While we're still lamenting the cancellation of ABC's brilliant Pushing Daisies, at least that show's demise has led to a return by Bryan Fuller.
Fuller was a lead writer on Heroes before leaving to create Daisies. He'll return in time to play a role in this season's 19th episode, and beyond.
He also recently sat down to analyze the state of his former show with Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello. Here are excerpts from that interview:
Where did Heroes go wrong, in your opinion?
It became too dense and fell into certain sci-fi trappings. For instance, in the “Villains” arc, when you talk about formulas and catalysts, it takes the face off the drama. And I think the goal for everybody is to put a face back on the drama. You have to save something with a face; otherwise you don’t understand what you’re caring about. I thought the "Villains" arc started out very interestingly, and then became sort of muddy and dense and I couldn't get my hooks into the characters to understand their motivations.
I also started to feel confused about what people's abilities were. One of the great things about the first season is that the metaphor for their abilities was very clear. Those metaphors seem to have gotten complicated in the past two seasons. I share that concern with everybody on the writing staff. It's not like I'm coming in and saying, "This is what you need to do to fix it!" Everybody knows what needs to be fixed and everybody is sort of rowing in that direction.
Any plans to trim the sprawling cast?
People will die. And some will return. Matt’s wife [Janice] comes back. We’ll find out what happens when you have a superbaby. We're also going to tell fewer stories per episode. We're going to limit it to three or four with one big one that you can wrap the stories around. We're altering the structure of the show so that there's a very clear A story that takes up a larger percentage of the show so that that story gets traction.
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10 Comments
December 11th, 2008 10:42 AM
brilliant, i agree with everything he said. Good man.
HEROES CAN BE SAVED!!!!!!!!!
December 11th, 2008 11:36 AM
Bryan Fuller should be part of the cast!!
December 11th, 2008 3:23 PM
after reading what Bryan said in this interview I am feeling better that Heroes will be saved. He put his finger on the problem, now he can fix it. He will, and he better do it ASAP because Jay Leno moving to 10pm means every drama on NBC needs to get their act together.
December 11th, 2008 4:53 PM
This guy is clearly the man.
December 11th, 2008 5:09 PM
Indeed - the man.
December 11th, 2008 6:03 PM
Hooooray! Thank God Fuller is back (no offence Daisies fans). Completely agree with his analysis and I just hope his influence will be evdent in the final episodes of the season. In addition to the casting of John Glover this is one of the best things that could happen to the show.
December 12th, 2008 6:46 AM
Heroes will be back!
December 12th, 2008 2:07 PM
If matt's wife is coming back that is great, season 2 they never explain anything but. But what i've notice in all seasons is that they never once showed Simon and Monty like they showed them but they never had much of a big part. Its sad really beacuse I would think that they are a huge part of the show. I want to see more of them in the up comming seasons.
December 13th, 2008 10:56 PM
I almost hope they can cancel the 2nd and 3rd volume and start from the season finale of season 1 again, where Sylar SHOULD have died. The next two seasons only jeopardizes what is established in season 1. The reason why the cheerleader must be saved is because Sylar can regenerate after being stabbed by hiro, becoming invincible. But since he actually survived, the stakes established are destroyed. Just let Sylar die in season 1, and move on to Adam Monroe in season 2, and Arthur in season 3. Then all the efforts to save the cheerleader back then went for naught when Sylar cuts her head in season 3. The consequences for that are so minor. Plus the villains this season didn't even kill anyone, and doesn't seem to be dangerous at all.
December 14th, 2008 1:56 PM
I always thought that by saving the cheerleader in S1 would save New York because Claire was the one who convinced athan not to go through with Lindermans plans and end up flying Peter into the sky. Whether Sylar lived was irrelevant because even in the Five Years Gone episode he was still alive even without Claire's powers.