User:El Sandifer/Heroes/Episodes

The plot of Heroes is designed to be similar to the stories of comic books with small story arcs built into the series' overall large story arc plot. Each season of Heroes is designed to involve ordinary people who discover extraordinary powers, and how these abilities affect the character's day-to-day lives. The first season introduces the main characters, and deals with their efforts to prevent a nuclear explosion in New York City. The second deals with the legacy of a past generation of heroes, and witht he threat of a virus being unleashed that will decimate humanity. A third season premieres in the fall of 2008.

Within the seasons of Heroes are "volumes". The first season comprises a single volume of twenty-three episodes called "Genesis", which is also the title of the pilot episode. The second season was designed to contain three volumes called "Generations," "Exodus" and "Villains," however "Exodus" was scrapped due to viewer criticism and the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Even though the strike ended in time for more episodes to be produced for the 2007-08 United States network television schedule|2007–2008 television season, "Villains" is being carried over to the show's third season, which will premiere in September 2008. As a result, the second season consists of only eleven episodes, which is thirteen fewer than were originally ordered by NBC. The third season, which will "concentrate a little bit on the potential bad side of superpowers", will comprise twenty-five episodes and premiere on September 22, 2008 with a one-hour clip-show and a two-hour episode.

Season 1: 2006–2007
Image:Manhattan explosion.jpg|thumb|210px|Isaac's painting of Manhattan's destruction in "Genesis (Heroes)|Genesis" - the Don't Look Back (Heroes)|following episode, set five weeks in the future, depicts the same explosion, and the painting forms the basis of the primary story arc of the first season. List of Heroes episodes#Season 1: 2006–2007|Season one began in the United States and Canada on September 23, 2006 and featured 23 episodes. Season one consisted of the first volume, known as "Genesis." The series went on hiatus (television)|hiatus twice; first from December 4, 2006 to January 22, 2007, and again from March 5 to April 23, 2007, with the season finale airing on May 21, 2007. The action goes from October 2, 2006 to November 8, 2006.

The series begins as a seemingly ordinary group of people gradually become aware that they have special abilities. Events illustrate their reactions to these powers, and how the discovery affects their personal and professional lives. At the same time, several ordinary individuals are investigating the origins and extent of these abilities. Mohinder Suresh, a geneticist, continues his late father's research into the biological source of the change, while Noah Bennet represents a secret organization known only as the "The Company (Heroes)|Company".

While coping, each of the characters is drawn — willingly or not — into the Company's conspiracy to control superpowered people, and into a race to stop an explosion from destroying New York City, which would kill millions of its inhabitants. Throughout the season, the predatory stalkings of the serial killer Sylar and continued manipulations from casino-owner and mobster Mr. Linderman affect the characters directly and indirectly. Several characters' individual stories culminated in a climactic meeting of the characters at Kirby Plaza in New York. These stories included Peter Petrelli's abilities, Nathan Petrelli|Nathan's campaign for Congress, Claire Bennet's search for her biological parents, Hiro Nakamura's adventurous journeys, Niki Sanders' multiple personalities, and Isaac Mendez's precognitive visions.

Season 2: 2007
Season two began in the United States and Canada on September 24, 2007 and featured only 11 out of the planned 24 episodes, due to the WGA writers' strike. The show aired on Mondays at 9:00pm[13] and consisted of the second volume in the series, titled "Generations", taking place during March 2007.[14] Season two ended with its finale on December 3, 2007.[15] The second season began in the UK on BBC2 on April 24, 2008 at 9:00PM.[16]

The second season begins four months after the events of Kirby Plaza. Peter Petrelli, Matt Parkman, Nathan Petrelli, and Sylar have all survived the events of the season one finale, and are trying to return to ordinary lives despite their extraordinary abilities, with the exception of Sylar, who is on a quest to regain the use of his abilities. The main plot arc of "Generations" deals with the Company and its research on the Shanti virus. This research is explored through the Company's founders, whose identities are revealed, as well as through the effects of various strains of the virus on The Haitian, Niki Sanders, Sylar, and others. An amnesiac Peter Petrelli observes the potential devastation of the virus in a future New York City. The "heroes" ultimately come together in an attempt to stop the release of a deadly strain of the virus and avert a global pandemic.

