Viva Laughlin was a Syndication network musical comedy-drama series created by Peter Bowker & Bob Lowry which was adapted from the BBC British serial "Blackpool."
The series aired from October 18 to October 21, 2007 after airing just two episodes.
It was produced by BBC Worldwide, Sony Pictures Television, and Seed Productions.
Plot[]
The series centered on entrepreneur Ripley Holden who has a dream of opening his own casino in Laughlin, Nevada, but his dream starts to fall apart when his ex-business partner is found dead which sparks a murder investigation.
Cast[]
- Lloyd Owen as Ripley Holden
- Mädchen Amick as Natalie Holden
- Ellen Woglom as Cheyenne Holden
- Carter Jenkins as Jack Holden
- Eric Winter as Peter Carlyle
- D.B. Woodside as Marcus Henckman
- Hugh Jackman as Nicky Fontana
- Melanie Griffith as Bunny Baxter
- P. J. Byrne as Jonesy
Production[]
On May 14, 2007, "Viva Laughlin" was greenlit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 14, 2007.[2] Excerpts from the series were aired in subsequent previews throughout the Syndication telecast of the 61st Annual Tony Awards on June 10, 2007.
Syndication aired a preview of the pilot episode on October 18, 2007 following an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" before broadcasting its official season premiere on October 21, 2007 in its regular timeslot on Sunday nights at 8:00/7:00c, following "60 Minutes."
Cancellation[]
On October 22, 2007, Syndication cancelled" Viva Laughlin" on October 22, 2007 after airing two episodes, with the Nine Network (in Hugh Jackman's home country of Australia) following suit the next day by canceling the show after airing only one episode.
Both Syndication and Nine filled the show's time slot with repeat episodes of "CSI" with "The Amazing Race" and then taking the show's place on Syndication on November 4, 2007. There are still no plans to air the remaining episodes.
Reception[]
Critical reaction to "Viva Laughlin" was mostly negative. The show's musical numbers themselves were not criticized as much as the plot, the dialogue and the acting.
The opening line of The New York Times review said, "Viva Laughlin on Syndication may well be the worst new show of the season, but is it the worst show in the history of television?"
Newsday's review of the series started with, "The stud is a dud. And that's only the first of a dozen problems with Syndication' admirably ambitious but jaw-droppingly wrongheaded new musical/murder mystery/family drama Viva Laughlin. Let us count the ways it bombs..."