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The Event
Genre
Created byNick Wauters
Starring
ComposerScott Starrett
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Executive producers
Running time43 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 20, 2010 (2010-09-20) –
May 23, 2011 (2011-05-23)

The Event (stylized as THE EVƎNT) is an American television series containing elements of science fiction, action/adventure and political allegory. It was created by Nick Wauters and aired on NBC from September 20, 2010, to May 23, 2011. The plot centers on a group of extraterrestrials, some of whom have been detained by the United States government for sixty-six years since their ship crashed in Alaska, while others have secretly assimilated among the general populace. The series was picked up for a full first season of 22 episodes on October 18, 2010.[1] On May 13, 2011, NBC canceled the series after one season.[2]

Synopsis

[edit]

Overview

[edit]

Near the end of World War II, a craft of undetermined origin crashed in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. It carried passengers who appeared outwardly human, but were eventually determined to be of extraterrestrial origin. Their DNA is slightly less than one percent different from humans, and they age at a much slower rate. Since ninety-seven captured survivors refused to disclose information to the US, they were held in a nearby government facility, located on fictional Mount Inostranka. The remaining survivors, also known as the Sleepers, were able to escape the crash scene, as they, unlike those who were captured, sustained only minor injuries. Those who escaped ended up hiding among the regular populace.

In the present day, U.S. President Martinez learns of the facility's existence shortly after his inauguration and decides, after meeting the leader of the detainees, to release them and disclose their existence to the world, despite the objections of the intelligence agencies. His plans are put on hold when an assassination attempt on him is foiled by means beyond human technology. The CIA realizes there are other extraterrestrials and secretly plans to find and detain them. Unknown to the agency, the agent chosen to head the effort is himself one of those extraterrestrials. The escaped extraterrestrials, upon learning of the CIA's plans, have mixed reactions: some want to try to salvage attempts to peacefully assimilate, while others want to fight against the populace.

Caught in the middle of these events is Sean Walker, whose plans to propose to his girlfriend Leila on a Caribbean cruise are cut short when she mysteriously disappears from the ship. His investigation eventually leads him to uncover the assassination plot.

Narrative technique

[edit]

The show's pilot episode is told almost entirely in retroversions to three different time frames. According to Nick Wauters, the show's creator, later episodes would use flashbacks more to develop the characters. "There will be big reveals and big clues in each episode," he said, promising that viewers would not have to wait too long for answers to questions raised.[3] After the pilot aired, he and executive producer Steve Stark answered some viewer questions on their Twitter feeds, one being the fate of the plane used in the assassination attempt, which ended up disappearing through a portal before it could crash.[4] The characters also have Twitter feeds, and one had a blog, truthseeker5314.com, which would reveal additional information.[3] The last two episodes before[5] and all episodes following the show's hiatus no longer featured flashbacks. Cast member Blair Underwood said regarding the removal of the flashbacks, "We had been jumping around a lot and doing flashbacks and that was confusing to people," and "So when we come back, that device is done with! We are now telling the story straight through so people can track it and follow it easier."[6]

Cast

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Main cast

[edit]
  • Jason Ritter as Sean Walker – a software engineer who becomes involved in a government conspiracy when his would-be fiancée, Leila, mysteriously disappears during their Caribbean cruise.[7] Sean later finds Leila and the two begin to uncover the conspiracy.
  • Sarah Roemer as Leila Buchanan – Sean's girlfriend, who is kidnapped. After being rescued, she tries to find her younger sister who has also been kidnapped.[8] It is revealed that she and her little sister are half non-terrestrial as their father, Michael Buchanan, was one of the survivors of the 1944 crash.
  • Laura Innes as Sophia Maguire – the leader of a mysterious extraterrestrial group of detainees being held at the top-secret facility. She becomes a critical liaison to the President of the United States amidst the cover-up.[9]
  • Blair Underwood as Elias Martinez – the recently elected President of the United States, who is stunned to learn that his own government is keeping secrets from him. As he tries to do right by the public, he soon finds himself in the midst of the cover-up, and the target of an assassination attempt.[10]
  • Ian Anthony Dale as Simon Lee – a CIA operative and an extraterrestrial who was stationed at Mount Inostranka.[11]
  • Scott Patterson as Michael Buchanan – Leila's father, who is thrown into the conspiracy and must go through great lengths to protect his family. He is later revealed to be one of the non-terrestrials that survived the 1944 crash. He is shot and killed by a number of Sophia's people while trying to help Leila and Simon escape.[12]
  • Lisa Vidal as Christina Martinez – the First Lady of the United States.[13] In the final episode, it is revealed that the First Lady is one of the "Sleepers" as she calls the planet entering Earth's orbit "Home".
  • Bill Smitrovich as Raymond Jarvis – the opposition party Vice President of the United States who is revealed to be involved in the conspiracy. He was later named acting president while Martinez was incapacitated in hospital.[14]
  • Clifton Collins, Jr. as Thomas – a member of the non-terrestrials who escaped capture, but now is in contact with the other "Sleepers" who are not imprisoned.[15] He is Sophia's son, and is much more militant than she. He is killed by a Hellfire missile launched from an Apache helicopter in a strike ordered by President Martinez.[16]
  • Željko Ivanek as Blake Sterling – the Director of National Intelligence, who has long kept secrets from the President. He was fired by Jarvis when he questioned Jarvis's involvement in Martinez's poisoning, but later reinstated after Martinez recovered.[17]
  • Taylor Cole as Vicky Roberts – a woman who Sean and Leila meet while on a cruise.[18] She is later revealed to be an assassin who formerly worked for the CIA. Vicky kidnaps Leila in an attempt to draw Sean out. She fosters a child she orphaned after participating in a mission where she assassinated the child's family.

Recurring cast

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  • Heather McComb as Agent Angela Collier – an FBI agent that was involved in the arrest of Sean Walker. Initially, Walker's claims of the series of events that lead to Leila's disappearance seem delusional to Collier, but after witnessing her coworkers and friends get killed by the people who are after Sean, she becomes entangled with Walker as the truth unravels.
  • D. B. Sweeney as Carter – an assassin who worked alongside Vicky to hold Leila.
  • Hal Holbrook as James Dempsey – an elderly and powerful businessman who is the head of the vast conspiracy to cover up the existence of the aliens. He gives orders to Vicky and Carter and has a private army of innumerable assassins to carry out his orders. He is revealed to have the ability to shift to a younger version of himself. He is a part of an ancient sub-human race that has been fighting the aliens for three millennia. To motivate Sean to take on Sophia, he kills himself.
  • Scott Michael Campbell as Justin Murphy – an agent working for the Office of Director of National Intelligence who is set up by undercover agents to appear as the traitor in the government who helped Sophia escape.
  • Necar Zadegan as Isabel – an alien who is in a relationship with Thomas and supports his own agenda against Sophia. She is killed along with Thomas when Martinez fires a missile on the bus she and Thomas were on.
  • Clea DuVall as Maya – an extraterrestrial who killed her boyfriend William for telling Sterling secrets about the detainees. She was later shot and killed by Thomas while trying to protect Sterling.
  • Roger Bart as Richard Peel – the White House Chief of Staff.

