Casino Security Footage Has More Excitement
Can’t say it’s much of a surprise: Viva Laughlin became the first scripted TV show of the new season to get the axe. I tuned into the pilot episode out of curiosity, but couldn’t get past the first 15 minutes or so — the show was so wrong on so many levels. The producers could have exploited the uniqueness of having characters burst out in song, but instead they seemed to be embarrassed by the thought of coming across as campy instead of embracing it wholeheartedly. The numbers came across as half-assed karaoke with actors singing along with pre-recorded pop hits — hey, at least Cop Rock had original songs. I also thought the main guy was a jerk, his kids were brats, and I couldn’t get past the casting of Twin Peaks cutie Madchen Amick as a mom with teenagers (although it does fit in with Hollywood’s latest screwy mandate that all moms must be young, thin and hot). Even Hugh Jackman’s big number was all boring, flashy editing.
Most of the Viva Laughlin criticism I’ve read centers on how much worse it came off than its British original, Viva Blackpool. That’s one show I’ll have to look into.
