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« Ausiello Report
Heroes Scoop: Cheerleader Exits, D.L. MIA and More!
Leonard Roberts by Michael Muller/NBC
Just back from the TCA-sponsored press event on the Heroes set with scoop galore. Let's get right to it.
• Lyndsy Fonseca is out as Claire's gay cheerleader pal. No, not out like that. She's out as in, off the show. According to Heroes creator Tim Kring, Fonseca's role had to be cut short after she landed that series-regular gig on Desperate Housewives. "She wasn't a pivotal character," Kring says of Claire's pal, who will now appear in just one episode. "The idea was that that part would grow, but it never got a chance to."
• The entire cast was present with the exception of Leonard Roberts (D.L.), although Kring cautioned reporters not to necessarily "read anything into that." Well, considering this is the second Heroes press conference Roberts has bailed on this summer, I'm guessing D.L. is a goner.
• New Hero Dania Ramirez revealed that when we first meet her character, Maya, "she's on the run from the cops."
• Zachary Quinto was neither confirming nor denying reports that he's in line to play a young Spock in Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek pic. "I'm under strict orders not to say anything," he said. My BFF Greg Grunberg, meanwhile, says he's planning to "beg, plead and scrape" to get in that movie. "I mean, what's wrong with me as Scotty? Down in the engine room, rotisserie chicken.... "
• One movie that Abrams is casting Grunberg in is the buzzerific disaster flick known only by its myriad working titles (i.e., Cloverfield, 1-18-08, Slusho). "It'll probably be something where no one will be able to tell it's me," he said. "As you know, J.J. calls me his good-luck charm, so he's got to put me in there somewhere. I actually went to the set the other night, and it was really exciting and cool. The budget is not astronomical. But they're doing incredible things."
Now I'm heading off to hang with those crazy Walkers on the Brothers & Sister set. If you've got Qs, send 'em to ask_ausiello@tvguide.com — but make it quick!
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Jul 24, 2007 5:34 PM
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Uh, I'm confused. I thought Claire's gay pal was the boy who filmed her and ran around with her. Didn't they bond because they were both "different"? So my big question is will *he* be back this fall?
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Jul 24, 2007 6:11 PM
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No, Thomas Dekker has left the show to play John Connor in "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", which got ordered to series by FOX. He won't be back on "Heroes".
I figured that this would happen with Lyndsy Fonseca. No way she could pull off two roles of this caliber simultaneously.
Greets
Lambsilencer
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Jul 24, 2007 6:14 PM
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I dunno. Rena Sofer did double duty on Heroes and 24 last year, so I was still thinking she might be able to do both. But it does look bad that Heroes has dropped its gay character for the second time in a row in less than a year.
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Jul 24, 2007 6:21 PM
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"Zachary Quinto was neither confirming nor denying reports that he's in line to play a young Spock in Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek pic. "I'm under strict orders not to say anything," he said."
Hmmmm. Someone can't order you not to say anything unless (1) you are employed by them (or they have a really big gun) and (2) there is something to say.
Sounds like a confirmation to me.
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Jul 24, 2007 6:22 PM
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But it does look bad that Heroes has dropped its gay character for the second time in a row in less than a year.
....why does it look bad?
I'm guessing D.L. is a goner.
...Does that surprise you? The black character is almost always the first to go.
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Jul 24, 2007 8:15 PM
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But it does look bad that Heroes has dropped its gay character for the second time in a row in less than a year.
....why does it look bad?
I'm guessing D.L. is a goner.
...Does that surprise you? The black character is almost always the first to go.
Did you really just say those two things in one breath?
And really, the first to go? You mean, the first...after all the major character deaths LAST season?
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Jul 24, 2007 8:55 PM
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Dianora....yes I did say all that . Maybe not in one breath. I really want to know why it looks bad? I really don't understand what makes it look bad? It's not like those were the first ever gay characters? What makes this so bad?
Considering that there are only about 10 black characters on prime time television and now none on this show, does it really surprise ANYONE that they killed the black man off? I suppose I should just be happy there were 3 to begin with (excluding Richard Roundtree). So, in the literal sense, thats what I meant.
