James Lance

Call it the Heroes effect. Perfectly normal people, not just comic-book geeks, are getting excited about superheroes, and superheroes are becoming more like normal people. Here Nicholas Burns (off Nathan Barley) and James Lance play slacker supermen who would be perfectly happy wasting their lives in the pub, were it not for the irritatingly flawless Excelsor (The Office's Patrick Baladi) who never stops reminding everyone how Super he is.

Packed with in-jokes for the fans and normal jokes for the rest of us, No Heroics will keep the long autumn nights safe for Truth, Justice, and the Comedy Way.

Michael Moran, The Times, 18th September 2008

What do superheroes do on their days off? If they're British they go to the pub of course - a shabby boozer called The Fortress with a strict door policy: No Capes. No Powers. No Heroics.

As the first sitcom to be commissioned for ITV2, No Heroics comes out fighting and boasts a gaggle of sitcom veterans as costumed crusaders.

Being Brits they're all ever-so-slightly rubbish, and probably none more so than The Hotness/Alex, played by the appropriately named Nicholas Burns. What this man can do with a ready meal is nobody's business.

Then there is Patrick Baladi as Excelsior/Delvin who can fly, and who rates the most headlines in New Power Express, the Superheroes' magazine.

They are all fame-obsessed and can often be found glued to their own TV channel, The Power Hour, to see if they get any mentions.

Claire Keelan is Electroclash/Sarah, who can speak to machines, She-Force/Jenny (Pulling's Rebekah Staton) is super-strong, except when it comes to men, where she's a push-over.

And James Lance's hero is a gay Spaniard called Timebomb/Don and can see one minute into the future.

The brainchild of comic book fanatic Drew Pearce, the affectionate yet satirical tone is gauged just right to appeal to super-nerds and regular viewers, and is packed with tiny details to reward aficionados. But you need Supersight to spot them. Or a pause button, maybe.

The Mirror, 18th September 2008