Highly Touted 'Lone Star' The Latest Network Casualty

by Andrew Wallenstein, NPR

While the first kill for most TV seasons past imposes a Darwinian sense of order to the universe, the Fox drama Lone Star was being toasted by critics as a real find. And in the wake of its death, anxiety is blooming that this is broadcast TV sending a signal that anything outside the usual formulaic pap will struggle to survive. Lone Star had the makings of a well-written character study of a true anti-hero -- a con man juggling two wives. The search for meaning has sent many groping for other answers, from misleading marketing as a Dallas-style soap, to the casting of an unknown in the lead role. Ultimately, why do bad things happen to good shows? Maybe it just does.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, September 29, 2010