So Was The Event An Event?

Image of Jason Ritter from source, LA Times

All summer long, we've been bombarded with promos for The Event, NBC's apparent replacement for Heroes, in the serialized sci-fi/adventure genre.  They had me with Jason Ritter. I've always had a soft spot for his late father, John Ritter, having grown up on Three's Company.  When I saw the younger Ritter's comedy The Class, I was an instant fan, and was sorry to see it cancelled so fast.  Ever since then, I've been hoping he'd land on his feet in a good solid show.  So is The Event that show?

Maybe.  It has the non-linear storytelling so fashionable in these types of shows, bouncing between the present, a few minutes ago, several weeks ago, etc.  It also has a little of Vantage Point thrown in, with the same scenes played out from different perspectives.  What could come off as confusing or off-putting was handled pretty well. I never felt lost (though it felt a little like Lost).  We didn't get to exactly what "the event" itself is, but have tantalizing clues, particularly right at the end of the episode.

The problem with shows of this type are many.  The big reveal could be a letdown.  The story could get too complex for new viewers to jump in.  Or the show could be cancelled before anything is resolved.  Last season's FlashForward had a lot of the same buzz The Event has gotten, and it flamed out in one season.  But hey, I held on until the bitter end of that one, so with the assistance of the DVR, I'll probably do the same with this one. Unless they kill off Jason Ritter.

(Incidentally, I also caught Hawaii Five-O, and though I'm not going to write a seperate review, it was good. Very good. Great stunts, good looking actors, great theme. I predict: big hit.)

[Excerpt]

Television review: 'The Event'

Welcome back to the big leagues, NBC.

With Monday night's premiere of "The Event," the network that as recently as last year seemed hopelessly mired in creative and financial chaos has finally located a tent pole, a new show as big, brash and promising as "Heroes" was a few years back. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

What is The Event, and Should We Care?

After the unfortunate implosion of NBC's Heroes, a program I always thought was several notches higher than many critics and viewers gave it credit for, the network needed a replacement.  They got a couple of seasons of "cool" out of Heroes, and they're hoping for a similar buzz this fall with The Event. But what is the event of The Event?  And will it capture our attention the way Heroes did (for a while) and ABC's FlashForward didn't?



I'll check it out for a couple of weeks. I like this sort of mystery/sci-fi story, and am a fan of Jason Ritter (the late John Ritter's son, and star of the brilliant-but-cancelled The Class). That should be enough to entice me, at least until I figure out if it's interesting enough to keep me watching.  And if it's good?  Well then, I'll shut up about it for a while, unless it becomes a runaway hit. I wouldn't want to invoke the Greenlee Curse on it. 

Heroes Cancelled, Law & Order Too

Image from source, TVSquad

It's not too surprising that Heroes has been cancelled. I watched every episode, but there is no denying that it was running out of gas.  The whole carnival storyline took up way too much time this past season, and to be honest, the show never got its mojo back after the writers' strike.  But I'll miss my weekly dose of heroes, especially Jack Coleman's HRG, and Zachary Quinto's uber-creepy Sylar. RIP, show.

Law & Order isn't a surprise either. It's been on forever, and has had four spin-off series (with one more on the way). It's the kind of show you can drop in on any time, or miss anytime. So the fact that it will be in reruns forever, all over the cable dial, will be like it never went away.

[Excerpt]

'Heroes' Canceled

NBC is no longer holding out for 'Heroes.'


According to the Live Feed, the network has officially axed the series, about ordinary people with extraordinary powers, after four seasons.

The news ends a rocky ride for 'Heroes,' which premiered in 2006 to a staggering 14.3 million viewers and a 5.9 rating among adults 18-49, making it NBC's highest-rated fall drama premiere in five years. The show continued to hit ratings gold in subsequent episodes, including its season 2 premiere, which attracted 14.1 million viewers. . .

Read more at: TVSquad

Keith Olbermann: More FOX "News" Nuttiness

Trying to blog while watching the premiere of Heroes is a little difficult. I know the show fell out of vogue, but I am still in. So, slogging through the interwebs in search of bloggy goodness is a little hampered. But this clip from tonight's Countdown with Keith Olbermann is a winner. There's nothing new about Olbermann tearing into FOX "News," of course. But there was a treasure trove of stupid from them in the last several days, and Olbermann made the most of it. Watch.

Heroes: Fugitives

I've tried mightily to pare down my TV watching to a select group of shows. But, try as I might, they tend to grow again. 24, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fringe, Lost. . .even--yes--Survivor. But one of the shows I'm anticipating the most right now is Heroes.

I've followed it since the beginning, and like the pacing of the show. Were it not for the interruption of the writers' strike last year, I think that Heroes would be doing better now. I think the critical drubbing of the last two chapters of the show have been undeserved. I've watched every episode, with no diminishment of satisfaction. Love it. And it is back soon, with a new chapter called Fugitives. Here's a preview:

Heroes Cheerleader: Vote McCain!

This is cute, mostly because NBC's Heroes star Hayden Panettiere says the F word a couple of times. Worth a view, but turn your sound down if you're at work!

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

Heroes Webisodes: Going Postal

For as much time as I spend online, you'd think I would have discovered webisodes. But short of catching a show that I've missed, I haven't really perused them. Given that NBC's Heroes was one of my favorite shows, and that it had an abortive 2nd season because of the writers' strike, I'm hungry for new episodes. Maybe this new web only "webisode" series will tide me over!

Heroes, Season Two: A Mini Review

Photo from NBC.com

I was eagerly awaiting the 2nd season premiere of NBC's Heroes, and I'm relieved to say, I wasn't disappointed. I'd rather NBC had approved a two-hour season premiere, one that could have showcased all of the heroes we're familiar with, but I'll take what I can get.

They were wise to jump four months ahead in the story. It allows them to fill in the gaps as the season goes on, while propelling us head-on into the story. Hiro's adventure in the 1600s is cute, but I hope they don't dwell too much on that. I'm anxious to see Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek's Lt. Uhura), too. I don't want the season to unspool too fast, but I am excited to see what happens!

I'm thinking the story of the brother and sister in Latin America will be something like: "Wonder Twin Powers, Activate!" though they are working in a little more of that moral ambiguity, as with Nikki.

The only thing I can say that hit a sour note was the faux-Irish accents toward the end. It did, however set up a new mystery: what the hell happened to Peter Petrelli? And also, I'm so impressed with the acting and presence of Hayden Panettiere. Please, Hayden, I'm begging you, do not turn into another Lindsay Lohan!

I'm hooked, NBC, keep it coming!

Emmy Wrap Up - How Were My Predictions?

Image from Wikipedia

When the Emmy nominations were announced back in June, I made some predictions. Let's see how I did.

Drama Series: The Sopranos. I got it right, but was hoping for Heroes.

Best Actor in a Drama: James Spader. He was my wish, but I thought James Gandolfini would get it.

Best Actress in a Drama: Sally Field. Totally missed this one, but you go Sally! More on her later.

Comedy Series: 30 Rock. I got this one right too, though I was pulling for The Office.

Best Actor in a Comedy: Ricky Gervais. Missed this one too, I thought Steve Carrell would get it, and since he did jump onto the stage to accept, this sorta counts!

Best Actress in a Comedy: America Ferrera. Got this one too, but was hoping for Tina Fey.

So, the count is three predictions correct, one wish fulfilled, and two misses. I think that's pretty good! Maybe I should go into the prognosticating business?

Geek Alert: Heroes Season 2 Premieres Sept. 24

Three words: Can't. Freakin'. Wait.