Despite the fact that I am still very interested in The Event, I still would probably qualify it as the biggest disappointment of the still very new television season (sorry, Lone Star fans … I called it early). So, when Michael Ausiello announced yesterday that The Event (along with several others) has been picked up for a full season, I was pretty happy. That feeling, however, was not universally shared at CliqueClack HQ.
Brett: Good luck with that! Seriously, The Event is dead. The show basically lived the entirety of the Heroes ratings run in four weeks. By Thanksgiving, it will be losing viewers and demo from the Chuck lead-in. And, as stated before, if you’re looking up at Chuck in the ratings, that’s a very bad thing. Also interesting that Undercovers isn’t on the list. Not quite so excited to be working with JJ Abrams now I guess.
Me: Hopefully the producers will see the writing on the wall and craft a complete story for the end of the year. Despite what everyone else thinks, I enjoy the hell out of The Event. Of course, it isn’t surprising that Brett focuses only on the ratings.
Bob: Yeah, I’m shocked they picked up The Event. I think it’s mostly the fact that things are so bad over there. You who loves characters! I’ve said it a couple times: The Event doesn’t have characters, near as I can tell it just has people that things happen to. It lost me after three episodes.
Me: No, you’re right, and the lack of easy-to-identify-with characters (oh well, why put lipstick on a pig … characters-that-aren’t-cardboard-cutouts) is one of the main reasons the show will (has?) fail(ed). Maybe, for me, it’s mostly about waiting to see if Keith and my’s running theory (like how I just co-opted that, Keith?) is right. And Laura Innes. And DB Sweeney. And the girl that plays Vicki. Whatever it is that pulls me in each week, it does exist. Which is more than I can say for Chuck, frankly, which I’ve lost interest in so much, I’m just now cleaning last week’s episode off of the DVR. And only because it was the last thing on it (except for two weeks of Undercovers, but that’s another, horrible story).
Carla: Glad to hear about The Event. The pickup may stop the shedding of viewers and transition some DVR viewers to live viewers. More excited to hear that it looks like Chuck will be getting a back end pickup!
What do you think? Are you on The Event hate bandwagon, or are you on board for the rest of the season?
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Oct 19, 2010 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
Brett is still Brett I see.
Screw the ratings. I’m enjoying The Event. Ok, so it’s not groundbreaking television, but it’s still entertaining. But I guess not everything can be the gripping masterstroke that is iCarly.
Oliver Queen said it right on last week’s Smallville that the world of armchair bloggers have created a generation of critics.
*POST AUTHOR*
Ironically, I remember you being one of the Event’s biggest detractor’s after the premiere aired…
“I’m done with this show. It’s boring. Nothing intriguing about it.” and “Ok, I’m not bored anymore. Now I’m just angry.”
Hey I’m not so full of myself I can’t eat a little crow. I was rather distracted by the live blog when the pilot first aired, and that’s what my comments were hastily based on. I rewatched afterward, and I still contend it wasn’t as strong as subsequent episodes have been, but better than the credit I bestowed up on it. The second and third outings were infinitely more enthralling…and I’ve even posted reviews on my personal blog stating my about face.
My comments have been about my feelings on the content and quality, not based on whether or not it was going to do well in ratings.
As I said…screw ratings. As long as it’s on the air, and maintains the quality I’ve seen since the pilot, I’m going to enjoy it.
I’m enjoying the story and the mystery, and I’m happy that at least it will get a full season to play out – and if NBC does decide to ax it, that they will give them enough time to craft a proper ending and not leave everything hanging.
I wish I enjoyed The Event, but its a struggle even to multi-task in the background. It is so visually unappealing to me my eyes aren’t drawn to the set. Visual appeal is important to me.
Is that code for you don’t find Ritter attractive?
LOL – no. It’s code for not enough green and blue. Too many desert and snow scenes. I admit, I’m weird. Oh, and too much Laura Innes.
I’d really like to see more shows take on a one-season approach, because I think ‘The Event’ might actually get better ratings if EVERYONE knew the season would end like a series finale, and everything would be revealed. No cliffhangers for a “possible” new season, just right-out answers. I bet there are a lot of people not bothering with ‘The Event’ because it smells so much like ‘FlashForward’ and any number of other shows that were left dangling with no real conclusion.
Although to play devil’s advocate, that didn’t work for Harper’s Island or Persons Unknown. Summer is an issue maybe?
