An Ode to Save the Cheerleader, Save the World.

There hasn’t been a TV series to hit as hard as ‘Heroes’ did in 2006.

If you’re unfamiliar with ‘Heroes’, let me set the scene. Fantasy-obsessed teen sees trailer on the BBC. It’s cryptic. It promises superpowers. It promises action. It promises a mystery the world will be on the edge of their seat for.

‘Heroes’ is the TV gem the world repressed, and with one phrase, you’re reminded of the chaos that descended after the first season.

“Save the cheerleader, save the world.”

I was introduced to the series when it first aired in the UK on the BBC. It was right around the same time social media was in the initial boom and everyone was posting momentary updates about their life.

‘Heroes’ is a guilty pleasure because I’m ashamed and slightly embarrassed to still hold it with such high regard and fondness.

The original run was between 2006 and 2010. It spanned four seasons split into five volumes. There were 77 episodes in total and over 20 webisodes. It was an interactive experience, and it felt like the entire world was taking part.

The rise of ‘Heroes’

This series was teased for months before the pilot episode hit the screens. It was surrounded by an immersive marketing experience I still reflect on. They had comic books, a game on Facebook, and webisodes.

It was everything to me as a teenager, and the first season is still one of the best first seasons of any TV show I’ve watched. It was well-scripted, well-cast, and it delivered on its promises. We got fantasy, action, drama, and mystery.

It was an escape then, and it’s still an escape now.

The fall of ‘Heroes’

The fall came with the second season. It was a sharp fall. This was mostly due to the 2007 Writer’s Strike. It was completely rushed, and with the context of what the series went through, that makes sense. It’s the shortest of all the seasons, but ultimately, it’s the reason why many people stopped watching.

Ranking the seasons

Fortunately, through all the cringe in my heart, ‘Heroes’ didn’t stop there. These are definitive rankings and are not up for discussion. We’ve been discussing this already for 10+ years on Reddit. Note: Season 3 was split into two volumes, volume 3 and 4.

In one sentence I will summarise the season.

1. Volume 1 (Genesis). It delivered everything it promised and built an incredibly interactive storyline.
2. Volume 4 (Fugitives). This volume serves action, plot, and everything that made volume 1 addictive.
3. Volume 5 (Redemption). Carnies with superpowers is the spin-off we all deserved.
4. Volume 3 (Villains). The villains deserved more backstory than just being villains because of their power.
5. Volume 2 (Generations). It was too short and filled with arduous backstory, but without it the series wouldn't be complete.

The plot, I mean the men

I'm only ever interested in the plot, as long as plot means that one episode in twenty will feature a shirtless moment from one of the guys I have hots for.

Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia) is a great character. He is so caring, too caring you might say. I don't play favourites (I do), but he would be a perfect boyfriend. At least season one Peter would be...

Sylar/Gabriel Gray (Zachary Quinto) is the primary antagonist in the series. We all love a bad boy... even a serial killer? Welp. Being the bad guy should be his downfall, but the real downfall is how we didn't get a gay storyline with this gay actor.

Ando Masahashi (James Kyson) is the perfect sidekick. His character was incredibly funny, and he really grew throughout the series. Not to mention, he's constantly dressed in tight shirts and suits. In the words of Paris Hilton, "that's hot."

Why I still rewatch ‘Heroes’

There’s a comfort in rewatching TV, no matter how cringy it became after the series aired. I remembered being so enamoured by the series, but upon rewatching, it became a guilty pleasure. I didn’t feel like I could criticise it after all the joy it brought me growing up.

And once the series ended, I was heartbroken. In the words of our cheerleader, Claire Bennet, "my life as I know it is over."

Conclusion

Well, Peter Petrelli and the cast saved the cheerleader, Claire Bennet, but at what cost to the rest of us?

They saved the world, but it didn’t save this series from turning into a source of embarrassment. And we don't talk about 'Heroes: Reborn', that was rough.