Only 20 episodes? That's highly illogical.
Word has already gotten out that NBC will be bringing back Heroes for a fourth season, but things may look a little different when all is said and done. NBC is looking to cut back on the episode count of Heroes when it returns next year, says Adage, citing the economy and a growing trend of shorter seasons.
Heroes had been the beneficiary of a super-sized season this cycle, with 25 episodes ordered by the network. But that should trim down to 18 to 20 next season, as NBC's one-time love affair with Sylar and buddies has faded since a worrisome ratings drop-off and the economy forces networks to cut corners any chance they get.
While this would simply mean less hours for a normal show, Heroes likes to do things a little different. The show squeezed two independent mini-seasons (called Volumes) into this season, one taking 12 episodes, the other taking the remainder. It's unclear whether Heroes will try a two-fer with fewer episodes next season.
The notion of a shorter season shouldn't be too surprising. Cable loves to go with shorter seasons for its original programs, and major networks have been experimenting with shorter seasons for their broadcasts. Personally, I think many dramas--particularly serialized shows--suffer creatively with longer seasons and I welcome these new truncated seasons with open arms occupied by tubs of popcorn and remote controls.
What are your thoughts?
Comments (119)
@miko00Stop being a grammar Nazi.Sure, "different" is an adverb that describes how "things may look," however, it's totally acceptable in non-academic English, as well as vernacular dialects, to drop the "ly." Less and fewer are fast becoming synonyms in vernacular and written usage. Usage determines what words mean, and, therefore, dictionaries change. Languages are living things that evolve over time through usage, coinage of new words, and the outside influence of other languages. If they didn't, you would be writing in Anglo-Saxon, maybe even Frisian. So lighten up, it's just an article on Tv.com, it's not Shakespeare. And BTW, if you want to talk about grammar, make sure that your grammar is right on. You have a fragment in your comments and you need to learn the correct way to use dashes. I used to love this show, but, after this season I'm not so sure I will watch anymore. The previous comments about Claire's blood is exactly what I was thinking too. It's like the writer's can't remember their own stories. It's just become too much of a stretch to believe this crap anymore.moreless
let the show die. reflecting back on it, the writers have absolutely murdered the show. They can't decide if they want a character good or bad, so they make them both and switch every episode. sylar should have stayed dead in season 1 instead of the crappy excuse. enough time travel!!! you either have to do time travel thats supposed to happen or time travel that changes the past and your future. NOT BOTH. the show is a joke. removed from favorites. i'll stick with supernatural.
Since Heroes has pretty much used all of "The 4400's" story lines, maybe a shorter season will do some good.
I hate how stupid the characters in heroes are. Sure Nathan died. But as we have seen before, an injection of clair's (or Peter's at this point) blood will bring him right back! I can't believe how stupid the writer's think we are (or at least how stupid they think the characters are). Noah Bennet came back from a gunshot wound to the head. You would think he remembered that. Nathan couldn't come back from a little slit throat? DUMB DUMB DUMB. And can't the writers think of a different villain than Sylar? There are so many things that can motivate villains. But for some reason writer's love a pure sociopath. it's sad, really.
Shows also suffer from long gaps between seasons. Shorter seasons means longer gaps.
Most shows only run 22 episodes a season. If they can cut it back to 22 or even 20 and make it BETTER, the rating will go up and the show will continue.
Personally, I would love to see shorter seasons from the four major networks; it would force shows to move story lines or put on hold story lines that sometimes seem a little flat. Personally, I haven't really cared for Heroes since just before the end of the second season.
This is a gr8 decision; the show has always either moved too slow or else just too fast. Maybe this will help.
What? Shorter episodes of Heroes. That is wrong. I like the series as it is now. The exs need to figure out when to put the series on and what time and night. Leave it be. It is fine for now.
Why can no writers - ones with jobs even- write in English anymore? FEWER hours, not "less hours"- do things DIFFERENTLY- not "different". How can I even care what you're saying when you're helping all other illiterate Americans to destroy English? MEANWHILE... the article has no life to it- you could have better explored WHY the shows ratings are dropping from an episode perspective.
thank god they r not stopin it...well am sad dat nathan is gone..:(..well...i still love da show....!!..i neva expeceted tracy to show up again..!!!...
I really hate the idea of smaller seasons .... but I can't quarrel with cost issues....I HATE that though :(((
i can't believe nathan is dead, they really screwed this sow up
This show follows LOST's foot step...break through first season...slumps in third...goes to shorter seasons in fourth.
Since they totally ruined this season, I'd say shorter is definately better!
I don't mind a shorter season as long as they don't take long breaks in between episodes. I hate reruns. And NBC better not cancel Life or Chuck.
Thank God they're not cancelling it like they're cancelling everything else. Despite how negative everyone is about it, somehow everyone is still watching it! Everyone I know watches and loves it, even through it's not-so-great periods. So I'm thrilled it's renewed.
That's a good start hopefully they will realize how crap this series has become and drastically improve it or totally remove itboth options are fine with me
Most Of Viewing methods along the history took the natural feel of the
Show with its goods and bads even nowadays in art they try hardly to give that natural look, so shooting whole season would be the best option
As for the heroes who gotten many :) i think They Can wake up some hero
from his dream which shifted his mind through entire season 3 :)
as long as they can sharpen the story...i don't care what else they do. The story of the show has been going everywhere but not at the focal point since season 2...
Cutting episodes for a shorter condensed season is fine. More focused story arc like during the writers' strike and they can create filler/background episodes for online instead to sell more advertising during the off-season.
It was fine as it was. 2 mini-season.
Even whit less viewers, it was still in the top 10 for ad revenue ($2.1 million per half-hour).
