The producers of the HBO series “Luck,” which is set at Santa Anita Park, yesterday afternoon announced that “production of the show would be discontinued immediately,” according to Jay Privman of the DAILY RACING FORM. The announcement came “one day after a horse used in production had to be euthanized at the track after rearing over and striking its head in the stable area.” The horse was “the third to be euthanized since the show began production two years ago.” HBO is currently airing the show's first season, “with two episodes remaining in a nine-episode run.” The second season “was already in production, and at least two episodes had been completed.” A statement issued by HBO read in part, “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.” Late yesterday evening, the California Horse Racing Board announced it will “conduct a thorough investigation, which will include a postmortem examination and toxicology testing,” regarding the most recent fatality (DRF.com, 3/14). REUTERS’ Jill Serjeant noted the American Humane Association said that Tuesday's death “was an accident ‘that was in no way a result of any mistreatment or negligence on the part of HBO.’" The group also said that HBO “had been ‘extremely collaborative and responsive’ to the Association's animal guidelines during filming” (REUTERS, 3/14). DAILY VARIETY’s Jon Weisman wrote the show's cancellation “stunned bizzers” and “headed off mounting pressure and worry from animal rights groups” (VARIETY.com, 3/14).
CLAIMS HORSES WERE MISTREATED: CBS News' Ben Tracy reports HBO "may contend that these were accidents, but ... PETA says they were accidents waiting to happen." The organization claims its "complaints of animal mistreatment went nowhere, even after the death of the first two horses.” However, Santa Anita Race Track veterinarian Dr. Rick Arthur said HBO “did everything they possibly could to ensure the safety of those horses.” Daily Variety's Weisman noted there is going to be speculation that HBO used the deaths “for cover to get out from a show that they perhaps didn’t really want to be involved with long-term” (“CBS This Morning,” CBS, 3/15). In N.Y., Huff & Fisher note the death came just days after PETA sent HBO a "letter accusing the show’s producers of taking ‘unacceptable’ risks with the horses” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/15). NBC News’ Stephanie Gosk notes one "accidental death of a horse during a movie production is rare,” and “Luck” had three. Arthur said of HBO’s standards, “I wish I had those protocols in horse racing. They had total access to the medical records, they had pre-filming examinations” (“Today,” NBC, 3/15).
TOO MUCH MONEY, TOO FEW VIEWERS: The WALL STREET JOURNAL’s Sam Schechner reports ratings for "Luck" were “weaker than other big HBO shows.” The show was averaging 4.8 million viewers, cumulatively, across multiple airings of its episodes, but was also averaging “well under one million viewers for the premieres of new episodes.” HBO still “plans to air two remaining episodes from the first season” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/15). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s Tim Goodman wrote it was “clear even before HBO expanded its statement regarding the shut down of the series, the channel could get no reliable assurances that the horse deaths would end.” If you “can’t predict something like that … then you can’t manage the situation.” From a business standpoint, HBO “couldn't leave that to chance.” As the “first and foremost reason for pulling the plug, that seems clear.” Second, you can then “factor in the cost of the show, which isn’t cheap given the star power in front of and behind the camera.” It is easier “to call it a day when you’re pouring money into something that’s about to get a tarnished reputation and -- you guessed it -- lose all but the bad buzz” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 3/14). DAILY VARIETY's Stuart Levine wrote on Twitter, "Those who say 'Luck' wouldn't have been canceled if ratings were higher don't understand HBO business model. It's subscriptions that count" (TWITTER.com, 3/14).
REAX: In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel wrote, “What I will miss are the horse racing scenes. No movie or TV show has ever put the viewer on the horse in the middle of a race the way Luck did” (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 3/14). The Oakland Tribune's Carl Steward wrote on Twitter, "Shame. Thought it would be a tough sell, but superb show" (TWITTER.com, 3/14). The DAILY RACING FORM's Privman compiled a few reactions from Twitter to the cancellation of the show. ESPN's Randy Moss tweeted, "Latest Luck death wasnt in racing scene. Horse examined/okayed by vet, reared & fell w/fatal head injury walking to stall. That's BAD Luck." Media Consultant Brian Malloy tweeted, "'Luck' canceled and NY governor calls for probe of breakdowns. Maybe unfair, but perception is reality. Must do EVERYTHING for safety. #Luck" (DRF.com, 3/14).