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Jul 24, 2007 10:28 PM
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I'm kind of uspset that DL is leaving he show. I love Lyndsey Fonseca, so it sucks that she won't be on Heroes, but I get to see her on Desperate Housewives
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Jul 24, 2007 11:00 PM
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I really want to know why it looks bad? I really don't understand what makes it look bad? - tp72
Well, it looks bad because it now appears that the show has twice started (or at least hinted at) gay-themed storylines, but ultimately chickened out. (I'm not saying I agree with that interpretation -- I'm just saying that some may see it that way.)
It's not like those were the first ever gay characters? - tp72
You know, that really isn't a question. (Actually, those first two weren't either, but I was going to let it slide -- until this third one came along and, well...)
Considering that there are only about 10 black characters on prime time television and now none on this show, does it really surprise ANYONE that they killed the black man off? - tp72
First off, we don't know for sure that he has been killed off.
Secondly, the D.L. storyline was supposedly the least popular among viewers, so why wouldn't they jettison him?
You conveniently ignore the fact that the show is adding two new black characters this year, to be played by Dana Davis (contract) and Barry Shabaka Henley (recurring).
I guess that doesn't play into your agenda -- i.e. that it is worse to get rid of a black character who has been on the show for a whole season than it is to scuttle two gay storylines before they have even really started.
I think we all get where you're coming from.
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Jul 25, 2007 1:00 AM
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Considering that there are only about 10 black characters on prime time television and now none on this show, does it really surprise ANYONE that they killed the black man off? I suppose I should just be happy there were 3 to begin with (excluding Richard Roundtree). So, in the literal sense, thats what I meant.
DL isn't being killed off, because he's black. He's being killed off, because he's the most useless character, he doesn't have any fans (due to rather poor character development and one of the least popular storylines last season) and that his power is, well, useless too. He's the weakest link on the show. Just like the screentime-wasting non-entity Simone last season (seriously, the most useless character EVER) and the hollow Isaac who was such a non-character to me. I didn't get a single tear to my eye when he died, I was kind of excited actually: he was my prediction for the next death, because he was so useless.
And before I even heard these rumors, I knew DL would kick it. He's just like Simone and Isaac: useless.
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Jul 25, 2007 7:37 AM
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Interesting that the 2 interracial relationships on the show last year - Simone/Peter and DL/what's-her-name were written off by killing the black characters. It's true that both storylines were weakly developed, as if the writers were scared of fleshing them out. I hope that the audience reacted negatively to both storylines because of the writing and not to the fact that they were interracial.
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Jul 25, 2007 8:01 AM
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Where is there a poll that Leonard Roberts' character was the least favored? And you really think DL was useless? Considering he could break into or out of anywhere, killed Linderman (who was a heavy hitter considering he was manipulating everyone in the show in some form or another), and beat Jessica one on one in a fight, where does that lead you to he's the weakest link?
Fact - it's not a good look for Heroes on both fronts - gay and black. Simone gets smoked (now, yeah, she's pretty but basically useless), Richard Roundtree - who became far more important after death, both gay characters basically dissappear (very lame), and now Leonard. Meanwhile, how is Greg's character still alive after taking what, four shots with no protection? Who is this guy - freakin' 50 Cent?
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Jul 25, 2007 9:18 AM
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But it does look bad that Heroes has dropped its gay character for the second time in a row in less than a year. -
Did I read something incorrectly? Am I missing something?? She got another job...as a series regular. Bye the bye somethingreal, that differentiates her from Rena Sofer because it is my understanding she was not a regular in either show. As a matter of fact, she was only on 1 or 2 Heroes episodes. That qualifies as a guest appearance and people that make guest appearances show up on MANY shows in a season.
I suppose they could have recast the role, but then I am sure there would have been people complaining about that also!
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Jul 25, 2007 10:32 AM
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Heroes' underlining theme is: prejudice. They are "Heroes", as in, people with abnormal powers. The entire point of last season was "coming out" and being different from the norm of society.
To think that Tim Kring's decisions with the characters are anti-homosexuality or racist is ignorant and close-minded.
The show is full of every type of race and just because a character hasn't shouted "I'm gay!" - means nothing. Open your eyes and don't be so quick to judge.
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Jul 25, 2007 10:37 AM
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