No Heroics
Encyclopedia
No Heroics is a British
superhero
-comedy
television series, which began on 18 September 2008. The show is ITV2
's first original sitcom. It was nominated for Best New British TV Comedy of 2008 at the British Comedy Awards
.
, usually clad in brightly coloured outfits consisting of skin-tight materials such as Lycra or Spandex
. The presence of superheroes in the world is commonplace, arriving not only to save people or avert disaster but also carrying out everyday tasks such as grocery shopping or taking a smoke break, all while in full costume. Other aspects of society relating to superheroes include:
Alex controls heat and is desperate to be famous for saving the world (or at least someone), but somehow Excelsor always manages to save the day before him. His main work comes in winter when he fills in for the heaters at old peoples homes when they are broken.
Sarah can control machines with her voice. However she would rather steal a pack of cigarettes from a machine than help the ‘normal’ world with her power. Seen as the most rock ‘n’ roll of the bunch, Sarah is the daughter of famous superheroes "Rampart" and "Velvet Veil", described by Sarah as the "Torvill and Dean
" or the "Richard and Judy
" of the superhero world. She is Alex’s on-off love interest, having broken up with him some time prior to the start of the series. Sarah was a member of the short lived superhero team known as Lady Trouble, alongside Jenny (She-Force).
Don can see sixty seconds into the future and is an expert in torture. However, these days the gay
Spaniard
only uses his abilities to his friends’ advantage, due to his retirement only taking on a few jobs to keep the cash rolling. He is also an ex-drug addict and frequently engages in sex with strangers. Don appears to be the only cape with a more modern-style costume, wearing a black leather suit of body armour in stark contrast to the brightly coloured outfits of his peers.
Jenny has super-strength and is the third strongest female in the world, but doesn't feel comfortable being a superhero. She would much rather spend her days at her desk, waiting for Mr Right to come along. Socially awkward, Jenny revels in having a secret identity as an office worker, a charade her friends find pointless. Jenny was a member of the short lived superhero team known as Lady Trouble, alongside Sarah (Electroclash).
Devlin is the most successful cape in the United Kingdom
; he is a "Rock Star" within the superhero world, with a high public profile and numerous commercial endorsement deals. Due to his immense success Devlin's attitude is highly egotistical and selfish, and he takes pleasure in reminding Alex and the other "lesser" superheroes of his superiority at every opportunity, often by bullying Alex. Devlin has a wide array of powers, which include but are not limited to: flight, laser eye beams, X-ray vision, super speed, force field creation and manipulation, super sensitive hearing, and mind control abilities.
Simon worked in the Fortress as a bouncer
, whose job it was to ensure that the regulars played by the rules. However the regulars treated him as a bit of a joke, particularly Sarah. He was allowed to use his powers in the fortress as part of his job. His power involved summoning monkeys; however, the monkeys did not simply appear, they had to physically travel from wherever they happened to be. Given that they took so long to respond to his calls, they were never seen on screen (although their coffins were present at Simon's funeral), even after relocating their home reduced their response time from 2 hours to 45 minutes. After Sarah taunted him about being a crap superhero he picked a fight with Slicefist (a known supervillain with razor blade fingers), both he and his monkeys were killed in the resulting fight.
The bartender for the Fortress who fought in the Falklands War
, alongside Rampart, superhero who sports injuries from the Gulf conflict, his powers are as yet unknown. He is pictured in background art dressed as a stereotypical Viking
, armed with an axe.
This villain's main feature is a huge black ball-like helmet over his head with a small slit to see out of. He wishes to be taken more seriously as a villain; in this regard he could be considered an evil foil to Alex, though his actual powers are unknown. He was captured and tortured by Don in episode 6, revealing the location of the villains' stronghold to enable the heroes to avenge the death of Simon.
and other such superhero residences, but rather than being actually a hideout it is simply a bar.
The Fortress serves "Green Lamp
Ale" on tap, "Shazam
stell", "Von Doomenbrau
", "Bottled Beast
" (a blue vodka look alike), "Grey Widow Vodka", "Gin City
", "Little Jock", "V for Vodka
" "Gamma
-Meister" and "Logan's Rum", a reference to both Logan's Run
and Wolverine
.
ATMs
shown belong to "Stanlees
Savings Bank".
The strip club visited by Don and Alex where the girls are wearing Wonder Woman
costumes is called Paradise Island
.
