[forum-admin]

Note to fans of Heroes: Get ready to vote.

Yesterday, NBC revealed plans to spin off its popular rookie drama. Well, sort of.

The limited run spinoff, Heroes: Origins, will only be six episodes. But it will introduce a new character each week, adding to the stable of indestructible cheerleaders, flying politicians and teleporting Japanese office drones.

Viewers will then be encouraged to log on to NBC.com (cross-promotion!) and vote (interactive programming!) for their favourite new hero (clever gimmick!).

The democratically elected character will then be added to the sci-fi drama as a regular the following year. In other words, think of this as a paranormal version of American Idol.

NBC, which has been in dire straits of late, is clearly hitching its future star to the Heroes bandwagon. And with good reason: the show became one of the only new dramas to resonate with viewers this year. The combination of Heroes and Heroes: Origins will give NBC 30 original episodes next season, thereby eliminating the kind of hiatus that dampened the show's momentum this winter.