CBS Tuesday Curse Claims '3 Lbs.'

Zap2It.com | November 30, 2006

Stanley Tucci, '3 Lbs.'

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Network hasn't found Tuesday success since 'Judging Amy'

Once is bad. Twice is a coincidence. Thrice is a trend.

CBS has pulled the medical drama "3 Lbs." from its schedule, effective immediately. While "3 Lbs.," starring Stanley Tucci as an eccentric brain surgeon, has not been officially cancelled, it could become the third consecutive scripted drama to wither on the Tuesday 10 p.m. vine after exactly three episodes.

Call it The Curse of "Judging Amy."

CBS cancelled the long-running drama two seasons back amidst concerns that the Emmy-winning series was skewing too old. The initially filled the spot with "Close to Home," but that show struggled before moving to Friday nights and becoming a minor hit.

The sci-fi drama "Threshold" was slated to move to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, but it only lasted one episode there. CBS had high hopes for "Love Monkey," but it aired only three times early this year. "Amazing Race" occupied the space for several weeks, but after earning its lowest ratings in years, CBS moved it to Wednesday nights.

The summer saw CBS strike out in the time period with "Tuesday Night Book Club," but the jinx looked to be over when the network programmed "Smith," one of its most hyped and star-studded pilots for Tuesdays. Instead, "Smith" was the season's first cancellation, lasting only three episodes, playing out the string online.

The network was forced to push "3 Lbs." onto the air a couple months earlier than expected. According to Variety, CBS only ordered eight episodes and the five remaining episodes may be made available in some other form or -- far less likely -- in another time slot.

In its three showings, "3 Lbs." averaged only a 2.7 rating among adults 18-49, a 16 percent decline from the performance of "Smith."

CBS had already planned to air the Victoria's Secret fashion show in the "3 Lbs." slot next week, but a special 9 p.m. airing of "3 Lbs." has been pulled in favor of an episode of "The Unit."

Meanwhile, somebody needs to call Tyne Daly in to do an exorcism.