettiere, James Kyson Lee, Milo Ventimiglia, Ali Larter, Adrian Pasdar, Greg Grunberg, Zachary Quinto, Cristine Rose, Ashley Crow, and Noah Gray-Cabey.
The NBC series debuted to 14.3 million and a 5.9/14 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. Viewership both fell and dropped in Heroes’ freshman year and it ended up averaging 14.3 million viewers and a 6.4/15. The second season was largely disappointing to viewers and was artificially shortened due to the writers strike. It averaged just over 13 million.
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Heroes returned over nine months later for season three and just over 10 million viewers. It’s essentially been falling ever since and the latest installment attracted just 7.04 million and 3.2/7 in the demo.
Trying to allay cancellation worries, Angela Bromstad, NBC’s Entertainment President, has told the Hollywood Reporter that the network plans to renew the show for a fourth season. It’ll be a shorter-than-usual cycle though and is expected to be just 18-20 episodes.
However, as the Reporter’s James Hibbard notes, this is not an actual renewal and the network execs could still change their minds. That’s a far cry from the confidence of last season’s renewal which came in mid-February, months ahead of the advertiser upfronts. Heroes’ viewership has been falling and, if it continues to do so, the network may have no choice but to change their plans.
For the time being though, the network is committed to keeping Heroes on the air. There are discussions about giving the series a set end date (like Lost) but the ratings-starved network isn’t ready to commit to that strategy for the time being.
Image courtesy NBC.
…I watched Heroes Season one – four in less then two weeks…ITS FREAKEN AWESOME!…I live in South Africa and i only wish that they continue with the amazing work! I just think the last episode in Season4 where Claire reviles her powers to the whole world “broke my heart”…cos its better kept a secret…thats what Heroes is about and CANCEL THE LESBIAN part cos its so not what her character is. LOVE YOU MILO 🙂
HA that **** got cancelled ! **** YOU NBC
Granted Heroes could stand to be a bit more consistent with the plot but overall I am a die-hard fan. Iwould atleast like to see what the writers come up with now that the secret is officially out! (thanks Claire) lol.
I vote to keep this show on the air, I love the show I’d just like to see it do a little better. I know they’re fully capable
this show getting dumber by the min.Claire storyline is all on the show everytime you look up there at school with her and her dumb new frined. to amber you must be dumb or you just dont watch good tv like you say. the show was good untill this season it too simple minded why the hell hiro can go back to the right time. Claire wanteding to be part of the carn. is stupid it has nothing to offer no matter what you say. i use to come home everyday to make sure i did not mis a show… Read more »
The people making negative comments here must watch some really crappy television. I have never until recently followed television shows from season to season. Now thanks to Netflix I have found a few series that I just can’t get enough of and watch religiously thanks to my DVR. Heroes is definitely one of them! Every season has kept me on my toes. No one wants to see the same story line happen over and over again. Unpredictability is what makes a show great. I for one was happy to see Sylar be a good guy for a bit and then… Read more »
They ruined the initially awesome Heroes by losing focus. While season 3 was dominated by changing Sylar back and forth from good guy to bad guy (which gave me the impression of 2 producers the 2 different opinions where the story should go). And now in season 4, there is even less focus on a clear storyline… A totally disconnected circus, Sylar again being good guy turned bad guy turned good guy turned bad guy, and in the latest episode even going back to change the past… something that was made very clear in season 2 that it was not… Read more »
nbc would be stupid if they canceled heroes its one of the best shows on tv and shorting it would be stupid also what they need to do is add a new bad guy someone other than sylar and put the focus more on peter,matt parkman,clair,hiro,and ali larters character.
Heroes is so damn addicting! I watch in anticipation; sitting on the edge of my seat! I have never felt this way over tv, never. At maybe 5 minutes to the end of the show, I have this overwhelming sense of sadness; heroeskitzofanaticism. I LOVE Heroes! Yes, there has been some episodes not as pleasing as others, but I needed those episodes to get my weekly fix! Season 4 you are most welcomed into my home!
Well, i wasn’t a fan of Heroes not until a friend downloaded the first and second season to my hard drive and after that….I was going GAGA over Heroes! It’s an awesome show and those people who keeps on saying bad things about HEROES are jerks who have nothing to do but leave an ugly comment. Just try to appreciate the little things people do for entertainment, at least, they ave brains!!!
I believe that all the Heroes seasons were awesome it was just that the people are dumb and just say it’s the worst show ever cause they have nothing else better to do. HEROES IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heroes is one of the greatest shows ever. Season 2 was disappointing Ill admit but Season 3 was AMAZING especially the second half of it. This is what tv needs, shows that are unpredictable. I was sad to see season 3 end, and now season 4 could turn out to be better than the 3rd. I can’t wait for season 4 to come out!!!
So ABC has allowed Heroes to plummet through ratings, become ridiculously boring non understandable right, Heroes was an instant money maker 1st series was ace, second not bad, 3rd completely terrible where was a show down between heroes and villains? Forth no idea what is going to happen now, may have got interesting. Give us what we wanna see (action), not dumb back stories and not more meetings of, bad things are coming and yet they never do. Give season 4 a chance to be season again a bad ass vs good guys and a chance of annihilation. Wake Up… Read more »
ABC is cancelling Kyle XY, which is 100 times better than Heroes, and NBC is just giving them another chance? Stupid TV networks. I just hope the Internet finally takes over TV forever.
Pleaaasse, cancel it finally.
There are good shows cancelled, what about cancelling a bad as hell show for a change?
Season 1 was awesome and until season 2 Heroes was one of the best shows ever.
But since 2 it got worse, and worse and worse.
It’s now just as bad as Prison Break (which got worse since season 2 too).