The Ashton Kutcher-produced series “The Beautiful Life,” a scripted drama about the seamy side of modeling, is the first casualty of the new fall TV season. After airing only two episodes, The CW announced Friday it was pulling the series starring Mischa Barton and that production had ceased.
The debut episode lost about 60 percent of the audience of its lead-in, “America’s Next Top Model,” while the second episode only attracted 1 million viewers. For now The CW looks to be filling the newly vacant timeslot with encores of the revamped “Melrose Place,” a show also receiving dismal ratings. One hit the network does have is “Vampire Diaries,” which has been performing well and continues to build its audience.
So, which show is getting the axe next? Based on their weak premieres, the likeliest candidates seem to be Amy Poehler’s “Parks and Recreation” and Jenna Elfman’s new sitcom, “Accidentally on Purpose.” And though it’s highly unlikely FOX will yank fan favorite “So You Think You Can Dance,” its lackluster ratings will probably relegate it back to the summer (where it belongs, obviously).
Clearly it’s tough being a new show in the overcrowded fall TV lineup. A freshman series is much more likely to be canceled than get picked up. But it must be embarrassing to be the first cut. The producers of last fall’s first canceled comedy, “Do Not Disturb,” publicly apologized “for being the perpetrators of such bad television.”
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