A WELL-PLACED LINE can make a trailer, and we confess to having rewound the DVR a few times to re-watch Virginia Madsen yell “Oh come on!” when the cops interrupt an, ahem, intimate moment. And the skilled Madsen surely makes “Scoundrels” interesting – to the point where we wonder why ABC only ordered eight episodes, and why those are airing in the summer. The premise: the West family has had its share of trouble in the past with, oh, theft, burglary, fraud, and other crimes and misdemeanors. But things get real when Dad West is sentenced to five years in the joint. That causes Mom West (Madsen) to have an epiphany, and she’s now determined to take the family straight, along with herself. That premise will set up a lot of moral comedy, where we develop love (and hate) for wayward characters trying to correct their lives, all of which reminds a teensy bit of “Arrested Development.” This summer drama won’t be nearly as funny, of course, but we do expect some wicked humor, and from the trailer it seems fairly well done. We recommend a definite buy for “Scoundrels” complete its run and – who knows – we may well see this one survive into next year. 6/20/10.
THE MARKET: Will “Scoundrels” on ABC complete its eight episode run? The show premieres on June 20. Trading will close immediately after its scheduled fourth episode on July 11. If all eight episodes air, shares are worth $100. If not, they’re worth $0. Remaining episodes aired after a cancellation decision will not count toward the 8-episode requirement.
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