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.
Larry, all episodes are availible on Amazon.com under Video on demand. I watch all the show I miss there.
Never could really get into it. I think it should be canceled
Never could really get into it. I think it should be canceled. Did have great expectations for it originally but it just couldn’t grab my interest.
seriously nbc is the worst at canceling a series after half a season! i swore after october road i wouldn’t even watch this station again then someone said how good the event was so because it was on demand we decided to try it! if they dont have some sort of conclusion i will def be done
NBC YOU FINALY HAVE A GOOD SERIES AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT………………………………..
YOU MUST HAVE BAD TASTE IN DRAMA TO NOT LIKE THIS SHOW IT IS WELL DONE AND INTERESTING. KEEP IT GOING.
I really liked “The Event” and the show “Flash Forward”. I am so tired of hospital and police shows. Boring, boring and boring.
LOVE THE EVENT !! Was away and missed the finale and was really devastated ! Can’t wait to hunt down that episode and am glad to hear that more may HOPEFULLY be coming ! Come on NBC,do the right thing and bring it back! It had lots of personality and plot twists and character.Most of the” reality”(?) show CRAP on T.V. nowadays makes me want to turn off the tube and listen the radio,take a walk or read a good book. The Event,Nat’l Geo.,TLC,travel shows,HGTV,music events ,60 Minutes,Dateline,CBS Sunday Morning( and yes ,even Dirty Jobs!) gets our attention and peaks… Read more »
I recorded the episodes on my DVR, since there were so many other good shows on as well. But, I watched all episodes during Christmas break and absolutely loved the show. When each episode was over I could not wait to see what was going to happen next. I hope they continue to keep it on the air. I was a total fan of Flashfoward and was very disappointed to find out it was cancelled. I think there are so many shows out there to watch that people record episodes or watch them on demand when they get a chance… Read more »
NBC’s series The Event is the only show I consistently watched on this network. Now it’s possible that it will be cancelled, it figures! Those people are out of touch and if this series is cancelled, I won’t be suckered in again by NBC.
I just started watching The Event on Demand. I really liked it except for Sean and Leila. they are very naive, and in experienced in the actions they are doing. Kissing and hugging in very difficult situations, come on. Both of them remind me of Kim on 24. Do something about Sean and Leila and the show might make it.
make.
I really like this show and hope it continues. I really liked Flash Forward as well and wish it hadn’t been cancelled–esp. now with the mass of birds dying in Arkansas as well as the fish—eerily similar to events in Flash Forward. Why do the networks leave us with mindless drivel to watch like Jersey Shore and other supposed “reality” tv?
NBC must be ran like a used car lot as viewers are suckered in but in the end left with a bad deal. No Event,no NBC
when the show first loved it, then it disappeared and i have now lost intrest, so i probally would not watch it again
I echo MsVette’s misgivings (posting #14): I am so tired of Networks killing shows that draw me in. I had no interest after Lost lost it’s soul with such a crappy cop-out ending, which I could have written better myself. As “confusing” as it was, it could have all tied together to make a hell of a great Sci-Fi story, with terrific acting and a thread of continuity to the last. But then it’s just a fantasy created by the dying neurons of … ? Then there are the various series that disappeared into Cable-land, where I will not ever… Read more »