HUFF

Showtime Stops ‘Huff"

Series won two Emmys for Showtime

Despite its standing as Showtime’s most decorated series, "Huff" has reportedly been snuffed.

According to Variety, the plug has been pulled on the Emmy-winning second year series, just as it’s approaching is second season finale on Sunday (June 25).

Because Showtime prefers not to release ratings or viewership information — something about how audience size is less important to the premium cable network than having buzzworthy shows that build the subscription base — it’s difficult to know how numbers for the second "Huff" season compared to the first. Showtime didn’t even need ratings, though, to pick up the second season of "Huff," announcing the show’s renewal before it premiered.

Thanks to an aggressive screener push, "Huff" earned seven Emmy nominations in 2005, including nods for Hank Azaria as best actor in a drama series and Oliver Platt as best supporting actor, while Blythe Danner won for best supporting actress. Platt also picked up a Golden Globe nomination for his work, while Azaria was a Screen Actors Guild nominee.

Despite all that acclaim, reports indicate that the show never got the anticipated ratings bump.

 

 

 

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MY TWO CENTS

Whenever people talk about the great shows pay cable has to offer, they always talk about HBO. Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Sex and the City, Deadwood…

Showtime never gets a mention, despite such a great and innovative program such as Huff.

With Huff, like all their shows, Showtime manages to make a show with conflicted, real characters without resorting to graphic sex or violence. The language is still as harsh as ever, but it’s nothing you probably wouldn’t hear in the course of a day if you were in these situations.

Even if HBO gets all the press for their sex and violence, Showtime had another winner with Huff.

Great stories, wonderfully written characters. Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt are brilliant and Paget Brewster is completely believable as the housewife and who would have thought Blythe Danner could be unlikeable.

Well at least I have entourage, 24, and reruns of West Wing on Bravo.

Huff…another great show is gone

AARON SPELLING

Aaron Spelling

1923 – 2006

Aaron Spelling, a onetime movie bit player who created a massive number of hit series, from the vintage "Charlie’s Angels" and "Dynasty" to "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place," died Friday, his publicist said. He was 83.

Spelling died at his mansion in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke on June 18, according to publicist Kevin Sasaki.

Spelling’s other hit series included "Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," "Burke’s Law," "The Mod Squad," "Starsky and Hutch," "T.J. Hooker," "Matt Houston," "Hart to Hart" and "Hotel." He kept his hand in 21st-century TV with series including "7th Heaven" and "Summerland."

He also produced more than 140 television movies. Among the most notable: "Death Sentence" (1974), Nick Nolte’s first starring role; "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" (1976), John Travolta’s first dramatic role; and "The Best Little Girl in the World" (1981), which starred Jennifer Jason Leigh. 

Spelling set a record of producing more than 3,000 TV episodes. Besides the TV movies, he produced 10 theatrical films including "California Split," "Mr. Mom." "’night, Mother," "Loose Cannons" and "Soapdish."

AARON SPELLING

R.I.P