Viva Laughlin
Encyclopedia
Viva Laughlin is an American musical
–dramedy
series adapted by Bob Lowry and Peter Bowker (creator of the original series) from the popular BBC
British serial, Blackpool
. They also served as executive producers alongside Hugh Jackman
, John Palermo
, Paul Telegdy and Gabriele Muccino
. The latter also directed the pilot
. It was filmed on location in part at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California
for most of the inside casino shots.
Produced by BBC Worldwide
, CBS Paramount Network Television
, Sony Pictures Television
and Seed Productions, the series was greenlit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 14, 2007. Excerpts from the series were aired in subsequent previews throughout the CBS telecast of the 61st Annual Tony Awards
on June 10, 2007. CBS
aired a preview of the pilot 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
.
CBS cancelled Viva Laughlin on October 22, 2007 after airing two episodes, with the Nine Network
(in Jackman's home country of Australia) following suit the next day by canceling the show after airing only one episode Both CBS and Nine filled the show's time slot with episodes of CSI, with The Amazing Race then taking Viva Laughlin's place on CBS on November 4.
. It occasionally has the actors break into contemporary song. Ripley has invested all his money into opening a casino that is nowhere near completion, when his financing suddenly falls through. Needing an investor, Ripley approaches his rival, wealthy casino owner Nicky Fontana; but Fontana wants to own the casino himself, and Ripley turns down the deal. Ripley becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after the body of his ex-business partner is found at his casino.
The opening line of The New York Times
review said, "Viva Laughlin on CBS may well be the worst new show of the season, but is it the worst show in the history of television?"
Newsday
s review started with, "The stud is a dud. And that's only the first of a dozen problems with CBS' admirably ambitious but jaw-droppingly wrongheaded new musical/murder mystery/family drama Viva Laughlin. Let us count the ways it bombs..."
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
–dramedy
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
series adapted by Bob Lowry and Peter Bowker (creator of the original series) from the popular BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
British serial, Blackpool
Blackpool (TV serial)
Blackpool is a British television musical comedy drama serial, produced in-house by the BBC. It was screened on BBC One as six one-hour episodes on Thursday nights at 9pm from 11 November to 16 December 2004...
. They also served as executive producers alongside Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
, John Palermo
John Palermo
-External links:*...
, Paul Telegdy and Gabriele Muccino
Gabriele Muccino
Gabriele Muccino is an Italian film director. He is the elder brother of actor Silvio Muccino, who often appears in his brother's films....
. The latter also directed the pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
. It was filmed on location in part at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California
Cabazon, California
Cabazon is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 2,535 at the 2010 census, up from 2,229 at the 2000 census.-History:...
for most of the inside casino shots.
Produced by BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
, CBS Paramount Network Television
CBS Paramount Network Television
CBS Paramount Network Television was the main production arm of CBS Paramount Television, a division of CBS Corporation. It was known as Paramount Network Television and CBS Productions until 2006.It is now CBS Television Studios, starting in fall 2009....
, Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
and Seed Productions, the series was greenlit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 14, 2007. Excerpts from the series were aired in subsequent previews throughout the CBS telecast of the 61st Annual Tony Awards
61st Tony Awards
The 61st Annual Tony Awards were held on June 10, 2007 at Radio City Music Hall, with CBS television broadcasting the ceremony live. As at the 2006 Tony awards, there was no host and the show was emceed by the presenters...
on June 10, 2007. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
aired a preview of the pilot on October 18, 2007 following an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
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
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
.
CBS cancelled Viva Laughlin on October 22, 2007 after airing two episodes, with the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
(in Jackman's home country of Australia) following suit the next day by canceling the show after airing only one episode Both CBS and Nine filled the show's time slot with episodes of CSI, with The Amazing Race then taking Viva Laughlin's place on CBS on November 4.
Plot
Viva Laughlin is a mystery drama musical about businessman Ripley Holden, whose ambition is to run a casino in Laughlin, NevadaLaughlin, Nevada
Laughlin is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States, and a port located on the Colorado River. Laughlin is south of Las Vegas, located in the far southern tip of Nevada. It is best known for its gaming, entertainment, and water recreation. As of the 2010 census, the...
