Everyone seems to have an idea on how Heroes can be improved. I think it's still good, but ratings are down, fans are fleeing, and it's probably not a show new fans can get into. Now creator Tim Kring has an idea.For next season, he'd like to see more self-contained episodes instead of a long continuing storyline over the entire season. He talked about what he intended to do with the show and what the future might hold at the Creative Screenwriting Expo last weekend. He wanted to give NBC a show like Lost or 24, one with a serialized storyline that would have fans coming back each week. Now he says he's not sure if that was the right decision, describing those shows as "an absolute bear to do." He thinks that the way that people watch TV nowadays is a lot different than just three years ago, because of DVRs and online viewing and all that, and that has changed how viewers watch serialized dramas since they don't watch them live every week.
I don't know if DVRs hurt serialized shows that directly (Kring also calls fans who watch the show live "saps"), but it might be interesting to see the show change to a more "standalone episode" format. That way they could focus on a couple of heroes per week and even have guest stars for the week. Or maybe it could be like The X-Files, where there was an ongoing story throughout the series but many standalone episodes too. Although, if you think about it, the show doesn't do a whole season of one storyline, it's usually split up. For example, the current "Villains" chapter will end soon and the second half of the season chapter "Fugitives" will begin.















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-20-2008 @ 3:25PM
Aaron said...
I am a fan of this show, I know it has it's problems, and I would like to see them get fixed. First and formost I believe the cast is to large, and they need to move the plot along faster than they are, have characters grow into the "future" selves that we have seen. But to change the format of this show to a non-serialized one is a terrible idea. They might as well just give up on the whole show, and if Kring thinks that it's too much work to keep this show going, and going well, then he should give up the job to someone who can do it better.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:30PM
The Deej said...
The only reason I DVR the show is so I can get the time shifted NBC feed and actually be able to see the preview for next week. Global in Canada doesn't always show them which is really annoying. I do the same with Chuck as well.
What I would love to see change is all those extras they have on the website also be viewable in Canada. Or at the very least get them on the Global website. This is the one downside of the NBC Rochester feed. Having to see promotion for things I can't see. At least until the DVD comes out
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11-20-2008 @ 3:32PM
Target Lockon Stratos said...
Make the episode run shorter! That way the story will have to be more focused. That's why I LOVE Doctor Who.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:43PM
0megapart!cle said...
You mean the season run shorter, right? I can't imagine making the episodes much shorter than the current 40-43 minutes.
Kring is a fucking idiot. That is the only rational response to such an idea as turning Heroes into a non-serialized show. We should have known it was his fault of the crappiness the show has turned into, but this just confirms it.
11-20-2008 @ 11:39PM
RobynM said...
I don't know that shorter episodes are the answer, but something New Who does that could potentially be adapted is a hybrid approach.
In every episode, or two in the case of two-parters, the primary storyline is resolved. However, there're things going on in the background indicating that the season overall is headed somewhere (Bad Wolf, Vote for Saxon, the disappearing bees).
So in the short form, it looks like a bunch of individual episodes (which also lowers the bar to entry), but in the long form is more or less serialized.
On another point - Kring should've stuck with his original concept of rotating characters, particularly if he knew he'd have trouble continuing to write for characters he didn't expect to stick around. That's another thing Who's proven over the years - sure, people get upset when their favourites leave, but they adapt and move on.
11-20-2008 @ 3:41PM
Joel said...
Where's the option to vote to keep it as it is? I don't know why people are bitching about this season...i think it's doing just fine. At least wait to see where the creator is taking the current storylines before passing judgement.
And by the way, making the episodes standalone is a horrific idea.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:48PM
Sy said...
Heroes is an awful show. It started out okay but I could see a disaster in the making at the beginning of the second season. There were too many characters, too many heroes with outlandish powers, too many plots, too many timelines, and too many twists. And there were far too many "poignant" moments with the sterling music for my taste.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:54PM
Tony said...
Serialized shows are by far more enjoyable shows (IMO) and I don't want to see less I want to see more. Here is an idea Tim. Make your show better and more people will watch it? hmmm?
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11-20-2008 @ 3:57PM
Teebore said...
Yeah, I don't like the idea of standalones either. I'm apparently in a (shrinking) minority that likes my TV shows to be complex, interwoven, serial stories, and not just freak-a-week or Law and Order-style episodes.
All Heroes really needs to do is pay more attention to its own story, both in terms of plot and character. Most of the major issues people have with the show involve characters acting inconsistently or out of character due to the demands of the plot.
Also, its not that difficult to "dull the weapon", as Kring says in that article, regarding characters' powers boxing the writers into a corner: a simple line of dialogue here or there goes a long way and wouldn't interrupt the flow of the story.
Its easy enough to explain why Claire's blood can't heal everyone, or to give Peter's sponge power some kind of limitation, or why Hiro and Peter aren't constantly going back in time to undo their numerous mistakes, if the writers could just be bothered to work those explanations into the narrative.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:33PM
b dearing said...
Noisy, busy, and utterly pointless. That's how I feel about Heroes. And I've seen every episode.
Tim Kring doesn't have a clue what he's doing and is just thrashing around trying to find something that works. Doing away with the serialization is just silly, and is so clueless and tone deaf that it gives me no hope that he can save the show before NBC kills it.
I haven't watched this week's episode yet, but I'm pretty much done with the show, and I suspect that this one will be my last.
I guess I'm just another fleeing former fan.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:05PM
dt3 said...
