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|DirectedBy = Lesli Linka Glatter
|DirectedBy = Lesli Linka Glatter
|WrittenBy = Mark Fish and Chad Hodge
|WrittenBy = Mark Fish and Chad Hodge
|OriginalAirDate = Unaired
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|10|10}}
|ProdCode = 104
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|Title = Trouble in Makeoutsville
|Title = Trouble in Makeoutsville
|RTitle=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/the-playboy-club-trouble-in-makeoutsville/EP014189420005|title=The Playboy Club : ''Trouble in Makeoutsville''|work=Zap2It|accessdate=September 27, 2011}}</ref>
|RTitle=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/the-playboy-club-trouble-in-makeoutsville/EP014189420005|title=The Playboy Club : ''Trouble in Makeoutsville''|work=Zap2It|accessdate=September 27, 2011}}</ref>
|DirectedBy =
|DirectedBy = Holly Dale
|WrittenBy =
|WrittenBy = Luke Schelhaas, Chad Hodge
|OriginalAirDate = Unaired
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|10|17}}
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Episode #1.6
|RTitle=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/the-playboy-club-trouble-in-Episode #1.6/EP014189420005|title=The Playboy Club : ''Episode #1.6''|work=Zap2It|accessdate=September 27, 2011}}</ref>
|DirectedBy =
|WrittenBy = Chad Hodge
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|10|24}}
|ProdCode = 106
|Aux4 = <span style="color: grey;"><small>N/A</small></span>
|Aux4 = <span style="color: grey;"><small>N/A</small></span>
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Revision as of 14:36, 9 October 2011

For other uses, see Playboy Club (disambiguation).
The Playboy Club
Promotional image from NBC
GenreHistorical fiction[1]
Crime drama
Created byChad Hodge
StarringEddie Cibrian
Laura Benanti
Amber Heard
Naturi Naughton
Leah Renee
Jenna Dewan
Wes Ramsey
David Krumholtz
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5[2] (2 unaired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersChad Hodge
Brian Grazer
Francie Calfo
Production companiesPlayboy Enterprises
20th Century Fox Television
Imagine Entertainment
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 19 –
October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03)

The Playboy Club is an American television series, which ran on NBC from September 19, 2011 to October 3, 2011. Set in 1961,[3][4] the series centers around the employees (known as Bunnies) of the original Playboy Club operating in Chicago.[5] NBC announced on May 12, 2011 that it had picked up the pilot as a series.[6][7]

The Playboy Club was canceled on October 4, 2011 after airing three episodes,[8][9][10] and in the middle of production on episode 6.[2] It was the first cancellation of the 2011-2012 television season.[8] NBC is continuing to film through October 10, 2011, with the hope of selling the series to another network.[11] Hugh Hefner and Chad Hodge have both expressed hope that the series will be picked up by Bravo.[12][13]

Cast

The cast includes:

Troy Garity was cast in the recurring role of John Bianchi, the son of Bruno Bianchi, a mob figure who is killed by Maureen in self-defense during the pilot episode.[23]

Jeff Hephner was originally cast in Cibrian's role but was replaced before filming began.[24]

Some members of the cast, including Heard, Cibrian, Dewan and Renee, signed contracts that include nudity clauses,[5] although it is considered likely that any nude scenes would appear only in international and DVD releases and not on American broadcast television.[6]

Production

Development on The Playboy Club began in 2009 under executive producer Chad Hodge. Originally, the series was called Bunny Tales before being changed to Playboy and finally the current title. A co-production by 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Entertainment, the series also includes Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo as executive producers.[25] NBC ordered the pilot in January 2011, its first drama pilot order for the 2011–2012 television season.[26]

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has the authority to review scripts for the series but according to Hodge has been very hands-off. Hefner recorded a narration for the pilot but that device will not be used in future episodes. A younger version of Hefner will appear in the series but will only be seen from the back.[1]

The series pilot was filmed on location in Chicago beginning March 15, 2011.[24] Shooting took place at the former site of Meigs Field on Northerly Island under the direction of Alan Taylor. According to the Illinois Film Office, producers planned to shoot the series in Chicago as well.[16] Chad Hodge wrote the pilot script.[18]

Heard posted an image of herself in her Bunny costume to her Facebook profile page. The image, taken by Heard's sister with her iPhone, was widely disseminated on the Internet and appeared in TV Guide. This led 20th Century Fox Television to ban all unauthorized photography on the set.[27]

