Now that TV’s leaked onto the Internet (and vice versa), high hopes for a new series can be dashed even before the show premieres. Witness NBC’s decision to sell the pilot for Heroes on iTunes. “We want to generate buzz across a variety of platforms,” said a network executive. Of course, this tactic works only if the buzz is good—which, in this case, is an iffy proposition. Meanwhile, Weeds returns with just enough fanfare to make it potentially underwhelming; Borat fans try to restrain their excitement after the release of a spiffy new trailer; and a quashed pilot—CW’s Aquaman—finds lots of fans on YouTube. Just don’t bother seeking it out now. You’re bound to be disappointed.

Related:

• Articles by Adam Sternbergh
• Table of Contents: August 21, 2006 issue of New York | Subscribe!