Can i ask why would they cut on the number of episodes ?
http://www.tv.com/story/13853.html
Certainly the reasons that they're cutting down the number of episodes are concerning but less episodes itself shouldn't be a problem.If this means they can keep the same basic story and simply trim the fat I've got no problem with that I find many shows suffer too much with unnecessary back story and other filler material.
Totally agree with that concept. Hopefully it will benefit Heroes who was far too long this year and only started to be interesting at the end of the first chapter. Let's hope next season won't be as boring as season 2 !!The resistance and rebellion is a good concept and it should bring some great stories. Fingers crossed ;o)
If writers can able to write more interesting episodes than boring and repeating, I will watch it evei it is 36 episodes.
I personally agree with heroes being shortned down i honestly dont think that a season needs to be 25 episodes long. I'd rather have 16-20 rly good episodes then 25 alright episodes with the exception of the last 3 or 4 episode of season 2
Quite the opposite. When in one season, shows tend to run great, the longer the season, the better it is, look at the 27-episode seasons of The OC, Grey's Anatomy and Family Guy, all very long, but all the creative high point of the show. Also, every time a show returns for a new season, changes have been made that dont always work, let's face it, new season ruin the quality, longer seasons give writers the chance to better themselves while keep on running the storylines they already have. I only see profit in longer seasons, and since reruns always hit less, I don't understand why (unless for budget reasons) shows should get shorter seasons in the first place.
Less heroes is not better.If writers had wrote wisely it would be better than season 1.Ain't i right..
you have so many char. you could make a few shows. I see the problem but it is also what makes it great. Since Heros is so big then maybe it should go the way of the CSI's and Law & Order's---More then one with continous cross overs???
Totally agree with trumafioso. Seriously after the summer break I usually don't like to continue watching a show because I mostly forgot about it. I'd rather keep the longer Seasons so I have more to watch and I keep being interested.
It's working in Lost's favour as Season 4 only had 2 or 3 poor episodes (5 has continued with this quality but never reached greatness, still really great just not amazing). If you look at it, they technically had 2 seasons in one this year, the first of which was sorely lacking in good writing. So Heroes having a shorter season will definitely work in its favour but only if the current quality in writing remains.
SOunds good nyway im in Season 2 yet so... i guess is fine
XO XO
:):):):)
Networks need to get the hint! Most shows have a short life due to poor scheduling. The schedule is always changing--shows disappear for ages and then come back suddenly over a month later. Who can follow this? Then, there are those reality shows that hang in there because people leave them on in the background when they cannot find anything worth watching. The best shows ever are: American Dreams, West Wing, Ally McBeal, Everwood, Lipstick Jungle, Boston Legal, Eli Stone and Kings. If these shows were left on a predictable day and time slot from week to week, they would have picked up ratings and survived--even thrived. Instead, the networks are trying to save worthless show, filled with splashy special effects and lots of screaming. No thank you, I'll pass!
Shorter Heroes can only sound good, considering the show's present quality.
I think there are tv shows that the half of the episodes of the season are rubish. Just the half of them follow the story, so i think this decision would be good for all, because no so much rubbish episodes will be shown.
what's the difference between a 22-23 episode season and a 20 episode season? I'm pretty sure that heroes has more than 3 filler episodes a season. if they really want to shorten the seasons than maybe they should make them 12 episodes long like cable shows, or at least 16-17 episodes long like lost. a 20 episode season will still have several filler episodes
i think shorter seasons are better - they give you less filler episodes and the writers can do an actual arc. i think lost is working better with less episodes, same may be true of heroes, maybe this will improve its sucky quality of late.
There is a definite downside to shorter seasons. Shorter seasons means less new product to enjoy. If you are watching a series on TV like Heroes, with fewer episodes in a season we are going to run into longer hiatus between seasons, a longer holiday break between new episodes, and a lot more reruns. I would like to point out that Heroes started losing its market share during the writers strike, which forced the public to watch reruns, and when they don't receive new product, the viewer stops turning on the TV. The general viewing public need excitement and stimulation in order to continue watching a series. All a shorter season will do is make it a more forgettable series and limit its viewership to hardcore fans only.
I don't see a downside to shortening the next season of Heroes. The show had already serialized its storylines anyway. I was in favor of the 2 chapter format they adopted this year. But I think the large number of episodes may have hurt them as they scrambled to stretch out the storylines. Less screentime means more focus on moving the plot along. As for quality: inconsistencies and repetitiveness has been killing Heroes this year.
NBC should be asking for better Heroes storylines, not shorter seasons.
They should work the BBC plan, write the complete season, cast, direct and shoot every episode as quickly as they can. But I don't see it possible because they're more worried about ratings, likable characters, stunt casting and more, while they can do a complete and satisfying storyline and just go with it!
20 is more than 0 if I am not mistaken :D
i'd rather have filler heroes than no heroes at all - same with bones!
18-20 episodes is good. These longer seasons are definitely one reason why we have so many "filler" episodes.
I have liked the shorter seasons of Lost, I think it invigorated that show tremendously and the episodes pack more of a whollop unlike in the first two seasons where the middle of the seasons tended to drag
I think it will be better or .... why 2 volumes in one season anyway? Like in season one ... there was plenty of "space" to explain, to show, to tell.
I think they can definitely do better with a shorter season. Fugitives (especially the last few episodes) has proven to be an "almost" return to season one.
Heroes hasn't been a great television show in a long while. Everyone wants it to be the way season one was? Well, guess what - isn't going to happen. I will admit though that maybe the last three or four episodes have been good enough to capture my attention. The finale is going to have to be spectacular to garner my attention for next season.
This is really really old news I can't believe you are just reporting this now.