HBO Cancels "John From Cincinnati," Fate of "Flight of the Conchords" Unknown

HBO's drama John From Cincinnati may have wrapped its first season last night but that hasn't stopped the pay cabler from enacting a swift blow to the series.

That's right, folks. John From Cincinnati is dead. Just don't expect the convoluted metaphysical surfing drama to rise from the dead any time soon.

HBO has confirmed that it has canceled the series, which failed to connect with critics and viewers alike.

In the meantime, the pay cabler hasn't yet decided whether it will renew comedy Flight of the Conchords for a second season. On that front, I have to beg for some mercy and only hope that HBO sees the merit of keeping the quirky comedy around for a while longer. Pretty please?

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC; 8-9:30 pm); Gilmore Girls (CW); Just for Laughs/Just for Laughs (ABC); On the Lot (FOX)

9 pm: Big Brother 8 (CBS); The Singing Bee (NBC; 9:30-10 pm); Beauty and the Geek (CW); Primetime (FOX); House (FOX)

10 pm: The Unit (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); I-Caught (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Eureka on Sci Fi.

Season Two of Eureka continues tonight with "Noche de Suenos," in the good residents of Eureka find themselves sharing one another's dreams after a toxic-waste spill; too bad Carter keeps dreaming that he's, er, naked in public.

10-11:02 pm: Damages on FX.

FX's new legal drama Damages continues. On tonight's episode ("Tastes Like a Ho Ho"), Patty brutally preps Katie for her deposition, Greg withholds a valuable piece of evidence, Patty proves her dislike for desk clutter, and Ellen and David's relationship is put to the test after an incident at the office.

10 pm: Flipping Out on Bravo.

Okay, I know this is unexpected but I can't help but watch the crazy people in this topsy-turvey world. In this week's episode, Jeff and Ryan wager on who will land a multi-million dollar etate while Jeff considers bringing in a psychic to perform a blessing ceremony.

Wipeout: "John From Cincinnati" Leaves Me Hanging

Wow. I had read the script for John From Cincinnati last fall so knew what to expect but even I couldn't have anticipated the bloated, pretentious mess that ended up on screen.

From the fertile mind of David Milch (Deadwood), comes this metaphysical surfing series about a network of burn-outs, losers, and a crumbling family in a small, beachside town beside by illegal aliens (perhaps of the garden variety and the extraterrestrial kind).

Launching on the back of the final episode of The Sopranos (which I watched, despite giving up on the show a few seasons back), John From Cincinnati certainly won't be the program to redefine HBO as The Sopranos did all those years ago. Instead, it's a more turgid, modern-day version of the network's own Carnivale, which (though I was a fan) did nothing to engender the network to the viewers.

John From Cincinnati is meant to be a convergence of genres: surf movies of the 1960s, apocalyptic visions, and the family drama. Into this kitchen sink drama comes the titular John Monad (Austin Nichols), a cipher who is early on called "a babe in the woods." Is he a prophet, come to warn the town about the end times? An idiot savant who can effortlessly surf like a champion? A rich brat with amnesia and, er, learning difficulties? We're not entirely sure. But he comes into the Yost family's lives just as they themselves are experiencing certain miracles: pater familias Mitch Yost (Bruce Greenwood) finds himself levitating a few inches off the ground after a morning surf; family friend Bill (Ed O'Neill) discovers his beloved dead bird come back to life. Are these signs and wonders or portents of things to come? Is it truly Judgment Day?

Ah, I couldn't really care. Sure, John From Cincinnati has that trademark Milch hard-boiled dialogue, laced liberally with expletives, but the characters grate from the moment they appear on-screen, whether its the caustic Cissy Yost (Rebecca DeMornay), the aggressive faded surf champion Mitch, vulture surf manager Linc (Luke Perry), or the smack-talking junkie Butchie (Brian Van Holt). (Not to mention Willie Garson, Matt Winston, and Luis Guzman.) Yes, these characters certainly are "colorful" but they aren't remotely sympathetic enough to make me want to take another gander at this series.

The Sopranos left its audience screaming "Don't stop" as it faded to black, but to follow up the end of a network-defining drama that rewrote the book on crime dramas and infused the zeitgeist with its tough talking lingo, makes John From Cincinnati not only a bitter pill to swallow, but I definitely have a hard time, as Journey might say, believin'.

From "Deadwood" to Driftwood: HBO Orders Milch's "John From Cincinnati"

Those of you saddened by the end of Deadwood (save those two-hour movies that are supposed to wrap things up at some point in the future), look no further. HBO has gotten in bed with Deadwood creator David Milch for what Variety is calling a "surf noir family drama" set in Southern California.

HBO has ordered 12 episodes of Milch's latest drama John From Cincinnati, which will revolve around the seriously screwed up Yost family of Imperial Beach. Dad is a former surfing star, Mom is definitely dispirited, and their son is addicted to drugs. Enter John (um, from Cincinnati) who shows up at the Yosts looking for surfing lessons (rather mysteriously no less) as well as a guy who is looking for revenge against the Yosts for a personal vendetta. Hmmmm, is it a coincidence that the two men show up at the same time?

John From Cincinnati, which begins production next month, stars Austin Nichols, Bruce Greenwood, Rebecca De Mornay, Brian Van Holt, Matt Winston, Greyson Fletcher, Luis Guzman, and Ed O'Neill. (Talk about a great cast.) Series is expected to launch next summer.

As for Deadwood, HBO still plans to wrap up the foul-mouthed Western drama with two made-for-television movies. Negotiations are underway with the regulars from the original cast of Deadwood, but it's still not clear who would return for these telepics, though Ian McShane would most likely return. Milch has reportedly begun writing the script for the first telepic and hopes to have it produced in time to air next summer... which would make next summer the Season of Milch over at HBO.

Even those you-know-whats back in Deadwood would have to be happy about that.