'Heroes' spin-off not happening

Reid Sat, Nov 3, 2007 at 03:09 AM EST

It's probably best the show won't make right now, the flagship has turned a mite boring. Fix the original before you start branching out, and blame the writers strike if need be. "Heroes" has gone from "Must See TV" to "Sit On My DVR Until I'm Bored TV".

As for the comments about renting "Lost" instead, it seems that's what this "drivel" is based on. Too many questions, too many new characters, not enough answers or action.

randyfitzimmons Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 01:45 PM EST

They are not going to out and out admit that the cancellation of one show has anything to do with the apparent failure of another...that would show some loss of faith, and cost possible viewers. They need a scapegoat, and the writer's strike is a convenient one. I recommend that you disenchanted Heroes fans rent Lost during the writers strike, get a full idea of what intelligent writing and great pacing (for the most part) is like), and you will not go back to watching this drivel.

T-Rex Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 12:34 PM EST

Heroes was good (not great) up until the end last season, this season it has fallen considerably. Origins would have sucked. Lost and BSG, however, are fantastic. For my the new television season doesn't start until January.

t3hdow Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 11:59 AM EST

I can't say I'm very elated or upset with the Heroes Origins being dropped from NBC's schedule. Regardless of the numerous possible reasons why it got omitted (at the very least, for now), it could be a double edged sword for the series. It could be good, because the writers (assuming they don't leave from the possible writers strike) can focus on the flagship show right now. Or it could be bad, because most of the new, tertiary characters that lack any kind of impact on the show (i.e. the twins, the N.O. copycat girl) have nowhere else to go.
As for the show itself, I'm still willing to see where this season goes, though none of these recent developments can bode well for the series.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 11:25 AM EST

Well, there goes any hope for a third season. They'll do the typical break in the winter for no apparent reason and viewers will drop off and then they'll cancel.

Then we'll have to do a Jericho and start shipping waffles to NBC.

Mike Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 10:59 AM EST

Everything that's happening with Heroes right now is, I hate to say it, pretty great schadenfreude for Lost fans. I remember some Heroes fans who were only too happy to jump on the bandwagon of bashing Lost's third season. Then it ended brilliantly, while Heroes went into the gutter. What I could never understand was why people complained about the Lost writers making it up as they went along (which they aren't) and not the Heroes writers (who are). Even though I don't enjoy Heroes much, though, I harbor no ill will to the show itself; I guess the lesson is just that from time to time, every show hits a bad period.

Chris G Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 06:42 AM EST

i dont really care about Heroes, but what's with this strike? you are a WRITER in HOLLYWOOD and you feel the need to strike? What about the little kids in Asia making DVD boxes for 2 cents a day? "Oh booo i need more money, i work in the entertainment industry"

Jay P Gilchrist Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 05:59 AM EST

they need to focus on better writing for the original. pull it together....and ge trid of mohinderance to the plot

Brad Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 05:14 AM EST

Peter witnessing another catastrophic event? Sounds like a repeat. I wish they could have placed REAL writers coming up with new situations instead of falling back on old comic book stories, but now they have a true sophomore slump on their hands.

Mike Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 01:15 AM EST

I wasn't particularly interested to see the spin off -- I would be happy with one good show set in the "Heroes" universe. Unfortunately, the writers are quickly using up the huge amount of good will I had for the show going into the new season. This season feels like a step backward for the show.

Tony Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 12:52 AM EST

I'm not too disappointed either. I agree with some of the commenters, they should've pushed back some of the newer Heroes into Origins, tested them there, THEN have them on the flagship show. Instead, we get copycat girl, Boring Twins, etc. hogging precious screen time and essentially killing the pace of the main show.

P.S.
THANK YOU, EW for changing the comments section! =)

Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 09:19 PM EST

Thank God!!! I still like Heroes, but I did NOT want that you-know-what on TV.

Kevin Smith Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 08:48 PM EST

My episode would have really sucked anyway.

metaslone Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 08:11 PM EST

I love heros, bought season one the day it came out.

Season 2..... I stopped watching... it just hasnt caught my interest enough. They need to fix it.

Everytime they show Hiro I feel like I switched to the history channel by mistake and wonder where heros went. Who cares about the Illegal Aliens, they have yet to make us care about them. Sylar needs to just die or start killing. Clairs bf is LAME! And why is Niki/Jess not around AT ALL.. and I can accept wakeing in a box somehow, but why was his hair cut. It bothers me soooooooo bad. They started touting him as a sex symbol which they didn't do last. Put on a shirt, get on with the story. HRG still rocks my socks.

Jager Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 07:10 PM EST

It's my feeling that HEROES went downhill this season because they lost their brightest, most creative talent - Bryan Fuller - who went over to ABC to create/write/produce "PUSHING DAISIES" - which I'm willing to wager will have all kinds of nods in the forthcoming award seasons....

