The Emmy-winning superhero drama Heroes, which stars the late Hayden Panettiere, is now available to stream on Netflix with all four seasons. The series, created by Tim Kring, originally premiered in 2006 but is attracting fresh viewers following the tragic death of one of its cast members.
What is Heroes about?
The American superhero drama follows everyday people from across the globe who unexpectedly discover they possess remarkable superhuman abilities. The central characters' lives are fundamentally interconnected. The show is crafted in a comic book-style narrative using multi-episode story arcs or 'volumes,' and it became a pop-culture phenomenon during its original broadcast.
Hayden Panettiere, who died last month aged just 36, played the role of cheerleader Claire Bennett, one of the key stars of the show.
Fan reactions and comparisons
One enthusiast described the series as 'not at all ordinary,' likening it to X-Men. They awarded the show 10 stars on IMDb, saying: 'Heroes is similar to Marvel's X-Men, in that its characters discover they have different powers. But where X-Men is driven more by action and plot, Heroes is more character-driven.'
The show focuses on an ensemble of eight characters, each with a different power. Claire Bennett is a high school cheerleader with the power of spontaneous regeneration, DL Hawkins has the power to phase through matter, Isaac Mendez is a brilliant artist who can paint the future, Hiro Nakamura is the office worker who can bend and travel through space-time, LAPD Officer Matt Parkman has the power of telepathy, Nathan Petrelli is the ambitious politician who can fly, his brother Peter is an in-home nurse with the ability to absorb others' powers when he is near them, and Niki Sanders has super strength.
Unique flaws and villains
'But what separates 'Heroes' from most shows and movies is that each of our heroes are uniquely flawed. Claire, like most high school seniors, frequently forgets who her real friends are. DL is running from the law. Isaac is addicted to heroin, and can only see the future when he is high,' the fan added.
'The wonderfully geeky Hiro used his power for personal gain. Matt is dyslexic and has marital problems. Nathan cares more about his career than his family, particularly Peter, who suffers from depression. And Niki, a single mom and internet stripper, has a brutally violent alter-ego.'
Another fan labelled the series 'addictive.' Blue Ray Authority said: 'Naturally, with a title like 'Heroes' you have to have... villains! I'm happy to say that the show has a few of the vilest villains that I've seen on television... To say that 'Heroes' is addictive is an understatement. It's right up there with 'Lost' and 'Nip/Tuck' in terms of regular television shows that I watch on a weekly basis.'
All four seasons of Heroes are currently available to stream on Netflix.
