What is... The Event?
This is a question being asked all over the Internet as we speak, as fanboys drive themselves mad trying to understand the meaning of it all.
In short, it's the most-hyped new series since
Heroes in 2006, and the marketing campaign for it has been long, detailed and very, very scary.
The show is a conspiracy thriller which follows Sean Walker (
Jason Ritter), a man who, while investigating the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, ends up unravelling the biggest cover-up in U.S. history; a cover-up which shapes the very core of mankind as a whole, the implications of which are lifechanging.
That's the short answer to the question. There are many other questions which have been raised by an ongoing viral marketing campaign, but this is the premise of the show from NBC:
"The Event is an emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, The Class), an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his would-be fiancée Leila (Sarah Roemer, Disturbia), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.
"Sean's quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including newly elected U.S. President Elias Martinez (Golden Globe nominee
Blair Underwood, In Treatment); Sophia Maguire (Emmy Award nominee
Laura Innes, ER), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Leila's shadowy father (
Scott Patterson, Gilmore Girls).
"Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.
"
Ian Anthony Dale (Daybreak),
Clifton Collins, Jr. (Star Trek), Taylor Cole (The Violent Kind),
Lisa Vidal (The Division),
Bill Smitrovich (The Practice), and Emmy winner
Zeljko Ivanek (Damages) also star in the ensemble drama."
With a cast like that the description is almost meaningless. Add a cryptic premise and rumours that The Event could be an alien invasion and you have all the makings of a potentially explosive series.
Why should we care, you ask? Because just nine days after The Event premieres in the USA it premieres on M-Net, who have snapped up the exclusive South African rights to the series.
Broadcasters in the USA have been going nuts trying to find "the new Lost" -
FlashForward was supposed to be the replacement but got canned due to low ratings and AMC recently launched Rubicon, a conspiracy series that is probably too highbrow to receive mass popular status.
The ingredients for The Event are all in place and from the trailers we've seen this could be The One. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.
The Event premieres in the USA on 20 September and in South Africa on M-Net on Wednesday 29 September, at 21h30.