Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy Canceled by NBC

The fall TV season has already been regarded by countless critics as disappointing. The majority of new shows are failing, as the writers strike severely cut into the pilot season. Other shows are declining, which those that survived last season are on the brink of cancellation. One show that did narrowly survive its freshman season, Lipstick Jungle, is now one of those casualties by NBC. The network also canceled the disappointing freshman thriller My Own Worst Enemy for good measure.

NBC debuted Lipstick Jungle last spring, as it was based on a book by original Sex and the City author Candice Bushnell. Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsey Price starred as three powerful women struggling with personal and professional problems.

But Lipstick Jungle was no Sex and the City, as ratings were low and critics were even lower on it. Lipstick Jungle did survive to get another season, and had a guest appearance by Mary Tyler Moore in the season premiere. But the show still barely got noticed, and was being moved to the kiss-of-death Friday time slot before finally getting pulled.

The failure of Lipstick Jungle is yet another failed attempt by TV to produce the next Sex and the City. It also reflects the poor standing of the freshman and sophomore shows on TV this year, as does NBC's other cancellation of My Own Worst Enemy to go with it.

Christian Slater had starred in a spy movie variation of the Jekyll and Hyde tale, as My Own Worst Enemy had Slater as a normal family men with the split personality of a U.S. super assassin. After 4 episodes and mixed reviews, My Own Worst Enemy was barely holding on in the ratings.

Having Heroes as a lead in certainly didn't help My Own Worst Enemy, as Heroes' ratings have dropped considerably as more people are turned off by the former hit. But My Own Worst Enemy could barely hold on to half of Heroes dwindling audience.

NBC cancels Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy just a few weeks after renewing the even lower rated, and even more critically hated, new show Knight Rider for a full season. NBC has frequently been criticized this year for poor new shows, declining old shows like Heroes, and poor decisions for their schedule.

The only relief for NBC this year has been the huge ratings for Saturday Night Live this election season, and the bigger ratings for 30 Rock the last two weeks. But it is becoming apparent that Tina Fey may be the only thing keeping the network afloat at this point.

Both Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy had five unaired episodes shot, but it is not clear if NBC will eventually air them as final episodes.

Sources

TV Guide- "NBC Cancels My Own Worst Enemy, Lipstick Jungle" www.tvguide.com/News/NBC-Cancels-Worst-66935.aspx