TV Guide has given the thumbs-down to NBC for airing this week’s episode of The Event.
The magazine says the storyline on the show hits too close to home with current events in Japan.
Here’s what they said:
As news continued to break of a potential nuclear catastrophe in Japan, the network’s ill-fated sci-fi series unveiled an episode that invoked containment domes, fallout zones and a possible meltdown at a nuclear power plant. It seems the aliens use uranium to create portals to bring in more of their own, which was the real reason behind the Chernobyl disaster (there was even a deformed alien survivor of the 1986 calamity in the Ukraine). President Martinez (Blair Underwood) juggled a visit from the Japanese prime minister with the decision to remove uranium rods from a nuclear facility in Southern California. Ultimately, the rods fell into alien hands when renegade leader Thomas (Cliff Curtis) ambushed the convoy carrying them, so the prospect of a radioactive release still looms.
Sure, it’s just a silly sci-fi show, but the story line seems to trivialize the tragedy that’s still unfolding in the aftermath of the tsunami, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Neither could The Event‘s ratings, which is all the more reason why NBC should yank it pronto. Maybe they can just show the rest online, like they’re doing with The Cape, and replace it with the revamped Law & Order: Los Angeles. At least when LOLA rips plots from the headlines, they do it on purpose.
Long time genre fans may recall that the WB pulled two episodes of Buffy in its third season after events in the show mirrored what had recently happened at Columbine.
Do you agree or disagree with the jeer? Or are you still event watching The Event?
Disagree – the show was made long before this happened. 24 was delayed due to 911 as well.
Of course the show was made “long before this happened” The JEER isn’t at the show .. it’s at the NETWORK for showing the episode.
And what is with THE CAPE on-line??? I haven’t heard anything of the sort.
Oh **** off. Really? How did this person get their job?
This guy needs to actually WATCH the freaking show and see how good he is. LEt me guess, they bashed SGU as well and maybe firefly?
THE EVENT NEEDS SEASON 2!!
Disagree, the “Jeers” writer is an idiot. This is make believe, fiction and not ripped from the headlines.
Did aliens cause the earthquake that caused the tsunami in order to steal nuclear material from the Japanese reactors that are now causing meltdowns?
This guy needs to get a life outside of writing.
Fellow slicers, lets not spread false information about the reactors melting down here in Japan. They are NOT melting down! I live and work about 150km from the reactors, and if they melted down, trust me, I’d know.
I’m no nuclear scientist, but the complete lack of science in this last episode was more of an insult than the similarity to current events.
Not show the episode? What, should we wait ANOTHER three months?
It’s a serial! It’s not like they can just omit an episode. How would you like to read book with thirty pages missing in the middle?
“24 was delayed due to 911 as well.”
No, it wasn’t. It was always supposed to air in November, regardless of 9/11. Seasons 2 and 3 also premiered around that time.
I think this guy’s going way overboard with this criticism. The episode didn’t trivialize anything about a meltdown, real or imagined. And as others have pointed out, this is a serialized drama. You can’t run these out of order. The guy needs to get a grip.