Fox's Do Not Disturb becomes first TV casualty of Fall
Memo to actors: if you find yourself starring in a show alongside Jerry O'Connell, don't expect to be employed for long. Mr. Rebecca Romijn (O'Connell de-Stamos'ed her) will find himself on the short-end of the sitcom stick for the second straight time, with Entertainment Weekly reporting Fox has decided to cancel his Do Not Disturb vehicle after just three episodes.
The move comes as no surprise to anyone, given the absolutely abysmal reviews the half-hour hotel-set sex comedy received (O'Connell's second low-rated show in a row after the ABC misfire Carpoolers). The great thing about critically reviled projects is it often inspires critics to write some rather entertaining pieces. Take a look at some highlights:
Chicago Tribune: "Every fall, there's at least one. A program so bad that it's not only unpleasant to watch, but it
makes you fear for the future of network television. This year, that
show is a "comedy" called 'Do Not Disturb.'"
Variety: "For comedy scribes and those who love them, be disturbed. Be very disturbed."
USA Today: "Like too many sitcoms these days, every joke in Disturb seems telegraphed, and every plot twist might as well come with flash cards...if you waste your time watching this flat dreck, you may never watch TV again."
The funny thing about Do Not Disturb (the only funny thing, it seems) is the show's producers actually apologized for making such shoddy television. In an open letter to the TV critics who so fiercely ravaged the show in their reviews, the producers admitted they deserved "all the criticism, the bad puns...and, yes, even the accusation that it very well could be the final nail in
the multicamera sitcom’s coffin."
But it's hard to laugh at their disfortune when you actually find out much of the talent behind the show was responsible (in part) for the beloved Arrested Development. Abraham Higginbotham, Do Not Disturb's creator, was executive story editor for Arrested. Jason Bateman (aka Michael Bluth) even directed one of its episodes. We bet Higginbotham is thinking right about now one of Arrested's long-running jokes: "I've made a huge mistake."
Meanwhile, the TV deathwatch will move on in due time to claim new victims. NBC's low-rated Knight Rider may be next. Stay tuned...
Related links:
News: Michael Cera uninterested in Arrested Development film
Do Not Disturb on IMDb
Fox.com
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