NBC Cancels 'Michael Richards Show'

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” Michael Richards, who spent nine years as Cosmo Kramer on ``Seinfeld,'' racked up just two months playing detective Vic Nardozza.

``The Michael Richards Show,'' which debuted Oct. 24 with Richards as a bumbling private eye, was canceled Thursday when NBC declined to order any more episodes.

NBC said the show will air through Jan. 2, then make way for a revamped Tuesday night lineup to include the new series ``Three Sisters,'' with an ensemble cast including Vicki Lewis (``NewsRadio'') and Dyan Cannon.

Richards' show seemed ill-fated from the start. The original pilot was scrapped by NBC after the network decided the actor, who won three Emmys for ``Seinfeld,'' needed help carrying a series of his own.

The introduction of an ensemble cast including William Devane and Tim Meadows didn't do the trick. Richards' show debuted in 31st place among all prime-time series and plummeted to No. 78 by last week.

Critics pilloried it as insipid and unfunny.

NBC's lackluster crop of new fall shows included the already canceled nighttime serial ``Titans'' and the sitcom ``Tucker.'' The network has been buoyed, however, by the strength of returning shows such as ``Law & Order'' and ``ER.''

Starting Jan. 9, the Tuesday lineup will begin with ''3rd Rock from the Sun,'' followed by the Delta Burke-David Alan Grier sitcom ``DAG,'' ``Frasier,'' ``Three Sisters'' and ``Dateline NBC.''