In a surprise move, NBC executives summarily firedHeroes executive producers and writers Jeph Loeb and Jesse Alexander. We love Heroes and have been a bit since last season when the writers introduced so many new characters and storylines. Lots of fans decided the show was losing its way and made their thoughts known -- the ratings have dropped. So, heads had to roll.
Their departure comes at a watershed moment for Heroes, which has taken a serious hit in the ratings amid complaints by critics and fans alike that the show has lost its zeitgeist-tapping appeal. The drama is averaging 9 million-plus viewers this season, down from last year's 11.6 million average.
Loeb and Alexander are celebrities in their own right among the fanboys. Loeb is an author of many comic books, including Batman, The Hulk, and Superman For All Seasons, which inspired the creation of Smallville. Loeb joined the then-WB drama in its second season. Alexander was previously a co-exeutive producer on Lost and Alias. It's unclear whether Heroes creator/executive producer Tim Kring will replace the two writer/producers.
We don't understand why the writers went so crazy with all the subplots. That entire thing with Maya and her brother running through Mexico accidentally killing people was just awful. Thank goodness Maya exited the show last week. And don't even get us started on Mohinder! He was cute. He was the nerdy scientist who was looking for answers. In a few short episodes they turned him into The Fly -- or something. It's just annoying: his skin is peeling off, for Pete's sake. That is so not hot. We like that Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) is becoming an action hero in her own right and that Sylar (Zachary Quinto) has a good side. We love Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando's (James Kyson Lee) storylines. And we liked when Hiro went back in time to Japan. Good times.
But we hate the fact that Niki Sanders (Ali Larter) has two more twin sisters -- please, enough with her and her boring storylines. More Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia). More Sylar. And more HRG (Claire's dad Noah Bennet played by Jack Coleman, known to fans as Horned Rimmed Glasses or HRG). And why did they have to kill off Adam Munroe? We've loved David Anders since he (as Mr. Sark) bedeviled Jennifer Garner on Alias.
This is the same problem that got Lost, well, lost. Too many characters. Too many subplots. The new writers need to tighten up the scripts, and pare down the number of characters and storylines. Save the cheerleader, save this show. We're feeling quite grumpy about the whole situation.
