March 8, 2011

When NBC's new drama 'The Event' premiered last fall, there was buzz around the show that it could be NBC's answer to Lost thanks to its sci-fi elements and underlying mysteries. Unfortunately for the freshman series, it didn't quite connect with viewers the same way that made Lost the giant hit it was.

The Event debuted last September with a solid 3.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, but quickly dipped to less than half that number by its seventh episode where it hit a series low 1.7. That number alone threw up some warning signals that the show could be met with cancellation before the season was out, but then NBC decided to put the show on a three-month hiatus - something that has historically hurt serialized dramas.

Last night The Event returned with a special 2-hour block of back-to-back episodes that was heavily advertised on NBC for weeks in advance. How the did series fare after such a long time off the airwaves? Its return earned a new series low 1.4 in the adults 18-49 demo - down 26% from its last original episode.

Numbers that low surely put the show in danger of cancellation in the eyes of the network. Unless it can recover in the weeks ahead, prospects for The Event's future are not looking good.

Check out our ratings chart for The Event to see how the show has fallen over the course of its run.