Where to Watch ‘Heroes’ on Streaming, The Show That Made Hayden Panettiere a Nerd Icon

By Anna Menta

Photo: Dean Handler / ©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection

The world is mourning the sudden, tragic death of Hayden Panettiere, the 36-year-old actor who was found dead in her home on Sunday.

There is not yet confirmation on Panettiere’s cause of death, and false speculation would will only make this difficult time for Panettiere’s family and friends even more painful. As we wait for more information, one way for fans of Panettiere to process this heartbreaking news is by watching Hayden Panettiere movies and TV shows, and remembering her talent as an actor. And for self-proclaimed nerds who were addicted to TV, comics, and superhero stories in the early 2000s, there is no Hayden Panettiere role more iconic than that of Claire Bennet on Heroes. Save the cheerleader, save the world.

Created by Tim Kring, Heroes first premiered on NBC in 2006, and quickly gained a devoted, cult following. The superhero drama mimicked the style and storytelling tropes of a superhero comic, and followed an ensemble cast (Milo Ventimiglia as Peter, Masi Oka as Hior, Adrian Pasdar as Nathan) of ordinary people who learn they have superhuman powers. Heroes was two years before the Iron Man movie turned superheroes into mainstream blockbuster hits, and therefore still felt like it was “for the nerds.”

Panettiere, just 16 years old in the pilot episode, was charming, blonde, beautiful. She was the ultimate crush for nerdy teen boys (and girls) who loved the show. We loved her, and from our point of view, she seemed to love us back. She was a regular at sci-fi and comic book conventions Gen Con, New York Comic Con, and Fan Expo Canada, always with a smile on her face, a charismatic quip, or a kind word for fans. She was our nerdy queen. Our icon.

Hayden Panettiere signs an autograph at the Big Apple National Comic Book Convention at Penn Plaza Pavllion on November 18, 2007 in New York City. Photo: Steven Henry/Getty Images

Though she had been acting since she was a baby, Heroes made Panettiere a star, and is still one of her most-remembered roles to this day. If you’re looking to go back to the series that started it all in her honor, here’s where you can watch Heroes on streaming, including where to watch Heroes online for free.

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Who did Hayden Penettiere play in Heroes?

Hayden Penettierre played Claire Bennet on Heroes, a high school cheerleader with the super power to heal rapidly from injury, thanks to rapid cellular regeneration.

Claire quickly became a fan-favorite and one of the biggest stars of the show. In the pilot episode of the show, viewers are introduced to Claire when she jumps off an 80-foot-high oil-drilling rig, filmed on a hand-held camcorder by her friend Zach. Hayden screams and seemingly falls to her death, crumpled on the ground. But when her friend rushes to check on her, she gets up, pops her shoulder back into the place, and tells Zach’s camera, “This is Claire Bennett, and that was attempt number six.”

Thus, one of the most beloved TV characters of the early 2000s was born.

Where to watch the Heroes show on streaming:

All four seasons of the Heroes TV show are currently streaming on Netflix. (Although many fans would argue you should stop watching the show after Season 1.)

Netflix offers three subscription plans to fit your streaming needs. The plans start at $7.99/month for standard with ads and go up to $24.99/month for unlimited ad-free streaming in up to 4K UHD quality.

If you don’t have a Netflix subscription, you can also watch all four seasons of Heroes on Tubi, for free, with ads. You don’t even need a Tubi account to watch! (Though you might want to make one, so you can save your progress while you watch.) Tubi is a free, ad-supported streamer, which means there will be a few commercials while you watch.

You can also buy Heroes on digital platforms like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, and more. The price may vary depending on which platform you use to buy the show, but on right now Prime Video, you can buy Heroes Season 1, Episode 1, “Genesis,” for $2.99; you can buy all of Season 1 for $39.99; and you can buy all four seasons $69.99.