Perhaps the impending strike by the Writer’s Guild is not such a bad thing after all.
As that bastion of entertainment news, the New York Times, has reported, today the WGA is supposed to announce whether or not its members will begin a strike on November 1.
Now I like writers, having aspirations in that field, and I generally like shows that have good writing. When you get right down to it, writing is the foundation on which any good film or TV series is built.
But after coming across this…for lack of a better word…abomination, I have to wonder if the strike wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Seriously, what was the thought process behind this show, Viva Laughlin.
“So I have a good idea for a show. Let’s take that crappy show set in Vegas, you know, what’s it called…the one so good that they moved it to Fridays…oh, right Las Vegas. So let’s take that, move it to an even crappier town, and then stock it full of contrived characters that sound like they came out a 6th rate Raymond Chandler knockoff.”
Ripley Holden?!
Nicky Fontana!?
Seriously, these are your character names. Why not just go with Cool Hero, and Evil Villain.
If this is what “professional” writers are coming up with, then clearly the ranks of TV writers need to be culled.
You know, I might not care so much if this were on, like FX or TBS, or some other cable station. If it were, then I’d assume this show did not take itself too seriously and it might actually work (take, Monk, for example which is AWESOME!). But, oh no, Viva Laughlin is on CBS, at 8 PM on Sundays! What the hell is a broadcast station giving an hour of primetime to this crap for!
And Laughlin!
Seriously!
I haven’t been there in about a decade, and hopefully I’ll never return. I don’t care how many fucking Starbucks and P.F. Chang’s it boasts. At it’s core, it’s still a place old ladies go to play nickel slots!
Shit, I can already tell that I’ve written stuff way better than this show and I haven’t even seen the show. Plus, I’m not a good writer. Everyone involved in Viva Laughlin should be officially blackballed, as of this moment, and never allowed to set foot in either California or New York ever again.
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October 18th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
It’s a remake of a 6-epsode BBC series called Blackpool (and Viva Blackpool). The BBC series has some highpoints, but drags a lot. The musical numbers are pretty fun though and the villain and hero are complex characters who both end up fairly unsympathetic in the end.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
OK, two things…
1. I’d get behind a show called Viva Blackpool on the sheer basis that it was set in Blackpool.
and
2. That just proves my point all the more…get a fucking original, or at least only half cliched or stolen, idea once in a while Television. I mean, Christ, how many damn shows have been “inspired” by British shows now, 200-250?
October 18th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Can’t we just get said British shows? I mean wouldn’t it be cheaper on the networks, and we the viewing audience would have better shows to enjoy .
October 19th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Yeah, but unlike over here, where we have to bleed every last drop of blood from a franchise, even after it has lost all of its original magic (Simpons, anyone?), many shows in jolly ol’ England only run for a season or two (or, less, god forbid!). And they do this not because of say, bad ratings, but by intention. Producers and writers over there just tend to want to tell complete stories, even if that means only making 12 episodes and damn all the lost merchandising revenue! Case in point, the original Office ran for 2 (that’s right, one, two) seasons, and had a one off holiday special. You think any network over hear would air something they knew would only last two years by design? Me thinks not…