In the show's world, popular superheroes have comic books devoted to them, but the actual actions of all heroes are also reviewed by critics, exactly like comic books. Heroes are thus subject to criticism not only for incompetence, but also for being insufficiently entertaining.
s as well as British comics like 2000 AD – the latter being the home of Grant Morrison
's Zenith
, which was "the germ of it", according to the writer Drew Pearce.
thinks that No Heroics is "possibly the first genuinely amusing sitcom on any ITV outlet since, well — any suggestions?" Also at The Times, Michael Moran expresses similar sentiments, suggesting that it "is edgier than My Hero though – closer perhaps to cult favourite Mystery Men
" and that while "Episodes one and two might be a slow burn ... [b]y the third instalment though, the hapless heroes are established as a superior sitcom characters that deserve a spot in the pantheon of loveable loser comedy that stretches from Tony Hancock
to David Brent
."
Jane Simon in The Mirror thought that "the affectionate yet satirical tone is gauged just right to appeal to super-nerds and regular viewers, and is packed with tiny details to reward aficionados." "What's On TV" called the show "inspired" whilst The Times continued their support of the show by saying "ITV2's new comedy No Heroics is fast, funny and a little ingenious. Drew Pearce, the creator/writer, established an engaging collection of pretenders to the throne: The Hotness, a sexually inadequate "cape" with a penchant for heat; Electroclash, who let a shop owner get shot and suffer from his injuries because he was sexist; Timebomb is Spanish, depressed, unhinged; She Force is a superhero with the twittering insecurities of Carrie Bradshaw."
In addition, the influential British comic book creator Warren Ellis
showed a warm display of support for the show on his blog
by saying that "it’s funnier than a comedy show about superheroes has any right to be. It’s a miracle it got on the air at all. Full points to creator/writer Drew Pearce for coming up with something that should translate to a general audience because it’s black humour first and everything else second."
However, comic book
writer Steven Grant
disagrees, saying "boy, does it suck. Nothing but mindless, pandering sex jokes (would-be jokes, anyway) and The Beano
level schoolboy shenanigans." Sentiments shared by Anna Lowman of TV Scoop, who thought that "[t]he main problem with this comedy is that the writers have apparently decided to replace the jokes with an unremitting coarseness ... and to produce characters that no-one in their right mind could give too (sic) hoots about" concluding that "No Heroics is just another reason why ITV is known as the graveyard of comedy." Robert Hanks of The Independent
also picks up on similar angles: "It is quite a nice idea, certainly a much better idea than My Hero ... but so far Drew Pearce's script is too ready to fall back on the drink and the sex every time it needs a laugh."
commissioned a pilot of No Heroics in the US, with Pearce being joined by Will and Grace writer Jeff Greenstein
. In March it was announced that Freddie Prinze, Jr.
had been cast as Infinitum, the A-list superhero, and Paul Campbell
, Eliza Coupe
, Tom Riley and Arielle Kebbel
are playing the B-listers.
Some scenes were filmed in the Gastown District in Vancouver, BC April 2009.
Josh Gad
, best known for his role on the Fox comedy Back to You
, played their former classmate from Superhero College, Horse Force, who can summon horses and works at a bar where the group hangs out.
ABC declined to pick up the American adaptation of No Heroics.
DIRECTV
has exclusive rights to the British version of the series.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
superhero
Superhero fiction
Superhero fiction is a form originating in and most common to American comic books, though it has expanded into other media through adaptations and original works....
-comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series, which began on 18 September 2008. The show is ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
's first original sitcom. It was nominated for Best New British TV Comedy of 2008 at the British Comedy Awards
British Comedy Awards
The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
.
Setting
No Heroics is set in modern-day Britain, in a world similar to ours but "with one small difference: there are superheroes." The superheroes of the world (colloquially referred to as "capes") are primarily modelled after those of the Golden Age of Comic BooksGolden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
, usually clad in brightly coloured outfits consisting of skin-tight materials such as Lycra or Spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
. The presence of superheroes in the world is commonplace, arriving not only to save people or avert disaster but also carrying out everyday tasks such as grocery shopping or taking a smoke break, all while in full costume. Other aspects of society relating to superheroes include:
- SidekickSidekickA sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
taxes - all superheroes have to pay sidekick taxes even if they choose not to have a sidekick, these taxes are to compensate those affected when a sidekick makes a mistake such as blowing up a post office. - The SPA - the Super Powers Authority deals with abuse of powers cases, dealing out punishments including community service, such as mentoring an unruly sidekick.
- Anti-cape leagues - parallel to neo-Nazi groups in the real world, anti-cape groups (such as the Cape Haters of Great Britain) are prejudiced against superheroes and tell "capeist" jokes, and sometimes go around "cape-bashing".
- The Fortress - the bar of choice for the protagonists where most of the show takes place, with three fundamental rules: "No Masks, No Powers and No Heroics".
