I actually haven’t been following Heroes like I used to but it seems like a lot of people haven’t been following Heroes like they used to either. For one reason or another, NBC is only going to air approximately 18 to 20 episodes next season. I know that seems like a lot, but originally next season was going to have 25 episodes. At least, that was the plan while the show was going gangbusters.
What gives NBC?
In its first smash season, Heroes averaged just under 12 million viewers – I was one of those viewers. But they lost me 1/2 way through the 2nd season and I’ve found other shows to occupy my time.
|
|
It’s not that I have actively avoided Heroes, it’s just that there are other shows for me to watch and I’ve never been drawn back in by the commercials. Besides, if you watch enough commercials, they’re like mini-episodes or Twitter episodes. After enough weeks, you can pretty much piece it all together.
As it stands, some day I intend to watch this season but that’s when I have the time or when the repeats air. One thing that doesn’t help is the fact that NBC charges 99 cents to watch an On-Demand episode when other networks don’t, so it’s a principal thing for me, at least via On-Demand on Comcast.
Despite the 12 million viewer count from the first season, complicated story lines and the doldrums of season 2 have seen the numbers dwindle. Some folk even drag the writers strike into the equation still. It’s not a crash and burn kind of deal, but a cooling off. As of last week, the season average number of viewers have dropped to just under 8 million viewers.
To me, that would seem to be a good hefty number, but apparently it’s not hefty enough for the advertisers pocketbooks. Eh, what do I know?
People are still blaming that damn writers strike because they keep looking at the interruption created by the strike as the bubble when things changed. I’m not buying that myself because all the shows were affected, but it is what it is. Yet Since that “bubble”, advertiser dollars have dwindled a bit.
It’s Jay Leno’s Fault?
It might not be all his fault, but the network is doing quite the dance to accommodate his new show that’s coming up. With the new Jay Leno show sliding into a weekday slot, NBC needs to cut 5 hours a week from programming time to make room for their perceived cash cow.
And that is leading to new and “innovative” ways to present programming.
For example: although Harper’s Island isn’t doing too hot, the idea of short-burst seasons, like Harper’s 13 episodes is appealing to networks. From my angle, it’s a form of commitment that doesn’t last longer than it needs to. It’s not really commitment, but if something takes off, it’s a renewable resource, so to speak.
As it stands, regardless of how many weeks Heroes gets, be ready because Heroes 5th season is going to have a few mysterious deaths. Murders or accidents? I guess you’ll have to watch to find out.
Source: TV Guide
Loading ...
26 Comments
I’m scared. I know I’ll watch it and I’m afraid it’ll be a waste of time. They’ve got to figure this crap out.
Newsflash, I like Heroes, I don’t like Leno. If Leno is the reason that there will be fewer Heroes episodes, I just won’t watch Leno so it will be canceled and Heroes gets it’s time back. How ya like me now NBC?
You can watch these episodes on Hulu for free.
Thanks Sean… I know there are other sources for watching stuff…
The sad part is, guess what I’m doing when I’m on the computer? WRITING!!!
Though, I could set up my 3rd laptop to be in the background watching things… Hmm.. oh great… 3 things going on, only 2 eyes… there just ain’t enough time in the day!
T:
Other shows are looking to take the hit too… it kind of bites. This is almost the legitimate version of reality TV, talk shows.
PSYKO:
I think they learned their lessons! At least that’s my presumption. But I could be wrong.
Finally watched the Heroes season finale last night and I was somewhat disappointed.
SPOILER ALERT…
I’m not sure how Matt was able to make Sylar become Nathan after he was killed. I know he could force it into his mind, but how to make him change appearance? The whole premise is a bit sketchy, but then so is alot that happens on Heroes. In regards to the mysterious deaths, I bet it’s Nathan/Sylar blacking out and doing it while not realizing it….
I really dont mind, it could help make the show better. however if they ever show me 2 closed doors with lights flashing behind them instead of the climactic battle of the season I will be done with the show forever.
As far as the Nathan/Syler switch, why didnt Claire just give him some of her blood and bring him back to life like she did with Noah? Or like Kensei did with Nathan’s burns?
I really dont see all the fuss about Heroes not being as good as the first season. It is still very entertaining and a lot better than 90% of other programming.
Networks base everything on ratings and I think that is insane. There are other factors that need to be considered, for example:
I dont watch Heroes on Monday night because my wife likes to watch the comedies on CBS. So we DVR Chuck and Heroes and watch them on Tuesday when there isnt anything on. My priorities are with Chuck and Heroes but I would rather make my wife happy and “get some”. How may other guys are not watching on Monday for this very reason? I dont know. I do know that Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights suck for programming, so why do the networks keep trying to compete for Monday night ratings? In the fall they have to compete with ESPN Monday Night Football too…. Genius.
How about spreading it out? NBC is getting killed on Monday. Move Chuck and Heroes to Tuesday. Problem solved, more ratings.
I guess it doesnt matter anyway they are going to cancel Chuck and Heroes for another stupid CSI/Cop/Lawyer/Doctor drama or reality/dancing/singing (everything that is wrong with America) show.
Lol,,, NBC produces a crap show and expects us to support it.
Cancel the show, who cares, its garbage,,,
Very valid reasons there 790.
STEVE:
“… but I would rather make my wife happy and “get some”.”
And hence, why I sometimes seem to know more about some reality TV shows than I’d really like to!
I’m not sure about you Oscar!,,, friend or foe?
