No Heroics is a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
comedy television series, which began on 18 September 2008. The show is
ITV2ITV2 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...
's first original sitcom. The series concerns the love lives and day-to-day trials of a group of friends who just happen to be off-duty
superheroA superhero is "a fictional character of unprecedented powers dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest"...
es. It was nominated for Best New British TV Comedy of 2008 at the
British Comedy AwardsThe 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 modeled after those of the
Golden Age of Comic BooksThe 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...
, usually clad in brightly coloured outfits consisting of skin-tight materials such as Lycra or
SpandexSpandex, or elastane, is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor.{cn}} It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers...
. 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:
- Sidekick
A sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, Batman's companion Robin, and Xena's partner, Gabrielle are some well-known sidekicks in fiction....
taxes - all superheroes have to pay sidekick taxes even if they choose not to have (a) sidekicks, 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 rape
"Date rape", often referred to as “acquaintance rape”, is an assault or attempted assault by usually a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent.-Drug-facilitated date rape:...
, 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 Keelan
Claire Keelan is a 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 DeanTorvill and Dean are British ice dancers and former British-, European-, Olympic- and World champions...
" or the "
Richard and JudyRichard Madeley and Judith 'Judy' Finnigan are married television presenters. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple, though each has had the occasional solo project. Madeley recently fronted the ITV show Fortune - Million Pound Giveaway...
" 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 Lance
James 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
gayThe term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637....
SpaniardSpanish people or Spaniards constitute the nationality and ethnic group of natives of Spain, a European country in the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. The Spanish nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the complex history of Spain...
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 armor in stark contrast to the brightly coloured outfits of his peers.
- Jenny, "She-Force" – Rebekah Staton
Rebekah 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 Baladi
Patrick Baladi is an English actor.Baladi was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England. He was educated at Stonyhurst College and went on to train as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Baladi is best known for his portrayal of David Brent's suave and charming arch-nemesis, Neil...
Devlin is the most successful cape in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
; 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 aren't 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 Howick
Simon worked in the Fortress as a
bouncerA bouncer or doorman is an informal term for a 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 behaviour, or other standards...
, 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 WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict/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
VikingA Viking is one of the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century. These Norsemen used their famed longships to travel as far east as Constantinople and the Volga River in Russia, and as far...
, armed with an axe.
- "Doomball" - Oliver Maltman
Oliver Maltman is a British actor notable for his appearances in the tv series Star Stories, The Kevin Bishop Show, No Heroics and Clone and the 2008 film Happy-Go-Lucky....
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 SolitudeThe 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 super hero residences, but rather than being actually a hideout it is simply a bar.
The Fortress serves "
Green LampGreen Lantern is the name of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 ....
Ale" on tap, "Shazamstell", "
Von DoomenbrauVictor von Doom is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 ....
", "Bottled
BeastBeast , 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 WidowBlack Widow is a fictional character, a secret agent in the Marvel Comics Universe...
Vodka", "
Gin CitySin City is the title for a series of comics by Frank Miller, told in a film noir-like style . The first story originally appeared in "Dark Horse's 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...
", "Little Jock", "
V for VodkaV 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 about the 1990s...
" "Gamma-Meister" and "Logan's Rum", a reference to both
Logan's RunLogan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopian future society in which population and the consumption of resources is managed and maintained in equilibrium by the simple expedient of demanding the death of everyone upon reaching a...
and
WolverineWolverine is a fictional Canadian superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Incredible Hulk #180 and was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita Sr., who designed the character, and was first drawn for publication by...
.
ATMsAn automated teller machine is a computerized telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a human clerk or bank teller...
shown belong to "
StanleesStan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
Savings Bank".
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 bookAn 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 17 x 26 cm , although larger formats have appeared in the past....
s as well as British comics like
2000 AD – the latter being the home of
Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer and artist. He is best-known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings.-Early years:...
's
ZenithZenith 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 is a daily national newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register....
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 MenMystery Men is a 1999 comedy film based on a Dark Horse comic book series feature in Flaming Carrot Comics, directed by TV commercial director Kinka Usher. It starred William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, and Hank Azaria as a trio of lesser superheroes with fairly unimpressive superpowers who need to...
" 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 HancockAnthony John "Tony" Hancock was a British 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 Holdenhurst Road, worked as a...
to
David BrentDavid Brent is a fictional white-collar office middle-manager and the principal character in the BBC television mockumentary The Office, played by co-writer and director Ricky Gervais. He is the general manager of the Slough branch of the Wernham-Hogg paper merchants, and the boss to most of the...
." .
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 EllisWarren Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, well known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
showed a warm display of support for the show on his
blogA blog is a type of website, 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 reverse-chronological order...
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 bookA comic book is a magazine made up of narrative artwork, often accompanied by dialog and often including brief descriptive prose...
writer
Steven GrantSteven 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 BeanoThe Beano comic is a British children's comic, published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd and is possibly their most successful.The comic first appeared on 26 July 1938 and was published weekly. During the Second World War, The Beano and The Dandy were published on alternating weeks due to 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 IndependentThe Independent is a British newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly's Independent News & Media. 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 newspapers. The daily edition was named National...
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
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American 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. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
will be showing a pilot of
No Heroics in the US, with Pearce being joined by
Will and Grace writer
Jeff GreensteinJeff Greenstein is an American television writer and producer. He graduated from Tufts University in 1984.-Credits:His credits include The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud, Desperate Housewives , Jake in Progress, Will & Grace, Getting Personal, Partners, Friends, Dream On and The Marshall...
. In March it was announced that
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 and...
had been cast as Infinitum, the A-list superhero, and
Paul Campbell-Biography:From 2004 to 2006 he portrayed Billy Keikeya on the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. Campbell's character, a personal assistant to President Laura Roslin, was killed off in the second season episode "Sacrifice"....
,
Eliza CoupeEliza Coupe is an American actress, most well-known for her role as Denise "Jo" Mahoney in the medical comedy Scrubs, in which she will become a regular for the ninth season.-Career:...
,
Tom RileyTom Riley is a film, television, and theatre actor.Tom was involved in drama in his home town of Maidstone, Kent, since the age of four and spent his school years writing and directing plays...
and
Arielle KebbelArielle Caroline Kebbel is an American film and television actress.-Personal life:Kebbel was born in Winter Park, Florida. She graduated from Maile School in Winter Park, Florida a semester ahead of her class with a 4.3 GPA...
are playing the B-listers.
Some scenes were filmed in the Gastown District in Vancouver, BC April 2009.
Josh GadJoshua Gad is an American film, television and stage actor who was in the television series Back to You in the role of Ryan Church. The show premiered in September 2007 co-starring Emmy Award-winners Patricia Heaton of Everybody Loves Raymond and Kelsey Grammer of Frasier and Cheers...
, best known for his role on the Fox comedy
Back to YouBack to You was an American situation comedy series created and executive produced by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan. The series was directed by James Burrows, and starred Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as squabbling anchors of a news program....
, will play their former classmate from Superhero College, Horse Force, who can summon horses and works at a bar where the group hangs out.
ABC has declined to pick up the American adaptation of No Heroics.
Further reading
- Hall, Julian; (26 August 2008). "When the capes are off", The Independent
The Independent is a British newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly's Independent News & Media. 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 newspapers. The daily edition was named National...
. 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 Underwire
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since March 1993, that reports on how technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
. Retrieved on 30 September 2008.
External links