Vegas’ scripted TV streak is over

NBC has pulled the plug on its low-rated action drama "The Player," bringing to an end the greatest streak of scripted series Las Vegas has ever seen.

When the struggling show leaves the air next month after just nine episodes, it will mark the first time since Oct. 6, 2000, the night of the "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" premiere, that the city hasn't had a prominent role in a current comedy or drama series. ("Mike Tyson Mysteries," Adult Swim's bizarre 15-minute cartoon, technically calls Las Vegas home, but rarely in a way viewers would recognize.)

"The Player," a high-concept drama about billionaires betting on crime, featured Wesley Snipes as Mr. Johnson, aka the pit boss, who along with Cassandra King (Charity Wakefield), aka the dealer, represented a shadowy organization known as The House. The group developed a method for predicting crimes and would accept wagers up to $100 million on the success or failure of the player ("Strike Back's" Philip Winchester) in preventing those felonies.

But the adrenaline-fueled thriller, which had plans to film in Las Vegas every couple of episodes, struggled to attract an audience from the start. Its cause was hurt by the fact that, in most of the country, the men "The Player" was designed to entertain were busy watching "Thursday Night Football."

Last week, Syfy canceled "Dominion," a drama about angels fighting humans in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas, after two seasons.

And "CSI" left the air last month after 15 history-making seasons.

Other scripted series had called Las Vegas home over the years before "CSI's" debut. The buddy detective drama "The Strip," set at Caesars Palace, debuted on the now-defunct UPN just the year before. But since "CSI" came on the scene, Las Vegas has been on an unprecedented run, having prominently been the setting for "Las Vegas" (2003-08, NBC) as well as the one-season wonders "Father of the Pride" (2004, NBC), "Dr. Vegas" (2004, CBS), "The Defenders" (2010, CBS), "Vegas" (2012, CBS) and, on cable, the poker comedy "Lucky" (2003, FX) and the poker drama "Tilt" (2005, ESPN).

We still have "Mike Tyson Mysteries." And maybe the second season, which premieres at 12:15 a.m. Nov. 1, will make more out of its Las Vegas setting.

If not, there's always "Dice." The Showtime comedy, which features a thinly veiled version of Andrew Dice Clay, who's forced to perform in Las Vegas to pay off his gambling debts, is currently filming for a 2016 debut.

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com. On Twitter: @life_onthecouch