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NBC To Launch Heroes: Origins
2007-05-14 07:39
by Jon Weisman

Here's the roundup for NBC from Variety:

While the focus this spring centered on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy"spin-off, NBC was quietly developing one of their own - and announced this morning that "Heroes" has spawned a second series of its own.

"Heroes: Origins" will air in "Heroes'" Monday night time slot when that smash hit takes a hiatus. The net has ordered six segs of "Origins," which, combined with "Heroes," makes for 30 hours altogether....

"Heroes: Origins" will center on characters not yet seen on the original show. Peacock has also added an interactive element to the show: Viewers will be asked to pick their favorite character from "Origins," who will then join the cast of the full-blown "Heroes" skein the following year.

The initiative to keep the "Heroes" franchise in originals for as long as possible harkens back to the golden age of TV, when series aired 39 weeks worth of originals, then took a break.

With repeats dipping to record lows on all five nets, those reruns are fast becoming a thing of the past. Besides the 30-seg "Heroes" and "Heroes: Origins" stretch, Peacock is also picking up 30 eps of "The Office" - including five hour-longs (Daily Variety, May 14) - and 25 segs of "My Name is Earl." ...

More news if you click on the link.

Comments (81)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2007-05-14 07:49:02
1.   Benaiah
I erroneously posted this on D.T.:

"Friday Night Lights" was moved to Fridays at 10 PM for next season. While this move makes sense from a marketing standpoint (Friday is in the name after all), that is one of the toughest slots on TV since very few people watch TV then. It is good news that the show got picked up at all, but this is a worrisome development to those that are hoping for a ratings surge in season 2.

2007-05-14 07:52:51
2.   Benaiah
NBC moved "The Office," its strongest comedy, to 9 PM on Thursdays, where it will compete against two of the strongest shows on TV, "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI." "The Office" has something of a rabid following, but it seems like this could be a tough draw. Still, I really like "30 Rock" as a lead in to "The Office." An ideal schedule would have "30 Rock" after "The Office" and before "My Name is Earl," which I think would hold up better to "Grey's" since most of its audience is male anyway.
2007-05-14 07:56:56
3.   Jon Weisman
1 (and 2, to some extent) - It should lower expectations, reduce some of the pressure.
2007-05-14 08:07:13
4.   Benaiah
3 - But NBC was really down on L&O despite being on Fridays. I get what you are saying though.
2007-05-14 08:08:23
5.   Hythloday
1 - Is it silly to think that some of the audience of Friday Night Lights might be some of the people that will actually be on the field and in the stands on those Friday nights? Why move the show to a time slot that conflicts with the actual subject matter of the show?

Personally I think they could scrap Law and Order and move the show to later on Tuesday nights. I get so bored with Law and Order these days and I used to love the shows.

2007-05-14 08:21:35
6.   Jon Weisman
5 - That was always the argument against putting FNL on Fridays to begin with, but I think they feel that the benefits outweigh the problems. Plus, they really are trying to show that the show isn't just a football show.
2007-05-14 08:41:06
7.   Hythloday
6 - In fact it is mostly not a football show. I like the show a lot, but I never watch it because it is on in early slot (which is 7pm in the Mountain time zone) which is barely enough time to get home and cook dinner etc. With a kid about to arrive any day now I don't mind the Fridays; I'll likely be home to watch. I would just like to see the show succeed.
2007-05-14 08:46:43
8.   Benaiah
I am rooting for all NBC shows to succeed at this point. NBC's attempt to be the "quality network" is laudible and I whole heartedly support its efforts. I am praying that CBS goes in the tank, since it is all procedurals and lowest common denominator programming. Fox is American Idol and not much else and ABC skews heavily female, with the exception of "Lost" (which is the only show I watch on ABC). So here's to "30 Rock," "FNL," "The Office," and even "Heroes."
2007-05-14 09:33:10
9.   Penarol1916
7. Ah, someone in my boat. While the new schedule for Friday Night Lights doesn't bode well for its future, it's slot is ideal for me. My wife works Friday nights and I'm at home with the kids, the later time means I can watch the show with them already in bed.
2007-05-14 10:03:59
10.   Hythloday
9 - For me it is merely anticipatory at this point. Will my life as I know it end sometime soon? I'm betting on the come. Hello Friday night TV!
2007-05-14 10:18:24
11.   Jon Weisman
More links:

From Sunday: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964812.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

