Roush on Heroes
Question: I just heard that
Heroes won't be coming back until September. I know the series was a huge hit for NBC, but it took a hit in the ratings in Season 2 and I'm afraid that they will only drop further with such a long delay before Season 3. What are the chances of the show getting cancelled? It's the only show I love enough to watch regularly, and I would hate to see it go.
— Karen
Matt Roush: Heroes will eventually get canceled — every show (except possibly Law & Order) does — but it's not going to happen next year, and probably not for a while to come, unless the bottom completely drops out of the show, which I can't imagine. Even this spring, we've seen many of TV's most popular shows return from strike hiatus to lower numbers than usual, and the punishingly long absence of Heroes (due in part to the show's inability to construct a complete story arc between now and the end of the season) is very likely going to impact it as well. But NBC understands this. Expectations will be tempered by the reality of the long break. At the same time, the hype for a new season will be pretty intense, nurtured by summer events like Comic-Con. From my perspective, the real issue for Heroes is a creative one. Will the producers learn the right lessons from last season's woefully uneven "Origins" arc and deliver a more tightly focused, less frustratingly scattered story? That above all will help determine the show's long-term future.
