Jessica Collins joins in Heroes

The Nine crew was okay, but apparently Jessica Collins was holding out for some Heroes.

The actress, whose ABC heist-themed serial was derailed by low ratings, has signed on for a recurring role on NBC's superheroic, Emmy-nominated hit.

The Peacock confirmed Friday that Collins will play Sophie, a mysterious woman with powers of her own who works for an organization that's keeping tabs on the heroes.

Aside from The Nine, whose final episodes are being burned off this month, Collins' credits include guest stints on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Ghost Whisperer. She also costarred with LL Cool J in the CBS drama pilot The Man, which wasn't picked up for the fall season.

Meanwhile, the second season of Heroes is taking shape.

While producers remain tight-lipped about what's in store, they and several key cast members have dropped some tantalizing hints.

Heroes mastermind Tim Kring told reporters in a conference call Thursday that, after introducing all the key players last season, the new episodes will focus on conflicts between the various characters.

"We can expect to spend a little more time this year on a few story lines per episode that will allow us to highlight certain characters each week," he said. "By extension, some characters will be left out of episodes each week."

The show's creator and executive producer also noted that several new villains are in the works, one of whom may be the "Boogeyman" haunting the dreams of little Molly Walker last season.

Kring also confirmed that Star Trek staple George Takei will be back as Hiro's father and revealed that producers are looking "for another face that will have a very similar impact" to Takei for genre fans.

Collins is now the second confirmed new cast addition. A character named Maya Herrera, played by Dania Ramirez, will emerge as a new hero from South America, although Kring is mum on her secret power.

Then there's the prequel/spinoff, Heroes: Origins, which will air during the original's winter hiatus.

During Origins' six-episode run, fans will have the chance to vote online for their favorite new hero, who will then be added to the cast of the main series. At last week's Comic-Con, Kring announced that comic book-lovin' Clerks director Kevin Smith will write and direct an episode of Origins.

Meanwhile, Kring scuttled talk of a big-screen Heroes anytime soon, stating "the show is doing everything a movie would do."

"I'm not sure what story we would tell."

He and fan fave Masi Oka—whose turn as Japanese everyman Hiro earned Best Supporting Actor Emmy nod—did express excitement over an upcoming series of hardcover graphic novels from DC Comics.

Meanwhile, sources say that the loft belonging to Isaac Mendez, the artist who could paint the future, remains intact and may play a part in future stories, even though his character was killed off by serial superhero slayer Sylar.

Kring said that second-season stories will take place in such exotic locales as Egypt, Central America, Mexico, Haiti and Ukraine. We'll also find out how Hiro copes with his trip back in time to feudal Japan.

For fans who want a crash course in the series, the season one DVD arrives in stores Aug. 28. The set features the original two-hour pilot, more than 50 deleted or extended scenes and full commentary.

"It's those viewers we're really hoping to attract and gain a new fan base for the opening the second season, which is about three weeks later. It could work out nicely for us," said Kring.

Heroes' second season kicks off Sept. 24 at 9 p.m.