Did Heroes Steal from a Previous NBC Sci-Fi Series?

I have shocking, absolutely SHOCKING news. After a spate of late-night nostalgia led me to look up clips from the failed 1985 NBC series Misfits of Science (featuring, among others, a young Courney Cox), I discovered that Heroes may have ripped off a thing or two from this campy gem. Not only does Misfits of Science also focus on a group of young, attractive people with supernatural powers, but it features a wayward warning: "Save Adele, save the world."

Hmmmm...

For the uninformed, that line sounds suspiciously similar to the famous Heroes mantra, "Save the cheerleader, save the world." But the coincidences don't end there. Additionally, the creator of Heroes, Tim Kring, once was a writer on, you guessed it, MISFITS OF SCIENCE.

HMMMMMMMM...

I don't know how this ranks on the scandal-meter, as stealing from oneself certainly isn't the most awful thing ever, but nonetheless, Heroes definitely loses a point or two in the originality department. (Don't worry though — the show's quality is still light years ahead of its forerunner.) To see the incriminating line, watch the clip above. You only need to see the first 35 seconds or so. After that, it's all campy fun. For further musings, click here.