Heroes news - maybe now Jeph Loeb...

[drice6900]

... can focus on writing comic stories, since his latest have sucked:

 

 

Heroes Shakeup: Inside Scoop on the Firings

Today 10:38 AM PST

by Kristin Dos Santos

Adam Taylor/NBC

 

Offing fan favorites is hardly something new on NBC's Heroes—except now they are doing it off camera, to two of the show's top producers.

 

I've just exchanged emails with coexecutive producer Jeph Loeb, who confirms to me: "As of today, Jesse Alexander and I have left Heroes."

 

Alexander and Loeb were largely in charge of Heroes' day-to-day production and have considerable fan followings, especially among fanboys.

 

The firings come as a "big shock" and "surprise" to the cast and crew, according to inside sources who work on the show.

 

So why is this happening and what does it mean for the future of Heroes?

 

 

Entertainment Weekly

"Someone had to take the fall." This is what a reliable inside source on Heroes tells me of the firings of Loeb and Alexander. "NBC is not happy with the current status of the show, and there had to be a visual and tangible change in the course of action."

 

Heroes' ratings are down this season (about 9 million viewers compared to more than 11 million last year), along with what appears to be growing backlash from many fans and press members alike.

 

The final blow came from last week's Entertainment Weekly cover, which I'm told was reported on under the ruse of a promotional story for the series. The surprise—a cover story pointing out Heroes' third-season flaws and fan discontent—did not go over well with higher-ups.

 

According to sources, executive producer Tim Kring has not decided yet if he will replace Loeb and Alexander. Loeb is the author of many comic books, including Batman and Superman for All Seasons (the genesis for Smallville). Alexander came from Lost and Alias.

 

Loeb tells me of today's news: "I'm incredibly proud to have been there from day one. I'm thrilled to be a big part of the success of the show with eight Emmy nods and a win this year for NBC.com. I will miss the superb cast and writing staff and wish everyone the best."

 

Loeb had completed writing and producing the fall finale. It is the last episode of

the Villains chapter, called "War."

 

According to Variety, Loeb and Alexander were excused from the show because of creative differences with NBC and overwhelming pressure from the network to cut the show's budget, as it was already over $4 million per episode.

 

 

Mitchell Haasath/NBC

Insiders tell me that so far, there is no sign of the big-budget scenes slowing down. Greg Grunberg told me on Saturday they were just shooting a "massive" scene.

 

"We’re shooting this weekend," he revealed. "It’s been insane for us. We’re shooting this huge, huge episode right now. Tons of action—I was being chased by a helicopter two nights ago at three in the morning."

 

Despite the shakedown, spirits were high at Saturday night's Hollywood Legacy Awards in Hollywood, which honored the Heroes cast and producers.

 

At the event, Kring laid out his plans for the future of the show:

 

"[The] Villains [chapter] goes until mid-December, and then we start the next volume, which is a brand new story from scratch called Fugitives. So you can start from scratch, or you can go right into Villains from that one."

 

He's also planning some more housecleaning. "There are a couple more deaths planned," Kring said. "Someone you have come to know will not make it to the end of the season."

 

Hear that? More offings.

 

 

[piper]

[Rodey]

Well, this season does sort of suck.

[cd4ever]

Well, this season does sort of suck.

I sort of agree, but It's much better than season 2. That was awful.

 

Bottom line is, the story was told, and told very well in Season 1. Everything else is just trying to force it for the sake of money.......It's like Lost and 24. Conceptually, they don't fit into the ongoing weekly series format. If the stories don't have a clear concise ending, and the sooner the better from a dramatic standpoint, everything that came beforehand has no meaning.

[joe_collector]

I cannot believe there are hardcore fans still watching this mess.

 

Heroes is very over-rated in the first place, but at least Season 1 was watchable, but I dropped it mid-way in Season 2 (just like Lost) because it was just so mind-numbingly horrible. I tuned in for the start of this season and thought, "Now that's why I don't watch this crepe".

[sckao]

 

This is why they should really make mini-series instead of have "seasons". A good idea for a 22-23 show season may not translate into multiple seasons unless there's a definite end. LOST bypassed some of this by putting a Definite end date to the show (as did Battlestar Galactica although BSG has lost some of my interest.)

