Is Nathan Fillion a Show Killer

Today, ABC announced that they have cut the order for Nathan Fillion’s new TV show, Castle, from 13 episodes to 10. This is most likely due to the recent announcement that ABC producers were all asked to shave 2% off their budgets. Still, it doesn’t bode well for Fillion who can’t seem to keep a project on the air.

Let’s get one thing straight. A show killer isn’t a bad actor, so don’t think anyone is knocking his ability to get the job done.  More often, a show killer is a good (even great) actor who just has crummy luck when it comes to TV shows. (Jeff Goldblum) And despite what other columnists have said, Fillion’s TV runs haven’t been all that bad.  53 episodes of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, for heaven’s sake. But it does seem like his luck on TV has turned for the worst since the demise of Firefly.

So here’s hoping that Castle has merely hit a small bump in the LA freeway and not a giant, undercarriage wrecking pot hole.

Oh, wait.  I just read the synopsis for this series, which, when I first read about it was a horror novelist helping the police solve crimes.

Direct from ABC:

“Castle” is a comedic crime procedural about a famous mystery novelist, Nick Castle, who is bored with his own success. When a real-world copycat murderer starts staging scenes from Nick’s novels, Nick is teamed up with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett and the challenge gets his blood pumping as he steps in to help solve the crime. Nick and Beckett’s styles instantly clash and sparks begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance. Nick is kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother, quick-witted teenage daughter and his long-suffering ex-wife… who happens to be his editor.

Bored writer? Broadway diva mother? Mouthy daughter? Ex-wife editor? COMEDIC crime drama with a dash of romance.

This is no bump in the road, this is a pot hole the size of Kansas. Castle comes to ABC in early 2009.

Photo: Newscom