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Recently, we were inspired by 'Parks and Recreation' to write a feature listing TV shows that overcame a rocky launch. Sadly, the reverse seems more common: shows that start strong but finish weak.

Our latest inspiration is the ongoing death spiral of 'Heroes.' (This week: Mohinder does something stupid! People's powers go awry at inopportune moments! Adrian Pasdar, pictured, looks like he'd rather be anywhere else!) Here's a once-inspired show that seems to be going down in flames after having run out of ideas.

Other times, shows peter out because of casting changes, bad writing or bizarre creative decisions. In each case, however, the audience feels betrayed and often deserts the show, leading to ratings death and what-went-wrong autopsies. Here's what went wrong on nine other good shows gone bad.

'Chuck' fans, you're in luck.

After being omitted from NBC's fall lineup, the fan favorite action-comedy finally has a premiere date for its third season. According to NBC, two-back-to-back original episodes will air Sun., Jan. 10, starting at 8PM ET, making the premiere even more geektastic.

Then tune in the next night as 'Chuck'' assumes its regular time slot: Mondays at 8PM.

Less than a month after announcing it was going to cancel 'Trauma', NBC has had a change of heart.

Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood reported Thursday that the network would be continuing it's original order for the series and plans an additional order for a few more episodes.

Superheroes are so 2006; vampires are the hotness right now. Sandy Deane and Kelly Woo grill John Kubicek from BuddyTV about why he's still hanging on to lame duck 'Heroes,' then explains why he thinks 'The Vampire Diaries' is the most "daring" and "shocking" show on TV today.

Plus we gush about the 'Bored to Death' season finale and debate if the Heather Locklear effect will fix 'Melrose Place' when she joins the cast next week.

E! Online and other sources are reporting that Adrian Pasdar, who plays Nathan Petrelli, the lawyer-turned-senator who can leap tall buildings in a single bound on 'Heroes,' is being kicked off the show.

Of course, this is rather strange news, as it isn't the character of Nathan Petrelli that's being killed off -- Nathan is already dead, murdered by Sylar in season 3. But Adrian Pasdar must've had one sweet contract, as he's since been playing Sylar disguised as Nathan, and now is more or less back to playing Nathan himself -- except that it's Sylar with Nathan's appearance and memories, with Sylar himself not having any memory of who he actually is. (Got that?)

British theater and television talent David Tennant, known to international fans as the star of BBC's long-running 'Dr. Who' series, will now work his magic on American television. The Hollywood Reporter says that Tennant will take the helm of a new hour-long NBC pilot entitled 'Rex Is Not Your Lawyer,' a project given the go-ahead this past August after a long search for the perfect lead.

The comedy/drama will follow the career of Rex Alexander, played by Tennant, a Chicago attorney whose panic attacks prompt him to cajole clients into representing themselves in the courtroom. 'Heroes' and 'Life' veteran David Semel directs with executive producers Barry Schnidel, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein. Writers Andrew Leeds and David Lampson will serve in supervisory production roles.

The super-powered mutants on 'Heroes' may finally have found two adversaries harder to beat than Sylar: Audience apathy, and the NBC suits. According to a report at sci-fi fansite Airlock Alpha, dipping ratings have made the show's cancellation all but inevitable, and NBC executives are reportedly asking the show's writers to tie up all narrative loose ends at the end of this season.

No doubt this news will lead to much rejoicing in the fanboy-o-sphere (already, the geekerati at io9 are citing the Airlock Alpha report as "good news"). Yes, the show once seemed smart and full of promise, but three indifferent seasons later, even die-hard fans are just waiting for the tired saga to play itself out. But if the end really is near, how should 'Heroes' end? Read on for some suggestions.

Sylar at the carnival? We want to go to there.

The deliciously evil 'Heroes' villain is back to his old self (but with Nathan's memories, or something like that), though he needs to do a bit of soul-searching with the help of carnie leader Samuel.

Meanwhile, Peter looks for a healer to help Hiro, while the latter mentors Emma on her abilities.