- A superhero academy exists where the capes are trained.
- Cape rape - a term similar to Date rapeDate rape"Date rape", often referred to as acquaintance rape, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent....
, referring to superhero rapists. - The Stronghold - the supervillain equivalent of The Fortress. A place for the villains to meet and show their battle and torture scars from their run-ins with heroes.
Primary characters
- Alex, "The Hotness" – Nicholas Burns
Alex controls heat and is desperate to be famous for saving the world (or at least someone), but somehow Excelsor always manages to save the day before him. His main work comes in winter when he fills in for the heaters at old peoples homes when they are broken.
- Sarah, "Electroclash" – Claire KeelanClaire KeelanClaire Keelan is an English actress, known for portraying Claire Ashcroft in Nathan Barley and Electroclash in No Heroics.-Background:Keelan is a former member of the Royal Court Young People's Theatre...
Sarah can control machines with her voice. However she would rather steal a pack of cigarettes from a machine than help the ‘normal’ world with her power. Seen as the most rock ‘n’ roll of the bunch, Sarah is the daughter of famous superheroes "Rampart" and "Velvet Veil", described by Sarah as the "Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean are British ice dancers and former British-, European-, Olympic- and World champions...
" or the "Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy is the name informally given to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who are both British television presenters and columnists. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple. They are best known for presenting This Morning and...
" of the superhero world. She is Alex’s on-off love interest, having broken up with him some time prior to the start of the series. Sarah was a member of the short lived superhero team known as Lady Trouble, alongside Jenny (She-Force).
- Don, "Timebomb" – James LanceJames LanceJames Lance is a British actor who is best known for his appearances in a number of British comedy series. James Lance attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School...
Don can see sixty seconds into the future and is an expert in torture. However, these days the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
Spaniard
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
only uses his abilities to his friends’ advantage, due to his retirement only taking on a few jobs to keep the cash rolling. He is also an ex-drug addict and frequently engages in sex with strangers. Don appears to be the only cape with a more modern-style costume, wearing a black leather suit of body armour in stark contrast to the brightly coloured outfits of his peers.
- Jenny, "She-Force" – Rebekah StatonRebekah StatonRebekah Staton is a British actress who was raised in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. She attended Wolgarston High School and trained at RADA....
Jenny has super-strength and is the third strongest female in the world, but doesn't feel comfortable being a superhero. She would much rather spend her days at her desk, waiting for Mr Right to come along. Socially awkward, Jenny revels in having a secret identity as an office worker, a charade her friends find pointless. Jenny was a member of the short lived superhero team known as Lady Trouble, alongside Sarah (Electroclash).
- Devlin, "Excelsor" – Patrick BaladiPatrick BaladiPatrick Baladi was born on 25 December 1971 and is an English actor.Baladi was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. His father is a gynaecologist from Libya, and his mother was a midwife...
Devlin is the most successful cape in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; he is a "Rock Star" within the superhero world, with a high public profile and numerous commercial endorsement deals. Due to his immense success Devlin's attitude is highly egotistical and selfish, and he takes pleasure in reminding Alex and the other "lesser" superheroes of his superiority at every opportunity, often by bullying Alex. Devlin has a wide array of powers, which include but are not limited to: flight, laser eye beams, X-ray vision, super speed, force field creation and manipulation, super sensitive hearing, and mind control abilities.
Supporting characters
- Simon, "Thundermonkey" - Jim HowickJim HowickJim Howick is an English actor. He is best known for his roles of Cpl. Matlin in Hellboy, Gerard in Peep Show and various characters including the 'Shouty Man', which he is best known for in CBBC's series of Horrible Histories...
Simon worked in the Fortress as a bouncer
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
, whose job it was to ensure that the regulars played by the rules. However the regulars treated him as a bit of a joke, particularly Sarah. He was allowed to use his powers in the fortress as part of his job. His power involved summoning monkeys; however, the monkeys did not simply appear, they had to physically travel from wherever they happened to be. Given that they took so long to respond to his calls, they were never seen on screen (although their coffins were present at Simon's funeral), even after relocating their home reduced their response time from 2 hours to 45 minutes. After Sarah taunted him about being a crap superhero he picked a fight with Slicefist (a known supervillain with razor blade fingers), both he and his monkeys were killed in the resulting fight.
- "Norse Dave" - Steve Spiers
The bartender for the Fortress who fought in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, alongside Rampart, superhero who sports injuries from the Gulf conflict, his powers are as yet unknown. He is pictured in background art dressed as a stereotypical Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
, armed with an axe.
