How to tell a story

How to tell a story

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Applause: Nick Wauters

Creator of The Event. Although Wauters had five years of the story planned, NBC pulled this series, a sci fi thriller, after a single season. An official failure.

Too sophisticated for lowest common denominator programming, I guess. I loved it. In fact, I'd call it the best "aliens among us" story I've seen. I very much admire its craft of suspenseful storytelling and its high production values.

Without beating you over the head with them, some interesting themes emerge: idealism v. pragmatism in politics; when and if ends justify means; country patriotism v. self-interest.

Ends up there was a small club of fanatical fans, each feeling alone until they found one another on the Internet, that was outraged by the cancellation. But today mainstream culture is driven by the limited perceptions of the lowest common denominator.

I applaud writer/producer Wauters. I think he created a classic in its genre.