2007-05-14 10:41:26
12.   Benaiah
Jon, help me understand, is it 30 episodes of the Office, including 5 hour longs, or is it 25 episodes, plus 5 hour longs for a total of 30 half hours? Variety hints at the former, but everywhere I look I see the latter.
2007-05-14 10:52:08
13.   Jon Weisman
12 - I had to read your question five times before I understood the distinction you're asking about. In fact, I'm still not sure I understand it.
2007-05-14 11:01:49
14.   Benaiah
Are there 30 episodes, with five of those episodes being an hour long, or are there 25 episodes, with five of those being an hour long? Is it a total of 30 or 35 half hours of "The Office?"
2007-05-14 11:02:27
15.   Jon Weisman
From NBC's press release:

"30 HALF-HOURS OF 'THE OFFICE' INCLUDING 5 ONE-HOUR EPISODES"

2007-05-14 11:04:52
16.   Benaiah
15 - Ah. The Variety article linked here is badly worded:

"Peacock is also picking up 30 eps of "The Office" - including five hour-longs (Daily Variety, May 14)"

That implies that there are 35 half hours.

2007-05-14 11:08:18
17.   Benaiah
16 - Though, perhaps Variety just uses industry speak that goes over my (not-so) pretty little head.
2007-05-14 11:09:48
18.   Jon Weisman
16 - There are 35 half hours. It's worded right.
2007-05-14 11:11:01
19.   Benaiah
Ahhhhh my brain is going to explode. So there are 35 half hours. Now it seems that the NBC press release is poorly worded.
2007-05-14 11:12:21
20.   Jon Weisman
18 - Okay, no, wait. I think you're right - there are going to be 25 episodes.

I'm going to check on this.

2007-05-14 11:25:56
21.   Jon Weisman
20 - Okay, one editor here says that it's 25 episodes. I do think that the press release is poorly worded, because when it comes to sitcoms, people often use "half-hour" as a noun, as a synonym for episode.
2007-05-14 11:28:58
22.   Benaiah
21 - Well, there wasn't much change then. There were 24 episodes this year, with two hour long episodes, and at least that many 40 minute episodes. This is one more episode and an extra bump on a few of the 40 minute episodes.
2007-05-14 11:30:12
23.   Jon Weisman
22 - Yeah, it feels to me like NBC was trying to manipulate the language to make the change seem bigger than it was. They didn't plan all the extra material this year - so they want it to seem like a bigger bump than it is.
2007-05-14 11:32:08
24.   Jon Weisman
Mae Whitman, aka Ann Veal, is in Bionic Woman as the younger, non-bionic sister.
2007-05-14 11:34:29
25.   Benaiah
24 - Her?
2007-05-14 11:48:34
26.   Benaiah
25 - Is that bionic woman's sister? What is she funny or something?
2007-05-14 11:48:43
27.   Jon Weisman
Latest update (sigh):

NBC PR is saying "25 half hours and 5 hours" making for 30 episodes.

2007-05-14 11:49:00
28.   Jon Weisman
26 - LOL
2007-05-14 11:52:50
29.   Benaiah
I just found out that I may miss the season finale because i have to go out for a coworkers last day. I would skip it but I think prioritizing television over real people is the sign you have a problem. I need to get Tivo.
2007-05-14 11:58:32
30.   Bob Timmermann
24
The Bionic Egg!
2007-05-14 11:58:39
31.   Jon Weisman
29 - Well, you have a VCR, right?
2007-05-14 11:59:19
32.   Benaiah
31 - No. What is a VCR? These letters have no meaning to me.
2007-05-14 11:59:48
33.   Benaiah
31 - I do have I-tunes though. So I will watch it the next day.
2007-05-14 12:06:31
34.   Jon Weisman
I maybe got to see The Office live five times this season.
2007-05-14 12:10:41
35.   Benaiah
34 - But you have Tivo (or something like it) right?
2007-05-14 12:12:29
36.   Jon Weisman
Yes, but mostly I watched it on my bedroom VCR. I mean, with all due respect to TiVo, which I love, I've been recording shows on tape for close to 30 years now.
2007-05-14 12:20:22
37.   Benaiah
36 - I didn't have television growing up (my parents are pretty religious and felt it was a bad influence) and by the time I moved out for college I didn't have a vcr (everyone had DVD players). I had DVR senior year, but I can say that I have never taped a tv show in my life.
2007-05-14 12:21:46
38.   Bob Timmermann
My family's religion was watching TV.

That and Catholicism.

Boy, did I see a lot of the "Merv Griffin Show."

2007-05-14 12:35:12
39.   Benaiah
38 - My favorite episode of Seinfeld (a show I missed in its entirety when it was on in primetime, but I have seen comprehensibly in syndication and on dvds/illegal versions) is the "Merv Griffin Show."

