Can [HBO] Remain Tony?

September 12, 2007. By Matea Gold, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

One of the first challenges that faced the new team was the withering response to the much-anticipated new David Milch drama, “John From Cincinnati.” After the esoteric surf noir series failed to connect with viewers and critics, many of whom described it as incomprehensible, disappointed executives pulled the plug on a second season.

The collapse of the series, which premiered right after the “Sopranos” finale, represented a high-profile flop for the long-golden network and triggered chatter among television rivals that HBO had lost its touch.

Network officials dismiss such talk, adding that their only regret is that they allowed expectations to mount that “John From Cincinnati” would be the successor to their popular mob drama.

“The only thing I would say we learned is that we shouldn’t have put that much of a spotlight on it at the moment we did,” said Michael Lombardo, president of the HBO Programming Group. “Would we have done it again? Absolutely.”