Development and production

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Producer Steve Stark brought the original script to NBC in 2009, after hearing that the network was looking for an "event-type" series to add to its television lineup.[19] The script was written by Nick Wauters in 2006.[19] The show appeared on NBC's development slate in early January 2010, when the network announced at the Television Critics Association presentation that it had green-lit production of a pilot episode.[20][21]

Casting announcements began in early February, with Jason Ritter landing the lead role of Sean Walker.[22] In late February, Željko Ivanek was cast as Blake Sterling, and Ian Anthony Dale signed on as Simon Lee.[23] This was followed a few days later by the addition of Scott Patterson and Sarah Roemer to the cast.[24] Roemer was cast as Sean's girlfriend, Leila Buchanan, with Patterson portraying her father, Michael. In late February, Laura Innes was cast as Sophia Maguire, a role which was originally envisioned as male.[25][26] Blair Underwood came on board in early March in the role of President Eli Martinez, a role which was originally planned for a Hispanic actor.[27][28] Finally, the addition of Taylor Cole completed the main cast.[29]

Jeffrey Reiner signed on to direct, after having agreed to a deal with Universal Media Studios to work on new projects.[30] He also served as an executive producer. After having read the pilot script, he called it a "page turner."[30] Lisa Zwerling, who also signed a deal with UMS, served as a consulting producer.[31]

On May 7, 2010, NBC announced that it had given a thirteen episode order for The Event,[32] followed by the announcement that Evan Katz had signed as showrunner and executive producer.[33][34] A week later, the network announced that the series would appear on the Fall 2010 television schedule, airing on Mondays at 9 pm.[35] On October 18, 2010, NBC announced it ordered nine more episodes, giving the show a twenty-two-episode season.[1]

In mid-July 2010 Clifton Collins, Jr. was cast as Thomas, a character described as "a key player in the show's secret conspiracy".[36][37]

The series is a thriller, love story, and mystery with an element of science fiction.[38] Unlike other well known series of the same genre, producers had promised timely answers to mysteries, with some answers provided as early as the upcoming episode.[38][39] Executive producer Evan Katz stated that "everything is designed to answer questions so you're not frustrated or feeling like we're making it up as we go along" and the writers intended to keep the viewers guessing in a "fair way."[39]

