C4 Comes to Heroes’ Rescue

February 18, 2010 2 Comments

Expect Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to soon confirm a release date for the season three Blu-ray of Heroes now C4 has announced its return on March 15.

The distributor has had to postpone the release several times since it went on sale around the rest of the world in September because TV3, the network where it originally aired, dithered around with its scheduling after the ratings slipped.

The series is experiencing a similar slump in the US, where NBC is debating whether to renew it for a fifth season (the fourth ended this month).

TV3’s refusal to allow season three’s Blu-ray release here because of its broadcast rights to the series was the latest blow to Heroes diehards — as is the shift to C4. Bad enough that Heroes never aired here in HD, because TV3 refuses to pay Universal’s TV distribution arm the premium it wants for HD content, but consigning the show to its SD-only sister channel means episodes will no longer even be upscaled to near-HD resolution.

C4 tried to put the best spin on fans’ frustration over the long delay between the end of ‘volume three’ this time last year and the start of  ‘volume four’ with its shrewdly-worded press release: “After much anticipation, Heroes’ fans finally get the chance to see the conclusion to season three (which previously screened on TV3) when volume four, Fugitives, premieres on March 15, at 8.30pm, on C4.

“Added to the excitement, fans will also get the chance to meet James Kyson Lee (Ando AKA Hiro Nakamura’s wingman) when he comes to New Zealand for Armageddon in Christchurch on March 27-28 and Wellington on April 2-4.”

The 12-part volume four opens three weeks after the destruction of both Primatech and Pinehearst, and the death of Arthur Petrelli (Robert Forster). The now-villainous Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) returns with a vengeance by persuading the President and the government to round up all people with abilities.

Led by Danko (Emmy-winner Zeljko Ivanek), the Department of Homeland Security quickly force Claire (Hayden Panettiere), Ando, Hiro (Masi Oka), Matt (Greg Grunberg), Peter (Milo Ventimiglia), and Tracy (Ali Larter) to become fugitives from the people who were once their allies.

Unless C4 plays it off in double-episodes, expect the Blu-ray of season three to bow mid-June and for season four to start soon after on C4 — on the eve of its Blu-ray release elsewhere.

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2 Responses to “C4 Comes to Heroes’ Rescue”


  1. Warning: preg_replace(): Unknown modifier '/' in /home/customer/www/screenscribe.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/headlines/includes/theme-comments.php on line 66
     February 22, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    Hmmm. Thanks for the update. This delay is just being plain ridiculous. Where are the Heroes when you need them?

  2. March 3, 2010 at 3:34 pm

    tv3 will kick themselves when volume 5: redemption (season 4) premieres as it’s the critically acclaimed season that’s now regarded as the best since season one.
    I’ve had to watch heroes from america and i’m now up to volume 6.
    The only reason why the ratings struggled in america, and they only did in the later half, is because it was in an exceptionally competitive timeslot but look into any critic’s reviews and they’ll confirm that it’s a return to form.
    As for volume 4, as soon as episode 7 cold snap starts you’re in great territory–two main characters die in that episode alone.

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