Broadcast reports the BBC has paid more than £400,000 an episode to secure the UK screening rights for the second season of Heroes - despite the fact it hasn't shown the first series yet. This time last year, British channels were off to Los Angeles to buy the hot new shows of the 06-07 US TV season. Channel 4 did well by picking up sudsy newcomer Ugly Betty, but most other buys stiffed badly on American TV, and got quick cancellations. Friday Night Lights survived its first season and got picked up for a second by NBC despite meagre ratings - critical kidus saved its skin. [On this side of the Atlantic it's been buried on ITV4. Shame on you, ITV!]
One show that no British expected to last, let alone be a hit, was Heroes. This ensemble show about ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary abilities was such a lot priority that nobody from the NNC, ITV, Channel 4, Five or Sky bought it. Instead the Sci-Fi Channel picked up the bargain of the year, securing first UK rights. Heroes proved to be the 06-07 zeitgeist smash hit, with the kind of watercooler buzz seen previously on shows like Lost, 24 and The X Files in years gone by.
Once this became apparent, the BBC soon rectified its error by nabbing the terrestrial rights for season one of Heroes. [Sci-Fi isn't available to saps like me who don't have cable, don't have a satellite dish and can't get Freeview.] Sci-Fi's been enjoying bumper ratings with Heroes, and the show will make be on BBC2 this autumn. Rumour has it the channel will be giving it the full promo push, complete with BBC3 documentary spin-off [as seen on hit series like Doctor Who and Torchwood].
Now the BBC has gone the whole hog and bought Heroes season two outright, presumably outpricing Sci-Fi by some distance with its reported £400,000 bid. According to Broadcast, season one will be screened on both BBC2 and BBC3, no doubt running straight off the back of season one. Nice. In the meantime, the final season one episode screened in America last night - and I've heard it was rather good. Now, somebody hurry up and put the whole season on DVD, yes?
5 comments:
I was actually rather underwhelmed by the finale, though the segway into chapter 2 made me desperate for more.
I've been hooked on Heroes since the first episode and saw the final last night - riveting viewing!
The Series 1 DVD box set is scheduled for 28 August in the US.
I saw the ending of Heroes Chapter 1 yesterday. Not exactly what I was expecting at all, but I cannot wait until Chapter 2.
I can't remember a series before that I was hooked on from start to finish.
I hope the BBC would hurry up and start airing the series. I heard it was meant to be April, then it was changed to June/July. Now I hear its in the Autumn.
I haven't seen the last episode yet, but I understand the region 1 DVD is due in August (according to Amazon.com).
We've been watching the series on Sci-Fi and have thoroughly enjoyed it so far. Will even probably rewatch it on BBC if they make it available on their high definition preview channel too as Sci-Fi doesn't even show it in widescreen (in the UK anyway.)
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