FilmNerdJamie Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 05:00 PM EST

HEROES won't last much longer if their numbers continue to go down-hill like this. Why? Because it's an expensive show to produce.

Even though it did better ratings than 30 ROCK and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS last season, STUDIO 60 was cancelled because it was such a costly series to make. Their numbers had to be GREY'S ANATOMY/CSI big in order to stick around...and they weren't...by a long shot. Where ROCK and FNL were substantially cheaper to produce by comparison. This is what will ultimately happen to BIONIC WOMAN; expensive show with crappy ratings. It's toast; only a matter of if NBC will give it a full 22-episode order at this point.

Oh, and it's not a ratings issue? Yeah...sure it isn't! If HEROES was doing good, ORIGINS would have moving forward...no question. I don't doubt that the WGA strike played a factor, but no way was that the # 1 reason to abort said spin-off.

mawhi Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 04:21 PM EST

yaaaay! I thought that was a bad idea even before this season aired. too much Heroes is not a good thing, moderation ftw!

TheBookPolice Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 04:18 PM EST

The interesting thing about a show like Heroes is that the first season is going to be much more satisfying because (unlike other templates) they don't need to focus on setting up plot and depth. The cool part is seeing all the individual characters discover their powers. Heroes is struggling now because they might have spent too much time on fluff in S1 and are spinning their wheels in S2. Origins would have been a breath of fresh air after a second season almost guaranteed to be less successful than the first. This is definitely a disappointment.

Ames Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 04:08 PM EST

I thought having a mini-season in between the season during the break was a good idea. I was hoping it was a success and would catch on. Maybe they'll do it over the summer.

And I was complaining about season 2 initially, but I just wish it would stop now.

Phil Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 03:48 PM EST

Ok, let me just say this not only as a comic book fanboy, but as someone who HAS NEVER & WILL NEVER WATCH LOST. I missed the ship from the get go & never bothered watching the dvds to catch up. The HEROES ORIGINS spin-off would have been a great tool since the cast of characters has expanded quite largely and Sylar not having his powers to kill them off, means they needed another show with which to not only continue some of their stories, but also shed some light on the ORIGINS of these people & their powers. Think about it, X-Men is Marvel's most popular title & you've got ASTONISHING, UNCANNY & at one point even EXTREME. All these different titles because each one was able to tell a different story and give us a broader sense of their universe. I was truly looking forwrad to HEROES ORIGINS to learn possibly more about Kensei, if he is immortal & hat he's done over the lasst 300 yrs. Is the eclispse the switch for the powers to be activated? More about the past of the original 12...

dark_tyler Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 03:48 PM EST

Who still cares about this crappy show?

Let's talk about Joss Whedon already! Come on Pop Watch, which pop are you watching? :P

Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 03:37 PM EST

After such a sucky season thus far, i was looking forward to seeing the show in more talented hands, therefore this is a dissapointment to me

jason Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 03:33 PM EST

Can't say I'm disappointed - I loved Heroes last year, but after every episode this year I've said "That's it?" The thing is, it isn't even hard to see where the faults are here. Get Hiro back to the present ASAP, dump the lame Wondertwins act, get Sylar back his powers, give us those killer cliff hangers again, and show us more interaction between the already existing Heroes. TO the poster who mentioned Lost, I can't say I ever lost my faith in those writers - I believed they knew what they were doing all along, and so far they certainly seem to (though this break is killing me). I'm not so sure Heroes has ANY path right now...

dave-o Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:58 PM EST

this would be like having a spin off of "the carpoolers" at this point.

justice Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:48 PM EST

The WGA strike is just giving NBC the opportunity to kill a series that never should have been green lighted. Heroes at its best is a weak concept, and to try and spinoff would have weakened the original more than its second season already has. The creators of Heroes need to take a hard look at the mess the series is in, and make changes before NBC pulls the plug on more than just a spinoff.

lebeau Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:41 PM EST

If they can get the actual show back on track, then it is a good thing.

I was just thinking the other day that no one was going to be interested in the spin-off since the original show had lost its way.

I just can't wait for Dollhouse!

bootsycolumbia Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:39 PM EST

After last week's crappy episode, I'm giving up on Heroes. I hung in long and hard with Lost, and it ultimately paid off, but I'm not interested in doing it again with Heroes.

Strepsi Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:30 PM EST

Not a relief - they could've taken all the new bull$hit heroes this season (Copycat, Lightning Girl, Flyboy, the Black Eyed Chicharos) and put them in Heroes Origins, so that HEROES could get back to its actual story and characters! D'OH!

Jess Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:17 PM EST

I'm definitely bummed about it. I was really looking forward to seeing what Kevin Smith and Eli Roth had come up with.

Cindy Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 01:06 PM EST

They lying. It's because of the Heroes ratings!

Noah using memory loss as torture, WTF!

dick Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 12:58 PM EST

it would have been interesting giving good writers a chance at the
show