November
4 'Heroes' shakeup: Is the show too 'comicbooky'?

The recent shakeup behind the scenes on "Heroes" shows that there may be a limit to how accepting mainstream auds are of the kind of storytelling common in mainstream superhero comicbooks.

That's one way to look at the shakeup on the show, which saw co-exec producers Jeph Loeb and Jesse Alexander axed on Sunday night by the show's creator and showrunner Tim Kring. Cynthia Littleton reports in today's Variety that Kring is trying to refocus the on simpler storytelling that could woo back audiences and cut the show's pricey budget of $4 million an episode.

Loeb in particular was the show's most direct connection to the comicbook industry, having written popular series featuring just about every major Marvel and DC character since his first comic script in 1990. His departure also raises questions as to whether his frequent comicbook art partner, Tim Sale, will continue to contribute to the show.

While "Heroes" was an unqualified hit its first season, it faltered in a strike-shortened second season and has struggled to regain its hit status in its current, third season. But criticism has continued to mount as the plotlines became increasingly complicated and continuity-dependent. Expect Kring's refocusing to cull the crowded cast and scale back the focus of the show to more personal tales.

All of which adds up to "Heroes" becoming less like a mainstream superhero comicbook and more like a conventional TV show.