(Bizarro Newsflash) On a positive note, Celebrity Apprentice has been renewed for 2010.
No I’m not kidding.
Oh for crying out loud, stay on subject “7″.
Then again, if they bring Brandy back, I’d so most definitely watch.
The second half of Season 3 has been great and contains one of the best season finales I’ve seen in awhile.
On a side note I never have to make a choice when it comes to TV because of the wonderful DVR.
Steve, moving Chuck and Heroes to Tuesday or Wednesday night will never happen. THere is no way that they would pit those shows again the horrific American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. Yes, that is how pathetic America is nowadays. I still don’t understand how over 20 million people a week watch that drek.
I agree about Mondays though, I usually end up missing Two and a Half Men because the DVR can only record 2 shows and I record Heroes and “24″ at 9 because I usually end up workking until 9.
My advise if your going to watch the season then just watch the 2nd half when Bryan Fuller started writing for it again. I want to see him have a full season with the show again before I pass judgment. That’s a very good point people are bringing up about Claire’s blood and Andy S makes a good point about Sylar becoming Nathan. How does brainwashing equal him becoming Nathan? And not showing the final battle was just silly! What sucks is that they will cancel Chuck and keep Heroes.
I’ll keep dvr’ing it when it comes back, but this seasons finale was really lame. And as for Jay Leno, well I can’t stand that jerk.
MANDARR
Thanks for coming by and it’s great to express opinions.
But we don’t need to be calling anyone names, regardless of who they may be.
Screen Rant is a friendly place for all involved!
@Steve
great point on Claire’s blood. They even saved (well healed) Nathan like that before, but with Adam’s blood back in Season 2. But I guess if everytime someone died they just got a little blood from Claire no one would ever have to die. (they could have easily saved Daphene, Nathan, DL, Niki, Charlie, and so on espacially back when Hiro could have just traveled through time with the blood) but they never. It’d be nice if they at least came up with a reason as to way they couldn’t do that in certain situations. Like he had been dead to long or something, I mean I’m not a writier and that was off the top of my head but it sounds reasonable, so I’m sure the hero’s guys could come up with something better.
As much as I love hero’s (definitly my favorite show of all time) they have a tendency to do things and not explain why. I mean Season 2, Peter could walk through walls at the time (thats how him and Adam escaped Level 5) however when they got to the vault that held the virus he struggled to open it with his mind, if i remember correctly his nose even started to bleed. Couldn’t he have walked right through it instead of dealing with all that pain. Or at least have tried and said “I must not be able to phase through this kind of metal” Something at least. Despite the reasoning really not being logical I’m excited to see what happens with the Nathan/Sylar situation. It seems like they are leading towards the first future they went to, back in “5 years later” from Volume 1, Where Sylar was president as Nathan. I’d say sylar gets his memory back, but stays quiet about it. It would be interesting cause it would show the whole you can’t change fate idea.
Also everyone remember Peter’s Irish girlfriend 9forget her name. He accidently brought her to the furutre with the virus, they stopped the virus so that future never happened. So what happened to her, I guess if shes in a future that never happened that she just ceased to exisit. but it’d be nice of Peter to at least remember her and maybe even think about a rescue attempt, once someone can travel through time again.
And of course let’s gie Hiro his power back already. poor guy. Last thing. Peter obsorbed Sylar’s Power, but he can only obsorb one at a time now. Did he only get the shapeshifter one, or because Sylar was one person with so many abilites – did he get all of them?
season 4 has been a waste of episodes because its all a bunch of bull eg
oh god wnast us to do this
we have to the right thing
you can trust blah blah
they done even use powers any more, claire doesnt make us feel ill anymore with her healing lol
THEY WATERED DOWN PETERS POWERS, THEY TOOK MOST OF HIRO’S POWERS AWAY, AND THEY WONDER WHY VIEWERSHIP WENT DOWN…HELLO.
Gunsmith:
There’s no need to shout here… gently press that caps lock and breathe… in , out…
and yes, that and many other reasons why the show started to slide down the ratings scale!
SORRY BRUCE,IM NOT SHOUTING, I ALWAYS RIGHT IN CAPS..ITS LIKE MY THING.
Heroes has turned into a sci fi soap opera. If I was an actor there, I would hate it: being asked to convey emotion in totally unrealistic circumstances. (I mean emotionally, not in terms of the super powers)
Good writing draws you in. Right now they’ve tried to get lots of action, but very little good writing.
Heroes has become one of the worst shows out there and it is nearing Smallville status as a great show turned into a disaster.
I personally feel that the show began to go downhill in season 3, I actually liked season 2. Keep in mind that season 2 was cut short because of the writer’s strike and taking that into consideration I dont think the season was that bad.
Season 3 however was a mess. The villains volume was horrible and there is way too much going on in the show. They need to stick with the characters that made the show great in the 1st season. Focus on Peter, Nathan (or Silar whoever he is), Clair, and Hiro. Those are the fan favorites so give teh fns what they want.
im posting rather late but i just wanted to point out that original they toyed with the idea of a new cast each season. I personally would have liked that. My favorite parts of the show were when people were just discovering there powers. I’d say season 2 and on are decent seasons. I really believe if they had stuck with the original synopsis of this show “ordinary people discovering extraordinary abilitys” it would have done much better. Each season a new group of strangers discover abilities and must come together to save the world. I feel that with season 2 they should of had a more similiar plot structure as season 1.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!