October 23, 2007 10:42am
Gyngell had high expectations for the musical drama and rescheduled the station's guide to include it, creating a once-a-week, $5 million version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire to lead into the series.
Viva Laughlin, which was universally panned by critics and did not fare well in the ratings when it premiered in the US last week, was officially cancelled by American television network CBS early this morning.
The show will be replaced by repeats of CSI in the US but it is unclear what will become of the series on Nine, which is understood to have shelled out a considerable sum to screen the first US TV production for Jackman's fledgling Seed production company.
Jackman, who runs the company with wife Deborra-Lee Furness and producer John Palermo, was executive producer on the series and also starred in the show.
The show was based on the hit BBC series Viva Blackpool, about a gambler who opens a casino but winds up in the middle of a murder investigation.
It featured characters that sang - and sometimes danced - along to hit songs.
Critics were generally unimpressed with the series, which also failed to attract viewers.
In the end, even CBS appeared to distance itself from the show, mostly stripping promo spots of any mention of the sing-along gimmick.
Jackman had reportedly distanced himself from the project before it premiered.
Palermo last week denied Jackman was embarrassed by the series and said his lack of publicity for the show was because he was busy filming other projects.
"He's trying to balance a million things in his life - he's an amazing husband and family (man), he's got Wolverine and Australia," Palermo said.
"I don't really understand the reviews to be honest - there's always that chance of that when you produce something risky but we've got high hopes and the figures will speak for themselves."
CBS is still deciding what to do with the remaining episodes of Viva Laughlin but is considering streaming them online.
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