Cancellation

NBC canceled the show on October 4, 2011, after just three episodes.[8] According to Entertainment Weekly, "The Playboy Club premiered to low ratings and then dropped for each of its three telecasts, with [the October 3 broadcast] hitting only 3.4 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in the adult demo...Despite having relatively tame content, the show wasn’t helped by conservative group the Parents Television Council vehemently protesting the show."[8]

Criticism

The Parents Television Council condemned The Playboy Club, calling it a "blatant attempt to obliterate any remaining standards of broadcast decency."[28] PTC accused Comcast of going back on the agreement it made with federal regulators while negotiating its purchase of NBCUniversal not to broadcast "pornographic material" over the public airwaves.[15] The PTC also sent letters to every NBC affiliate, asking them not to air The Playboy Club.[29] The PTC subsequently called on NBC to cancel The Playboy Club immediately.[30]

KSL-TV, the NBC affiliate in the Salt Lake City market (which encompasses all of the state of Utah and some portions of surrounding states), announced in June 2011 it had declined to carry the series. The station stated the show was "completely inconsistent" with the station's mission and branding. The station is a sponsor of the "Out in the Light Campaign," which educates people on the social effects of pornography.[31] KMYU, the market's MyNetworkTV affiliate, announced it would air it in the original timeslot in the market.[32]

Anti-pornography group Morality in Media created an online petition requesting that people pledge not to watch the series, to ask NBC to drop it, and to boycott its advertisers. The Florida Family Association also planned to alert its supporters to advertisers.[33][34][35][36]

Women's rights advocate Gloria Steinem, who went undercover as a Bunny in the New York City Playboy Club in 1963, joined the call for a boycott. Calling the club "the tackiest place on Earth", Steinem said the series "normalizes a passive dominant idea of gender. So it normalizes prostitution and male dominance".[37]

The San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women issued in August 2011 a non-binding resolution condemning the program, calling on NBC and its affiliates to replace the program with one that "depicts women's substantive achievements."[38]

Stars Amber Heard and Leah Renee defended the series at a 2011 Television Critics Association panel. Heard said, "This is about choice. Ultimately it's a different generation with different opportunities and different expectations for women...I think it's just as chauvinistic to deny a woman her sexuality." Renee said, "The way we look at things, if it involves sexuality, somehow a woman must be compromised...It's about the time. It comes down to choices. If they are making the choice, they are not being exploited."[39]

Linda Holmes of NPR, who had seen the pilot, challenged these assertions of female empowerment. Finding the episode itself "silly and full of bad dialogue...cheesy more than offensive", Holmes questioned how a series about women whose conduct and appearance were micromanaged could simultaneously claim that those regimented women were uniformly empowered by the experience. "You can shake a Bunny tail and be empowered, no argument. It depends on what's going on in the rest of your life. But shaking a Bunny tail isn't enough to demonstrate empowerment if you have to go to Eddie Cibrian or Hugh Hefner for help every time you have a problem, and having the right not to be slapped on the behind when you deliver a cocktail isn't exactly a societal advance on the order of universal suffrage." The series, she concluded, might have been better served had those involved positioned it as a camp soap opera and not tried to make a feminist statement.[40]

In contrast to those upset with the show's association with the Playboy brand, some television critics were disappointed in the lack of sexual content. Alan Pergament, former critic for The Buffalo News, said of the show: "The truth is “Playboy” should have been a pay-cable series because without the sex it is pretty boring and tame."[41]

After the show was canceled, PTC said, "We're pleased that NBC will no longer be airing a program so inherently linked to a pornographic brand that denigrates and sexualizes women...we hope other broadcasters heed the important lessons of this programming debacle."[8]

International broadcasts

The series has been picked up in Canada by Citytv, airing on the same night as the NBC telecast, but the scheduling will vary as the Citytv outlets in Calgary and Edmonton will air it at 8 pm, while Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg will follow NBC's 10 pm pattern, simsubbing with NBC in many areas.[42]

Series overview

Season Episodes Originally aired DVD release date
Series premiere Series finale Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
1 5 September 19, 2011 (2011-09-19) October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03) — — —