 

Smallville is also doing this by having a definite cut-off point. (When Clark Kent becomes Superman and puts on the tights.)

 

 

[CAP Freak]

They should have killed it after the first season or skipped all the in China.

[G.A.tor]

more nudity would help

[Ares]

They should have killed it after the first season or skipped all the in China.

 

Wasn't that Japan?

[CAP Freak]

They should have killed it after the first season or skipped all the in China.

 

Wasn't that Japan?

I guess it was Japan. Never the less, it was lame.

[Count]

What year are they in?

[nearmint]

The biggest problem that I have with the show is that I don't care about any of the characters, which gives the proceedings a "who gives a damn" feel.

 

On the other hand, the folks over at Smallville were brilliant to move the action to Metropolis and have Clark employed at The Daily Planet. Last week's episode was a pivotal moment in Clark's life, realizing that he's a symbol of hope, and not just a guy that saves people. There's a feeling this season that he's close to donning the cape and boots. And things are heating up nicely with Clark and Lois. After years of weepy scenarios with Lana, it's great to see Clark flirting with romance with Lois, who has a head on her shoulders, is charming, and more than a little gorgeous.

[szelim]

That pretty much is the problem with the show: a general unsympathetic feeling towards all the characters. Season 1 was fine since the characters were all discovering themselves and so there was a general sympathy towards the characters. However, since then, the characters have been made to be selfish and arrogant, in a way that the viewers don't really care about them. When viewers don't care, there's no incentive to continue watching.

 

[sborock]

My 11 year old daughter loves it and that's all that matters to me. I love watching her jump up and down on the couch when something she finds "exciting" happens!

 

BTW....she wants a tee-shirt that says "Save the cheerleader"

[nearmint]

My 11 year old daughter loves it and that's all that matters to me. I love watching her jump up and down on the couch when something she finds "exciting" happens!

 

BTW....she wants a tee-shirt that says "Save the cheerleader"

 

http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=13435&SESSID=797bb81e89af62d1bea35a0c283ed6ca

[jimm94]

Season 2 was pretty dull until the last couple episodes, but I have been quite pleased with Season 3 thus far. I don't really understand why people are hating the new season.

 

Then again, Jeebus could descend from heaven tomorrow, and people would be like "where ya been, jagoff?!?!?"

[MR.COMICBOOK]

I still like the show. its good but it isn`t must see tv like Madmen,the Wire or my new favorite Sons of Anarchy. Heroes disappointed in the second season when they brought back characters who were killed in the first season. That made me feel why watch the show? None of the major characters will die. I also watched season 2 on hd demand over the summer when it was convient for me not glued to my set every Monday night. A few other things about the show that bore me are the overuse of Sylar.They need a new bad arse villian and the other is Hiro.Hiro was cute the first season but that act is now getting old. I will just wait for season 3 on blu-ray.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

This is why they should really make mini-series instead of have "seasons". A good idea for a 22-23 show season may not translate into multiple seasons unless there's a definite end. LOST bypassed some of this by putting a Definite end date to the show (as did Battlestar Galactica although BSG has lost some of my interest.)

 

Smallville is also doing this by having a definite cut-off point. (When Clark Kent becomes Superman and puts on the tights.)

 

Thats why I like BBC or HBO/SHOWTIME shows better. you get a good quality 6 to 13 episodes.

[Rich_Henn]

My 11 year old daughter loves it and that's all that matters to me. I love watching her jump up and down on the couch when something she finds "exciting" happens!

 

BTW....she wants a tee-shirt that says "Save the cheerleader"

 

I'm getting my wife a shirt that says " I AM the cheerleader."

[Rich_Henn]

You know what's BRILLIANTLY written, is TRUE BLOOD on HBO.

 

No surprise there, since Alan Ball (Six feet Under) is the creator.

 

Underlying themes of addiction (sex, drugs, alcohol) mixed with vamp lore is just brilliant.

 

And there's something really interesting going on with the addition of Jimmy James from Newsradio, even if it's only a guest spot.

 

Oh, and Marlena from Cloverfied...gets naked. LOTS.