 Locklear May Save 'A.U.S.A.'
LOS ANGELES - Heather Locklear has always been television gold. From "Dynasty" to "T.J. Hooker" to "Melrose Place" to "Spin City," the actress has rarely missed, which makes it surprising that Locklear's NBC comedy pilot "Once Around the Park" may be the highest profile snub of the pilot season. While the networks won't announce their fall rosters until upfront presentations next week, rumors are already flying that Locklear's comedy (as well as Tom Selleck's "Touch 'Em All McCall") won't be on the NBC schedule when its unveiled next Monday. According to Wednesday's (May7) Hollywood Reporter, "Once Around the Park" was testing so poorly that NBC would either develop it, or scrap the show and move on. Today, the trade is reporting that Locklear may join the cast of "A.U.S.A." dramatically improving its chances of survival. Despite a recognizable star in Scott Foley ("Felicity") and a plum slot after "Frasier," "A.U.S.A." has averaged only 8.34 million viewers per night and ranks behind already deceased shows like "Bram and Alice" for the season. However, shifting Locklear to the legal comedy would let the network save the show and maintain its relationship with the actress. In other NBC news, sources say that "The West Wing" (minus helmers Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme) may shift to a Sunday evening time slot and that, in an amusing twist, the show to fill it Wednesday place may be "Lyon's Den," a legal drama starring former-"Wing" star Rob Lowe. |