Las Vegas

I've watched Las Vegas since it first started a few years ago primarily for three reasons: James Caan, Josh Duhamel, and Vanessa Marcil. I was familiar with Duhamel and Marcil from their stints in daytime tv (what else do you watch when you're preggers and on bedrest? :P), and James Caan...well, come on! He's James freakin' Caan. The man is just cool.

It's always been one of those offbeat kinda shows that has some quirks and an inordinate amount of charm, and I've enjoyed it from the start - even the blatant ratings-grabbing stunts they've attempted from the beginning. It's a great format for accommodating guest stars, and they have some great musical guests, and now that I come to think about it, it's sorta like a modern day Love Boat, just...it doesn't leave Vegas, and the stories aren't sappy. :P

All that said, I'm a bit disappointed with the premiere, and with Caan's departure, I'm not quite sure how long I'll be watching (in spite of my continued affection for Duhamel and Marcil, who are both excellent in their roles). His character, Ed Deline, was the kind of guy you want to have in your corner, you know? He was the guy who'd been around back when the mob ran the city, and he was a tough ex-marine, and you just knew that he would go to bat for the people he cared about no matter what - even if it meant bending the law a little or breaking a thumb or two. :P

I'm not confident that Tom Selleck and this character they've created for him will be able to fill that void left behind. I just hope that the casting changes don't signal a decline in the writing or a significant departure from the formula that has worked so well for them this far.