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod. code U.S. viewers
(million)
1"Pilot"Alan TaylorChad Hodge and Becky ModeSeptember 19, 2011 (2011-09-19)1015.02[43]
New Bunny Maureen's first week sees her getting caught up in the murder of mob boss Bruno Bianchi. Nick Dalton, one of Chicago's top attorneys and keyholder, comes to her aid. His girlfriend Carol-Lynne makes an ambitious move and becomes the first Bunny Mother. Meanwhile, the other bunnies Janie, Alice and Brenda each deal with their own personal issues and secrets while the club's general manager Billy Rosen tries his best to keep the club running without interference from the mob.
2"The Scarlet Bunny"
"The Scarlett Bunny"		Scott WinantStory by: Chad Hodge & Karyn Usher
Teleplay by: Chad Hodge		September 26, 2011 (2011-09-26)1023.97[44]
3"A Matter of Simple Duplicity"Lesli Linka GlatterMark FishOctober 3, 2011 (2011-10-03)1033.47[45]
4"The Dream House and How to Avoid It"[46]Lesli Linka GlatterMark Fish and Chad HodgeOctober 10, 2011 (2011-10-10)104N/A
5"Trouble in Makeoutsville"[47]Holly DaleLuke Schelhaas, Chad HodgeOctober 17, 2011 (2011-10-17)105N/A
6"Episode #1.6"[48]UnknownChad HodgeOctober 24, 2011 (2011-10-24)106N/A

Ratings

In its first night out, the debut placed last among the three primetime shows that aired during the 10:00 pm/9:00 pm hour.[49]

No. Title Air date 18–49 rating Viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" September 19, 2011 (2011-09-19) 1.6/4 5.02[43]
2 "The Scarlet Bunny" September 26, 2011 (2011-09-26) 1.3/4 3.97[44]
3 "A Matter of Simple Duplicity" October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03) 1.2/3 3.47[45]
4 "The Dream House and How to Avoid It" Unaired — —
5 "Trouble in Makeoutsville" Unaired — —

Music

Some of the songs recorded specifically for the show have been released on iTunes, including

  1. "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" – Laura Benanti[50]
  2. "Shake a Tail Feather" – Karen LeBlanc[51]
  3. "Walk Like a Man" – Terry Dexter[52]
  4. "Tina's Wish" – Karen LeBlanc[53]
  5. "In the Mood" – Laura Benanti[54]

