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Television Premiere Travel: It Ain't Over Till "Viva Laughlin" Sings

And you thought premiere season was over! There are two premieres left before the onslaught of midseason replacements, one of which (ABC's "Sex and the City" retread "Cashmere Mafia") debuts after Thanksgiving. The other, the musical casino story "Viva Laughlin," previews tomorrow night before moving to its regular timeslot, Sunday nights at 8PM.

In "Viva Laughlin," a businessman chases his dream of opening his own casino in Laughlin, Nevada, 100 miles south of Las Vegas. (The show's based on a BBC series set in Blackpool, a seaside town in northwest England.) Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen) won't let anything stand in his way, not even the fact that people around him are breaking into song and dance. Even if he has to ask rival casino owner Nicky Fontana (Hugh Jackman, also a producer of the show) for help, he's going to be a success--or else.

Despite its title, "Viva Laughlin" films partly in Los Angeles and partly in Cabazon, California, at the Morongo Casino Resort. Unfortunately, the casino might be closing early; "Viva Laughlin" has gotten terrible reviews (it was even named the worst show of the fall by AOL, which apparently didn't hear about "Cavemen"). But while it lasts, the Morongo gets a free ad, and Jackman fans get to see him perform a role very different from Wolverine.

Our TV Premiere Map has the shows the networks are gambling on.

Related Stories:
· "Viva Laughlin" Is a Train Wreck in a Casino [Chicago Tribune]
· Fall TV's Worst New Shows [AOL]
· TV Premiere Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Time-blog.com]