Kramer: "So, you dated Jerry for awhile. Tell us a little about that."
George: "What?"
Kramer: "Sorry, got the cue cards out of order."

2007-05-14 12:35:44
40.   blue22
So I'm hoping NBC starts replaying this season's Office episodes in order right after the finale. I missed the first few episodes, so made a decision to sit out the rest of the season until I could catch up. I'm eagerly hoping that they have a few "Office Marathons" in the next couple of weeks.
2007-05-14 12:36:28
41.   Marty
I think its remarkable that anyone would use a VCR after having a DVR installed. My VCR went into the can one minute after my DVR was installed.
2007-05-14 12:38:42
42.   Jon Weisman
37 - Wow. I'm more surprised by the latter than the former.

41 - Well, the DVR is in the family room - doesn't help me in the bedroom. So to speak.

2007-05-14 12:45:13
43.   Marty
Multiple DVRs man, multiple DVRs :)
2007-05-14 12:53:35
44.   Icaros
My VCR went into the can one minute after my DVR was installed.

The sentiment is understandable, but I think throwing your VCR into the toilet was probably an over-dramatic gesture, especially for a guy who lives alone.

2007-05-14 12:54:32
45.   Benaiah
42 - Do you watching it back right afterward to improve your form? Or maybe you show the tapes to your therapist and discuss it?
2007-05-14 12:56:10
46.   Benaiah
40 - You can download them on I-tunes, or illegally even, if you get down like that. The show isn't that plot heavy, so I probably wouldn't have sat out the season, but I am a wee bit addicted to the hijinks at Dunder Mifflin.
2007-05-14 13:02:03
47.   Jon Weisman
I don't know that NBC will rerun them all, or all in order.
2007-05-14 13:03:48
48.   ToyCannon
41
That sounds like a man who never had his hard drive DVR crash and burn and take 40 hours of unwatched programming with it into the dark abyss.
2007-05-14 13:09:49
49.   Icaros
48

You're probably better off having those 40 hours to do something more productive, like read baseball blogs.

2007-05-14 13:10:28
50.   Marty
48 That's happened to me once. Not fun. But still not worth keeping the VCR IMO
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2007-05-14 13:11:13
51.   ToyCannon
First "The Incredibles" rips off Fantastic Four and now "Heroes" completely rips off X-Men. I guess the next movie/tv show will be called "Odin" in which a mythical God shows up on Earth with special powers bestowed upon it by a cane he found while working on a dig site or a Prince of Atlantis named "Roman" who gathers his aquatic family to fight the corporate pigs who created global warming.
2007-05-14 13:12:28
52.   ToyCannon
49
Not when it was your wife's programming and you procrastinated in moving them from the hard drive to the DVD recorder:)
2007-05-14 13:16:09
53.   Icaros
52

Well, perhaps you can convince her to look at the tragedy through a similarly positive filter.

2007-05-14 13:20:32
54.   Benaiah
51 - The Incredibles was definitely not a FF rip off, the powers were similar but the movie was different in a million ways.

As for "Heroes" it is something of a tour down memory lane, since they are reusing all of the best comic story lines of the past twenty years. The season finale is building towards the end of "Watchmen" and the best episode of the season was "The Days of Future Past" like trip through time. Since the show has a comic book and it is co-written by Jeph Loeb (who wrote "Batman: The Long Halloween") I think their "homage" to comics is fine.

2007-05-14 13:23:20
55.   Marty
I was reading Defamer about the NBC announcements and saw this:

their first new comedy offering, The IT Crowd (think The Office, but with computer nerds) won't arrive until midseason.

This is exciting for me. The British version of the IT Crowd is hilarious, though I'm biased being an IT nerd myself.

2007-05-14 13:24:38
56.   Jon Weisman
55 - There are some U.S. Office people on the executive producer team of the U.S. IT Crowd.
2007-05-14 13:24:52
57.   blue22
46 - There are a few plot points I'd like to watch sequentially. I just moved and switched DVRs, so I've got about the last 7 or 8 recorded. I just need the early season "office merger" episodes to get caught up.
2007-05-14 13:28:38
58.   Benaiah
57 - There are 24 episodes this season, so you are 14 behind. I think the first episode of the season was the funniest one.
2007-05-14 13:36:15
59.   Bob Timmermann
58
Is that 24 half hours? Or maybe 26.462 episodes?
2007-05-14 13:45:32
60.   Benaiah
59 - I take it back, 22 episodes, 24 half hours. Plus, if you have 7 or 8, then you will get one more which counts for 2, so you will have 10 total, with 12 to go.

This is a pretty big bump next year then, from 24* half hours to 30 half hours.