Episodes

[edit]
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateUS viewers
(millions)
1"I Haven't Told You Everything"Jeffrey ReinerNick WautersSeptember 20, 2010 (2010-09-20) (NBC)10.88[40]
Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) unwittingly becomes involved in a mysterious conspiracy after his girlfriend Leila (Sarah Roemer) is abducted while they are on a cruise ship. Meanwhile, the US President Martinez (Blair Underwood) plans to shut down a top-secret detention center, Mount Inostranka, in Alaska and reveal a cover-up directly tied to its detainees and their mysterious leader, Sophia (Laura Innes), despite the objections of the Director of National Intelligence Blake Sterling (Željko Ivanek). Sean boards a plane and pleads with the pilot, Leila's father Michael (Scott Patterson), not to crash it into the President's press conference in Miami. As the plane approaches the press conference site, it flies into a vortex in mid-air and vanishes.
2"To Keep Us Safe"Jeffrey ReinerEvan Katz & Nick WautersSeptember 27, 2010 (2010-09-27) (NBC)9.06[41]
The plane flies out of the vortex and crashes into a desert in Arizona. As a fleet of helicopters approaches the area, Michael urges Sean to run. A flashback shows Michael being captured as agents tell him that his two daughters (Leila included) were kidnapped by a group of mysterious individuals, one of whom includes Vicky Roberts (Taylor Cole), whom Sean and Leila met on a Caribbean cruise. Michael is told that his daughters will be killed if he does not cooperate with the assassination plot. In the present, Sean eventually collapses in the desert but is found and taken to a hospital in Yuma. Shortly thereafter, he is apprehended by FBI agents on a warrant for a murder that occurred on the cruise ship (conducted by the assailants who kidnapped Leila). Meanwhile, it is revealed the 97 detainees are a humanoid extraterrestrial species with enhanced lifespans who crash-landed in Alaska in 1944 from a UFO spaceship. Mount Inostranka was constructed to hold them, but many were not captured, as they fled their crash site and began to live among human society all over the world. Director Sterling appoints CIA operative Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) to find the individuals, but Sterling does not know that Lee himself is one of the undiscovered aliens. Lee and a group of soldiers visit the crash site in Arizona and find all the passengers of the plane dead.
3"Protect Them from the Truth"Jeffrey ReinerDavid H. Goodman & James WongOctober 4, 2010 (2010-10-04) (NBC)7.56[42]
Sean is taken into custody by FBI agents Hobbs and Collier in Yuma, while trying to convince them his story about Leila's abduction and of the plane flying into a vortex is true. He is able to escape after a vehicle accident, taking Agent Collier (Heather McComb) to a motel. Parts of Sean's story make sense to Collier, and she discovers that Vicky Roberts has multiple identities. Men posing as federal officials attempt to transfer Sean from Yuma to Washington, D.C., but open fire in the building; Sean escapes with Agent Collier. Meanwhile, when Sophia refuses to reveal the identity of those responsible for the Avias 514 incident, President Martinez offers freedom to any Inostranka detainee that can provide him with details. One named William (Omid Abtahi) comes forward. William demands that they also release his girlfriend, Maya (Clea DuVall), and when they are reunited, Maya stabs William to prevent him from talking. The military gathers the victims of the plane crash who were thought dead, but mysteriously awaken. Leila is kept tied up, with her mouth taped shut by her captors.
4"A Matter of Life and Death"John BadhamDavid Schulner & Lisa ZwerlingOctober 11, 2010 (2010-10-11) (NBC)6.50[43]
Sean and Agent Collier escape from a shootout at the Yuma office. Their search for Leila leads them to Texas, where they find Vicky Roberts' mother but not Leila. Sean meets Vicky's son, who asks him to take his picture to show to his mother. Sean takes his picture with his cellphone. Meanwhile, Sterling interrogates Michael about the people who kidnapped his family and made him fly the plane. A mysterious man, named Thomas (Clifton Collins, Jr.), calls President Martinez to demand that the detainees be released or innocent people will die. Martinez and his wife Christina (Lisa Vidal) meet with Sophia in an attempt to get her to open up about the airplane. The passengers of the Avias 514 awaken, but they cannot recall anything that happened and exhibit different illnesses. Leila manages to escape from her captors and tries to contact Sean. The escape was set up by Vicky so that Leila would contact Sean, and Vicky could track Leila to Sean's location then and capture him.
5"Casualties of War"Milan CheylovDan Dworkin & Jay BeattieOctober 18, 2010 (2010-10-18) (NBC)6.42[44]
Thomas contacts President Martinez again to offer an ultimatum. Thomas will provide an antidote for the passengers of Avias 514, who are slowly dying from a mysterious illness. In exchange, though, President Martinez must release all the Inostranka detainees. Sophia and Agent Lee try to convince Thomas to back down on his demands, when they learn that President will execute the detainees if the passengers of Avias 514 die. Meanwhile, Sean is able to contact Leila, but she discovers the police are involved in her kidnapping and fails to escape. When Sean arrives and discovers Vicky is inside the station, he threatens to expose the young boy she has been harboring from a previous mission against the orders of her superiors. Vicky then helps Sean escape with Leila. The episode closes with Martinez agreeing to trade Sophia for the antidote.
6"Loyalty"Jonas PateLeyani Diaz & Vanessa RojasOctober 25, 2010 (2010-10-25) (NBC)5.97[45]
Lee's cover within the Government is blown as he helps Sophia escape. Meanwhile, Sean tries to explain the plane and conspiracy to Leila, who learns that her mother is dead and her little sister is still missing. Carter, the kidnapper they have taken captive, reveals that her father, Michael, may have known something about the events. Sean and Leila return to Leila's home and find a woman called Madeline, a paranoid former journalist, who claims she and Michael were aware of the detention center and detainees at Mount Inostranka. Meanwhile, Sterling and President Martinez continue to track Sophia, though they know that someone in Lee's team is involved (not knowing that it is Lee himself). Flashbacks show that Lee was in love with a woman named Violet in 1954, but because of his slow aging, Thomas forced him to leave her. They met again half-century later during the 1990s in Washington, D.C. before she died of old age. The team manages to track Sophia and Thomas to a warehouse and moves in to capture them, but Thomas mysteriously causes the building to implode leaving Lee trapped under the rubble of the building.
7"I Know Who You Are"Milan CheylovEvan Katz & Lisa ZwerlingNovember 8, 2010 (2010-11-08) (NBC)5.54[46]
Thomas reveals himself as Sophia's son as he apologizes for failing to do what Sophia had wanted. Sterling begins to question whether Lee is trustworthy when Agent Murphy claims that Lee is working with Sophia and Thomas. Murphy is set up to look like the mole by another sleeper. Meanwhile, Sean, Leila, and Madeline find a list within Michael's top secret files containing the names of 13 people that seem to be the names of females and codes on the bottom of the paper. With the help of Madeline's computer hacker friend, they discover that the names are girls who have disappeared recently. Suddenly, a group of assassins attack the house and Sean and Leila escape but Madeline and the man who cracked the codes are nowhere to be seen after the house is blown up. Also, a woman is shown taking Leila's younger sister, Samantha, down a hallway and then into a room. The room contains what seems to be a playroom with young girls having faces resembling old women.
8"For the Good of Our Country"Jeffrey ReinerDavid H. Goodman & James WongNovember 15, 2010 (2010-11-15) (NBC)5.64[47]
Martinez interrogates Michael as he reveals the people who wanted him to do the assassination attempt were going to call it off, but a call from someone told them to go through with it. He also reveals the call was made mere minutes after a meeting Martinez had about the press conference. After looking through phone records, they discover Raymond Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich), the vice-president, was in on the attempt. Meanwhile, Sean is shot by one of the assassins who survived the explosion, forcing Leila to kidnap a doctor to perform surgery on him. Elsewhere, Vicky is ordered by Dempsey (Hal Holbrook) to kill Jarvis, however she lets him live and tells him to confess. The men sent out by Martinez capture Jarvis, but before he could reveal who gave him orders, a car explosion goes off, apparently killing him. Dempsey is then shown looking in the mirror soon after taking medicine, his face shifting to a younger version of himself.
9"Your World to Take"Michelle MacLarenDan Dworkin & Jay BeattieNovember 22, 2010 (2010-11-22) (NBC)5.19[48]
Sophia and Thomas move ahead with their plans getting all of their people back to their home planet, they are all assembled at a hotel meeting room. Sophia is now the head of the mission, feeling Thomas is not fit for the job. When Sophia announces her plan, she finds out that one of the heads of the factions does not want to return home and instead want to colonize Earth with their race. Thomas is secretly colluding with Isabel (Necar Zadegan), head of one of the factions and Thomas' romantic interest. Thomas reveals to Isabel that he will kill Sophia after she obtains the key to send them back home. Meanwhile, Sean and Leila meet up with Agent Collier who gives them information about a couple whose daughter was kidnapped by Dempsey's men. They arrive at the couple's residence in Los Angeles to get some kind of information on Leila's sister Samantha. It is revealed that the couple's daughter knew Samantha, but fearing for their safety, they refuse to allow their daughter to answer more of Sean and Leila's questions. Still determined for answers, Sean and Leila follow the family while Dempsey sends one of his men to hunt down Leila. Also, President Martinez and Sterling patiently wait as Jarvis heals from the car explosion. He later awakens and reveals to his wife of his actions. At the end, Thomas is unable to kill Sophia, with Sophia confronting Isabel about her betrayal. She then orders Isabel to shoot herself in the knee, which she does, as punishment for her actions, and to prove her loyalty to Sophia.
10"Everything Will Change"Norberto BarbaDavid Schulner & Nick WautersNovember 29, 2010 (2010-11-29) (NBC)5.83[49]
Sean and Leila find the hospital that Samantha and the other girls were held captive, but everyone seems to have left. They also find a file containing information about Leila's father showing pictures indicating that he seems to have not have aged at all since the 1940s. Meanwhile, Sophia tells Lee that Thomas has a secret stash of money that is managed by a man named Stephen Grant. Lee decides that he will find and talk to Grant immediately but it is found that he had been killed by Thomas. Martinez and Sterling discover what at first seems to be a missile launched by Thomas headed straight toward the western side of the United States. They fear that it has a nuclear warhead on it, but it is then noticed that the U.S. is not the target for the missile and it seems to be heading into space. The missile turns out to be a communications satellite that is transmitting a message into space from Thomas and Isabel to the aliens' home planet.
11"And Then There Were More"Jeffrey ReinerStory by : Leyani Diaz & Vanessa Rojas
Teleplay by : David H. Goodman		March 6, 2011 (2011-03-06) (Citytv)
March 7, 2011 (2011-03-07) (NBC)		5.23[50]
Thomas and an assault team of aliens set up a portal and plan to attack Inostranka to free the detainees. Meanwhile, a late Alaskan senator's wife (Virginia Madsen) succeeds her husband's Senate seat, and accidentally finds a classified file about Inostranka. Sterling plans to visit Inostranka to interrogate some prisoners, after the transmission from Thomas' satellite to outer space is decoded: "Preparations are being made for your arrival". In Los Angeles, Sean and Leila finally find and rescue Samantha and the kidnapped girls, and they're saved by Michael Buchanan (Leila's father) and Sophia. However, Leila, confirming that her father is an alien, must decide between going along with Sean or go with Sophia and Michael.
12"Inostranka"Jeffrey ReinerStory by : David Schulner
Teleplay by : Dan Dworkin & Jay Beattie		March 6, 2011 (2011-03-06) (Citytv)
March 7, 2011 (2011-03-07) (NBC)		5.23[50]
At Inostranka, Sterling interrogates Maya, who insists that her people never intended to interfere with Earth's civilization. Sterling is not convinced by her argument and presses the interrogation. Meanwhile, Thomas manages to break into the Inostranka prison, killing 44 of the detainees loyal to Sophia and leaving with another 51 who would be loyal to him, and injures Sterling in the stomach and leg. Sterling narrowly escapes capture with the help of Maya, who still supports Sophia. While a senator's succeeding wife threatens to expose Inostranka on TV's Hardball with Chris Matthews, President Martinez stops her. Meanwhile, Michael finally tells Leila that he (an alien) is from NGC 253. Sean suddenly abandons Leila after she chooses to stand by her father.
13"Turnabout"Michael WaxmanJames WongMarch 14, 2011 (2011-03-14) (NBC)4.26[51]
President Martinez gets tougher with dealing with the cleanup of Thomas's breakout of the 51 Inostranka detainees. Michael drops Lelia and Samantha off with a fellow alien family before he goes off to help Sophia stop Thomas. The 51 detainees and Thomas move into a suburban area, while Michael and Sophia detain one of them for questioning. Sophia informs President Martinez that she believes Thomas intends to steal uranium from a nuclear power plant to open a portal to their home planet, and that Thomas was responsible for the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. As the uranium is being moved to a more secure location under the supervision of Agent Lee, Thomas steals it. Martinez believes that Sophia has tricked him and orders her to be found and killed if necessary.
