Well, that certainly didn’t last very long. Rove McManus‘ first foray into US Network television has ended with a whimper, not a bang, as his over-the-top improv comedy show Riot copped a swift and merciless axing by broadcaster Fox after just four episodes had gone to air. Yiiiiiiiiiikes.
The series, which was being executive produced by Steve Carrell, was kind of a hybrid version of Slide Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway. But, y’know, with way more stunts. The show did not fare very well critically, with Variety‘s review stating “If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery (and television), those responsible for “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” should be positively red-faced watching “Riot,” Fox’s amped-up, exhausting new improv show. Despite a few muffled chuckles, there’s nothing here that remotely approaches the title.” Hoooooo nellie.
Alongside Riot, Fox also made the decision to pull the plug on the woefully short-sighted I Wanna Marry Harry – a Bachelor-style reality show where a group of single women vie for the hand of a Prince Harry impersonator, whom they all believe to be the actual Prince Harry.
Both shows ratings have been beyond atrocious, with Harry dragging in less than 1 million viewers, and Riot pulling around 1.1 million. Which if it were in Australia would be extremely decent numbers. But in America, those numbers equate to the lowest rated original series on American network TV of all time. YEESH.
Photo: Caroline McCredie via Getty Images.