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m not that Persons Unknown works as an example here. From what we saw in the finale, they never intended the show to be one season and done.
And was Harper’s Island not successful? Summer ratings I think are rated on a different curve than the fall … I mean, are their any 17m viewers shows?
If a goal of a show isn’t to get renewed, then how do you judge its success on a critical level?
Yeah ‘Persons Unknown’ doesn’t fit — it ended on a cliffhanger.
Not sure what to say about ‘Harper’s’. Summer crap show blues? I dunno. At least it finished up.
Full ACK.
I would watch if I knew there’d be a definitive ending to this story.
And I didn’t watch those two shows Deb mentioned because their stories didn’t appeal to me. I would’ve watched since I’ve always watched shows during the summer. Kyle XY, Lie to me, Mad Men, every Stargate Franchise…
This here is different. I am not watching because
a) the way the show is cut is tedious to watch
b) I am pretty sure it doesn’t get enough viewers because of that and will be cancelled before it got to any sort of conclusion
Like I said after Lost, I am sticking to movies from now on when it comes to this kind of material.
Even though I disagree with you Sebastian, you are at least judging it on something rather tangible, relating to the quality of the show. You seem very astute. I’ll have to look up your reviews as I’m sure you’d have some great insights.
I don’t think ratings or renewal goals should have any bearing. Judge/critique on the quality of the story, the writing, the performances and if keeps you interested overall. Critics and bloggers have no precise control over whether a show gets renewed or cancelled or if the ratings soar or suck, so IMHO that should be taken out of a critic’s equation.
*POST AUTHOR*
Nor do we have precise control over whether or not a show has quality or not… That doesn’t make any sense to me.
Nor does ignoring public opinion of a show, no matter how it is determined, especially when it is that opinion that determines if a show continues.
Mad Men gets lousy ratings, even for cable, and it’s lauded by critics. Same for Terriers on FX. Of course I haven’t read any reviews on either here, so not sure how you all are judging them.
Perhaps I misunderstand your point. If you’re separating success from quality, then I can see what you mean. But what I’m trying to say is the fact that a show gets low ratings or does or doesn’t have a goal beyond one season shouldn’t play into a critical review of the quality of a show.
BTW – sucks when people come in and trounce your post with seemingly antagonistic remarks, doesn’t it?
Hehe I worte something about Terriers for CC :-)
But honestly Jeff, I have strange opinions sometimes too, so I’m not that great either ;-)
*POST AUTHOR*
Couple of points:
1 – Just because “critics” say a particular show is good, doesn’t me A) That it is, B) That I agree … The aforementioned Mad Men puts me to sleep every time I turn it on & the critics loved Lone Star (I didn’t) and we see how well that turned out
2 – Without knowing it, you’re stealing my argument. I never said that ratings matters more than quality (In fact, my thoughts on the matter are pretty well known). What I’m saying that it isn’t unreasonable to integrate ratings into the discussion.
3 – A show that is not renewed cannot be critical successful if it is no longer in production. I was agreeing with Keith’s point that it would be interesting to see an American show take the approach of telling a complete story in 22 episodes.
Most importantly:
4 – A world where everyone agrees with each other would be an incredibly boring place. I think disagreement breeds interesting discussion, so I don’t shy away from people with differing points of view.
My Lord, did our disagreement bring us to an agreement?
Apocalypse is nigh.
I totally agree with Jeff!
I like The Event, but I’d rather it be wrapped up after a season and resolve whether or not the time travel theory is true than continue on and on until it just gets convoluted like some others shows. *cough*LOST*cough*
Also if its between this show and Chuck at renewal time, I’m willing to throw every other NBC show under the bus to save Chuck. Well maybe not Community.
Well, AC… Chuck got a full season pickup today also. I am glad to see The Event get a full season, but I am ESTATIC about Chuck.
I’m with you AC. If I had to trash every NBC show except two they would be Chuck and Community because I find them both light and entertaining. I don’t find anything on NBC’s schedule that’s dramatic and gripping enough to keep my interest and while I watch The Event I wouldn’t be bothered at all if it were yanked off the air. So all NBC has for me are a couple of fun shows that make me smile and occasionally laugh, plus one that’s got a flashback addiction so bad I got turned off after the first two episodes although for some reason I keep watching.
This show is crap. Nothing about it is intriguing. I watched three eps and removed it from my TIVO season manager and have not watched again.
Its too bad Flashforward was canceled it was a much better show.