US network NBC are trying all sorts of tricks to revive their flagging fortunes, and got off to a bombastic start with a Super Bowl which pimped their shows to high heaven.

Heroes returned to US screens last night with a high-octane (by that we mean racy, not full of gas) episode to launch the new volume ‘Fugitives’. It was heralded by a costly and ambitious Super Bowl as which showed the characters using their super-duper powers to defeat and all-star team including a flying John Elway. Reaction to the ad has been positive and early reports claim that ‘A Clear And Present Danger’ is up on last year’s much heralded ep ‘The Second Coming’.

Medium and Chuck also benefitted from Super Bowl fever, featuring in a fun promo alongside Heroes presenting NBC’s Monday night line-up. The new episode of Chuck was in 3D, an audacious move for a flagging show to require viewers to make a purchase of special glasses in order to watch, but it created a buzz around the show and linked to 3D Super Bowl content.

The Bowl bandwagon made $261 million for NBC, a new record for advertising during the event. “The plan to aggressively sell the majority of our advertising early in the process at the record unit price of $3 million showed tremendous foresight,” said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. “To finish selling out the Super Bowl in these last two weeks, in this economy and at record levels, is a testament to the dogged determination of Seth Winter [SVP, Sales & Marketing, NBC Sports].”

No NBC shows have ranked in the top 20 broadcast shows in the last two weeks. The network will be hoping that overnight figures, published today, will show that they’re picking up momentum.