March 5th, 2009
NBC Plans to Renew Heroes for Season 4
There has been a lot of speculation about whether Heroes will return for a fourth season. A lot of the chatter has been generated by Greg Grunberg’s twittering. (You can imagine that ol Greg is getting slap around pretty hard by the producers and cast for it.) Since then, fans have started petitions to save the show, while media outlets have gone on their usual rampage of sensationalistic headlines pondering the cancellation of the show. Everyone can now relax, because during a luncheon with the press, NBC President Angela Bromstad reaffirms her commitment to Heroes, and says that the network plans to bring the show back for a fourth season regardless of the ratings for Season 3.
The good news comes from THR’s Live Feed:
NBC plans to bring back “Heroes” for another season, said entertainment president Angela Bromstad.
The action-drama’s ratings decline has caused some media reports to speculate as to whether the show will return next fall. As part of Hollywood Reporter’s annual Q&As with the five broadcast network chiefs, Bromstad was asked if “Heroes” could be considered “on the bubble” for a renewal.
“No,” she said, and added that the network plans to order 18-20 episodes of the show for next season.
That’s fewer hours than “Heroes” first or current third season, however, with season two having been cut short due to the writers strike.
For all its headline-making audience erosion, “Heroes” is still tied with NBC’s “The Office” as the network’s top-rated series among adults 18-49 this season.
It’s not an official press release announcing the renewal of the show, but if the President of the company says it’s going to happen, chances are it’s going to happen. What I’m trying to say is, guys, chill out. Heroes will return for a Season 4.
Besides the show’s reach with adults 18-49, there’s also the worldwide popularity of Heroes, a part of the show that is very evident when you browse our forum and message boards. People around the world love this show, and NBC seems to realize that. Also, NBC wants a serialized show like Heroes as the lead-in to next year’s potentially expensive new show, the post-apocalyptic Day One. (Coincidentally enough, Day One is by former Heroes writer and producer Jesse Alexander.)
Look for an official announcement in the form of a press release very soon. Until then, enjoy Heroes Season 3 and keep spreading the word.
Added: The article also mentions that NBC may be considering an end date for the show ala Lost, where the show would be guaranteed a set number of seasons before it wraps up with a final year, thus allowing the producers and writers to move toward that end game in their storyline. If they do decide to go this route, the article says that this upcoming fourth season would not be that end date. This means the show would be guaranteed additional seasons beyond number four.
