HBO cancels 'Luck' after third horse death

[n2doc]

HBO has pulled the plug on its gambling drama "Luck" after controversy erupted over the deaths of three horses during production.

“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,' ” the network said in a statement.

The statement continues: “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."

The network will air the rest of the first season’s episodes but will not continue with the second season, which had been ordered.

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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/03/hbo-cancels-luck.html

[MrSlayer]

1. The show isn't that good anyway.

And it kills me to say it because I'm a huge Miltch and HBO fan. The fate of the horses is not the only good reason to send this show out to pasture.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. Yes it was.

It was damned good. Great actors, good story lines and an interesting premise.

It sucks they canceled.

The 3rd horse that died did so while it wasn't even during production or related to it in any way at all. It was simply walking back to its stall, reared up and fell over. Tantamount to a camera man getting killed in a car wreck on the way home. It sucks big time but they shouldn't have cancelled.

[ohiosmith]

5. Agreed. Additionally, A lot of people will be out of work as a result of the cancellation.

[joeybee12]

2. That was quick...I posted this afternoon that they had suspended production...

And if the show was doing well in the ratings, there's probably more to the story...heard they were using older horses in the racingf sequences, horses that were beyond their racing years.

[cthulu2016]

4. Sounds like the ratings weren't very good

[longship]

6. "Safety is always of paramount concern"

Apparently not.