Viva Laughlin: "Let us count the number of ways it bombs"

Poor old Hugh Jackman.  This journal was last year lauding his performance in The Boy from Oz.  And now we have Viva Laughlan.

Good luck to actors who set up production companies.  They are obviously intent on diversifying their involvement in their vocation.  And good luck to such an obviously-talented bloke like Our Hugh for taking a gamble on this program.

Trouble was - it was awful! 

Glenn Owen

Maybe Hugh was being adventurous in casting the British actor Lloyd Owen.  Last time I saw him, he was settling into life as laird of Glenbogle.  Now he has half-gained a very frail American accent and an even dodgier singing voice.

Not that you'd know this from the advertising on Channel 9.  This advertising suggested that the program was wall-to-wall Hugh Jackman - who, apparently, was only going to be in every 3rd-or-so episode.

Well, as it turns out, he was in 100% of the episodes aired in Australia because it was axed yesterday after one (count them: 1) program - following the axing of the series by CBS after 2 programs.

What went wrong?  I subscribe to the Sydney Morning Herald writer's theory that "Viva Laughlin has the fingerprints of nervous network executives all over it."

 Maybe, given a chance, it would have developed into something.  (Certainly, I would have hoped that Lloyd Owen's outrageous accent would have gone to something beyond his unintentional vocal impersonation of Billy Crystal.)

This might have given the chance for the bastard-behaving casino owner (played by Owens) to redeem himself.  I mean, who cares about a casino owner's fortunes?

Anyway, its all over now.  This however does not hold the record for rapidity of dumping.  That belongs to Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos - axed in mid-broadcast, reportedly on the orders of late station owner proprietor Kerry Packer.

• The quotation in the headline of this post is from the New York Times of 18th October 2007.
• Article in the Sydney Morning Herald.