Posts with tag viva laughlin
Posted Jun 25th 2008 5:42PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Battlestar Galactica, Casting, Reality-Free

Remember when
FOX signed that holding deal for Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer? Well, now they're using it. The former model, best known as every fanboy's synthetic fantasy via her portrayal of sympathetic Cylon "Number 6" on Sci Fi's reimagined
Battlestar Galactica,
Tricia Helfer has been cast in FOX's Inseparable. As it turns out she won't be playing a hot figment of anyone's imagination, though that would be a good use for the title.
Instead, she's been cast as a psychiatrist who works for the police department. How that will relate to Lloyd Owen's split personality hero/villain lead hasn't been made clear, but I'm guessing she'll be
his psychiatrist. Would she find it weird that all of her male patients would only want to talk about their sexual fantasies with her?
"Here let me show you what I'm talking about, doctor. Why don't you get down on your knees and face me ... What do you mean that wouldn't be professional? I want to know what these yearnings mean. And can you undo that top button."
Continue reading Tricia Helfer is Inseparable from our televisions
Posted May 27th 2008 2:20PM by Brett Love
Filed under: Awards, Reality-Free, TV Squad Awards
Alright, here we go. The readers, and team TV Squad, have spoken. It's almost a little depressing that there were so many shows that received consideration for the award. Clearly, this wasn't a banner year for the networks. But that's good though. With all of those shows sent packing, there's that much more room on the schedule next season. Here's hoping all that valuable space gets put to good use, and that someone learns from the following examples. After the jump, the nominees, and your chance to vote for the TV Squad reader award.
Continue reading The Good Riddance Award nominees
Posted May 20th 2008 1:02PM by Brett Love
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Awards, Reality-Free, TV Squad Awards
Every year at this time there are a few shows that take the cancellation bullet, much to the dismay of fans. There are petitions, mass mailings, and declarations of never watching that network again. On the other hand ... every year there are also those shows that meet the TV reaper that really had it coming. We've had enough of their bad TV and we're not going to take it anymore.
The good riddance award is for those shows. Not only will you not miss them, you'll gladly cheer as the funeral procession passes you by. There is no shortage of contenders as we rap up the '07/'08 season. The first to ping my radar included Next Great American Band. Good grief, so much was wrong about that show. And while we're looking at that ill-fated Fox Friday, let's throw Nashville on the pile as well. CBS has a couple contenders in Secret Talents of the Stars and Viva Laughlin. How do you screw up getting frickin' Wolverine on your network? Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't offer a tip of the cap to ABC and the Cavemen as well. Those are just a few from my perspective. Add your contenders in the comments and we'll boil it all down to a really great list, of really bad TV.
Posted Jan 5th 2008 12:02PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: OpEd, Festivus, TV Squad Lists, WGA Strike

To call 2007 a stellar year of TV would be a mistake, because it was a very
bleh year in many respects. Shows that had previously riveted us to our seats made missteps and mistakes. New shows were either mediocre or just unmemorable. A writers' strike made people anxious and depressed all at once. And the aspects of the TV world that have generated low expectations continued on their merry lowbrow way (I mean, who expected Tila Tequila's search for love to be anything but a skankfest)?
But in a year of abject mediocrity, some highlights and lowlights poked through. Like last year, I'm going to make up categories instead of doing traditional "Bests" and "Worsts." It hurts my brain less...
Continue reading The Best and Worst of 2007: Joel's list
Posted Jan 3rd 2008 10:04AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Video, Celebrities, TV Squad Lists

