Rerun Free TV with NBC's Heroes Spin-off

NBC's runaway hit Heroes has taken the world by storm, proving to be a ratings powerhouse for the network that has been having a hard time keeping up with the other major broadcasting giants. Fan boys the world over are rejoicing at NBC's surprise announcement this week that a Heroes spin-off will indeed air during next year's midseason hiatus, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Heroes: Origins, is slated to be a six part series that will air weekly during Heroes normal midseason hiatus. Each episode in this new series will feature a different hero who is just discovering their powers. Taking its queue from American Idol, Heroes: Origins will feature a level of interactivity that has never been seen before in a show of this type by allowing the viewers to vote for their favorite new heroes. The viewer's choice winner or winners will then join the cast of the original show as series regulars just in time for the 08'-09' offering.

Fans of the show that just can't seem to get enough are ecstatic with the news that there will be a total of 30 episodes of Heroes next year with the two shows combined. The general buzz from the internet is that NBC deserves a nod here for giving the people want they want, namely more Heroes. NBC's bid for a new show is however a smart one since Heroes ratings while still respectable, noticeably dropped after the long mid-season hiatus this year. It will be interesting to see if the other Networks will follow NBC's lead as reruns are becoming more and more unpopular with so many other entertainment choices available to choose from.

While Heroes fans are overjoyed, they are also in shock. With the success of the show most fans expected a spin-off to hit the airwaves at some point, but no one expected it so soon. The news came from out of nowhere. Many are wondering how NBC managed to announce the spin-off themselves and keep Heroes: Origins under the radar in an age when news of this type is often leaked on the internet.

Season one of Heroes draws to a close next week, but there will be some new things at the Heroes website to hold fan interest for the next four months until season two begins. NBC Universal announced in a recent press release that the popular graphic novels will continue to have new editions published online and eight exclusive "Inside Heroes" web installments will show an in depth look at the series creation and production process.

Credit creator/producer Tim Kring for doing so much to keep fans of the show engrossed during the summer break. Save the cheerleader, save the world.

Tim Goodman, "NBC rolls dice on 'Heroes,' 'Friday Night' Networks adjust rerun schedules in bid to retain viewers." San Fransisco Chronicle. URL: (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/15/DDG47PPKC31.DTL)

Noelle Hancock, "NBC Announces Heroes Spin-Off." USAmagazine.com URL: (http://www.usmagazine.com/nbc_announces_i_heroes_i_spin_off)

Joe Libonati, "NBC DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES ORIGINAL WEB SERIES 'INSIDE HEROES'" NBC Universal Media Village URL: (http://nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20070510000000-nbcdigitalentertai.html)