| LAX | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Nick Thiel |
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | "Mr. Blue Sky" byElectric Light Orchestra |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | September 13, 2004 (2004-09-13) – April 16, 2005 (2005-04-16) |
LAX is an Americandrama television series set at theLos Angeles International Airport, drawing its name from the airport'sIATA airport code, "LAX". The series premiered on September 13, 2004, onNBC, and aired through April 16, 2005.
LAX is a drama focusing on the day-to-day operations of theairport, with its runway manager, Harley Random (Heather Locklear), and its terminal manager, Roger de Souza (Blair Underwood). In the final episode, Harley leaves her job at LAX after she is told by Roger that he wants stability back in his life and no longer wants to be romantically involved with her.
LAX premiered onNBC on September 13, 2004. Ten episodes aired before NBC announced in November 2004 that no further episodes would be produced.[1] The show was moved to Saturdays at 8pm ET and the final episode aired on April 16, 2005. Thirteen episodes total were aired.
| No. | Title | Directed by [2] | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code [2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Anthony and Joe Russo | Mark Gordon and Nick Thiel | September 13, 2004 (2004-09-13) | 101 |
The director of LAX has committed suicide, now two of his underlings fight for the position. | |||||
| 2 | "Finnegan Again, Began Again" | Joe Russo | Paul Redford and Mark Thiel | September 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) | 102 |
Harley and Roger tries to find out the real identity of a living person who arrived in a casket. Tony tries to get a little league team on a plane to Albany. The staff tries to control a bird problem outside the airport. | |||||
| 3 | "The Longest Day" | Anthony Russo | Jill Blotevogel | September 27, 2004 (2004-09-27) | 103 |
Roger uses his status and experience to control the situation when a plane he is on is disturbed by an electrical surge. | |||||
| 4 | "Credible Threat" | Adam Davidson | Andrew Dettman | October 4, 2004 (2004-10-04) | 105 |
Homeland Security puts LAX on high alert. A man leaves his senile old mother at the airport. | |||||
| 5 | "Abduction" | Scott Brazil | Kayla Alpert,Russel Friend andGarrett Lerner | October 11, 2004 (2004-10-11) | 104 |
The staff gets involved in a custody dispute involving an Arab couple. | |||||
| 6 | "Unscheduled Arrivals" | Scott Brazil | Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner | October 18, 2004 (2004-10-18) | 106 |
A plane must make an emergency landing. Paparazzi are waiting at the airport forPrince William. AnUzbekistani man seeks asylum. | |||||
| 7 | "Out of Control" | Adam Davidson | Don E. Fesman and Harry Victor | October 27, 2004 (2004-10-27) | 107 |
A suspended airtraffic controller takes the crew of the control tower hostage. Betty's dog attacks a passenger. | |||||
| 8 | "The Pictures to Prove It" | Anthony Russo | Alexander Woo | November 3, 2004 (2004-11-03) | 108 |
A federal witness disappears at the airport. Caitlin helps an engaged couple. | |||||
| 9 | "Thanksgiving" | Joe Russo | Andrew Dettmann and Kayla Alpert | November 10, 2004 (2004-11-10) | 109 |
An airline that is going out of business, cancels all of its flights. Harley is asked by her younger sister to spend Thanksgiving with her parents. Tony is taking care of a 10-year-old boy traveling alone. | |||||
| 10 | "Secret Santa" | Félix Enríquez Alcalá | Russel Friend, Nick Thiel, Dan E. Fesman, Garrett Lerner and Harry Victor | November 17, 2004 (2004-11-17) | 110 |
The police search for a robber dressed asSanta Claus. Eddie applies for a job as Harleys assistant. Roger gets kicked out of his house because of his gambling addiction. | |||||
| 11 | "Cease & Assist" | Craig Zisk | Andrew Dettmann, Harry Victor and Dan E. Fesman | March 19, 2005 (2005-03-19) | 111 |
An African political activist is on his way home for execution. | |||||
| 12 | "Mixed Signals" | Anthony Russo | Story by : Nick Thiel, Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner Teleplay by : Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner | March 26, 2005 (2005-03-26) | 112 |
An incoming airplane accidentally sends out a hijack warning. | |||||
| 13 | "Senator's Daughter" | Joe Russo | Jon Hlavin | April 16, 2005 (2005-04-16) | 113 |
Roger has an affair with his wife's divorce attorney. The teenage daughter of a senator has brought home an illegal souvenir fromAmsterdam. Harley thinks about an offer she received to run theDallas/Fort Worth International Airport. | |||||
LAX (originally titledHUB, and thenThe Hub) was announced on NBC's development slate on December 19, 2003,[3] after being scrapped by NBC during the previous development season in winter 2003.[4] On January 14, NBC greenlighted production on the pilot.[5] Anthony and Joe Russo signed on as directors of the pilot on February 6.[6] On May 17, 2004, NBC announced that they had picked up the pilot to series.[7] This show was not renewed for a second season.
Exterior shots for the pilot episode were filmed inTexas, although sources differ on whetherDallas/Fort Worth International Airport[8] orFort Worth Alliance Airport[9] stood in for Los Angeles International. Many other scenes were filmed using a vacant terminal and a disusedBoeing 727 atOntario International Airport, interspersed withestablishing shots of the real LAX airport.[10]
The theme song for the show was the beginning of "Mr. Blue Sky" byElectric Light Orchestra. For the opening sequence of the final episode, a different excerpt of the song was used.
LAX premiered on September 13, 2004 and ended on April 16, 2005 onNBC.
In a survey byPhilips,LAX got 17% of the votes for most anticipated new series.[11]
The show was frequently the butt of comedic jokes due to its poor ratings, includingJay Leno, who remarked the show was "so bad that the actual Los Angeles Airport is thinking of changing its name to avoid being associated with the show."[citation needed] The 13 episodes of the program averaged 6.52 million viewers.[12]
LAX lost 19.09% of the viewers in its time slot versus the previous season, which was occupied byThird Watch.[13]
Meanwhile, NBC has grounded its airport-themed drama pilot "HUB." Heather Locklear had been in talks to star in the project; when that fell through, so did the show.
Despite running an overburdened airport, Los Angeles officials pounced on the opportunity to work with NBC, especially when it appeared its new show might be filmed at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Part of the series pilot was filmed there. But filming shifted to LAX, and the series, which had been tentatively titledThe Hub, becameLAX.
Actress Heather Locklear will be on to talk about her new NBC airport drama, LAX, which shot its pilot in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (with Alliance Airport impersonating LAX).
To make production easier, the LAX crew rents a closed terminal at Ontario International, about 70 miles east of LAX. It also bought an old Boeing 727 for background and interior shots. Scenes shot at LAX and Ontario are interspersed.