- "Doomball" - Oliver MaltmanOliver MaltmanOliver Maltman is a British actor notable for his appearances in the TV series Star Stories, The Kevin Bishop Show, No Heroics and Clone. He has also appeared in Mike Leigh's films Happy-Go-Lucky in 2008 and Another Year in 2010....
This villain's main feature is a huge black ball-like helmet over his head with a small slit to see out of. He wishes to be taken more seriously as a villain; in this regard he could be considered an evil foil to Alex, though his actual powers are unknown. He was captured and tortured by Don in episode 6, revealing the location of the villains' stronghold to enable the heroes to avenge the death of Simon.
Episodes
- "Supergroupie" (18 September 2008)
- "The Fantastic Chore" (25 September 2008)
- "Mean Gills" (2 October 2008)
- "Back Issues" (9 October 2008)
- "Origin And Tonic" (16 October 2008)
- "Monkey Gone To Heaven" (23 October 2008)
In-jokes
The Fortress is a take on the Fortress of SolitudeFortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
and other such superhero residences, but rather than being actually a hideout it is simply a bar.
The Fortress serves "Green Lamp
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
Ale" on tap, "Shazam
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
stell", "Von Doomenbrau
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
", "Bottled Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
" (a blue vodka look alike), "Grey Widow Vodka", "Gin City
Sin City
Sin City is the title for a series of neo-noir comics by Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in "Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special" , and continued in Dark Horse Presents #51–62 from May 1991 to June 1992, under the title of Sin City, serialized in thirteen parts. Several...
", "Little Jock", "V for Vodka
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is a ten-issue comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd, set in a dystopian future United Kingdom imagined from the 1980s to about the 1990s. A mysterious masked revolutionary who calls himself "V" works to destroy the totalitarian government,...
" "Gamma
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
-Meister" and "Logan's Rum", a reference to both Logan's Run
Logan's Run
Logan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopic ageist future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching a particular age...
and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
.
ATMs
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
shown belong to "Stanlees
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
Savings Bank".
The strip club visited by Don and Alex where the girls are wearing Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
costumes is called Paradise Island
Themyscira
Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe that is the place of origin of Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons. Known as Paradise Island since Wonder Woman and the island's first appearance in All Star Comics #8 , it was renamed "Themyscira" with the character's February...
.
In the show's world, popular superheroes have comic books devoted to them, but the actual actions of all heroes are also reviewed by critics, exactly like comic books. Heroes are thus subject to criticism not only for incompetence, but also for being insufficiently entertaining.
Influences
The series contains a lot of references to comics in the props, touching on both American comic bookAmerican comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
s as well as British comics like 2000 AD – the latter being the home of Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Zenith
Zenith (comics)
Zenith is a British superhero, who appeared in the science fiction comic 2000 AD. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Steve Yeowell, with original character designs by Brendan McCarthy, he first appeared in 2000 AD #536 .Shallow and sarcastic, Zenith was a distinctly Generation X superhero...
, which was "the germ of it", according to the writer Drew Pearce.
Reception
The show has been well-received by the broadsheet and mainstream press. Stephen Armstrong of The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
thinks that No Heroics is "possibly the first genuinely amusing sitcom on any ITV outlet since, well — any suggestions?" Also at The Times, Michael Moran expresses similar sentiments, suggesting that it "is edgier than My Hero though – closer perhaps to cult favourite Mystery Men
Mystery Men
Mystery Men is a 1999 comedy film based on a Dark Horse comic book series feature in Flaming Carrot Comics by Bob Burden, directed by TV commercial director Kinka Usher. It stars William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, and Hank Azaria as a trio of lesser superheroes with fairly unimpressive superpowers who...
" and that while "Episodes one and two might be a slow burn ... [b]y the third instalment though, the hapless heroes are established as a superior sitcom characters that deserve a spot in the pantheon of loveable loser comedy that stretches from Tony Hancock
Tony Hancock
Anthony John "Tony" Hancock was an English actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Hancock was born in Southam Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, England, but from the age of three was brought up in Bournemouth, where his father, John Hancock, who ran the Railway Hotel in...
to David Brent
David Brent
David Brent is a fictional character in the BBC television mockumentary The Office, as well as a recurring character in the NBC series of the same name, portrayed by co-writer and director Ricky Gervais. Brent is a white-collar office middle-manager and the principal character of the BBC series...
."
Jane Simon in The Mirror thought that "the affectionate yet satirical tone is gauged just right to appeal to super-nerds and regular viewers, and is packed with tiny details to reward aficionados." "What's On TV" called the show "inspired" whilst The Times continued their support of the show by saying "ITV2's new comedy No Heroics is fast, funny and a little ingenious. Drew Pearce, the creator/writer, established an engaging collection of pretenders to the throne: The Hotness, a sexually inadequate "cape" with a penchant for heat; Electroclash, who let a shop owner get shot and suffer from his injuries because he was sexist; Timebomb is Spanish, depressed, unhinged; She Force is a superhero with the twittering insecurities of Carrie Bradshaw."
