Series put on hiatus
Key West Citizen - 02/26/93
By Vernon Silver
Citizen Staff Writer

Key West (AP) - The television show about the Southernmost City has set with the sun – at least for now.

The last episode of "Key West" will air on the Fox television network March 16. After that, the show will go on hiatus, leaving four episodes unaired.

"Key West" executive producer Dick Berg said that even though the show is going to be temporarily dropped, network officials spoke positively about its long-term fate.

Berg said he was notified of the network's plans Wednesday morning, when Fox President Sandy Grushow told him the television show could do a lot better in a different time slot.

"He (Grushow) made it clear that we are not being dropped," Berg said Thursday. "They still feel confident enough that it warrants re-evaluating".

"Key West" debuted nationwide Jan 19. The show piqued the curiosity of local residents eager to see how their island was going to be portrayed on the television screen.

The series tells the tale of a burned-out New Jersey factory worker who wins the lottery and follows his literary ambition to the home of Hemingway. The show's cast includes a blind newspaper editor, a high-priced hooker and a Cajun bar owner with a pet alligator.

Berg is hopeful the show will be moved to a different time slot, drawing more viewers and better rankings.

"I think it will give the show a better opportunity," he said. "We are working to make it better."

Initial reaction to the show was negative. Many thought the series demeaned the island and its people, although some in the tourism industry said any exposure is good exposure.

"That's a shame," Mayor Dennis Wardlow said when he heard the news. "The scenery was beautiful. If the writer would have spent time in Key West, getting to know the real Key West and its characters maybe it would have had a better chance."

Many who watched the show said it had improved.

"That's quick," Chamber of Commerce President Jose Gonzalez said of the cancellation. "The show's getting decent, too."