Next-generation teen queen Hayden Panettiere, who plays Claire Bennet on NBC's hit show "Heroes," inadvertently got a bit XXX at the Television Festival on Saturday night. "I think of my character like a piece of meat," she said of the teenage cheerleader whose body regenerates. "She gets filleted and stir fried," she said. When show creator Tim Kring agreed, saying, "You're like a free range chicken," she quipped, "Yeah, you should tie my legs back." Only after the crowd's laughter did she realize the image she had just conjured up. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that," she demurred.



Not since "Melrose Place" ruled Monday nights (remember when "Mondays were a bitch?") have we looked so forward for the weekend to end so we can get our next television fix. "Heroes" has emerged as the show to drop everything for and part of what keeps the story so fresh, so unexpected is how Kring kills off main characters to keep fans on the edge of their couches. "I thought it was called 'Heroes,'" said Adrian Pasdar, who plays the crooked politician with the ability to fly. "Over time, I've discovered it's called 'Survivor.'" Three integral characters have already been killed off, which could explain why the remaining cast members spent most of their time during the Q&A session lavishing praise on Kring for his brilliance. No one wants to get voted off the island.

What was most interesting to learn is how the actors on the show have changed the shape of the story line. It'd be hard to imagine "Heroes" without Mr. Bennet, the shady "paper salesman" played by Jack Coleman, on every episode. In fact, his character was written as a small guest role. Mohinder Suresh was originally supposed to be played by a man in his 50s until the brilliant 33-year-old Sendhil Ramamurthy came in to audition for the role. And the mind-reading ex-cop Matt Parkman was envisioned as a Matt Dillon type until Greg Grunberg auditioned. "Then they went, 'let's go better looking,'" said Grunberg.



The show has often been compared to "Lost," which has fans worried that "Heroes" might burnout and get boring. Will Kring be able to keep it interesting? He says the central story line will be wrapped up in each season. "Volume two will have its own set of dilemmas, problems, bad guys," said Kring, who also implied that main characters would live on season after season.

The show returns on April 23 and we suggest stocking up the liquor cabinet. Milo Ventimiglia, who plays hero Peter Petrelli let us in on an onset drinking game.

Every time Peter Petrelli tucks his hair behind his ear: drink!
Every time Hiro Nakamura pushes his glasses up to his nose: drink!
Every time Mohinder Suresh says, "My father’s research": drink!



Want more TV Fest dirt? Read about the scariest "Nip/Tuck"fan ever, about the future of "The Closer," about the man fest we witnessed "Brothers & Sisters," and about why George Lucas has turned his back on the film biz.