14"A Message Back"Norberto BarbaDavid H. Goodman & Nick WautersMarch 21, 2011 (2011-03-21) (NBC)4.11[52]
Vicky tells Sean about Dempsey, a powerful billionaire who has now mysteriously disappeared and is the one behind the whole conspiracy. Meanwhile, Vice President Jarvis is released from the hospital and plans to have a party at the Ambassador Hotel. Sean and Vicky disguise themselves as guests to get to Jarvis. He reveals that Dempsey recently left the United States for France. Meanwhile, Thomas receives a message from his home planet and sets up a meeting with the other sleepers. He calls Sophia while she is being watched by the covert military team dressed as local SWAT. She goes with Michael to the abandoned church in Los Angeles to meet with Thomas. Leila also goes by following the alien watching her. Martinez learns that if Sophia is at the meeting, it could be his chance to catch all of the sleepers. Thomas reveals that their home planet's sun has started going supernova, leaving their home uninhabitable in less than a year. They have no choice but to get all of their people to Earth in order to survive. The military surround the building, trapping everyone inside.
15"Face Off"Janusz KamińskiDavid Schulner & Lisa ZwerlingMarch 28, 2011 (2011-03-28) (NBC)4.53[53]
Vicky and Sean escape the Secret Service and fly to France to try and catch Dempsey. In France, Dempsey has been funding a very expensive archaeology project. His workers have uncovered a cave with extremely old drawings that Dempsey says are of "guardian angels", which are in fact physical beings. Back in the United States, Martinez has the church with Sophia's people surrounded by assault teams. With no way out, Sophia and Thomas calls Gerard at the portal and asks him if he can transport them out of the church. When he replies that they do not even have enough uranium loaded for one person, Sophia asks what he does have enough for. Back in D.C., Martinez is about to order that all troops move in and kill Sophia's people when the situation room starts to vibrate as if there is an earthquake. As Martinez is rushed to a safe room, Sterling receives reports that the Washington Monument has completely collapsed. Martinez orders all troops to stand down. Sophia claims that they will keep destroying D.C. unless Martinez provides her with three buses to LAX and a plane, to which he obliges. While Sophia and the rest are on their way to LAX, Sterling finally realizes that Agent Lee is actually a 'sleeper' and the White House is able to crack the encryption code on a phone call he made to Sophia. The call reveals that they do not have enough fuel to do any more damage to Washington and her demands to Martinez were a bluff. An Apache helicopter is sent in and starts destroying the first bus. Thomas makes a phone call to Gerard who says he only has enough fuel loaded for one bus. Thomas sacrifices himself and his bus, while the third bus transporting Sophia, along with Michael and Leila, goes through the portal.
16"You Bury Other Things Too"Michael WaxmanDan Dworkin & Jay BeattieApril 4, 2011 (2011-04-04) (NBC)4.14[54]
Sophia, Michael, Leila, and the other remaining sleeper aliens on their bus are transported to the same gated community Thomas once hid with his group. Agent Simon Lee gets a call from an unknown 'sleeper' that his calls are being wiretapped and must flee immediately to them. Sophia proposes that since life is currently unsustainable on their home planet, Thomas' plan should continue by letting more of her people come down to Earth, much to Simon's dismay. When Simon talks to Michael about Sophia's plan, he proposes they both go against the idea since it would result in genocide on innocent human beings. Instead, Michael informs Sophia of Simon's plan, has him promptly arrested and taken away. In France, Sean and Vicky follow the advice from a French acquaintance of hers to head to a chateau where Dempsey is, which turns out that the direction they took has no such place and are both ambushed. After a violent shootout, Vicky is apprehended, while Sean escapes. Vicky is then taken to Dempsey and explains to her that he comes from a long line of sentinel beings that defended against the 'sleepers' for countless years. He then orders his men to leave her for dead. Sean violently confronts the acquaintance, ties him up, and proceeds to beat his hands with a hammer. The acquaintance concedes and tells Sean of the address on where Dempsey's location is. Elsewhere, President Martinez personally confides to his own staff of Sophia and Lee's actions, so he gives a speech that in light of the recent events, the only way to assure themselves of any trouble is for the general public in the country (including staff and other personnel in the White House) to undergo a mandatory TB skin test, when it's actually a ruse to gather DNA of possible 'sleepers,' much to his wife's disapproval and leading Martinez to question himself about her reasons.
17"Cut Off the Head"Norberto BarbaEvan Katz & James WongApril 18, 2011 (2011-04-18) (NBC)3.85[55]
Sophia sends some of her people to other parts of the globe to locate pieces of a weapon she would need in her plans. President Martinez becomes suspicious of his wife's refusal to take the DNA test. Vice President Jarvis meets Sophia with a proposition that could make him President, in exchange for having more of her people arrive on Earth. In France, Sean rescues Vicky and is confronted by Dempsey, who explains that he represents an ancient group, dedicated to protecting humanity from outsiders. He explains what is to come and that he believes that Sean is the one capable of stopping Sophia and her people. Sean refuses, telling Dempsey that his only goal will be to stop him and make him pay for his crimes. Dempsey approvingly agrees, but tells Sean that he will have to make sure that Sean refocuses his attention on Sophia. He then takes a pistol and commits suicide with a shot to his own head, leaving the shocked Sean with a bag containing the information Dempsey says he'll need in his quest. At the end, Leila manages to contact Sean using a stolen cell phone and informs him of Sophia's plan.
18"Strain"Michael WatkinsDan Dworkin & Jay BeattieApril 25, 2011 (2011-04-25) (NBC)4.62[56]
Vice President Jarvis proceeds with Sophia's plan to make him President. Jarvis replaces President Martinez's sweetener with poison. President Martinez is rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke, with a deteriorating condition. After being told by the President that Jarvis was behind the assassination attempt, Sterling secretly works with the president's chief-of-staff to stop Jarvis from becoming president. They view CCTV footage and see that the vice president quickly grabs the sweetener, to remove any evidence. Sterling then notices that a sample of the poison could still be in the carpet after the drink is spilt, but the carpet is cleaned after Jarvis realizes this as well on a phone call to Sophia. Meanwhile, Sean and Vicky travel to Murmansk, Russia, after receiving a tip from Leila that the sleepers are searching for a weapon in that area. In Murmansk, a scientist is extracting the weapon from a frozen body when he accidentally cuts himself and infects himself with the weapon. Sean and Vicky arrive in Murmansk and board the ship the scientists were working on, only to find that they are all dead. The only surviving crew member among the dead is then confronted by Sean and Vicky, who explains that the weapon has already been moved and is intended to be flown back to the United States. The weapon is a strain of the Spanish flu. At the same time, Michael confronts Leila over the call made using the stolen cell phone. He then kills Leila's handler as he is going to expose her to Sophia. A vote is held with the President's staff and Jarvis is made acting president. Sterling then realizes that the President's coffee spilled over his shirt, and he now has a sample of the poisoned drink. The President's condition worsens and he begins to seize.
19"Us or Them"Milan CheylovDavid H. GoodmanMay 2, 2011 (2011-05-02) (NBC)4.14[57]
Vice President Jarvis has just been sworn in as acting president as Martinez lapses into a coma and his condition worsens. Meanwhile, Sean and Vicky board a plane headed back for the U.S. with the hopes of catching the virus but they arrive too late. Sterling is fired by Jarvis for questioning Jarvis' involvement with poisoning Martinez. Elsewhere, Michael helps Simon and Leila escape from the sleeper compound. Michael is killed while trying to protect Leila and Simon. Before dying, Michael gives Simon an antidote with the hopes it will cure Martinez. Simon escapes while Leila watches Michael die as Sophia and her troops arrive at the scene.
20"One Will Live, One Will Die"Alex ZakrzewskiDavid SchulnerMay 9, 2011 (2011-05-09) (NBC)3.85[58]
Sean and Vicky are able to prevent the sleepers from releasing the virus into the air circulation system of a mall. However, one of the sleepers escapes and unleashes a portion of the virus onto a bus as a test of its virulence. From a video of the bus passengers' deaths, Sophia concludes that the virus kills humans too quickly, which would mean that it would be contained before it could spread across the world. As Sophia's people are completely immune, a hybrid - Leila - will be used to incubate a mutated strain. Meanwhile, Lee seeks Sterling's help to get the antidote to President Martinez. Jarvis sends men to stop them, but they escape. Hearing that Sterling contacted Christina, Jarvis tells the First Lady that Sterling poisoned her husband. Apparently convinced, Christina says that she was asked to meet Sterling and Lee secretly at an empty warehouse. Jarvis arranges for the warehouse to be destroyed with Sterling and Lee inside, ignoring the strong protests of his advisors. His men search the wreckage but find the targets have escaped through a tunnel. Christina injects the antidote into her husband, after discreetly receiving it from a disguised Lee at the hospital gift shop.
21"The Beginning of the End"Jonas PateStory by : Leyani Diaz & Vanessa Rojas
Teleplay by : Nick Wauters		May 16, 2011 (2011-05-16) (NBC)4.07[59]
Sean and Vicky follow the address on the identification of the sleeper they had killed. It ultimately leads them to a warehouse, where they come across both Sterling and Lee. The four of them team up and try to find the exact whereabouts of the other sleepers in the city. Meanwhile, President Martinez's vital signs begin to vastly improve, due to the antidote his wife Christina had managed to give him. He demands to head back to the White House immediately and stop the ones who conspired against him, despite still feeling somewhat weak from the poison's after effects. Martinez confronts Jarvis in a rage saying that poisoning him just to acquire his position as President and allowing Sophia to carry out her plan only risks the lives of innocent people, rather than bringing peace. Jarvis explains that to resume his role as President, Martinez must convince the cabinet of his good health. Sophia and one of the doctors beside her begin to notice Leila continuously in agony from the strain of Spanish flu in her body. The doctor concludes that although her sleeper-half is immune, her human immune system is constantly fighting and may take days or months for Leila to actually succumb to it. Sophia directs her people around the world to commence with their plan. Sean, Lee, Vicki, and Sterling manage to locate the hideout of the sleepers and capture and interrogate one of the female doctors, Dr. Lu. When she refuses to talk, Lee threatens to torture her with an electric drill until she finally reveals the password to their satellite link. Ultimately they discover that 'The Event' has truly begun. A massive portal into deep space opens...
22"Arrival"James WongEvan KatzMay 23, 2011 (2011-05-23) (NBC)4.89[60]
Sean tells a weakened Leila that Sterling has called someone at the CDC who will be able to help her recover. Leila has given up hope, but Sean begs her to fight the virus with all her might. Meanwhile, Sterling finds a report on Dr. Lu's computer that shows the rapid spread of the deadly pathogen to wipe out humanity. After careful research, Sterling learns that the Sleepers are depositing pressurized aerosol containers carrying the virus at three distinct locations (a food processing plant, the Bureau of Engraving, and Dulles Airport). Martinez presents the cabinet with crucial evidence that Jarvis was responsible for his illness in an assassination attempt. Jarvis is then arrested and removed from office and Martinez is restored as President. Special Forces teams take down the Sleepers at the food processing plant and at the engraving bureau. Sean, Vicky, Sterling, and Lee confront Sophia and her associates at Dulles Airport before they can release the virus. The sleepers who were attempting to release the virus are all killed, except for Sophia. Sean is able to convince her not to release the virus, saying that it will not help her situation and will only make things worse. Sophia surrenders to the military and humanity is saved. Afterwards, Vicky goes off on her own, while Lee tells Sean that the ancient scroll that Dempsey gave Sean explains all about the origins of the aliens as well as their plans. Sophia, now in custody once again, tells Martinez that despite her failure to destroy humanity there is no stopping the sleepers and the rest of her people from coming to Earth for it is already done. In her still weakened state, Leila tells Sean that she is pregnant. At the end, the portal succeeds in transporting the entire alien planet into Earth's orbit. Looking into the sky, the President's son asks his mother Christina: "What is it?" She replies: "Home"... suggesting that she too was a sleeper this entire time.

