Press tour: Mostly quiet on the 'Heroes' front

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- For a TV show that saw its ratings decline last season and its fanboys frustrated, you'd think NBC's "Heroes" would want to cast the widest net possible to remind viewers they should come back for season three. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

Following in last summer's "Lost" missteps, "Heroes" writers were coy on plans for season three but encouraged me to attend ComicCon in San Diego this week where much will be revealed. Sigh.

Season three will be broken into two halves. The first 13 episodes comprise Volume III, "Villains," and episodes 14-25 make up another chapter with a title the writers would not reveal.

"More is happening quicker in season three," said writer Christoher Zatta. "In season one a lot happened quickly. Season two was more drawn out. We're back to a lot happening very fast."

All the "Lost" writers I talked to at a Writer's Guild of America/West reception Saturday afternoon seemed to agree that the biggest problem with season two was that the pace was too slow. That approach was employed to try to broaden the show to reach more viewers. Instead, it alienated existing fans and ratings dropped.

Here's what I could glean:

"Nikki will be back but she won't have that name," said writer Kay Foster, confusing her own writing partner, Adam Armus: "I'm just confused by that answer." What they did agree on is that Ali Larter, who plays Nikki, will return.

In the second season finale, Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) was shot. Did he survive?

"Something miraculous happens to Nathan," Armus said. "He will see a new destiny in this world or the next world or in between, it's up for grabs. But there's something that guides him."

Sylar (Zach Quinto) will be back on his game now that his powers have been restored. Elle (Kristen Bell) will return, though it's not clear if she's good or bad.

"What defines a villain?" Armus said. "Whose morality should dictate what is right and what is wrong? People will be crossing the line.

"People will be coming together in ways that will blow [viewers'] minds," he added.

At NBC's star party Sunday night, many cast members mingled with reporters and their comments largely echoed those of the writers.

"It was a tough season, everybody knows it," said Sendhil Ramamurthy, who plays Mohinder. "We're very aware of how we need to step up."

Ramamurthy said he's confident that season three is in good shape. It sounds like his character will take a walk on the dark side.

"He's always been the outside looking in, trying to help," he said. "This year he finds a way in and it has some severe consequences. This seasons is about dealing with the consequences of your actions. It's deeply dark and twisted. ... He's a much more decisive character this year. Sometimes too decisive."

Star Milo Ventimiglia, who plays Peter Petrelli, said this season there will be more finality for some characters.

"[Series creator] Tim [Kring] said to me if you die this year, you're dead," Ventimiglia reported.