Skip to main content

DeKnight Tunes Up for "Viva Laughlin"

CBS musical-mystery series Viva Laughlin (based on the superlative BBC skein Blackpool) has received a rare infusion of fresh blood in the form of a former Joss Whedon staffer.

Steven DeKnight (Angel), late of Smallville, and Tyler Bensinger (Cold Case) have joined the staff of Viva Laughlin as showrunners and executive producers on the series.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, there had been rumblings that Sony, BBC, and network CBS that they would insert another producer or two to run Viva Laughlin alongside executive producer Bob Lowry. Lowry will himself stay on board the genre-melding series, which stars Lloyd Owen, Madchen Amick, Melanie Griffith, Carter Jenkins, Eric Winter, Ellen Woglom, D.B. Woodside, and Hugh Jackman.

Personally, I think the series needs some major improvements and quickly. I was a huge fan of the original Blackpool but this US remake feels awfully forced and not incredibly likely to catch on with mainstream America. Can DeKnight turn this sinking ship around? Stay tuned.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yeah, Jake, no matter how many links you post to Viva Laughlin clips or whatever is going to make me tune in to this show. Sorry but it's true. It looks like a mess and one that is destined for the garbage can after a few episodes even with DeKnight's involvement.
Anonymous said…
I don't think even Steve can save this.
The CineManiac said…
I really hope that DeKnight can do something with this show. When I heard the premise I was ecstatic, as I'm a big fan of musicals and Jackman. Now everything I hear says it's a huge mess.
So here's hoping it's another '______' and not another 'Cop Rock'
(That blank spot is for a successful Musical Television series, unfortunately I couldn't think of one)
Anonymous said…
Cinemaniac,

Sadly, I don't think this show will fill your expectations. The version of the pilot that I saw was pretty horrible. That said, the original is great so I suggest trying to find a copy of that instead. You'll be much happier!
The CineManiac said…
Thanks Bela,
I'll look for it.

Popular posts from this blog

Katie Lee Packs Her Knives: Breaking News from Bravo's "Top Chef"

The android has left the building. Or the test kitchen, anyway. Top Chef 's robotic host Katie Lee Joel, the veritable "Uptown Girl" herself (pictured at left), will NOT be sticking around for a second course of Bravo's hit culinary competition. According to a well-placed insider, Joel will "not be returning" to the show. No reason for her departure was cited. Unfortunately, the perfect replacement for Joel, Top Chef judge and professional chef Tom Colicchio, will not be taking over as the reality series' host (damn!). Instead, the show's producers are currently scouring to find a replacement for Joel. Top Chef 's second season was announced by Bravo last month, but no return date has been set for the series' ten-episode sophomore season. Stay tuned as this story develops. UPDATE (6/27): Bravo has now confirmed the above story .

BuzzFeed: Meet The TV Successor To "Serial"

HBO's stranger-than-fiction true crime documentary The Jinx   — about real estate heir Robert Durst — brings the chills and thrills missing since Serial   wrapped up its first season. Serial   obsessives: HBO's latest documentary series is exactly what you've been waiting for.   The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst , like Sarah Koenig's beloved podcast, sifts through old documents, finds new leads from fresh interviews, and seeks to determine just what happened on a fateful day in which the most foul murder was committed. And, also like  Serial  before it,  The Jinx may also hold no ultimate answer to innocence or guilt. But that seems almost beside the point; such investigations often remain murky and unclear, and guilt is not so easy a thing to be judged. Instead, this upcoming six-part tantalizing murder mystery, from director Andrew Jarecki ( Capturing the Friedmans ), is a gripping true crime story that unfolds with all of the speed of a page-turner; it

BuzzFeed: "The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now"

The CBS legal drama, now in its sixth season, continually shakes up its narrative foundations and proves itself fearless in the process. Spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date on the show. At BuzzFeed, you can read my latest feature, " The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now," in which I praise CBS' The Good Wife and, well, hail it as the best show currently on television. (Yes, you read that right.) There is no need to be delicate here: If you’re not watching The Good Wife, you are missing out on the best show on television. I won’t qualify that statement in the least — I’m not talking about the best show currently airing on broadcast television or outside of cable or on premium or however you want to sandbox this remarkable show. No, the legal drama is the best thing currently airing on any channel on television. That The Good Wife is this perfect in its sixth season is reason to truly celebrate. Few shows embrace complexity and risk-taking in t