Tonight marks the last episode of The Event for 2010. NBC plans to relaunch the series in three months, on February 28th, after letting their new series The Cape have the timeslot. Is it a risky move? Not really. Ultimately, they don’t have much choice.
The Event follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter), a young man who’s investigating the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. He slowly begins to uncover the biggest cover-up in the history of the United States. Others in the cast include Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson, Clifton Collins Jr., Taylor Cole, Lisa Vidal, Bill Smitrovich, Zeljko Ivanek, and Blair Underwood.
The series debuted in September to decent ratings with a 3.6 in the 18-49 demo and 10.88 million total viewers. That’s a healthy sampling but, considering all of the promotion that NBC put behind it, the programmers were likely disappointed by its third place rank in the timeslot.
While some viewers clearly love the show, more than half who watched the first episode have already lost interest. The Event has been losing viewers, sometimes as much as 15 or 20% in one week, and to date has never shown an increase week-to-week in the demo. The most recent installment garnered just a 1.7 rating in the demo and 5.19 million viewers.
You can blame the network for not doing a better job of promoting The Event but clearly there’s a problem with the series when people who already watch don’t feel compelled to return week after week.
Will this February “relaunch” help? Based on recent TV history, the answer is no. Just look at V and FlashForward. People who were interested in The Event have either already tried it and stuck around or given up on it. Those who haven’t watched previously are very unlikely to give a try because they assume that they’ve missed too much backstory already. On top of that, when the show returns, the ratings will likely be lower than what they are now. By the time The Event returns in February, many casual fans will have already gotten involved with other shows.
The one thing that The Event has going for it is the fact that it’s on NBC. The peacock network continues to struggle and The Event is currently the fifth most-watched scripted program on the network. If things go as expected, it will drop much lower on the list next year. Still, with the exception of The CW, NBC is the only network that would consider giving this series more time. They’ll surely let all 22 episodes air.
The Event returns on Monday, February 28th and will have 12 more original episodes to air at that point. Will there be a second season? We’ll have to wait and see but hopefully the producers will plan ahead and not end the show without any resolution.
What do you think? Does The Event have a chance for survival? What could NBC do to save this show? Anything?
Image courtesy NBC.
Really enjoyed this series and was disappointed that it was taken off. Just checking to see when it will return and glad to see I can look forward to more episodes in February.
I “ABSOLUTELY” love the show. I was so disappointed when it was over. I am anxiously awaiting for the show to start again. I’m am very curious and can’t wait to find out what happens next. Please don’t disappoint the fans.
I began watching this only because of Scott Patterson (of Gilmore Girls). Please give him more screen time to truly make The Event a great show. He’s a wonderful actor who should be a star.
The show was very good, but hard to follow at times. I looked forward to it and really miss watching it. The actors were excellent. It deserves a second season, and the writers should make it a little easier to follow.
I Love this show, while it was a pain in the beginning with the 3hrs earlier and two years earlier I have come to look forward to next episodes. While I can not watch on Monday evening, I can watch ON DEMAND the next day. Could this be hurting the ratings with shows that can be watched at someother time. Do the networks track viewers who watch ON DEMAND.
I am hoping that this show will not see the same demise that Surface did several years ago, just when it gets interesting-gone forever.
I absolutely love this show, and I cant wait until it is back on air. Please do not cann this show, it has so much to offer.
Lost – well I was so lost that even my brain lost all its cells, gave up in the end because it went on too long without any true answers.
Flashforward was another good show that we will never get to understand what happened.
Conspiracys are great!!!!!!!!! keep up the great work.
I love the show and I have not missed one episode. I have been waiting to see when it was going to come back. I don’t like how the network just left us hanging. Please bring it back.
I watched the Event and was lost from the first episode. I kept watching hoping to figure it out but alas, it seemed to get more and more ridiculous, with many continuity issues. Sean’s cell phone never seemed to need recharging……who is he anyway?!!
The main idea and story line is great. But like any other Sci Fi fan, I love to see when the characters REALLY feel in a situation that its impossible to imagine. I think that actors and dialogues have failed to sell the audience the “reality” they have to put up with.
I repeat… the idea is great… what doesn work is how its handled.
The Event is the best program during that time spot. Also it keeps me coming back each week trying to figure out what is going to happen next, so far it keeps you quessing.
my wife and i truly enjoy the event and hope it stays on air.we record episodes on our
pvr.
I truly enjoyed watching The Event. I am looking forward to
the relaunch in February. I am sorry that its season was
interrupted. I do not enjoy watching the drummed up so-called
reality shows, so I watch other shows that are well-written and
have great storylines.
Man i hate that sing along show i was all looking foward to The Event i left class early to get nice and comfy to watch the show got in my pj’s grabbed some cheese puffs and the remote turned on my Tv and ws horrified to not only not have The Event anymore but to have to view the extremely insanely way too much plastic surgeried face of the guy from the i just wanna fly song from the 90’s
PLEASE GET HIMM OFFFFFFFFF i would rather watch C-SPAN at least Nancy Pelosis Face isnt to much.
I like this show—but if NBC was going to drop a show either way–I would rather have kept Undercovers. Its less confusing if you miss and episode and I dunno, maybe its the fact that its a black couple( and Im white)…but they are both beautiful and it was refreshing…plus Hoyt was really funny. Its JJ Abrams, I mean c’mon….he did awesome on ALIAS and ya this is sorta like a recreation…..but a good one, plus a totally different concept. Nothing sci-fi about it at all. I really am gonna miss Undercovers. C’mon NBC…BRING IT BACK!!!!
I luv the show. I have been eagerly anticipating the next episode. I was very dissappointed when the Singalong show came on. I will wait until 2/28/11. The story is intriguing and riveting. I record it when I am not at home. Please do not cancel