Hugh Jackman, Lloyd Owen in CBS' 'Viva Laughlin' -

"Casino Royale," indeed. James Bond would look like a shrinking violet next to new casino owner Ripley Holden, the hero of CBS' new drama "Viva Laughlin." In one early scene, Holden, played by the ruggedly ...

[Jake Malone]

Viva Laughlin



What it’s about: Based on a BBC series called Blackpool, Viva Laughlin is about a guy who opens a brand new casino in a smaller city in Nevada. Did I mention that this is a musical?



What’s good: Oh sweet Lord, how I love this show. If you’d told me that CBS was going to put on an Americanized remake of an interesting but not great Brit-drama and that the characters would spontaneously start singing, I wouldn’ve told you that sounded like certain disaster. To have it turn out to be the best network show of the season (or at least my personal favorite – by a very wide margin – is damn near miraculous.



It’s important to note for the skeptical (though this might not allay any reservations) that the songs are not original compositions, but pop tunes spanning the last 40 or 50 years.“Viva Las Vegas” and Blondie’s “One Way or Another” are some notable ones. The characters don’t lip synch or merely sing…they sing along with the original track, so you can hear both at once…an interesting and confident stylistic choice.



Cast is also great. Lloyd Owen, a british actor with a long career behind him plays the lead, and he’s got just the right amount of smarmy confidence and, when the story calls for it, abject fear. And, somehow, they got Hugh Jackman (Wolverine from Oklahoma!) to play the bad guy! Melanie Griffith makes an appearance as well as a sort of washed-up femme fatale.



Viva Laughlin is totally ridiculous and extremely fun to watch. It reminded me a lot of the early seasons of Nip/Tuck, only without the mean-streak and pretentious aspirations. Oh, and with singing.



What’s not so good: Hell, I don’t know. I just really, really love this show.



Will it be a hit? FOR SURE !!!!!!
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Viva Laughlin Preview - New Series From CBS

I know what I like, and I like this Show !!!

You decide if you like Viva Laughlin:

copy and paste or double click on these links:

New Clip on Viva Laughlin:

http://cosmopost.com/SizzleRecap.html

http://youtube.com/watch...

http://youtube.com/watch...

http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/3325824/

http://www.upn.com/primetime/viva_laughlin/

VIVA LAUGHLIN, the new mystery drama with music, will have a special preview on Thursday, Oct. 18 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) following CSI before moving to its regular Sunday (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) time period on Oct. 21 to take advantage of a two week window in the schedule without football overruns.

Thursday, Oct. 18
10:00-11:00 PM VIVA LAUGHLIN (Special Preview)

Sunday, Oct. 21
8:00-9:00 PM VIVA LAUGHLIN (Time Period Premiere)

[Anti Viva]

The show (Viva Laughlin) S-U-C-K-S SUCKS!!! It's like a bad musical with bad acting. What a waste of time.

[Betty in NYS]

I love this Owen - watched him in his Monarch of the Glen series. But I really don't think the show will fly - - the music and the fact that there is already a Las Vegas (good) show on will factor in its survivor ability.

[Susie F]

Love Hugh Jackman! No one should be singing!! It doesn't say much for 'our' Laughlin. I thought the headliners, Debbie Reynolds, etc were the only ones that sang in Laughlin. Could have been a really good show, again without the singing!

[Susie F]

FYI- FROM NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA

[Len Craske]

Great concept, but I feel, doomed to failure. A real shame. Both Hugh and Lloyd are good, repected actors. Terrible script and the singing just adds to the problem. Great sets, good background,*great* camera work. It should work, but it will not. Melanie looks like she's gone a round with Mike Tyson and blocked every incoming with her lips. Such a dated look. A sad situation. Why can't she see what the camera shows? Such a beautiful lady. Truly.
The "not so well knowns" steal most scenes, because they are being given the right lines and not having to "showboat" with silly songs or situations.
I hope this works because all the right players are in place. It just needs some caring management to drive it.
I'd love to see this succeed. Stop the singing, trade the SL500 Mercedes for a 60's classic with some problems, lose the lips and everybody walk slower. Urgency is good in ER, not this.
Please make this work and grow the characters. Having them all come over day 1 like they are, is overpowering. A balance to be sure, but do not lose it.
Lloyd Owen and Hugh Jackman, as American - OK, but Hugh Laurie already did it without too much of a silly brogue. Do not push it.
Car commercials love 60's - 70's songs as background (ELO etc.) right now. American shows are now loving English actors to play Americans. Band wagons are OK as long as you jump on early enough. Make sure the timing is right and do not lose this opportunity to use these great actors to make this fly.
I'd love to see this work,
Every success, but think carefully,
Len.

[Leanne]

I saw the previews and the cast and thought this was going to be original and great. And then I sit down to watch it. Dejavu... can anyone say "Viva Blackpool". It was original a while back on BBC America. Viva Laughlin is the same show, same characters (names and all), only this on is set in the US not Britan.
I'm for anyting with Hugh Jackman, but this is ridiculous!

[TJM]

I watched the pilot last night and truly enjoyed it. The whole show was a terrific surprise. Melanie and Hugh were great as well as all members of the cast. The show is new and exciting. Watch-Watch-Watch it!!!!!!!!!!

[Betty Girl]

I watched the show last night and was thoroughly entertained. It was an enjoyable refreshing change from the crime/laywer/medical dramas that seem to be taking up most of the airwaves anymore. Hugh Jackman was great and it was nice to see D.B. Woodside, too. It was an hour of fun and they set a good storyline that I will tune in again to find out what's happening. It was entertaining with a "retro" feeling to it of good old shows that are long gone. I'm not sure how I feel about the singing yet, only time will tell! I'll be tuning in for more to find out!

[sam]

i enjoyed almost every single aspect of it except for the way they portrayed the singing. The singing is fine but having the orginal song over the top of it ruined it.Apart from that it was great. I'm proud to say that after many years i finally have a show i can enjoy......please watch it

[Darren Jones]

Canceled after just two episodes, is this the greatest tragedy of the fall? 80% of all new shows fail, some spectacularly, some just fizz out. This seasons new shows have included a whole bevy of potential hits, Life, Chuck and the Bionic Woman to name three. So many shows saw a lot of pre-release advertising and build up, but where was the build for this show? Perhaps CBS just didn't know how to market this Las Vegas meets Daytime Soap meets bad karaoke chimera. Having seen some autopsy clips now the show is canceled, it could have been a breakout comedy. So long as the actors and producers kept the approach deadly serious this could have been a serious ratings winner, a show hated by reviewers but beloved of audiences. Perhaps once word of this show gets around the series could see a fan driven revival, or at least a complete series box set some time in the near future.

[Judith from Texas]

Only heard about this show when it was cancelled but would like the opportunity to view the (2) episodes that aired and form my own opinion.
The investment in this TV show may be worth cleaning up the concept/script and relaunching. Thanks.