I have always felt that NBC's programming was of higher quality than that of the other major networks. This was a main part of the reason why I chose NBC's new conspiracy thriller series The Event as the main topic of this blog.
The Event will be taking Heroes' Monday night time slot beginning September 20. It may also be trying to fill a void left by series like ABC's LOST and Fox's 24, and even Heroes. The Event "follows Sean Walker, an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his would-be fiancée Leila, and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history." The trailers for the show leave viewers in the dark on what "the event" is, but reveal that it will bring together a group of strangers and unveil a "conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind." Produced by Evan Katz (24) and Jeffrey Reiner (Friday Night Lights), and starring Jason Ritter and Blair Underwood, the show is also backed by successful producers/directors and a few fairly well-known actors.
It seems to me that The Event fits fairly well with the rest of the programming on NBC. Following Chuck on Monday nights is potentially a great fit for The Event. Chuck is a show about an everyday guy who ends up with the world's greatest spy secrets embedded in his mind. If The Event ends up being the high-energy show it's being set up as, Chuck's target demo would probably be interested in it as well. The Event could also end up with LOST's audience, seeking another mystery-based show. Viewers of The Event may also be interested in its follow-up show, Bruckheimer's Chase, about US Marshals hunting America's most wanted fugitives.
Another reason Monday night is a good fit is because of lack of competition. The Event's target audience most likely isn't ABC's Dancing with the Stars crowd nor CBS's comedy night audience. It could see potential trouble with Fox's House and new show Lonestar, but I think the programming on both networks is different enough to avoid competition. It may not garner the largest audience or highest ratings, but it could gain a cult-like following, like LOST.
It seems the producers of The Event are trying to tie in social commentary on how suspicious and paranoid many Americans are becoming towards our government. It seems they want to set up not only discussion and theorizing about the show and its mysteries, but also about how potentially true-to-life "the event" could possibly be. That's why I'm going to say that the audience for The Event is most likely the 18-49 age range. It's going after LOST's demo, and was even described in one article as "part LOST and part 24", mixing elements of thriller/conspiracy shows with some supernatural/sci-fi elements.
Having received decent reviews at Comic Con earlier this year, I have high hopes for The Event. I'll try not to raise my hopes too high, though. It does seem that shows on NBC tend to start out really strong and take a turn for not-so-good (I'm looking at you, Heroes). Let's just hope that the producers know where the show is going, so it doesn't feel like they're making it up as they go along (they tell us they aren't, but Cuse and Lindelof said the same of LOST, which I don't think I believe). We'll see how it goes on September 20th. It could be LOST or it could end up like ABC's attempt to replace LOST, FlashForward; canceled after one season.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/
http://io9.com/5560377/could-
http://www.eonline.com/
http://cliqueclack.com/tv/
http://www.cinemablend.com/
http://www.ugo.com/tv/the-
http://io9.com/5560377/could-
http://www.eonline.com/
http://cliqueclack.com/tv/
http://www.cinemablend.com/
http://www.ugo.com/tv/the-
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