Viva Laughlin - Season 1
Premieres: Thursday, October 18th at 9:00 p.m. EST (special preview)
Network: CBS
Creator(s): Peter Bowker, Bob Lowry
Starring: Lloyd Owen, Mädchen Amick, Hugh Jackman
Website: CBS.com
Based on the BBC series Viva Blackpool, Viva Laughlin follows the efforts of gambler Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen) to open a casino in Nevada… Laughlin, Nevada. When his funding for the project falls through he has to turn to his arch-enemy Nicky Fontana (Hugh Jackman) for help. Murder gets thrown into the mix as well when Ripley’s former business partner is found dead in his office. And like any other businessman, from Dick van Dyke to Tony Soprano, Ripley has a demanding wife (Mädchen Amick) and kids to contend with. Oh, and did I mention the musical numbers? And that Melanie Griffith shows up too?
Viva Laughlin, if nothing else, promises to be one of the most delightfully weird shows of the upcoming season. Everyone keeps saying the musical is back, and I guess Viva Laughlin will be the ultimate test to see if singin’ and dancin’ can make their way onto primetime. Given that “Dick in a Box” beat out the Scrubs musical episode for an Emmy, I’m not sure that the answer is yes. Still, the presence of Hugh Jackman on the small screen is something we can all be thankful for, as well as an original premise, even if it’s based on another show (hey, the cross-the-pond transfer worked for The Office). With this and Pushing Daisies, there seems to be a playful, visual inventiveness making its way onto the screen this season, like the way 24 and Lost played with narrative format. I for one can’t wait to see how it turns out.
