The Event: NBC Series Return Delayed Until March 7th

If you’ve been counting the days until the return of The Event, you’ll need to add seven days to that figure. As suspected, NBC has pushed back the return of the ratings-challenged series by one week.

Earlier today, we reported that the peacock network had cut The Cape’s order from 13 to 10 episodes. The Event was originally supposed to return on February 28th and that would have left NBC with two leftover episodes of The Cape. Since they’ve already paid for them, it looks like the network execs want to air them. The last two installments of The Cape’s first (and likely only) season will air on February 28th.

Then, on March 7th, The Event will return with a two hour event of its own. That will leave nine episodes of The Event for the show’s first, and very possibly only, season.

The show currently ranks in the middle of NBC’s shows. It started out strong but soon started dropping viewers like crazy. The last four original episodes from November averaged a poor 1.7 rating in the demo. The Event will be returning from a three month hiatus and extended breaks like that have rarely if ever helped a struggling show’s ratings.

As a sidenote, this all means that ratings-challenged Chuck will get sidelined for at least two weeks, likely returning on March 14th.

What do you think? Will the week’s delay hurt The Event or will it benefit from have a two-hour episode? Or does any of it matter at this point?