But show creator Gary Scott Thompson speaks to eyepatch-sporting Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Norm Clarke to assure Vegas high rollers that their long-running TV advertisement (though most of the show is shot on a 40,000 foot soundstage in Culver City, California) will be back.
"Rumors of our death are greatly exaggerated," said Thompson, avoiding cliché. "A lot of our fan base thinks because (NBC) pushed back the show so late that it's a negative, and that's not true." he said, explaining that the ailing network decided to stagger the openings of new shows this year "so all the advertising money didn't go all up front. They wanted to give us two full weeks of promos and print ads to really launch."
But then last night's scheduled premiere was bumped to next Friday because the debut of Bob Saget's game show, 1 vs. 100, performed so well in the 9 pm slot that NBC decided to give it an extra week.
The 100 premiere gave NBC its highest nonsports rating among adults 18-49 in that spot since December 2002, and its highest non-sports overall viewer total in the timeslot since March 2004. Add that to NBC boss Jeff Zucker's plan to cut costs by stuffing the schedule with reality and game shows, and the future of Las Vegas might look shakier than ever.
Next week, 100 will lead in to the Las Vegas.
In any case, look for more skin, thongs, cheerful sex and exotic locations as Las Vegas returns. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that the production team shot portions of the season's first two episodes at the Tutle Bay Resort on Oahu.
Thompson says the delayed season premiere will feature folk-pop star Jewel singing three songs (not as classy as Studio 60 with Sting on lute, but this is Vegas, after all) and picks up where the show left off: with Jimmy Caan's "Big Ed" Deline being shot, and daughter Molly Sims running away from her wedding and into the arms of Josh Duhamel. (Dean Cain revealed the fate of his character to Norm, but we won't be the spoilers).
Thompson promises some big surprises this season, including a two-hour movie December 1st, in which "very bad guys come to town") and a Christmas special that features snow in Las Vegas.
When it snows in Las Vegas... that's around the time we'd figure an expensive TV drama loaded with top talent and beautiful young people would be bumped by a Bob Saget game show...