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Zachary Quinto on Post-Heroes NBC Return in Medical Drama Brilliant Minds
From Sylar to Dr. Oliver Sacks, Zachary Quinto returns to NBC two decades later.
It's been quite a while since actor Zachary Quinto headlined a NBC drama. To be exact, it's been 18 years since Quinto made a massive impression on television audiences as serial killer Sylar (aka Gabriel Gray) in the science-fiction phenomena of 2006, Heroes (now streaming on Peacock).
Over the past two decades, Quinto has easily transitioned from stage to film and back to television. But the September 23 premiere of NBC's new medical procedural Brilliant Minds marks the first time the actor has headlined a series for NBC.
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At the recent Television Critics Association summer press tour for NBC, Quinto appeared to introduce Brilliant Minds to journalists and take stock of the "full circle" of this moment in his career.
Zachary Quinto leaves the villainy behind to play a doctor inspired by Oliver Sacks
Brilliant Minds is a contemporary medical drama inspired by the writings and works of renowned British neurologist and author Dr. Oliver Sacks. Created by television writer and executive producer Michael Grassi (Riverdale), the series is the first broadcast procedural to ever woo Quinto as the lead character.
Back when Quinto was on Heroes, he was part of the show's large ensemble. And afterward, he joined the ensemble cast of the NBC drama The Slap, and even guest starred in two episodes of the NBC cult hit Hannibal. Otherwise, Quinto has spent a lot of his TV performance time on limited series horror shows like American Horror Story and NOS4A2.
RELATED: Why Did Sci-fi Superhero Series Heroes End?
During the TCA panel, Quinto was asked if Brilliant Minds felt like a homecoming, and he agreed.
"The irony is that Heroes was the job that changed my life and my career 15 years ago here on NBC," he explained. "So it really does feel like coming home in a way. Also interestingly, Heroes was a show that the entire inciting incident of that show was about a solar eclipse awakening people’s powers and awakening people’s sense of what they could accomplish in their lives. We started filming Brilliant Minds on April 8, the day of the solar eclipse. So there was also this connection back to Heroes in another way entirely, which made me feel like there was something bigger at play here and made me feel even more connected to this show and to NBC again."
Who did Zachary Quinto play on Heroes?
If you aren't familiar with the phrase "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World," then you likely missed the massive fandom that grew out of the hype for the first season of Heroes. To compare, apply peak Stranger Things buzz and that's where the zeitgeist was in 2006 with Heroes. A big part of that audience obsession was focused on Quinto, who commanded the screen with his creepy superhero serial killer Sylar.
In the first season, Sylar became the series boogey man for anyone who was discovering their superhero powers, as Sylar's power was his ability to drain the powers from others. He traveled the country targeting those who presented their powers. For three seasons, Sylar had a rollercoaster ride of an arc and he tried to overcome his murderous impulses to move away from the dark and work for good. His success was spotty, but in the series finale, Sylar finally embraced his heroic side.
Brilliant Minds premieres on NBC on September 23, 2024, at 10 p.m. Brilliant Minds will be preceded by the premiere of Season 26 of The Voice with new Coaches Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé at 8 p.m.
