Marvel and DC have been at the forefront of superhero media for decades now, but a TV show from 2006 beat both of the comic book juggernauts to success in a specific type of superhuman project. The MCU movies quickly set the standard for what superhero movies should look like on the big screen, building on the success of the franchise’s pre-MCU efforts from before 2008’s Iron Man. Although the DC movies haven’t been quite as consistent in terms of success and continuity, they’ve still very much been high-profile releases, for the most part.
However, neither franchise was especially good at making live-action TV shows. At the very least, most of the successful early Marvel and DC shows had long been animated and lacked the popularity of their feature-length releases. In recent years, Marvel TV shows have experienced a notable uptick in quality and are becoming just as popular as the movies. Live-action DC shows have also undergone a similar transformation, but another project outside either franchise walked so that its competitors could eventually run.
Heroes Season 1 Was An Incredible Take On Superheroes For Television
Marvel & DC had yet to make the jump into live-action TV success
Heroes took the world by storm when the show made its debut in 2006. Although it wasn’t a comic book adaption, it drew a lot of inspiration from the medium when telling its story. The live-action project adopted a slightly darker tone than its competitors, and wasn’t aimed at audiences quite as young as those reading Marvel and DC comic books, and watching the animated adaptations. As a result, it had a much broader appeal, and its success was made all the more impressive by the lack of a pre-existing fan base.
Heroes was eventually adapted into comic book form, reversing the process of Marvel and DC.
Although live-action superhero TV shows are incredibly commonplace now, Heroes was revolutionary when it was released. People were used to projects like Heroes appearing only on the big screen as part of a big blockbuster Summer slate. Not only was the experimental format easy to engage with at home, but the story itself was immacuately written and provided an almost-flawless experience for those tuning in. Even now, Heroes season 1 still boasts an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the fan score is even higher at 93%.
It Took Marvel And DC A Long Time To Figure Out Live-Action Television
Heroes was way ahead of its time
Heroes‘ groundbreaking approach to live-action superhero TV shows remained as the standard to achieve or improve upon for years after its debut. Fast-forwarding 10 years after Heroes began, and Marvel and DC were only just starting to successfully emulate what the 2006 show did. Arrow began in 2012 and was in the throes of a beloved eight-season run, and had spawned several spinoffs, including The Flash. In the opposing camp, Marvel’s collaboration with Netflix resulted in Daredevil season 1 landing in 2015. The MCU also had its first then-canon show in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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This boom in live-action superhero TV shows hasn’t subsided since then. DC’s recent successes include Peacemaker, The Penguin, and Superman & Lois. Marvel has produced a cavalcade of live-action content for Disney+, with many of the older Netflix efforts also finding new life on their new platform. Although Marvel has recently slowed down its TV slate and started focusing on movies again, there are still several projects in the pipeline that arguably have Heroes to thank for their existence and success.
Heroes Sadly Went Downhill Pretty Fast After An Amazing First Season
Marvel & DC have since become the best in the business again
Although Heroes season 1 was a massive success and changed the game forever, none of the following three runs managed to replicate the very high quality of the first. The show came under fire for various reasons, but one of the most likely explanations is that the 2007 writers’ strikes that impacted so many shows also disrupted the rhythm of Heroes and its creative team, and it never regained its footing. After Heroes season 4 turned out to be the show’s worst offering yet, it was canceled without a proper ending.
Coming out of nowhere in 2006 and drawing so much attention for all the best reasons is something Heroes season 1 should still be incredibly proud of. Sure, it got much worse after that brilliant debut run, but it isn’t the only show to experience that phenomenon. Plus, it’s tough to imagine today’s TV landscape boasting so many successful live-action superhero shows without the work put in by Heroes. Without it, DC and Marvel may still be limiting themselves largely to the big screen.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
