It is amazing how terrible this show is. The original series, the BBC's Viva la Blackpool is well acted, original, and surreal. It is a joy to watch. I would highly recommend it.There have been a lot of British shows that have been butchered by their American adaptations, but none have missed the mark as badly as Viva Laughlin. The original works because the music punctuates the feelings of an otherwise very serious and dark story. The result is surreal and edgy. Laughlin is a painful over the top Broadwayisation of the original. Laughlin's horrible acting and reworked script makes it impossible for you to connect to any of the characters. Laughlin fails miserably at capturing any of the emotion or beauty of the BBC version.

I live close enough to the real Laughlin to be able to spend lots of time there, and so I was looking forward to this series. But what a joke! It was obvious that nothing was filmed there, except a few establishing shots of the Colorado Belle. I also laughed at references to 'Laughlin PD' (the town is considered a rural area and is served by Las Vegas Police) and especially the aged boyfriend introduced as 'a professor at the University'. Um...would this be Bullhead Community College, the closest thing to higher learning and a considerable distance across the river? It follows that I was so very disappointed at the lack of realism. This is Laughlin! Where are the queues of old people waiting for the buffet to open? Where are the chain-smoking old ladies with their key rings full of players cards? The folks hooked both to their oxygen and their slot machines dropping their dollars? The man arguing that his two-for-one should be valid at weekends? Thinking about it, I lament the show's cancellation; sometimes something so bad is actually quite good - for laughs.

I congratulate the Americans for being brave enough to take some thing British with an edge and try to make their audience accept something that does not have a laughter track, go for 15 minutes plus adverts, and include "in" jokes that will not last 6 months of currency.It just worked with "The Office", but even it is not exportable.Unfortunately Viva does not work and the terrific Blackpool original needed an understanding of the working class of the UK, which the yanks will never comprehend.The music and songs is an escape from the drab cloudy dirty streets of Britain and Blackpool is their escape to fun (sitting on a beach in socks and sandals with a handkerchief with knotted corners on their heads, and trouser legs rolled up - the only escape from normal working life - a 'fun parlour'.Viva should have taken a New York beach resort like Brighton Beach or Coney Island during the colder months and the carnival type characters who live in the shadows conning the punters.

It would be almost decent if the actors would stop bursting into cheesy (and I'm talking extra cheese with a side of cheddar) musical/dance numbers every five minutes. I'm not kidding.I can understand how Melanie Griffith (playing a character named "Bunny" - yeah, a real stretch!) and Wings Hauser (the kiss of death to any show) would be desperate enough to sign up for this train wreck, but Hugh Jackman? At least he has talent.I'm all for trying out new concepts for TV shows, especially because the industry is so resistant to innovation. But with innovation comes a lot of flops. And Viva Laughlin is the flip-floppiest!Sorry, guys! Try again!