"He thinks that the way that people watch TV nowadays is a lot different than just three years ago, because of DVRs and online viewing and all that"
I dont get his argument here at all... If anything his his points go towards serialized shows becoming more accessible and in turn more popular. Before the DVR you were chained to the network's schedule, missing one episode of 24 could cloud/ruin the rest of the season for you. Now you can almost guarantee that fans will be able to watch the season in entirety with no holes in the middle.
As much as I am a fan of Lost, 24, hell even daybreak I think the serialized drama is not long for this world.
People dont start watching shows now until 1) either word gets out that its the next best thing 2) they have some sort of security knowing its not going to get canceled once they become attached.
By the way how My Own Worst Enemy got canceled while KnightRider is still on the air is travesty.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:11PM
Richard said...
If standalones were to occur, I'd only watch when the characters I most like were on. Actually, I'd probably quit watching. As someone above indicated, I like the intertwoven storylines--to a point. I also agree, there are too many characters! Needs to get down to a basic few and then have others interact (and disappear) at times. Three to four chapters per season may be a good option also.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:22PM
Shaun said...
I'm not really a fan of the show any more (although I still watch....), but this change is a bad idea.
Does anyone remember when Alias did a similiar thing in it's 4th season? That move basically killed any interest I had in that series.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:26PM
dt3 said...
Now he says he's not sure if that was the right decision, describing those (serialized) shows as "an absolute bear to do."
This goes for Heroes and Lost... Of course its dificult when you have no idea where you are going with the story as a whole, half the characters/plots, and are flying by the seat of your pants throughout the entire writing process. I got a novel idea here for you... think out the story and a final end-game before you put the show on the air and get under the thumb of know nothing network execs. Write a plotline that covers 2/3 seasons 40-60 episodes and stick to it. Problem solved.
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I think adding stand alone episodes would be the nail in this shows coffin... short of major resolution between now and the season finale this can go 1 of 2 ways...
1) Standalone episodes with characters we already love/hate. Not only would it would be extremely polarizing it would become very frustrating to have an episode dealing solely with new issues when we dont have an answer to existing plot lines.
Hmmm... how would you do standalone episodes then without running into this problem...
2) MORE NEW CHARACTERS!!! Characters that are not only boring, unnecasary, and trivial but new characters that can have their entire story told and wrapped up in a nice little 43 minute package.
Please excuse me while I paint my brains on this wall right behind me.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:33PM
dt3 said...
Bob...
"I don't know if DVRs hurt serialized shows that directly"
How/why could DVRs hurt serialized shows in any way what-so-ever?? I cant think of any way that a device that ensures you dont miss a program each week would hurt a serialized program and am frankly disappointed you wouldnt take TK to the cleaners for making such a transparent excuse on why his show is going down the crapper.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:48PM
Aaron said...
Lost is a serialized show that has stand alone episodes. Something that Heroes has not figured out. Lost takes flashbacks, flashforwards, and creates a story within the hour its on tv, and uses the other time to forward the mythology and series plot along, but heroes never tells a compelete story in a 1 hour time frame, its plot plot plot with a cliffhanger ending every week.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:52PM
Josh said...
dt3, Kring means DVR hurts the ratings of the live airings for serialized shows because people are more inclined to save up a bunch of episodes on their DVRs and watch them all at once than they are to watch them as they air. I guess he feels people aren't as inclined to DVR a show that isn't serialized because you can miss an episode or two without the consequence of being lost next time you tune in.
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11-20-2008 @ 5:40PM
Johnny said...
The trick is to look at models that work. The perfect model for Heroes is the other really successful superhero teamup show: Justice League / Justice League Unlimited.
Two or three show arcs. Or occasional single show arcs. Something like that. Most people don't have the patience to follow shows like they do Lost or 24 unless they are just amazing. Heroes is not amazing.
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11-20-2008 @ 6:21PM
csttar63 said...
TEEBORE above touched on one very worn and confusing plot device. time travel (hiro) needs to stop altogether. i haven't been able to put my head around "solid" people coming from the future and messing with the past. it's illogical even in a fantasy show. i can get with hiro seeing a "movie" ala Nostradamus of the future. but to have a real person come back is just silly. yes, i am lumping this with SCC, terminator, time machine, yada, yada, yada.
also, stop making these all powerful heroes, SYLAR, PETER (bf powers taken), Mr. Petrelli. also, where is the government's stand on these people. national security threats abound in this show.
TimK you'd better get it together
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11-20-2008 @ 6:26PM
Jake said...
"The engine that drove [serialized TV] was you had to be in front of the TV [when it aired]. Now you can watch it when you want, where you want, how you want to watch it, and almost all of those ways are superior to watching it on air. So [watching it] on air is related to the saps and the dips**s who can't figure out how to watch it in a superior way."
So Kring is not only blaming the DVR for a dip in ratings (which by no means accounts for the total decline in veiwership), but he's also insulting the people who still actually tune into the show and like how things are going. And so Kring's suggestion is to reinvent the show to add further insult to the people who watch Heroes.
What a genius! And a spineless sack of S**t. Kring is deflecting blame because last year he took blame and vowed to fix heroes. I happen to think it is better save the Suresh storyline which he ripped off from The Fly. But now he's trying to pass the buck. I think what NBC needs to do is hire Brian Fuller to run this show and can Kring. He is obviously in over his head. And I don't think it's a coincidence that Fuller wrote one of the best episodes of the series (Company Man) and that ever since he left for to do Pushing Daisies things have gone down hill.
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