Reception

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Reviews

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Ratings trend

The Event was one of four new series screened at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2010, with The Hollywood Reporter saying the crowd response suggested "NBC's fall drama The Event came up a big winner."[61][62]

Reviews of the pilot episode were generally favorable, scoring 67 out of 100 on Metacritic,[63] and invoking many comparisons to 24 (Evan Katz's other produced show) and Lost (another science fiction show), each of which had ended its run the preceding spring of 2010. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times called it "as big, brash and promising as Heroes was a few years back".[64] Variety's Brian Lowry called it "an enticing start".[65] Linda Stasi of the New York Post stated that "if 24, Lost, and The 4400 had a baby, it would be The Event".[66]

Some more cautious commentators said the show had promise but could not go on tantalizing the audience with a proliferation of mysteries. "The effort required to follow the story", said Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter, "goes well beyond what most viewers might be willing to give."[67] Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly called the pilot "an irritating tease" and hoped the second episode would answer some of the questions the pilot asked.[68]

Ratings

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The pilot episode received 10.88 million viewers and a 3.6/9 adults 18–49 rating/share, placing third in its timeslot at 9:00 pm ET.[40] After averaging 9.1 million viewers for the first four episodes, NBC picked up the series for a full season.[1]

However, by the final episode of 2010 on November 29, the series had cut its audience by 46% and its demo rating by 48%, to 5.83 million and a 1.9/5 respectively,[69] although both of these were up noticeably from the previous week.[70] On November 15, NBC announced that The Event would be going into hiatus after the November 29 episode, and would return on February 28, 2011[71] (later pushed back to March 7).[72] Upon its return, the series received 5.23 million viewers and a then-series-low 1.4/4 18–49 rating/share;[73] the latter of these figures represented a 26% plunge from the fall finale.[74] The series had since gone as low as 3.85 million viewers and a 1.1/3 rating/share in 18–49, first on April 18[75] and again on May 9.[76]

Awards

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Ceremony Category Nominee(s) Episode Result
Image Awards Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Blair Underwood Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series Leyani Diaz, Vanessa Rojas "Loyalty" Nominated
Imagen Awards Best Supporting Actor - Television Clifton Collins Jr. Nominated
Best Supporting Actress - Television Lisa Vidal Nominated
People's Choice Awards Favorite New TV Drama Nominated
Visual Effects Society Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series Victor Scalise, Jason C. Spratt, Diego Galtieri, Michael Enriquez Nominated
Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Broadcast Program Michael Cook, Jon Rosenthal, Ragui Hanna, Ryan Wieber "To Keep Us Safe" Nominated

Home media

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The complete series was released on DVD in region 1 on August 23, 2011,[77] in region 2 on October 17, 2011[78] and in region 4 on August 24, 2011.[79] Special features on the DVD include seven behind-the-scenes featurettes, six audio commentaries with cast and crew, deleted scenes, episode recaps, a photo gallery, and a never-before-seen look at Dempsey's back story.[77]

The 5-disc Blu-ray edition of the series was released on June 6, 2023, in region 1.[80]

Broadcast

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The Event has been syndicated for broadcast in several countries worldwide, including Canada where it aired simultaneously with the U.S.,[81] United Kingdom,[82] Ireland,[83] and New Zealand.[84]

Possible series continuation

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After the series' cancellation, the Syfy channel had been rumored to be in talks to continue the series as a miniseries;[85] this was later denied by Syfy's Craig Engler.[86] At the 2011 Television Critics Association Tour, NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt revealed the possibility of a TV movie. He said, "It's been discussed with Syfy and a few weeks ago it seemed more possible than it does today, but I honestly don't know." If it were to happen, it would air on Syfy, and not NBC.[87]

References

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[edit]
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The Event

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The Event is an American thriller television series created by Nick Wauters that premiered on on September 20, 2010, and aired for a single season of 22 episodes until its conclusion on May 23, 2011. The program follows Sean Walker (), an ordinary man whose search for his missing fiancée Leila Buchanan () uncovers a vast cover-up involving extraterrestrials who have been secretly detained in the United States since 1944. Featuring a non-linear structure with frequent flashbacks, the series explores themes of presidential , alien assimilation into human society, and high-stakes geopolitical intrigue, including assassination attempts and viral outbreaks engineered by the detainees. The cast includes notable actors such as Blair Underwood as President Elias Martinez, Željko Ivanek as the intelligence director, and Laura Innes in a recurring role, with episodes directed by figures like Jeffrey Reiner and Milan Cheylov. Initially generating buzz for its ambitious premise akin to shows like Lost and 24, The Event debuted with solid viewership but experienced sharp declines, averaging around 3-4 million viewers per episode by mid-season, prompting NBC to cancel it despite fulfilling its order. Critics offered mixed assessments, praising the intriguing setup and production values while faulting pacing issues, plot complexity, and failure to sustain momentum, resulting in a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Among its limited accolades, the series earned NAACP Image Award nominations for in Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and for the show itself in Outstanding Drama Series in , reflecting recognition for its diverse and performances amid broader commercial underperformance. No significant controversies marred its run, though viewer frustration with unresolved mysteries and serialized cliffhangers contributed to its rapid fade from prominence, underscoring challenges in maintaining audience engagement for intricate sci-fi dramas on broadcast television during that era.