Wow, another year has gone by. I just started getting used to writing "2007" on my checks last week and here we are in 2008. Happy New Year everyone! And don't tase me, bro!
I think this was actually a really good year for television, even if it does look like it's going to a short season. I think the best of the year and the worst of the year really stand out. Here's my list below. I'm sure you have your own opinions.
Best
1. Mad Men (AMC): Simply put, there was no better drama this past season (sorry Sopranos). This isn't just "great television," it might just change what the networks might put on in the next few years. It drops us into a world (in this case, a top ad agency in 1960 New York City) in a way very few shows are able to do. It has a flawless cast, intelligent writing, and a jawdropping, orgasmic production design. With this, AMC might just become the new HBO (they passed on this show but put on John From Cincinnati - ahem). Great to see it get a second season and a bunch of Golden Globe/SAG Award nominations. (And here's why Jon Hamm deserves a Golden Globe and an Emmy.)
Continue reading The Best and Worst of 2007: Bob's list - VIDEO
Posted Dec 15th 2007 5:20PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, Festivus, TV Squad Lists
... Five canceled shows.
Isn't it really sad when a TV show is canceled? It's like a family pet has died. You're not going to see these characters anymore, you're not going to find out what happened to them, and now you have to learn to like a whole new show and a new set of characters. And if the show replaced your favorite canceled show, you probably won't even watch. I still remember when Walker, Texas Ranger replaced Raven on CBS in the early 90s. I never forgave Chuck Norris for doing that and couldn't even watch his show, even though both shows were about heroes who kicked people with their feet.
2007 brought many cancellations to fans. Many cancellations we saw coming, many we didn't care about at all, and some truly hurt us. After the jump are the top five cancellations of the year. The ones that hit us the most and we talked about the most. Air your cancellation grievance in the comments below and at your Festivus party.
Continue reading On the 5th day of Festivus, TV gave to me...
Posted Oct 29th 2007 10:25AM by Paul Goebel
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Ask TV Squad, Celebrities
I just finished watching the now cancelled Viva Laughlin and I can totally understand why nobody watched the show. It was a total mess!
I was a fan of the BBC version (Viva Blackpool) and I really had high hopes for the Americanized drama. Sadly, the producers made way too many mistakes for this show to have even the slightest chance.
The first mistake they made was the decision to have the leads sing over the original songs. In the original version of the show, the actors lip-synced all the musical numbers which gave the show a really creepy quality. Especially when the male characters are doing a number like "These Boots Were Made for Walking." It was creepy and funny and weird and enjoyable to watch.
Continue reading Stump the King - Vega$
Posted Oct 27th 2007 3:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Video, Music and Variety, Web
Before Viva Laughlin (one of the worst shows to premiere on television in the past five years) debuted, no one would have believed a show like Cop Rock ever existed. Cops and crooks suddenly breaking into song and/or dance about robberies, shootings, drug deals, and murder? Sure, why not!
It came from Steven Bochco and ran on ABC in 1990. Check out the video after the jump. It's the classic scene you saw on Hill Street Blues all the time, the cops getting their morning rundown on what's going on. Then the captain suddenly starts singing "Let's Be Careful Out There." There's a cameo by another Bochco star at the end. I'm still wondering why the cops don't look at the guy singing and say "um, shouldn't we call the police psychologist?"
Continue reading Viva Laughlin is gone, so let's remember Cop Rock! - VIDEO
Posted Oct 25th 2007 5:30PM by Keith McDuffee
Filed under: Site Announcements, Contests and Giveaways, Cancellations
As was reported earlier this week, the first victim of the cancellation fairies has been claimed:
Viva Laughlin. 41 out of 671 of you chose this show, and we've randomly chosen commenter
Eric D from those entries. Congrats Eric -- you'll be hearing from us soon!
Now, this is not the end of
the contest! As you know, we're extending this on until three new shows have gotten the boot. We've got two more $75 Amazon.com gift certificates to give away. Everyone's once again eligible to enter, following the complete rules after the jump.
Continue reading The TV Squad cancellation trifecta game: We have our first winner!
Posted Oct 22nd 2007 3:45PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Contests and Giveaways, Cancellations, Ratings

Well, that was fast. After an avalanche of scathing reviews (including
mine) and extremely low ratings,
CBS has canceled the musical mystery drama Viva Laughlin after two episodes. According to the story on
Variety's web site, the show will be replaced in its Sunday 8 PM timeslot by
The Amazing Race starting November 4 (a
CSI rerun will air in that slot next week). No word yet on if the remaining episodes will be shown on CBS' web site, or anywhere else for that matter.
I imagine what happened is that CBS took a look at the low ratings for the show's Thursday premiere (
8.8 million viewers) and the even lower ratings for the first regular Sunday showing (a 1.2 rating and 3 share in th 18-49 demo, according to
Variety), saw that the quality of the remaining episodes were not going to improve, and decided to bail out. Those are the two factors that usually lead to such quick cancellations, especially to shows that were as heavily-promoted as
Laughlin was.
Continue reading Viva Laughlin gets a quick cancellation
Posted Oct 21st 2007 5:07PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight

- At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Viva Laughlin, Cold Case, and Shark.
- ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
- NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, then the Steelers/Broncos game.
- There's a new epiosode of The CW Now on The CW at 7.
- At 8, FOX has the Red Sox/Indians game.
- Nick has a new Zoey 101 at 8, followed by a new Nick News.
- At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Theatre.
- Food Network has a new Next Iron Chef at 9, then a new Iron Chef America.
- HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
- Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Brotherhood.
- At 10, VH-1 has a new Hogan Knows Best.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Oct 20th 2007 11:47AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Web, Celebrities

What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.
Posted Oct 16th 2007 4:21PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Early Looks

In the world of TV, one of the riskiest things a creative team can do is shoot for the "quirky" factor. It's an all-or-nothing deal: either it works, where everything clicks and the audience embraces the show, or nothing works, and the show explodes in a big awful mess over the poor suckers who decided to tune in and watch. At the beginning of the 2007-08 season, we have two shows who went for the quirk:
Pushing Daisies and
Viva Laughlin. And as it turns out, one show works and the other show is a disaster. Considering
Daisies is one of the most praised new shows of the season, we all know where we're going with this.
Continue reading Viva Laughlin -- An early look
Posted Jul 20th 2007 6:50PM by Michael Maloney
Filed under: CSI, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, TCA Press Tour

Practically the entire CBS prime time line up was attending the all-stars outdoor party on the Wadsworth Theatre Great Lawn in Brentwood, Calif. on Thursday night.
But I only had one objective: make peace with the gang from
How I Met Your Mother (and TVSquad readers) for missing the informal panel at Wednesday's TCA presentation attended by Neil Patrick Harris (Barney) and creators/executive producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas.
Continue reading CBS press tour party - or making peace with How I Met Your Mother - TCA report
Posted Jul 20th 2007 12:01PM by Michael Maloney
Filed under: Industry, Programming, TCA Press Tour
It was back to school after the Jericho presentation with a look at CBS Interactive/CBS Audience Network Presentation and Q&A.
Remember what I said about how attending the cable and PBS portion of TCA is like taking all those science and humanity classes during your first two years of college -- and the network portion of TCA is like all the fun courses in your major?
Well, today, CBS threw us a few calculus lessons.
Continue reading CBS press tour day 2, Viva the future! - TCA report
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