Ryan MacMillan

The first place I learnt about the new NBC drama Heroes was in the marvellous Word magazine, so once again it seems I’m way behind the curve. But there’s something about a series that goes nuts on super hero powers that really appeals to the little boy inside me. It seems I am the Sci-fi geek I always feared I might be.

As the show launched in the States in September, I’m struggling to judge what’s happening online without giving the game away to myself. And I’m really looking forward to the opening show on the Sci-Fi channel on February 19th, so I don’t want to do that. Roll on global launch dates - not just as a way to reduce the amount of pre-launch bit-torrenting but also so I can enjoy the series’ own website rather than the meagre offerings on the Sci-Fi channel’s site.

So I’ve been looking over NBC’s site with only one eye open and a deliberate squint. So far, it seems promising. Everyone in the US has clearly learnt many lessons from the Lost Experience. Alternate Reality Game? Check. Mobile exclusives? Check. Hidden online clues? They’re all there. Somewhere. Well I’ve read that they are, but it’s hard to judge with both eyes almost closed.

However, what I’m really looking forward to - and expecting - is real multimedia script writing - extensions to the characters and story-lines that exist across media and weave in and out of each other. The door must now be wide open for writers who can develop plot-lines in multiple dimensions and not just in 60 minute TV episodes.

Till February, I’ll have to make do with the teasers and trailers on the Sci-Fi UK site. Not bad stuff. Although the video crashed my Firefox browser which was annoying.

Most importantly, this once more raises the important sociological question: if you could choose a super power what would it be? I’m pretty sure that I’d choose to be able to channel the power of Progressive Rock into some form of super-sonic weapon. It would mean I could also wear some pretty spectacular outfits. Thoughts?