Checking in on The Event- Episodes 3-5

Last episode, this show finally got somewhere by having Sophia released and Leila rescued by Sean. With the exception of the pilot, this show has centered around the characters either getting these things to happen or trying to prevent them from happening, so now we can see where the show is going next. We aren’t really sure what the issues are in the story yet. What’s the problem? Sophia is NICE and in charge (for now). Thomas, the only candidate for Big Bad, isn’t scary. He’s like the henchman in 24 that runs half the season until his big, scary boss is revealed. And speaking of 24, we thought The Event was a LOST rip-off, but these last three episodes have played out like a way less intense version of 24, only with aliens. There is very little mythology so far in this show, and we don’t like that.

Also, one of the reasons LOST was LOST was its focus on the characters through flashbacks, arcs, and relationships. The Event promised to be character-focused, but it hasn’t yet delivered. We only really feel for the pilot, who was forced to fly that plane and has a dead wife. The plane crash survivors have had some weird things happen to them (nosebleeds, resurrection, panic), and they are the most interesting thing right now. We are slightly intrigued by the defecting assassin with the stolen child. She kind of looks like Ashley Judd with less skin stretched out over her skull, but she’s pretty…for the next eight years. She’s gonna look old, quick. She seems to be the only non-stock character around. Blair Underwood’s president is no David Palmer, his wife is bland and looks like one of those Real Housewives women rather than the first lady, Sean and Leila seem too normal, we’ve got a cop helping Sean (NOT original), and some bland baddies. Someone like Lisbeth Salander or John Locke needs to crop up.

The Event could stand to get a little creepier, weirder, and more character driven. It also needs a plot to open up now that the girls are free. We love that Leila’s first escape was planned by the baddies. Also, burning-ish question: Why do the baddies want to kill Sean? Episode three was pretty dull and should have been merged with the slightly better episode five. This show hasn’t knocked our socks off since the pilot and it hasn’t moved things forward since episode two.

A few questions for The Event: Are you so cheap and desperate for ratings that you lure the young men in by have Leila get kidnapped while she was wearing a tank top and underwear? Can they show a decent, sweet flashback of Sean and Leila so that we care? You can do that in a small amount of time, like LOST did (quite successfully) with Desmond and Penny in brief flashbacks. Can Sophia please be creepier? Other than being the Lipless Wonder, there isn’t anything weird about her. Can she at least be more magnetic or charismatic? The aliens need a new leader, but we aren’t liking Thomas. Does he look a little like a white version of Obama to anyone else?

But there is hope. Lots of our favorite shows had meandering starts (Hello, Fringe and 24). If this show is going the 24 route, we can take heart. After Jack Bauer rescued his family, the series really started to pick up. The Event is still watchable, but it needs to come up with its own mythology and plotline instead of ripping off of older hits. So far, we feel like we've seen this show, only they watered it down a little.

If you haven't seen this show and are interested, you can catch all five episodes on hulu for the next five days. On Tuesday, the pilot will go away.

Episode grades: 3=C, 4= C+, 5= B-