Let it be said that the networks are no longer afraid to try different ideas.

The drama “Heroes” is about ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary abilities. Previously, this show would have been seeking niche viewers on Sci Fi or USA. Instead, NBC is giving it a shot. When you’re looking up at CBS, ABC and even Fox, you need to take some chances.

“Heroes” starts with a genetics professor in India (Sendhi Ramaurthy) trying to figure out why his disgraced professor father has disappeared in New York City. He moves there and begins to delve into his father’s theory that there are people with super powers living among us.

Viewers are then introduced to these individuals: a young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia) who thinks he can fly, a indestructible cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere) in Texas, a Las Vegas stripper and single mom (Ali Larter) with a violent mirror image, a gifted painter (Santiago Cabrera) who captures future events in his art, an L.A. beat cop (Greg Grunberg) who can read people’s thoughts, and an office drone in Tokyo (Masi Oka) who can bend time through force of will.

There are also people trying to cover up the elder professor’s research and a serial killer who are part of this mystery.

“Heroes” has many different skeins that need to come together before viewers can figure out what’s going on. But, as “Lost” has proven, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Still, science fiction doesn’t have a good track on the networks, with only a few notable exceptions (“X-Files,” “Buffy,” “Star Trek”). Many viewers just don’t want to push their imaginations that much.

NBC has given “Heroes” a chance to succeed. It’s up against two new shows (“Vanished,” “Runaway”), an over-the-hill reality show (“The Bachelor: Rome”) and CBS’ two top comedies “Two and a Half Men,” “Old Christine”). “Deal or No Deal” is hardly a compatible lead-in, but it does draw viewers, who may hang around.