{alltv} 'The Event' can still be saved

Thus far we've stuck with The Event, but audiences have been dipping -- more significantly in the U.S. than in Canada -- for the highly publicized conspiracy series.

There are reasons for the slide, we believe. But this still can be saved.

Toward that end, we have some suggestions for the creators of The Event, which airs Mondays on NBC and Citytv.

First of all, let's identify the main issue on the heels of what was a promising start, both creatively and in the ratings:

The Event has too many characters.

In itself that's not a crime -- a lot of shows have too many characters. But especially in the past few episodes, The Event has committed the grave error of not focusing on its best ones.

So who are the best ones?

Well, two of them stand out.

(Spoiler alert! If you aren't up to date on The Event, plot points are about to be discussed.)

1) Sean Walker, played by Jason Ritter

In the early episodes of The Event, the frantic Sean clearly was the main character. He was set up as a murderer by the same people who abducted his girlfriend Leila, played by Sarah Roemer.

But ever since Leila escaped her kidnappers and has been reunited with Sean, she completely has gutted his character -- and that isn't merely a reference to the fact that Sean was shot earlier this week.

Sean was a compelling figure when he was on his own, thanks in large part to the general likeability of Ritter (he really does look like his dad John Ritter, don't you think?).

But Sean and Leila together? Doesn't work for this narrative.

Being caught up in a world of international intrigue and alien activity is not really a "couples thing." We don't want another Undercovers on our hands. And this isn't Date Night.

Sean now spends all his time telling Leila how much he loves her and that everything is going to be OK.

Fine, we know he loves her, enough already, WE GET IT. But at this point, on what could Sean possibly be basing his sunny promise that good times are around the corner?

Sean is better without the bland Leila. We need more of the former, less of the latter, please.

Audiences for The Event started to wane right around the time Sean stopped being the de facto main character. Coincidence?

2) Sophia Maguire, played by Laura Innes.

As leader of the aliens, Innes has found a way to present Sophia as both motherly and dangerous, warm and cold, reassuring and spooky, trustworthy and sneaky. It's a fine line to walk, but it makes the audience want to know more about Sophia, more about her history, more about her motivation and her end game.

But for a series still finding its way, this doesn't help: Sophia wasn't even in this week's episode. At all.

Yes, we realize The Event has a lot to juggle. It's a complex tale, notwithstanding the clunky predictability that has crept into some of the scenes recently.

Nonetheless, there's no excuse for reducing Sean to "one of many" status. And Sophia never should be completely excluded from any episode, period.

The Event has been given a full-season order by NBC. This still can work. The ball's in your court, Eventers.

One animated discussion

Bestselling authors appear regularly on Real Time with Bill Maher. But this Sunday on Family Guy (Fox, Global), one of Maher's guests really gets animated.

The new Family Guy episode is titled Brian Writes a Bestseller. Brian, of course, is the Griffin family dog, who nonetheless talks and drives and walks on two legs, just like humans do.

Anyway, Brian is frustrated by the state of his writing career until Stewie becomes his manager. Suddenly, one of Brian's books is a hit.

It doesn't take long for fame to go to Brian's head. That is, until his humbling appearance on Real Time.

Maher appears as himself on the set of Real Time, alongside the cartoon Brian. Also on the panel are Arianna Huffington and Dana Gould, both of whom are regular guests on Maher's series.

Real Time with Bill Maher airs on HBO Canada. Its new season begins Jan. 14.