“Save the cheerleader. Save the world.”
That’s the attention-grabbing catchphrase for “Heroes,” NBC’s hit about a group of ordinary people who develop superpowers.
NBC executives are probably chanting a slightly different mantra: Save the cheerleader. Save NBC.
With its higher-profile shows “Friday Night Lights,” “30 Rock” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” struggling in the ratings, “Heroes” is one of the network’s few success stories.
The 8 p.m. Monday drama averages 13.5 million viewers each week, is the No. 1 new show among 18- to 49-year-olds and ranks in the top 10 among all shows in that demographic, according to Nielsen ratings.
The series captures both the geeky comic-book crowd as well as mainstream viewers who don’t know the X-Men from the Village People–a rare TV feat.
Tim Kring, the show’s creator and executive producer, has a few theories why “Heroes” is flying high.
“It’s some combination of zeitgeist, fairy dust and luck,” he said, but added. “We are in a world that’s complicated and confusing, our show posits the idea that there are people coming along who can do something about it.”
According to Hayden Panettiere, the 17-year-old actress who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet, people can relate to feeling different, just as her character does.
“Most of us dream about something really incredible happening in our lives, something that makes us a little more special than the average Joe,” she told TV Guide in its current issue. “At the same time, we all just want to fit in.”
When Kring set about to write the show, he believed that with the real world in a state of chaos, viewers were ready for a new band of superheroes who would take their minds off current events.
What he created are the most unlikely superheroes, beginning with cheerleader Claire, who has, so far, been assaulted, autopsied, burned, mangled and pummeled in a car crash. Each time she has managed to heal herself. Claire has become the show’s central figure in the dastardly plot to nuke New York City.
“She is the most seemingly insignificant character,” Kring said. “There’s an ordinariness to that character. Every high school and every small town has a half-dozen cheerleaders.”
On many shows, a blond high school cheerleader would be a teen bimbo. But Kring treats her as perhaps the most thoughtful of the super bunch; she tests her indestructibility and is unsure whether to revel in or resent it.
Her reaction to her powers is one that Kring thinks many people can relate to.
“I took the premise of what would happen if you and I woke up with these special abilities?” he said. “Most people would approach it with shock and concern, or go to a doctor or a shrink.”
Another widely popular character is Hiro Nakamura, the Japanese office drone who first uttered the now famous cheerleader line and is one of a few heroes to embrace his ability–bending time and space.
“He approaches everything with passion and optimism,” said Masi Oka, who plays Hiro. “Everything that is great about kids is inhabited in Hiro.”
Because of the humor–most with language screw-ups–and innocence he brings to the role, the 31-year-old actor has gone from anonymous to being pestered in public. One Internet fan summarized it simply: “Hiro’s the hottest geek ever!”
Viewers also revel in the show’s nail-biting weekly cliffhangers and the fact that the next episode picks up right where the cliffhanger ended. “We didn’t want to frustrate our audience,” Kring said.
Kring said he hasn’t laid out five years’ worth of plot twists, but he did acknowledge that he knows exactly where the current season is going.
“We have a central prophecy, and we’ll arrive at that in the first season,” Kring said. “I do know how that ends.
“But once these people are out there and people know they are out there, it may become dangerous for them.”
– – –
GETTING GRAPHIC ONLINE
The paintings created by the tormented artist character Isaac Mendez on NBC’s “Heroes” are actually the work of superstar comic-book artist Tim Sale.
Sale did the artwork for comics such as “Batman: The Long Halloween,” and Marvel’s various color books (“Daredevil: Yellow,” “Spider-Man: Blue”). He oversees the online “Heroes” comics and creates both Mendez’s future-event paintings and the comic book called “9thWonders” that time-bender Hiro uses to learn his next moves.
– Find the novels, online games and characters’ blogs at nbc.com/heroes.
– For more on 9thWonders, go to 9thwonders.com. [ newsday ]
TATER’S TAKE
Monday’s 8 p.m. episode of “Heroes” is the one fans have been waiting for. Finally, we get some action. When Peter sees that missing painting done by Isaac, he flies to Texas for homecoming at Claire’s high school. “Save the cheerleader. Save the world.” Indeed. It’s on, people.
SUPER CHARACTERS
Here’s a look at the heroes, and P. Tater’s theories. If you think Tater’s got it all wrong, e-mail us at [email protected]. Include your full name, age and neighborhood.
Claire Bennet
More Top Picks Versus Sprayer Insights Surprising Clean Ease Vf803 Also For Walls
HAYDEN PANETTIERE
The seemingly indestructible cheerleader (left) is finally embracing her inner freak, and her powers.
TATER’S THEORY: She gets saved, then throws a body block on Nuke Dude to save NYC.
Mohinder Suresh
SENDHIL RAMAMURTHY
He has no special powers, but his dad was the geneticist who discovered that people were gaining powers, and he has the old man’s notes.
TATER’S THEORY: He’ll find all the heroes and somehow bring them together.
HRG (Mr. Bennet)
JACK COLEMAN
Horn-Rimmed Glasses, a.k.a. Mr. Bennet, keeps strange company (the Haitian) and up to now has seemed, well, kind of shady. But he’s sweet to Claire.
TATER’S THEORY: He is to the heroes what Professor Charles Xavier is to the X-Men. And he wants to save his daughter too.
Hiro Nakamura
MASI OKA
The time-traveling office worker is in the future trying to save one of the heroes that the mysterious Sylar murdered, before the serial killer offs her.
TATER’S THEORY: When Hiro comes back, he’ll be sporting the “future Hiro” look–sword, pony tail and perfect English.
Isaac Mendez
SANTIAGO CABRERA
The artist predicts the future through his paintings, but only after he injects a ton of heroin.
TATER’S THEORY: He goes to rehab, probably with the help of Mr. Bennet, who will teach him how to see the future without the use of drugs.
Matt Parkman
GREG GRUNBERG
The L.A. cop who can hear what others are thinking is working with an FBI agent (Clea Duvall) to track down Sylar.
TATER’S THEORY: Ditches his two-timing wife and, with Claire’s help, stops Nuke Dude (you have a better name?) from flattening New York.
Peter Petrelli
MILO VENTIMIGLIA
This dreamer temporarily assumes the powers of those he’s near. Unlike his brother, Nathan, he cares enough to head to Texas, even though he knows the danger involved.
TATER’S THEORY: Peter’s serious about saving the world, so you know what he’s got to do first.
Niki Sanders
ALI LARTER
The Internet stripper has a split personality–a nasty second self named Jessica who has no problem killing people, or sleeping with a married politician. Niki also has a young son and an ex with powers of their own.
TATER’S THEORY: Jessica works for Sylar, and Niki hasn’t a clue.
Nathan Petrelli
ADRIAN PASDAR
The slippery New York politician can fly but wants to keep it secret.
TATER’S THEORY: Slippery and politician? He’s bad, and probably Sylar. That would explain why he discourages Peter, how he escaped Mr. Bennet and even why he and Jessica hooked up.