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Heroes

Heroes

You can't choose your family, you can choose a side.

2006–2010Ended4 seasons78 episodes~45 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

Common people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Heroes?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Heroes streaming on Netflix and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Heroes?

Heroes earns 7 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Heroes worth watching?

Heroes' Midcredits score is the 75th percentile of all shows, from 270K ratings across 2 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

75th percentile

Better received than 75% of shows

73rd percentile among Crime68th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)69th
Approval (how many liked it)77th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

75 /100

69th percentile of all shows

71st percentile among Crime61st percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

82% liked it

77th percentile of all shows

69th percentile among Crime71st percentile among 2000s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

99th percentile

267K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Crime98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show peaked with its first season and declined sharply afterward due to messy writing and an overcrowded cast.

Fans praised

  • innovative first-season premise of ordinary people discovering superpowers
  • strong ensemble cast with standout performances (Sylar, Hiro, HRG)
  • grounded human drama and emotional stakes beneath the comic-book fantasy

Detractors panned

  • convoluted, inconsistent plotting after season one with endless retcons
  • poor power-logic: characters gain/lose abilities arbitrarily, act incompetently
  • annoying character regression: Hiro becomes a childish cliché, Peter perpetually clueless

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

cast praised as strong ensemble (Sylar, HRG, Hiro standouts); detractors call some leads wooden or overacting

OriginalityDivisive45

first season felt fresh for TV superhero genre; later seasons derided as X-Men retread with no new ideas

Emotional impactDivisive45

character relationships (father-daughter, brotherly bonds) land early; later undermined by illogical choices

TensionDivisive40

first season built effective suspense and cliffhangers; later arcs feel repetitive and stakes-less

CharactersDivisive35

strong character-driven start, but later seasons ruin arcs with repetitive beats and inexplicable shifts

Plot and storyDivisive25

season one praised for focused mystery; later volumes criticized as convoluted, inconsistent, filler-heavy

Pacing25

season one had strong momentum; later seasons criticized as slow, padded, with rushed or anticlimactic finales

Ending20

season one finale considered weak; series cancellation left many arcs unresolved and unsatisfying

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 18 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Episodes

4 seasons

Redemption · 2009 · 19 episodes · 7.4 average across 18 rated episodes

  • S4E1

    Orientation

    Sep 21, 200943 minTMDB rating 7.5
  • S4E2

    Jump, Push, Fall

    Sep 21, 200943 min
  • S4E3

    Ink

    Sep 28, 200943 minTMDB rating 7.5
  • S4E4

    Acceptance

    Oct 5, 200943 minTMDB rating 7.3
  • S4E5

    Hysterical Blindness

    Oct 12, 200943 minTMDB rating 7.0
  • S4E6

    Tabula Rasa

    Oct 19, 200943 minTMDB rating 7.9Season best

Watch experience

What is Heroes like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseThrillingMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.Multiple perspectives · 2% of shows: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show plays its premise of ordinary people gaining superpowers and facing a gruesome killer with dramatic seriousness, never undercutting the stakes.
The rideThe series maintains a constant building pressure, with the heaviest emotional toll in the middle seasons.
StructureThe story uses time-jumping, flashbacks, and multiple character perspectives to interweave the separate storylines of the many heroes.
Episode formatEach episode moves multiple character stories forward while larger season arcs build; not purely serialized.
Season formatEach season has its own central threat and theme, though the cast and larger conflict carry through.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetWistful · 6% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe thrilling first season leaves a fond memory, but the subsequent decline and cancellation create a sense of lost potential and gentle longing for what could have been.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% (this title) · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe typical episode pits the ordinary-people heroes against the serial killer Sylar, who hunts and murders them for their powers, making the central action a fight against a predatory monster.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsIdentity
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeCharacters grapple with inherited powers, lost parents, and found families while trying to save the world.
StanceThe show affirms that extraordinary people connected by family and friendship can save the world.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalMagical realism
Orchestral modernElectronicRockForeground music · original score · Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman
SettingNew York City and surrounding areas, early 21st century
MusicThe score emphasizes the show's heroic and emotional beats, with recurring themes for characters.

Content guide

Is Heroes okay for kids?

TV-14

Heroes is rated TV-14. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (58/100) and frightening material at severe (88/100). Overall it is heavier than 97% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France10
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • Hungary18
  • IndiaU
  • MexicoAA
  • MY18
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Portugal12AP
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 85% of all showsHeavier than 97% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 97%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 63%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 62%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 97%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Heroes have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Heroes?

Cast

Jack Coleman
as Noah Bennet
Hayden Panettiere
as Claire Bennet
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Milo Ventimiglia
as Peter Petrelli
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Masi Oka
as Hiro Nakamura
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Sendhil Ramamurthy
as Mohinder Suresh
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Greg Grunberg
as Matt Parkman
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
James Kyson
as Ando Masahashi
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Adrian Pasdar
as Nathan Petrelli
Zachary Quinto
as Sylar
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Ali Larter
as Niki Sanders
Rising: A short career with a standing when this show came out above the median working actor today.

More like this

What are shows like Heroes?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Heroes include Heroes Reborn (2015), Powers (2015) and Black Lightning (2018).

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What other shows share a tag with Heroes?

289 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.