Interwoven with the main plot are several secondary plots. These include Nathan Petrelli's recovery following the events at Kirby Plaza; the journey of new characters Maya and Alejandro from Honduras to the United States, and their interaction with a powerless Sylar; Claire and Noah Bennet and their family adapting to a new life in southern California; Claire's relationship with her boyfriend West; Monica Dawson discovering her powers in New Orleans, with the help of her cousin Micah; Matt Parkman's reunion with his estranged father, leading to discovery of new abilities; the Company's manipulation of Mohinder Suresh; Ando Masahashi trying to piece together what happened to Hiro Nakamura; and Hiro's journey to Feudal Japan, where he meets his childhood hero, Takezo Kensei. Season 2 was originally going to comprise three volumes, however due to the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike|writer's strike, the season was redesigned to only encompass one volume called "Generations". Originally Volume 3 was going to be called "Exodus", and Volume 4 was going to be called "Villains." As a result of the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike|writers' strike, Volume 3 was changed to "Villains" and moved into season three. The "Exodus" story arc, which was originally designed to be a story arc reflecting the effects of the release of strain 138 of the Shanti virus, was cancelled. Scenes from the volume two finale "Powerless (Heroes)|Powerless", were reshot to reflect the cancellation of the "Exodus" volume, and to tie-up all the loose plot storylines of "Generations."

Webisodes
The gap between Season 2 and Season 3 will be filled with three Webisodes, which will become exclusively available online starting in mid-July 2008. The first installment is titled "Manhunt" and introduces a new villain who will reappear in the next—and final—two webisodes.

Season Three
Image:Heroes-Villains.png|thumb|210px|Season 3's logo Season three will open with a two-hour episode, set to air Monday, September 22, 2008. "Villains" was originally designed to be included within the second season; however, due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|writers' strike, the volume was carried over into season three. Tim Kring has claimed that the new volume will bring a cadre of villains to the show, hence the title.

Heroes: Origins
On May 14, 2007, NBC announced that during the 2007-2008 season, the network would air a six-episode Heroes Spin-off (media)|spin-off called Heroes: Origins. The show was to introduce a new character each week, and viewers were to select which one would stay for the following season of the regular series. The show was supposed to air after the completion of the second season of Heroes in April 2008, as announced at the 2007 Comic-Con International. The second season of Heroes and the first season of Heroes: Origins would have included a total of 30 episodes. However, on October 31, 2007, reports in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Origins had been postponed due to a 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike|strike by the Writers Guild of America.

The reason given for the spin-off was to remove the mid-season hiatus, which caused the ratings to falter when Heroes returned in Season 1. NBC's chief, Kevin Reilly, told reporters on May 14, 2007, "We've got something I call the 'bulk-up challenge' for next year, which is trying to stay more consistent in our scheduling for the audience. We asked [Heroes creator] Tim Kring to come up with an idea, and what I love is not only did we bulk up with 30 hours next season, but also a whole new idea which I think is going to take the show to the next level."

Tim Kring stated in an interview with The Post Show on G4 (TV channel)|G4 that the first episode of Origins was to reveal the secrets and meanings behind the Helix symbol. However, due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|WGA Strike, Kring commented that the secret will have to be revealed down the line. Kring revealed in the Heroes Live Blog on September 24, 2007 that he was to write the first episode of Origins and that John August had been hired to write another episode. He also said some well known directors could be expected. Director Kevin Smith, a fan of Heroes, was set to write and direct an episode for the spin-off, as were Eli Roth and Michael Dougherty.

In an interview with The-owi.com on February 9, 2008, Tim Kring updated fans on Heroes: Origins and its status after the end of the writer's strike. When Kring was asked about Origins resurrecting during the Spring of 2008, Kring responded, "There is really no chance for that because it is even farther off the radar than would be the next episodes of Heroes. We would have to gear all the way back up and bring all those people back. It is my hope to resurrect that at some point but right now it is all about getting the show back on the air at this point."

On April 3, 2008, a day after NBC announced its 2008-2009 primetime schedule, Ben Silverman confirmed Origins' cancellation. Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios stated, "We were taxing our creative team to do too much around that...We wanted thirty-five Heroes episodes and twelve Heroes: Origins, each of which was supposed to be a mini-movie and backdoor pilot. We reached far and challenged our people, and we decided it was better to focus on keeping the Heroes mothership as strong as possible."