CBS Set To Dump Laughlin Already?

It looks like CBS is about to pull the plug on the new series, Viva Laughlin. Apparently, American viewers had no interest in this new mystery-dramedy-musical because the pilot episode, which aired this Sunday night only scored a 1.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic. CBS aired a preview episode of the pilot on Thursday following CSI but even paired with that ratings juggernaut, the Laughlin preview just didn’t create enough buzz to get people to tune in for the official pilot when it aired last night.

TVguide.com’s Stephen Battaglio reported the rumor of the likely cancellation of Laughlin. Battaglio went on to say that The Amazing Race will most likely fill Laughlin’s spot and that though there are Jericho episodes all set and ready to air, the network will most likely want to save those for later in the season. Should the writers’ strike actually happen, scripted dramas and comedies are eventually going to be in heavy demand.

So Jericho fans, I know you’re probably praying that CBS starts airing new Jericho episodes should Laughlin get cancelled but think of it this way: If the writers strike happens and goes on for months, the demand for scripted shows is most likely going to increase significantly. Unless the networks are seriously stockpiling scripts (they probably are), sooner or later they’re going to start running low on scripted dramas and comedies. Primetime spots will be filled with reality TV, leaving drama-junkies to find a way to get their fix somewhere else. This is when those Jericho episodes are going to come in handy. The show could end up getting higher ratings due to an increase in new viewers.

Click Here to see TVGuide.com’s photos from season 2 of Jericho.

Update: It looks like the rumors were true. CBS did in fact, cancel Viva Laughlin