[Televisionary]

HBO's drama John From Cincinnati may have wrapped its first season last night but that hasn't stopped the pay cabler from enacting a swift blow to the series. That's right, folks. John From Cincinnati is dead. Just don't expect the convoluted metaphysical surfing drama to rise from the dead any time soon. HBO has confirmed that it has canceled the series, which failed to connect with critics and viewers alike. In the meantime, the pay cabler hasn't yet decided whether it will renew comedy Flight of the Conchords for a second season. On that front, I have to beg for some mercy and only hope that HBO sees the merit of keeping the quirky comedy around for a while longer. Pretty please? What's On Tonight 8 pm: NCIS (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC; 8-9:30 pm); Gilmore Girls (CW); Just for Laughs/Just for Laughs (ABC); On the Lot (FOX) 9 pm: Big Brother 8 (CBS); The Singing Bee (NBC; 9:30-10 pm) ; Beauty and the Geek (CW); Primetime (FOX); House (FOX)

Wow. I had read the script for John From Cincinnati last fall so knew what to expect but even I couldn't have anticipated the bloated, pretentious mess that ended up on screen. From the fertile mind of David Milch ( Deadwood ), comes this metaphysical surfing series about a network of burn-outs, losers, and a crumbling family in a small, beachside town beside by illegal aliens (perhaps of the garden variety and the extraterrestrial kind). Launching on the back of the final episode of The Sopranos (which I watched, despite giving up on the show a few seasons back), John From Cincinnati certainly won't be the program to redefine HBO as The Sopranos did all those years ago. Instead, it's a more turgid, modern-day version of the network's own Carnivale , which (though I was a fan) did nothing to engender the network to the viewers. John From Cincinnati is meant to be a convergence of genres: surf movies of the 1960s, apocalyptic visions, and the family drama. Into this

Those of you saddened by the end of Deadwood (save those two-hour movies that are supposed to wrap things up at some point in the future), look no further. HBO has gotten in bed with Deadwood creator David Milch for what Variety is calling a "surf noir family drama" set in Southern California. HBO has ordered 12 episodes of Milch's latest drama John From Cincinnati , which will revolve around the seriously screwed up Yost family of Imperial Beach. Dad is a former surfing star, Mom is definitely dispirited, and their son is addicted to drugs. Enter John (um, from Cincinnati) who shows up at the Yosts looking for surfing lessons (rather mysteriously no less) as well as a guy who is looking for revenge against the Yosts for a personal vendetta. Hmmmm, is it a coincidence that the two men show up at the same time? John From Cincinnati , which begins production next month, stars Austin Nichols, Bruce Greenwood, Rebecca De Mornay, Brian Van Holt, Matt Winston, Greyson Fletch