HBO cancels "Luck"

[doubleohfive]

...due to concern for the safety of horses.

HBO said:
“It is with heartbreak that executive producers David Milch and Michael Mann together with HBO have decided to cease all future production on the series Luck. Safety is always of paramount concern. We maintained the highest safety standards throughout production, higher in fact than any protocols existing in horseracing anywhere with many fewer incidents than occur in racing or than befall horses normally in barns at night or pastures. While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision. We are immensely proud of this series, the writing, the acting, the filmmaking, the celebration of the culture of horses, and everyone involved in its creation.”

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/03/14/hbo-cancels-luck/



While it obviously sucks for the production crew and everyone working on the show, as well as its fans, it's good that they're taking the health and treatment of the horses so seriously.

That said, I wonder if there wasn't some other avenue to preserve the safety of the horses that didn't involve ending the series?

 

[Professor Zoom]

Just heard about this. I'm kinda shocked. THREE horses were injured badly enough to be put down? Wow. Kinda shocking actually. Imagine if a show lost three ACTORS to accidents in two seasons...

Well... now I don't feel the need to catch up.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Though completely understandable (if this was the sole reason, sans other politics), it is sad to see my favourite new show of the season go under such circumstances.

As a person who is unequivocally NOT a fan of horses (freak me the fuck out, man) I was completely entrenched in this show, the lives of the characters and the building menace surrounding Ace's story.

One can only hope that there is some semblance of closure, but knowing Milch this is unlikely and we'll have another Deadwood and John From Cincinatti where all is left up in the air.

Still, wonderful show, and a reminder that Milch is one of the most complex and rich writers out there who shows no desire to spoonfeed or coddle his audience. Takes balls, that.


Hugo - The strategy is the strategy

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

It would be expensive, but did the creators consider using CGI for the horses, as TRUE GRIT'S remake did? Who'd've thought Dustin Hoffman's first TV series would be cancelled so swiftly?

 

[Hyperspace05]

Many seem to be speculating that HBO is just seizing on this as an excuse to pull the plug on the show, due to declining viewership numbers.

They renewed it for season 2 early (perhaps too early), and now they see their chance to save face for everyone involved.

 

[Gaith]

^ That, and maybe PETA privately threatened an all-out PR assault if the show continued.

A pity, indeed.

 

[Harvey]

I'm surprised HBO just cancelled the show, rather than trying to find some sort of compromise. It's collected a lot of talent and critical acclaim.

I was looking forward to seeing the series eventually, but if it's going to end like this, I'm not sure I'll bother.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I found the first episode painfully difficult to get through.

I believe that this excuse is more convenient than paramount.

 

[Dream]

So why did the horses keep dying? Were they kicking the horses to death the moment they were being brought on set?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Exactly.

They thought that they could treat the horses like extras.

 

[scnj]

I do have to wonder how hard it is to not kill a horse.

 

[Hugo Rune]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17364029

It appears in this instance the horse in question was not on the set but rather on its way to the stalls when it reared, lots balance, and fell striking its head on the ground.

The previous two horses were injured during the filming of season one, and following those two incidents the AHA had called for the show to be stopped, so clearly the show, its producers and HBO were under some significant pressure to halt filming for some time, and sadly this incident has brought about the shows end.

A great pity, for all involved, animals included.


Hugo - Answers a question with a question

 

[Guy Gardener]

How much more would it cost to use cgi horses?

Gunsmoke was on the air for 20 years, Bonanza almost the same...

I bet they lost a LOT of horses.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Three horses does seem like a lot. It is a lot, right? Do modern day westerns lose that many?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Many?

With modern standards, hey shouldn't lose any or their show gets shut down.

if they were really worried about their show getting shut down then they should have had higher standards.

Something tells me that the next show with horses in it will.

 

[jep316]

Guess Luck was a ironic name for a series.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

using CGI for the horses, as TRUE GRIT'S remake did?

CGI horses? Seriously?

 

[Trekker4747]

Seem odd to me that they lost so many horses over the course of the series, but I've never seen it nor do I know what they were doing with the horses to make them so prone to injury warranting them being put-down.

But, in the end, all I can say is "meh." I sort-of wish good series (if this is a good one, I'm sure it has fans) wouldn't be put down putting people out of work and stopping presumably good drama because some horses died. I tried looking it up, but I couldn't find it, but I wonder how many horses died due to injury over the 14 years that series was on the air?

In the end, IMHO, they're horses. Animals. Not people. We've lots of horses and virtually all of them are used in some manner of service and kept in a level of captivity.

I think a few deaths over the making of the show should be considered "acceptable losses." Sure, try and find out how and why they're dying and try and to prevent that, sure, but given the frailty of the animals I think losses should be accepted. It's a horse.

(And, no, there'd be no acceptable losses for people over the making of a show simply because people /= horses.)

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

HBO is just making a run for it before some group started a protest movement against the show that would do any damage to the network's "brand."

In a statement, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals applauded HBO’s decision to end Luck.

Well, bully for PETA.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I think people would be skeeved at watching a series where they know horses are dying and PETA would make sure they knew.

And I think this is a smokescreen for HBO cancelling a series that's not holding its own in ratings. HBO's getting a bit of a rep for making quality shows that aren't necessarily the most entertaining, vs Showtime and AMC, that make quality shows that are actually fun to watch. They need to turn that around or they'll start to lose subscribers (which they already are, in this day of cord cutting).