CRUNCH-TIME FOR "THE EVENT"

The future in motion: the cast-both human and alien- of THE EVENT. Image: NBC. 

Any premiere series cut off in mid-stream production within its own home territory suffers the risk of not getting its audience back upon its return, and that’s the worry I have, ala the previous doomed FLASH FORWARD, with the re-commencement of the enjoyable sci-fi/ thriller series THE EVENT, created by Nick Wauters, which also returns to the UK’s Channel 4 next week in an improved day and timeslot (Monday at 10pm). It started in the US earlier this week and so far the ratings have not come in, but I have a hunch that we’ll know its ultimate destiny as a series within the next three or four weeks, before it completes its season order. Previous US ratings for the show had dropped quite dramatically after four or five episodes, and when that happens, its panic all round with the Network suits as everyone tries to find ways of “improving” their once hit, normally resulting in said changes harming or seriously diluting all the ingredients that made the show an interesting one in the first place! There have indeed been some tweaks made to this second batch of episodes, and presumably new writers and producers have been drafted in to aid its recovery, whilst the LOST-type flashbacks, which apparently confused lots of State-side viewers, have now been axed in a move which, I feel, will rob the show of any uniqueness it once had in favour of concentrating on the current storylines. After a prior dip in terms of pacing, Episode Ten had actually ended last year on a winning high, with lots of action and conspiracy, as the Vice President was almost blown into oblivion as he was ready to tell the President (Blair Underwood) of his partaking in a cover-up with an unknown alien force led by powerful businessman James Dempsey (the creepy, and always highly watchable, Hal Halbrook: if you want a good conspiracy thriller actor, he’s one of the best actors around to hire!), the Government was placed on red alert in anticipation of a new catastrophe in the wake of their unsuccessful dealings with the other alien fraction, which has sent an unknown message into deep space (to be retrieved by who?), led by relationship fractured Mother and Son duo Sophie and Thomas (Laura Innes and Clifton Collins, Jr., whose characters, having retained their youth after nearly sixty years, would be superb stars for NIVEA skin care adverts!), and always on the move ex-runaways Laila (Sarah Roemer, whose character may be alien evolved herself) and Sean (Jason Ritter), in the search for the formers kidnapped younger sister, involved in some kind of project that has seen her genetic make-up being interfered with, starting to fight back against their clever and relentless human and alien pursuers…

So, alongside new character guest stars including Virginia Madsen, Clea Duvall, Gabrielle Carteris and Roger Bart, there’s still plenty of potential left in the show to make it a continued success-it just has to stay focused, exciting and fast paced, and if it can do that, and be backed up with strong, rather than floundering support from the network, it may at least reach a second season thirteen episode order….

Look out for a series review of THE EVENT in the not too distant future...