. It occasionally has the actors break into contemporary song. Ripley has invested all his money into opening a casino that is nowhere near completion, when his financing suddenly falls through. Needing an investor, Ripley approaches his rival, wealthy casino owner Nicky Fontana; but Fontana wants to own the casino himself, and Ripley turns down the deal. Ripley becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after the body of his ex-business partner is found at his casino.
Cast
- Lloyd OwenLloyd OwenLloyd Owen is a British actor of Welsh descent. Trained at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, he is probably best known for his portrayal of Indiana Jones's father Professor Dr. Henry Jones, Sr...
- Ripley Holden - Mädchen AmickMädchen AmickMädchen Amick is an American actress best known for playing Shelly Johnson on the cult television series Twin Peaks and its 1992 prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.-Early life:...
- Natalie Holden - Ellen Woglom - Cheyenne Holden
- Carter JenkinsCarter Jenkins-Career:Jenkins began performing in community theatre, and then on local and national commercials. He has starred in television shows such as Surface, Viva Laughlin, CSI: Miami, House, CSI: NY, Without a Trace, The Bernie Mac Show, and Unfabulous along with feature films Aliens in the Attic, Bad...
- Jack Holden - Eric WinterEric WinterEric Barrett Winter is an American actor and former fashion model. He is also ambassador for Operation Smile.-Career:Before his acting roles, Winter was a male model and had some high profile campaigns, such as one print campaign for Tommy Hilfiger...
- Peter Carlyle - D.B. Woodside - Marcus Henckman
- Hugh JackmanHugh JackmanHugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
- Nicky Fontana - Melanie GriffithMelanie GriffithMelanie Richards Griffith is an American actress. She is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her performance in the 1988 film Working Girl...
- Bunny Baxter - P. J. ByrneP. J. ByrnePaul Jeffrey "P. J." Byrne is an American television actor, most known for his recurring role of Irv Smiff Sachs on the sitcom The Game....
- Jonesy
Critical reception
Critical reaction to the show was mostly negative. The musical numbers themselves were not criticized as much as the plot, the dialogue and the acting.The opening line of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
review said, "Viva Laughlin on CBS may well be the worst new show of the season, but is it the worst show in the history of television?"
Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
s review started with, "The stud is a dud. And that's only the first of a dozen problems with CBS' admirably ambitious but jaw-droppingly wrongheaded new musical/murder mystery/family drama Viva Laughlin. Let us count the ways it bombs..."
International broadcasters
The following broadcasters purchased the series:| Country | TV Network(s) | Series Premiere | Weekly Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia Australia |
Nine Network Nine Network The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia... |
22 October 2007 | Cancelled after first episode |
 Canada Canada |
E! | October 2007 | Cancelled after second episode; was seen Sundays at 7PM ET |
 United Kingdom United Kingdom |
Virgin 1 Virgin 1 Channel One was a television channel owned and operated by British Sky Broadcasting. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00 on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky as Virgin1, replacing Ftn... Living |
Virgin 1:2007 Living: 2008 |
Virgin 1: To be announced Living: TBA |
 United States United States |
CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... |
October 18, 2007 | Cancelled after second episode |
In pop culture
- A few days after the cancellation, a clip of Viva Laughlin was featured on The SoupThe SoupThe Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
. The show's host Joel McHaleJoel McHaleJoel Edward McHale is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist. He is best known for hosting The Soup and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community....
described it as "the show that was loved by hundreds". McHale also sarcastically remarked that "we need that" for easy jokes.
See also
- Cop RockCop RockCop Rock is an American musical police drama series that aired on ABC in 1990. The show, a police drama presented as a musical, was co-created by Steven Bochco, who also served as executive producer...
- A poorly received 1990 ABC series which attempted to combine the genres of musical theater and police proceduralPolice proceduralThe police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several... - GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
- A more successful television musical that debuted in 2009 - Hull HighHull HighHull High is an American musical teen drama series which aired on the NBC television network in 1990. The series was created and executive produced by Gil Grant.-Synopsis:...
- A 1990 NBC "musical soap opera" - Fame (1982 TV series)Fame (1982 TV series)Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
- Ran for 5 seasons, inspiration for Glee - List of television series cancelled after one episode