In addition, the influential British comic book creator Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
showed a warm display of support for the show on his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
by saying that "it’s funnier than a comedy show about superheroes has any right to be. It’s a miracle it got on the air at all. Full points to creator/writer Drew Pearce for coming up with something that should translate to a general audience because it’s black humour first and everything else second."
However, comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer Steven Grant
Steven Grant
Steven Grant is an American comic-book writer best known for his 1985-1986 Marvel Comics mini-series Punisher, with artist Mike Zeck and for his creator-owned character Whisper.-Biography:...
disagrees, saying "boy, does it suck. Nothing but mindless, pandering sex jokes (would-be jokes, anyway) and The Beano
The Beano
The Beano is a British children's comic, published by D.C. Thomson & Co and is arguably their most successful.The comic first appeared on 30 July 1938, and was published weekly. During the Second World War,The Beano and The Dandy were published on alternating weeks because of paper and ink...
level schoolboy shenanigans." Sentiments shared by Anna Lowman of TV Scoop, who thought that "[t]he main problem with this comedy is that the writers have apparently decided to replace the jokes with an unremitting coarseness ... and to produce characters that no-one in their right mind could give too (sic) hoots about" concluding that "No Heroics is just another reason why ITV is known as the graveyard of comedy." Robert Hanks of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
also picks up on similar angles: "It is quite a nice idea, certainly a much better idea than My Hero ... but so far Drew Pearce's script is too ready to fall back on the drink and the sex every time it needs a laugh."
American adaptation
ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
commissioned a pilot of No Heroics in the US, with Pearce being joined by Will and Grace writer Jeff Greenstein
Jeff Greenstein
Jeff Greenstein is an American television writer and producer. His credits include Desperate Housewives, Jake in Progress, Will & Grace, Partners, Friends, and Dream On....
. In March it was announced that Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie James Prinze, Jr. is an American actor. He rose to fame during the late 1990s and early 2000s, after starring in several Hollywood films aimed at teenage audiences, I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer , as well as She's All That , Summer...
had been cast as Infinitum, the A-list superhero, and Paul Campbell
Paul Campbell (Canadian actor)
-Life and career:From 2004 to 2006 he portrayed Billy Keikeya on the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. Campbell's character was a personal assistant to President Laura Roslin....
, Eliza Coupe
Eliza Coupe
Eliza Coupe is an American actress best known for her role as Denise "Jo" Mahoney in the medical comedy Scrubs, in which she became a regular for the ninth season. Coupe currently stars as Jane Williams in the ABC comedy series Happy Endings.-Career:Coupe grew up in New Hampshire and graduated...
, Tom Riley and Arielle Kebbel
Arielle Kebbel
Arielle Caroline Kebbel is an American model and actress. Arielle is perhaps best known for her roles in films such as American Pie Presents: Band Camp, John Tucker Must Die, Vampires Suck, and Aquamarine, as well as TV series including The Vampire Diaries, Gilmore Girls, and Life Unexpected, on...
are playing the B-listers.
Some scenes were filmed in the Gastown District in Vancouver, BC April 2009.
Josh Gad
Josh Gad
Joshua “Josh” Gad is an American film-, television-, and stage-actor best known for playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon and the role of Ryan Church in the television series Back to You. Gad has also appeared in episodes of ER, The Daily Show, Modern Family...
, best known for his role on the Fox comedy Back to You
Back to You
Back to You is an American situation comedy series, which aired on Fox from September 19, 2007 to May 14, 2008. The creators and executive producers were Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, and the director was James Burrows. The series starred Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as squabbling...
, played their former classmate from Superhero College, Horse Force, who can summon horses and works at a bar where the group hangs out.
ABC declined to pick up the American adaptation of No Heroics.
DIRECTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
has exclusive rights to the British version of the series.
Further reading
- Hall, Julian; (26 August 2008). "When the capes are off", The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. Retrieved on 30 - Pearce, Drew; (9 September 2008). "Eureka!: No Heroics", Broadcast Now, EMAP. Retrieved on 30
- Pearce, Drew; Ben Gregor (16 September 2008). "On location: No Heroics", Broadcast Now, EMAP. Retrieved on 18 September 2008.
- Scott Lewinski, John ; (26 September 2008). "No Heroics Plays Superheroes for Laughss", The UnderwireWired (magazine)Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
. Retrieved on 30 September 2008.