References

  1. ^ a b Masters, Megan (August 1, 2011). "NBC's Playboy Club: The Bare Facts About Hugh Hefner's Involvement". TVLine. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Metz, Nina (October 4, 2011). "'Playboy Club' canceled after three episodes". Chicago Tribune. Prior to the cancellation, The Playboy Club was in the middle of filming Episode 6.
  3. ^ "The Scarlet Bunny". The Playboy Club. Season 1. Episode 2. September 26, 2011. c. 32 minutes in. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help) The newspaper gives the date as "September 26, 1961", and has an article entitled "Defense of W. Berlin Pledged by President".
  4. ^ "A Matter of Simple Duplicity". The Playboy Club. Season 1. Episode 3. October 3, 2011. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help) There are several references from minute 4 onward that the year is 1961, including two dated newspapers, a dated press pass, and a line of dialog.
  5. ^ a b c Starr, Michael (April 1, 2011). "Bare bunny: NBC stars approved for nudity". New York Post. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c Rice, Lynette; Hibberd, James (May 12, 2011). "NBC orders "The Playboy Club", other pilots to series". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  7. ^ Seidman, Robert (July 6, 2011). "NBC Announces Fall Premiere Dates - "Chuck", "Grimm" Premiere October 21; Early Premiere for "Parenthood"". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e Hibberd, James (October 4, 2011). "NBC cancels controversial "Playboy Club"". Inside TV. Entertainment Weekly. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Goldberg, Lesley; Philiana, Ng (October 4, 2011). "NBC Cancels 'The Playboy Club'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ Morabito, Andrea (October 4, 2011). "NBC Cancels "Playboy Club"". Broadcasting & Cable.
  11. ^ "Playboy Club" Actor Injured at Chicago Studio, NBC Chicago, October 5, 2011
  12. ^ The Playboy Club: Creator Wants Show to Move to Bravo, TV Series Finale, October 7, 2011
  13. ^ 'Playboy Club' Creator Hopes the Show Finds a Home on Bravo, SheWired, October 7, 2011
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 11, 2011). "Eddie Cibrian To Play The Lead In 'Playboy'". Deadline.com. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Parents group objects to skin in NBC pilot". UPI.com. United Press International. April 2, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  16. ^ a b Metz, Nina (May 12, 2011). "Locally shot 'The Playboy Club' series picked up by NBC". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d e The Playboy Club official site
  18. ^ a b c d Think NBC's "Playboy" Won't Have Anything For Gay Men? Think Again!
  19. ^ Zwecker, Bill (February 16, 2011). "TV pilot relives Hugh Hefner's Chicago days". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  20. ^ Jensen, Michael (May 13, 2011). "Will "Firefly"'s Sean Maher Play Gay Again on NBC's "Playboy"". Afterelton.com. Viacom International. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  21. ^ Masaki, Lyle (July 12, 2011). "TV on Tap (Tuesday, July 12 2011)". Afterelton.com. Viacom International. Retrieved August 10, 2011.]
  22. ^ Fernandez, Sophia M. (April 1, 2011). "NBC's "Playboy" Under Fire From PTC Over Nudity". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  23. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (August 2, 2011). "Scoop: NBC's Playboy Club Casts Eddie Cibrian's 'Brother'". TVLine. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  24. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (March 11, 2011). "Pilot Scoop: Eddie Cibrian Scores Playboy Lead". TVLine. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  25. ^ Schneider, Michael (August 10, 2011). "NBC gets key to Playboy". Variety. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011.
  26. ^ Paskin, Willa (January 6, 2011). "NBC Orders a Pilot About Playboy Bunnies". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  27. ^ Wallenstein, Andrew (May 9, 2011). "Pilots camera ready?". Variety. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  28. ^ "Mormon Station Refuses NBC's The Playboy Club". AdWeek. June 14, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  29. ^ Eggerton, John (July 26, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE: PTC Asks NBC Affils Not to Air 'Playboy Club'". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  30. ^ PTC Calls for Immediate Cancellation of NBC's "Playboy Club", Parents Television Council, September 27, 2011
  31. ^ "KSL removes Playboy Club from fall TV schedule". KSL-TV. June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  32. ^ Schneider, Michael (June 28, 2011). ""The Playboy Club" Lands New Home in Salt Lake City". TV Guide.com. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  33. ^ Garcia, Elena (June 15, 2011). "Anti-Porn Groups Urge Boycott of 'Playboy Club' Show Advertisers". The Christian Post. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  34. ^ Raghuveer, Amulya (June 30, 2011). "Viewers hopping mad about new 'Playboy Club'". ToledoontheMove.com. WNWO-TV, Barrington Broadcasting Group. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  35. ^ Means, Sean P. (June 30, 2011). "Anti-porn groups join KSL's complaints against "Playboy Club"". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  36. ^ "Second Phase of War on Illegal Pornography National Effort Launched To Stop NBC From Exploiting Women and Promoting Porn with 'The Playboy Club' This Fall" (Press release). Morality in Media (via PR Newswire). June 30, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  37. ^ Gloria Steinem hopes for TV boycott of "Playboy Club"
  38. ^ "The Playboy Club" an "insult" to women's rights advocates, Zap2It, September 6, 2011
  39. ^ "The Playboy Club:" Less Jiggle TV, More Pre-Stonewall History Lesson
  40. ^ The Bizarre Pitch For 'The Playboy Club': It's All About Female Empowerment?
  41. ^ Pergament, Alan (September 19, 2011). Emmy forgiven, "Broke" sells, "Playboy" disappoints. Still Talkin' TV. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  42. ^ Citytv fall schedule Channel Canada
  43. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (September 20, 2011). "Monday Broadcast Final Ratings: "Two and a Half Men", "2 Broke Girls", "Dancing with the Stars" Adjusted Up; "Castle" Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  44. ^ a b Gorman, Bill (September 27, 2011). "Monday Broadcast Final Ratings: "Terra Nova", "Two and a Half Men", "Castle", "How I Met Your Mother", "Hart of Dixie", "Broke Girls" Adjusted Up; "Gossip Girl", "Mike & Molly" Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  45. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (October 4, 2011). "Monday Broadcast Final Ratings: "Terra Nova", "Two and a Half Men", "Two Broke Girls" Adjusted Up; "Castle" Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  46. ^ "The Playboy Club : The Dream House and How to Avoid It". Zap2It. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  47. ^ "The Playboy Club : Trouble in Makeoutsville". Zap2It. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  48. ^ #1.6/EP014189420005 "The Playboy Club : Episode #1.6". Zap2It. Retrieved September 27, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  49. ^ TV ratings: "Two and a Half Men" opens huge, "Playboy Club" weak Monday, Zap2It, September 20, 2011
  50. ^ Chicago, That Toddlin' Town (feat. Carol-Lynne) - Single
  51. ^ Shake a Tail Feather (feat. Karen LeBlanc) - Single
  52. ^ Walk Like a Man (feat. Terry Dexter) - Single
  53. ^ Tina's Wish (feat. Karen LeBlanc) - Single
  54. ^ In the Mood (feat. Laura Benanti) - Single
General episode references


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