Heroes Cancelled

In something of a surprising decision, Heroes and Law and Order have been cancelled by NBC, which appears to be cleaning house and moving toward the future with a new lineup of sorts.

Heroes was a runaway hit and developed something of a cult following when it was first aired several seasons ago, but suffered a precipitous drop and will not be renewed for a fifth season, according to a story at Entertainment Weekly's website (www.hollywoodinsider.ew.com).

It was a rather quick fall from the cliff for a show that seemed to have people hooked. But instead of sustaining the type of buzz that Lost has, Heroes became an afterthought, prompting NBC to make the tough call to pull the plug.

Law and Order, meanwhile, has had a remarkable run, earning the distinction of longest running drama on television after entertaining people for 20 seasons. The show has seen dozens of cast changes and numerous nights and time slots but always had sharp writing and storylines plucked from the headlines.

It was the rare show that was able to change its colors along with the times and trends, staying fresh through parts of three decades at a time where hundreds of shows were premiered and cancelled.

It was a gripping show, one that often pushed boundaries and challenged beliefs. In the end, that will be its legacy, and its a heck of a legacy to carry.