The fall season had its first casualty yesterday when CBS pulled the plug on Viva Laughlin, ending the musical/mystery drama about a small-time casino owner after two episodes – and leaving an hour-long gap in the E! schedule on Sunday nights.

The CanWest-owned channel carried the show at 7 pm, one hour ahead of its US slot. A spokesperson was unable to provide ratings for Viva but, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the most recent episode aired to a dismal 6.8 million American viewers, a third of whom had drifted away by the second half.

E! has no immediate word on how it will fill the slot. In the US, starting Nov. 4, CBS will replace it with the 12th season of The Amazing Race, which is carried here by CTV. Viva Laughlin was adapted from the BBC series Viva Blackpool.

From Playback Daily