Premise and Structure

Core Plot Elements

The series' central premise involves a long-standing of extraterrestrial visitors who arrived on in 1944 when their crashed, leading to their in a secret facility in Alaska's Mount Inostranka. These beings, visually identical to humans, exhibit supernatural capabilities such as instantaneous and accelerated , though they remain susceptible to a engineered virus capable of neutralizing them. The 's concealment, justified as a measure to avert public panic and potential societal disruption, spans decades and implicates high-level officials in ongoing containment efforts. A key inciting incident is the mysterious downing of a commercial , revealed to stem from efforts to recapture escaped detainees and prevent their dissemination of . This event propels the protagonist, Sean Walker, into the after his fiancée, Leila Barnes, disappears amid related abductions tied to the alien infiltration of human society. Walker's investigation uncovers layers of , including alien agents embedded in positions of influence who seek to expose or exploit the detainees' plight for their species' survival. Parallel to Walker's personal pursuit, the storyline tracks President Elias , who inherits upon taking office in and confronts moral and strategic dilemmas over the program's and security implications. 's decisions, including authorizing extreme measures against threats posed by the aliens' advanced technology and potential for coordinated rebellion, highlight tensions between executive authority and the risks of revelation. The aliens' origins trace to a distant, resource-depleted , motivating their incursion not as invasion but as desperate relocation, though their actions introduce elements of and violence against human overseers.

Narrative Techniques and Style

The Event employed a serialized structure centered on unfolding mysteries and government conspiracies, drawing comparisons to shows like Lost for its emphasis on enigmatic plot developments and layered revelations. Early episodes featured non-linear techniques, including flashbacks to character backstories and flashforwards teasing future crises, which aimed to build suspense but were critiqued for occasionally disrupting clarity. This approach mirrored the "mystery box" style popularized in puzzle-oriented dramas, prioritizing viewer engagement through withheld information over straightforward chronology. As the season progressed, the storytelling transitioned toward greater linearity, reducing reliance on temporal jumps to focus on real-time action sequences and escalating conflicts, which streamlined the plot but diminished some of the initial intrigue. Frequent plot twists and endings sustained momentum, often revolving around betrayals, assassinations, and extraterrestrial disclosures, though some reviewers described them as contrived efforts to manufacture urgency amid underdeveloped motivations. The style blended elements—such as intrigue and ethical dilemmas—with tropes, using rapid pacing and multi-perspective viewpoints to convey a sense of high-stakes across personal and global scales. Visually, the series favored tense, cinematic framing with quick cuts during action set pieces, enhancing the perception of perpetual crisis, while dialogue-driven scenes in confined settings like detention facilities underscored themes of and power dynamics. This formal restraint avoided overt stylistic flourishes, opting instead for a grounded realism that contrasted the speculative elements, though it occasionally strained under the weight of resolving serialized arcs within a single season.

Cast and Characters

Lead Actors and Roles

Jason Ritter portrayed Sean Walker, a determined software engineer whose investigation into the disappearance of his fiancée uncovers a vast government conspiracy involving detained extraterrestrial beings. Sarah Roemer played Leila Buchanan, Walker's fiancée, whose kidnapping propels the central plot and reveals her connections to the hidden events at Mount Inostranka. Blair Underwood starred as President Elias Martinez, the U.S. leader grappling with the moral and national security implications of concealing the aliens' existence since 1944, including decisions on their potential release. Laura Innes depicted Sophia Maguire, the pragmatic National Security Advisor who advises Martinez on managing the crisis while enforcing secrecy protocols. Željko Ivanek embodied Blake Sterling, the intense Director of National Intelligence whose loyalty to the administration drives covert operations against internal and external threats posed by the aliens.
ActorRoleKey Traits and Arc
Sean WalkerProtagonist; ordinary citizen turned investigator exposing the alien detention and presidential cover-up.
Leila BuchananWalker's fiancée; her abduction links personal stakes to global .
President Elias MartinezCommander-in-chief balancing revelation of aliens with political fallout.
Sophia MaguireAdvisor enforcing containment; conflicts arise from ethical dilemmas.
Željko IvanekBlake SterlingIntelligence chief; ruthless in protecting secrets, evolves through betrayals.

Supporting Ensemble

Blair Underwood portrayed President Elias Martinez, the U.S. President navigating a national crisis stemming from the detention and escape of a group of individuals with extraordinary abilities. His character, appearing in all 22 episodes of the series, balanced political maneuvering with personal stakes in concealing the extraterrestrial threat from the public. Željko Ivanek played Blake Sterling, the responsible for overseeing intelligence operations amid escalating security breaches tied to the event. Sterling's role involved high-level decision-making and confrontations with both governmental insiders and the detainees, contributing to the series' tension across multiple episodes. Laura Innes depicted Sophia Maguire, the strategic leader of the detained group possessing advanced capabilities, who orchestrates efforts to expose or resolve their long-term imprisonment. Featured in 22 episodes, her portrayal emphasized moral ambiguity and leadership within the alien faction. Ian Anthony Dale acted as Simon Lee, an FBI agent assisting in the pursuit of escaped detainees and unraveling connections to the presidential administration. His character's investigative work intersected with the protagonists' personal quests, appearing prominently in the narrative's action sequences. Scott Patterson portrayed Michael Buchanan, the father of Leila Buchanan, whose involvement in the search for his daughter drew him into the broader conspiracy. This role provided familial grounding amid the sci-fi elements, with Patterson's performance highlighting determination and skepticism toward official narratives. Additional supporting performers included Taylor Cole as Vicky Roberts, a Secret Service agent protecting the President, and Clifton Collins Jr. as Thomas, a detainee with insider knowledge of the group's origins and objectives. Bill Smitrovich also recurred as Nathan Templeton, a vice-presidential figure influencing policy responses to the crisis. These actors enriched the ensemble by fleshing out governmental, familial, and antagonistic layers essential to the plot's complexity.

Production History

Development and Planning

Belgian-American screenwriter Nick Wauters conceived "The Event" based on a he wrote around 2005, drawing from his prior experience writing for science fiction series such as and Eureka. Producer , in his first year as an independent, retrieved the dormant script from his files and pitched it to executives, highlighting its potential as a high-stakes conspiracy thriller. The project advanced to NBC's development slate in early January 2010, with the script reworked through Universal Media Studios to refine its serialized structure and non-linear storytelling elements. greenlit a pilot episode shortly thereafter, positioning the series as a blend of real-time tension akin to 24 and overarching mysteries reminiscent of Lost. On May 7, 2010, the network escalated to a full straight-to-series order for 13 episodes, announced alongside pickups for Outsourced and Love Bites. To oversee production, enlisted Evan Katz, a producer known for his work on 24, as and under his overall deal with Universal Media Studios; Katz focused on maintaining narrative momentum and integrating action sequences. Joining him were executive producers Stark and director , who helmed the pilot to establish the show's visual style of rapid cuts and flashbacks. Wauters served in a co-executive capacity, ensuring fidelity to the original spec's core premise of government cover-ups and extraterrestrial threats. Pre-production planning emphasized controlled reveals to build viewer intrigue, with NBC's team limiting script details in promotions while leveraging online campaigns and a July 2010 screening at to gauge audience response. This approach aimed to differentiate the series in a competitive fall lineup, though it risked early confusion over its fragmented timeline.

