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The Lot ran in 2001 beginning in January on the AMC Cable Network.
The Hollywood star system of the 1930's took a ribbing in this period comedy, which appropriately ran on AMC, the modern home of many films of that era ( Remember this was in 2001 folks. lol).Each episode opened with " gossip of the day" from boozy columnist Leticia DeVine( Holland Taylor), then segued into the behind-the-scene story at Silver Screen Pictures. The original boss of the studio was Harry Sylver( Allan Garfield), ousted by playboy/mogul Roland ( Jonathan Frakes) after a few to many flops and replaced with his brother Leo ( Victor Raider-Wexler). Leo and scheming publicist Jack( Perry Stephens) had their hands full covering up the real life peccadillos of their stars -June( Linda Cardellini), a fresh-faced 17 year old hopeful who turned into a diva overnight; Rachel ( Kim Rhodes), her rival; and Victor ( Victor Webster), a former stuntman with a secret morphine addiction.Stories included Rachael's romantic triangle with Victor and screen-writer Charlie ( Steven Petrarca); June's distress when she discovered that her father was legendary swashbuckler and Hollywood lothario Colin Rhome ( Michael York), a fact hidden from her by her protective stage mom, Mary ( Stephanie Faracy); and the studio's efforts to make a hit film , including one portaying Oscar Wilde as a lusty heterosexual. " Hollywood ," observed seen it all Mary, " is a sunny place, filled with shady people where stars twinkle until they wrinkle."
A special 4-episode preview of The Lot was telecast on AMC on August 19-20, 1999 more than a year before the launch of the series, which then lasted for only 13 additional episodes.
A Review Of The Lot
Television Review
'The Lot': AMC series
captures '30s Hollywood
Saga of rising starlet in early Tinseltown
By Andrew Wallenstein
From 1996 to 1998 the American Movie Classics cable network added "Remember WENN," an original series about the radio biz in the 1930s, to its mix of cinematic golden oldies. "WENN" was a perfectly nice program but it always seemed strange for the channel concentrating on movies not to set a series in Hollywood.
AMC’s new and only original series, "The Lot" (two episodes air every Thursday and Friday, 8-9 p.m., beginning tonight), is a more natural fit.
Set in the studio system that dominated Hollywood in the 1930s, the series has the same high quality as "WENN" and better aim at the network’s demographic of elder film fans. Only four episodes have been filmed, but you can bet a good reception will prompt AMC to greenlight an additional 13 in the works.
Created by Rick Mitz, who has only the 1991 ABC summer series "Hi Honey, I’m Home" to his TV credits, "The Lot" traces the rocky rise of budding screen queen June Parker (Linda Cardellini). Not only are the story lines thinly veiled happenings in real-life cinematic history, but actual events like the Hindenburg disaster figure into the plot. Turns out Tinseltown was just as fascinating behind the camera as it was in front of it.
A lot of familiar faces in the cast, who look as if they are having a lot of fun with period costumes and rat-a-tat dialogue, boost "The Lot." Jonathan Frakes ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"), Jeffrey Tambor ("The Larry Sanders Show") and Rue McClanahan ("Golden Girls") show in supporting roles around Cardellini, who has the inner glow and acting chops of a major talent. However, she is more likely to find stardom in her upcoming role on the NBC series "Freaks & Geeks." If "The Lot" gets picked up for more episodes, she may have to balance both jobs.
"The Lot" isn’t likely to bring new viewers to AMC, whose ratings would be infinitesimal even if Clark Gable came back from the dead. But the network could not have picked a better program to keep its core audience from straying. AMC fans are intensely loyal, judging from the small but devoted following "WENN" attracted in its short time on the air.
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