It's Always Friday the 13th For These Cursed TV Stars and Shows

There are just some people, places and one particular sport that cannot find success in primetime series TV. Why? Who knows? On this Friday the 13th, we review the cursed ones, and hope for better luck for our deserving-of-better listees.

Steven Weber. Alas, his last stalled series ended just months ago, ABC's 'Happy Town.' Following his breakout on 'Wings', he tried to break free from ensemble series with a show called -- oh my! -- 'Cursed.'

So cursed was 'Cursed,' it was renamed 'The Weber Show' midway through its brief run. Since then, he has guest starred on hits ('In Plain Sight', 'Desperate Housewives') and had a near-miss in 2007.

You see, by the time Weber breathed new life into 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip', Aaron Sorkin's comedy-drama was already listing. We humbly submit this scene in the hopes that Sorkin can find a way to bring back maladroit hothead Jack Rudolph (his own series?). If anyone can shout down a hex, it's Weber as this beleaguered TV exec.




Pittsburgh. The town of Hines Ward, Mario Lemieux, and Willie Stargell is not cursed when it comes to sports championships, but try to set a series in western Pennslyania and see your hopes dashed. The fizzle of 'My So-Called Life', starring Claire Danes (pictured, and below), is one of the many disappointments around the three rivers. Speak of the devil -- how about the dead-on-arrival medical drama 'Three Rivers' (2009)? The sitcom with megastars Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton, 'Back to You' (2007)? Or ratings-challenged 'Romantically Challenged' (2010)? Even 'The Guardian', starring Simon Baker, lasted just three seasons.




Joss Whedon. Whedon? Cursed? On the small screen, things have not gone as planned for Whedon, with 'Firefly' and 'Dollhouse' failing to slay audiences as 'Buffy' and 'Angel' once had. On the even smaller screen, the news is much better, with 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog' nothing short of a webby landmark. Let's also look at the bright side of Friday the 13th and note that Whedon's series disappointments have not extended to its stars: Look where Nathan Fillion ('Castle'), Adam Baldwin ('Chuck') and Christina Hendricks ('Mad Men') ended up after 'Firefly' landed. And we'll cross our fingers and send Whedon a rabbit's foot to keep on set of his big-screen venture, 'The Avengers' movie.




Baseball. Football has 'Friday Night Lights.' Back in the '70s, 'The White Shadow' did justice to hoops. And hockey has been represented ably by 'The Office' ... wait, what? Well, the only time Michael seemed cool was when he insisted Dunder-Mifflin employees join him at an ice rink (Steve Carell was a prep school hockey standout, and it showed). But baseball? Not so much. Perhaps the most high-profile strikeout was 'Bay City Blues', Steven Bochco's follow-up to 'Hill Street Blues.' It lasted a precious few episodes back in 1983, despite a must-see cast (yes, that is THE Sharon Stone).



Lindsay Price. Ever since she tried to make life miserable for Hayley Vaughn (Kelly Ripa) on 'All My Children', Price has been one to watch. So why isn't anyone watching? The list of misses is getting lengthy: 'Coupling', 'Lipstick Jungle' (below), 'Pepper Dennis', 'Eastwick' (the last two with Rebecca Romijin ... also cursed?) Price is due for, and worthy of, a complete reinvention -- maybe a scrappier role, along the lines of Archie Panjabi's Kalinda in 'The Good Wife', or Pauley Perrette's Abby on 'NCIS.'



Are there any stars that bring out your friggatriskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th)? Let us know in comments below.