New Showrunners For 'Laughlin'

Zap2It.com | August 24, 2007

Lloyd Owen, 'Viva Laughlin'

Discuss this story now

"Smallville" and "Justice" vets step up

CBS has made some changes at the top of its Sunday night musical drama "Viva Laughlin."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tyler Bensinger and Steven DeKnight will serve as executive producers and showrunners on CBS' fresh-ish take on the BBC format "Viva Blackpool!"

The previous "Laughlin" showrunner, Bob Lowry, will stay on as executive producer. The trade paper offered no explanation for the move, though early critical buzz on the series has been less-than-rapturous.

The series stars Lloyd Owen as Ripley, a man with a dream of opening a ritzy new casino in the less-than-ritzy Nevada community of Laughlin. Madchen Amick, Carter Jenkins, D.B. Woodside and Eric Winter also star. The pilot features a guest appearance by Hugh Jackman, also one of the show's executive producers.

Production credits for DeKnight include work on "Smallville" and "Angel," while Bensinger created last fall's FOX drama "Justice" and has also served as producer on "Cold Case."