Filming and Creative Process

The series originated from a written by creator Nick Wauters around 2006, initially conceived as a grounded thriller centered on cover-ups and personal stakes. During development, NBC executives proposed incorporating elements to differentiate it from similar dramas, an addition Wauters welcomed due to his affinity for the genre, transforming the narrative to include extraterrestrial detainees and advanced abilities while retaining core thriller mechanics. Wauters structured the creative process around a detailed show bible outlining the first season's arc and the titular "Event" as a pivotal early revelation intended for Season 2, rather than prolonging it indefinitely, to avoid audience fatigue seen in comparable serialized shows. Drawing explicit inspiration from the real-time tension of 24 and the ensemble mysteries of Lost, the writing emphasized self-contained episode stories alongside overarching plots, with flexibility to explore emergent character dynamics or fan-suggested detours without derailing the endgame. Flashbacks were integrated to reveal backstories—such as those for key figures like Simon Lee in Episode 6—but their use was refined post-pilot feedback to prioritize present-day action and reduce narrative fragmentation. Production integrated heavy for alien phenomena and action sequences, contributing to a "giant machine" of coordinated scripting, visual design, and under Steve Stark's oversight at Universal Media Studios. Episodes were filmed on an accelerated eight-day cycle to meet network demands, necessitating tight among writers, directors, and effects teams to maintain quality amid secrecy protocols that limited cast knowledge of future plots. Specific filming locations remain sparsely documented, with likely conducted in studio environments typical for NBC's Los Angeles-based productions, though no verified on-location sites have been publicly detailed.

Cancellation and Behind-the-Scenes Challenges

announced the cancellation of The Event on May 13, 2011, after its first season concluded, citing persistently low ratings despite an initial strong premiere. The series, which aired all 22 ordered episodes with its finale on May 23, 2011, had debuted on September 20, , to solid numbers including a 3.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, but viewership eroded rapidly thereafter. By early October , episode three drew a 2.4 in the key demo, down 17% week-over-week, while later installments slipped further to a series low of 2.0 by October 26, , with total viewers averaging around 6 million but failing to sustain momentum against competitors. Behind-the-scenes challenges centered on narrative complexity and execution, which contributed to viewer drop-off and internal adjustments. Executive producer Evan Katz acknowledged mid-season plotting issues, promising structural changes for the latter episodes to streamline the convoluted timeline jumps and multiple intersecting storylines that echoed Lost but lacked comparable cohesion. Pre-premiere, cast members including Jason Ritter expressed confusion over the intricate scripts, reflecting broader production struggles to balance political thriller elements with sci-fi revelations without alienating audiences early on. Critics and recaps highlighted reversible plot twists and an overemphasis on peripheral characters, exacerbating pacing problems that showrunners attempted to rectify but could not fully resolve before ratings sealed the show's fate. No major budgetary overruns or cast departures were reported, but the ambitious serialized format proved unsustainable amid NBC's broader struggles with genre programming that year.

Episodes and Broadcast

Season Overview and Episode Guide

The first and only season of The Event consists of 22 episodes, broadcast on NBC in the Monday 9:00 p.m. ET/PT time slot from September 20, 2010, to May 23, 2011. Created by Nick Wauters, the season centers on a sprawling conspiracy wherein the U.S. government conceals the existence of extraterrestrial detainees capable of extraordinary abilities, including resurrection and telekinesis, while following Sean Walker's investigation into his girlfriend's disappearance and President Elias Martinez's navigation of related national security crises. NBC initially ordered nine episodes but expanded to a full season of 22 on October 18, 2010, after the pilot drew 14.37 million viewers. The production aired its first 10 episodes consecutively before entering a four-month hiatus due to scheduling adjustments, resuming on March 7, 2011, with episodes 11 and 12 presented as a two-hour block.
No.TitleOriginal air date
1"I Haven't Told You Everything"September 20, 2010
2"To Keep Us Safe"September 27, 2010
3"Protect Them from the Truth"October 4, 2010
4"A Matter of Life and Death"October 11, 2010
5"Casualties of War"October 18, 2010
6"Loyalty"October 25, 2010
7"I Know Who You Are"November 8, 2010
8"For the Good of Our Country"November 15, 2010
9"Your World to Take"November 22, 2010
10"Everything Will Change"November 29, 2010
11"And Then There Were More"March 7, 2011
12"Inostranka"March 7, 2011
13"Turnabout"March 14, 2011
14"A Message Back"March 21, 2011
15"Face Off"March 28, 2011
16"You Bury Other Things Too"April 4, 2011
17"Cut Off the Head"April 11, 2011
18"Strain"April 18, 2011
19"Us or Them"May 2, 2011
20"One Will Live, One Will Die"May 9, 2011
21"The Beginning of the End"May 16, 2011
22"Arrival"May 23, 2011
The episodes progressively reveal the detainees' origins from a distant , their infiltration of human society as "Sleepers," and escalating threats including attempts, biological weapons, and a potential global catastrophe tied to their homeworld's destruction. Episodes 11 and 12 aired simultaneously as a bridge post-hiatus, focusing on decryption of alien communications and political fallout from prior events. The season finale resolves key arcs with the extraterrestrials' arrival on but leaves broader implications unresolved due to the series' cancellation.

Viewership Data and Scheduling

"The Event" premiered on on September 20, 2010, occupying the Monday 9:00 p.m. ET time slot. ordered a back nine episodes on October 18, 2010, bringing the first season to a full 22 episodes despite early signs of rating erosion. The pilot episode garnered 11.2 million viewers and a 3.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, marking a strong launch for the fall schedule. Viewership declined steadily after the , with the first four episodes averaging 9.1 million viewers. By mid-season, episodes were drawing around 7.5 million viewers and a 2.4 rating in the . The series hiatus began after the December 20, 2010, episode amid ongoing drops, with replacing it temporarily in the lineup; it returned on March 7, 2011, but failed to recover momentum. The season averaged 5.72 million viewers and a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49, insufficient to warrant renewal. The May 23, 2011, finale concluded the run with 4.9 million viewers, reflecting the cumulative audience attrition that contributed to the cancellation announced on May 13, 2011.

Reception and Critical Analysis

Professional Reviews

The Event garnered mixed reviews from television critics, who often commended its high production values, brisk pacing, and serialized intrigue akin to Lost, but faulted it for narrative convolution, derivative elements, and insufficient character development. On Metacritic, the first season earned a score of 67 out of 100 from 28 reviews, reflecting 18 positive, 9 mixed, and 1 negative assessment, deemed "generally favorable" overall. Aggregated critic approval on Rotten Tomatoes stood at 67% for the season, based on 21 reviews. Early pilot reviews highlighted potential in the show's premise of government conspiracies and extraterrestrial detainees. Variety's assessment on September 20, 2010, described the pilot—written by Nick Wauters and directed by Jeffrey Reiner—as an "enticing start" with brisk pacing and a well-cast ensemble, including Jason Ritter and Blair Underwood, though it noted risks in sustaining momentum amid competition from similar serialized dramas like FlashForward. The Hollywood Reporter's October 14, 2010, critique praised NBC's "Lost"-like serialized premise as getting off to an "enticing" launch with intricate conspiracy plotting, yet observed that the multi-threaded storytelling risked overwhelming viewers. USA Today lauded the staging as "neatly" executed, delivering "one surprise after another in a geometric progression of suspense." Subsequent critiques grew more tempered as the season progressed, pointing to diminished intrigue and emotional resonance. The New York Times, in a September 20, 2010, review, characterized the series as a thriller deploying every trope without restraint, zigzagging between personal stakes and political , but critiqued its "aggressive style" and "showy" for lacking unsettling depth or beyond surface-level excitement. A later Hollywood Reporter evaluation on February 25, 2011, argued that despite aliens and deep conspiracies, the show failed to "hook" audiences with genuine intrigue, rendering its ambitions unfulfilled. Chicago Tribune critic expressed optimism for eventual payoffs on September 27, 2010, but this sentiment aligned with broader concerns over the series' ability to resolve its escalating mysteries without alienating viewers. One Rotten Tomatoes critic dismissed it as "filler loud, explosive filler material" borrowing from sci-fi tropes without innovation. These divisions underscored the show's technical polish against criticisms of over-reliance on twists at the expense of coherent .