*The Negotiation, Beach Day, Women's appreciation and a few others were supersized, so this would add a half hour or two.

2007-05-14 13:56:50
61.   blue22
60 - This sounds like work. How long does it take for them to release a season on DVD?
2007-05-14 14:26:46
62.   Marty
Man, that was a great Sopranos last night.
2007-05-14 14:31:24
63.   Benaiah
61 - They usually do it before the next season starts, for a similar price you could download them on I-Tunes or for free you could download them from a bit torrent. There is a slight chance for a marathon, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it being sequential.

62 - Sopranos talk is my queue to leave, I have been hearing raves all day, but I haven't seen the episode yet.

2007-05-14 14:35:25
64.   Marty
63 That's why I said no details. I wasn't sure
2007-05-14 14:35:35
65.   Icaros
62

Beginning was incredible, ending was incredibler

2007-05-14 14:37:42
66.   Marty
65 The ending brought back fond memories.
2007-05-14 14:39:15
67.   the OZ
65 Honestly, I'm not sure what really happened on Sopranos last night (other than certain narrative details, of course).

The episode didn't seem to advance the characters or the audience in any meaningful way.

2007-05-14 14:44:35
68.   Icaros
66

Me too. Except my one time using psychedelics in Vegas resulted in less of a life-changing epiphany and more of a sampling of the 31 flavors of hell.

2007-05-14 16:07:23
69.   Andrew Shimmin
I love that Tony's finally found his true character flaw: too much personal responsibility. It's going to be a bumpy ride, the rest of the way down. My hope is that my prediction of Janis's pulling the final trigger is borne out.
2007-05-14 16:54:15
70.   Andrew Shimmin
To answer Bob's question from the last thread, it doesn't look like Chrissy's girlfriend (Sonya; played by Sarah Shahi) had been in the show before, since she's not credited at IMDB with having. Her appearance last night isn't up there, yet, either, though.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1083404/

2007-05-14 16:55:36
71.   Bob Timmermann
70
She was probably alluded to in one line five years ago and we're expected to keep track of such things.

I'll do that for "The Wire," but not for "The Sopranos!"

2007-05-15 02:45:29
72.   trainwreck
Hiro from "Heroes" is a complete rip-off of the character Trunks from Dragonball Z.
2007-05-15 07:46:34
73.   Benaiah
The official ABC schedule is up:

http://southdakotadark.blogspot.com/2007/05/official-abc-schedule.html

2007-05-15 07:47:16
74.   Benaiah
SUNDAY:
7pm America's Funniest Home Videos
8pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9pm Desperate Housewives
10pm Brothers & Sisters

MONDAY:
8pm Dancing With the Stars
9.30pm Sam I Am*
10pm The Bachelor

TUESDAY:
8pm Cavemen*
8.30pm Carpoolers*
9pm Dancing With the Stars Results
10pm Boston Legal

WEDNESDAY:
8pm Pushing Daisies*
9pm Private Practice*
10pm Dirty Sexy Money*

THURSDAY:
8pm Ugly Betty
9pm Grey's Anatomy
10pm Big Shots*

FRIDAY:
8pm Men In Trees+
9pm Women's Murder Club*
10pm 20/20

2007-05-15 07:53:47
75.   Benaiah
This is a pretty strong schedule, with an excellent tentpole show on every night except Friday, which is the wilderness anyway. I think "Private Practice" will be strong, if not "Grey's" strong and "Dancing with the Stars" is inexplicably popular. I don't watch anything on ABC besides "Lost" right now, but I might check out a few of the new shows and I would watch "Ugly Betty" if I had DVR (which I hopefully will soon).
2007-05-15 08:27:03
76.   Marty
I don't see Lost on that schedule.
2007-05-15 08:32:03
77.   Benaiah
76 - "Lost" is coming back in February, and while it is likely on Weds. night they are waiting to see how the schedule shakes out before they put it anywhere. "Lost" is probably going to be an uninterrupted spring show (like "24") for the remainder of its run.
2007-05-15 09:07:01
78.   Bob Timmermann
75
Did you watch any of the "Private Practice" pilot? I almost had to pour battery acid on my eyes to protect myself for further pain.
2007-05-15 09:27:14
79.   Benaiah
78 - I don't watch "Grey's" but it seems like "PP" is a no brainer hit.
2007-05-15 09:28:47
80.   Bob Timmermann
79
Tim Daly = Kiss of Death
2007-05-15 09:29:55
81.   Jon Weisman
79 - At a minimum, it's a no-brainer.

80 - I still don't know why you keep talking about Tim Daly, who starred on one of the longest-running sitcoms of the 1990s, and not Taye Diggs.

New post up top.

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