Audience Feedback and Ratings Impact

The Event premiered strongly but saw a rapid decline in viewership, losing approximately half its audience within the first month of airing. By its post-hiatus return in March 2011, episodes averaged a 1.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic and 5.23 million total viewers, marking series lows that continued to erode. Overall, later episodes settled at a 1.2 demo rating and 4.39 million viewers, figures deemed inadequate by for sustaining a second season amid network competition. This ratings trajectory directly precipitated the series' cancellation announcement on May 13, 2011, after 22 episodes, overriding an earlier full-season commitment due to insufficient advertiser appeal and scheduling viability. The decline reflected viewer drop-off from complex plotting and preemptions, limiting the show's ability to build momentum despite initial buzz. Audience reception indicated a polarized but engaged base, with an user rating of 7.0 out of 10 aggregated from over 26,900 reviews praising the thriller elements and twists while critiquing narrative inconsistencies and the unresolved finale. Dedicated fans voiced strong dissatisfaction post-cancellation, launching online petitions and campaigns for revival on other networks like , though these efforts failed to materialize into continuation. The feedback underscored a niche appeal insufficient to counter low live ratings, contributing to the series' status as a one-season entry rather than a franchise.

Thematic Interpretation and Debates

The series explores themes of governmental and the tension between and transparency, portraying a long-term executive of extraterrestrial detainees that spans decades and implicates multiple administrations. The narrative depicts the U.S. president's dilemma in deciding whether to disclose the aliens' existence, weighing potential public panic against ethical imperatives for truth, as evidenced by President Martinez's order to release the detainees from a secret Wyoming facility in 2010, only for revelations of their advanced abilities to complicate the decision. This setup critiques unchecked executive power, with Jarvis's covert actions illustrating how enables personal ambition and moral compromise within the . Central to the plot is the theme of otherness and , where the aliens— beings with telekinetic powers and —function as a for marginalized groups facing without . Detained since a 1944 Wyoming crash landing, the group is portrayed as divided between peaceful assimilators and radicals seeking retribution, mirroring debates over immigrant integration and suspected terrorists held in facilities like Guantanamo Bay. Episodes highlight techniques and escape attempts that evoke post-9/11 policies, such as the use of isolation and , raising questions about the humanity of the "other" and the risks of . Debates among critics center on whether the show substantively interrogates these themes or subordinates them to serial plotting and twists. Some interpretations view it as a political for post-9/11 anxieties, with plane-based threats and detainee paralleling real-world fears and the erosion of under security pretexts. However, reviews often argue the execution favors over depth, with complex moral ambiguities—like the aliens' dual nature as victims and threats—resolved through action sequences rather than rigorous ethical exploration, leading to accusations of superficial conspiracy-mongering. Others contend the narrative's non-linear structure, jumping between 1944 and 2010, underscores causal links between past secrecy and present crises, but critics from outlets like Variety noted it struggled to cohere into a coherent of power, prioritizing viewer retention over thematic consistency. This has fueled discussions on 's capacity for causal realism in serialized drama, where plot momentum often eclipses undiluted examination of real-world parallels like policies enacted after September 11, 2001.

Legacy and Distribution

Home Media and Availability

The complete first season of The Event, comprising 22 episodes, was released on DVD in the United States on August 23, 2011, by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A Blu-ray edition of the complete series followed on June 6, 2023, distributed by Mill Creek Entertainment, featuring all episodes in widescreen format (1.78:1 aspect ratio) across five discs, along with bonus features such as deleted scenes and featurettes. As of 2025, the series is available for streaming ad-supported on platforms including The Roku Channel and Fandango at Home. Digital purchase options include Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, where episodes or the full season can be bought for download or rental starting at approximately $19.99. No official international home video releases beyond the U.S. market have been widely documented, and physical copies remain primarily available through retailers like Amazon and eBay.

Cultural Impact and Unresolved Elements

The abrupt cancellation of The Event after 22 episodes in May 2011 amplified critiques of network television's handling of serialized sci-fi dramas, where ambitious premises often outpaced sustainable viewership, leading to unresolved narratives that frustrated audiences and deterred investment in similar formats. The series, frequently likened to Lost for its nonlinear storytelling and conspiracy elements, underscored the genre's vulnerability to ratings declines—averaging 6.8 million viewers despite a strong pilot—contributing to a broader industry caution against high-concept mysteries without rapid payoffs. This dynamic influenced perceptions of shows like FlashForward, reinforcing expectations that intricate alien invasion plots required multi-season commitments to avoid alienating viewers. Author praised the series for its tense pilot and potential as a successor to Lost-style enigmas, citing its plane crash opener and presidential intrigue as standout hooks that evoked classic thriller craftsmanship, though he noted its unfulfilled promise post-cancellation. Fan communities on platforms like have sustained niche discussions, theorizing connections between the extraterrestrials' serum and government cover-ups, often lamenting how the show's blend of and sci-fi mirrored real-world distrust in institutions without delivering full catharsis. The finale, "Arrival," aired on May 23, 2011, resolved core revelations—such as the nature of "The Event" as a extraterrestrial arrival and partial defeats of antagonists—but left pivotal elements dangling, including the full extent of the aliens' long-term agenda on , unresolved familial ties among key characters, and the fate of secondary threats like sleeper agents. Producers acknowledged the risk of non-renewal and aimed for partial closure, yet critics and viewers highlighted lingering mysteries around the visitors' origins and a teased global catastrophe, which perpetuated online speculation without official elaboration. These open threads have cemented The Event in lists of prematurely ended series, where the absence of Season 2 explanations for causal mechanisms—like the aliens' dimensional travel—exemplifies how cancellation can eclipse narrative intent, leaving causal chains incomplete.

Prospects for Continuation

The series concluded its single season on May 23, 2011, with the episode "Arrival," which featured multiple unresolved cliffhangers, including the revelation that the extraterrestrial characters' home planet was dying and prompting an invasion of , alongside ongoing mysteries about cover-ups and character fates. NBC canceled The Event on May 13, 2011, primarily due to declining viewership; while the premiere drew 11.04 million viewers, later episodes averaged under 6 million, failing to sustain initial hype despite narrative improvements toward the end. Initial post-cancellation discussions in explored options for continuation, such as shopping the series to other networks or producing a concluding TV movie, as mentioned by NBC entertainment president Angela Bromstad during sessions; however, no deals materialized, and the project's momentum dissipated amid the network's shift toward other programming. Creator Nick Wauters and have not publicly detailed specific season 2 plans, though retrospective analyses note the show's potential for expanded cosmic arcs was curtailed by its abrupt end. As of October 2025, no credible reports indicate active development for a revival, , or ; the 14-year gap since cancellation, combined with the cast's dispersal to projects like Parenthood for and Friday Night Lights alumni involvement, has rendered resumption improbable without significant fan-driven demand or streaming platform interest, neither of which has emerged. The unresolved elements, while fueling niche online discussions, have not translated into formal production efforts, underscoring the risks of serialized sci-fi on broadcast television during that era.

References

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