CBS has canceled musical drama “Viva Laughlin,” co-starring Hugh Jackman, after a mere two episodes, due to unexpectedly low ratings.

“Viva Laughlin,” based on the successful British series “Viva Blackpool,” barely aired two episodes before being canceled by CBS. The musical drama debuted last Thursday with a special preview but only 8.4 million viewers were curious enough to watch.

It was then moved to what was intended as its regular time slot, Sunday evening, when ratings dropped even further to a very modest 6.8 viewers.

The first cancellation of the season was CW's video magazine “Online Nation.” The musical drama is the first scripted new series to be canceled this season and the highest-profile. It stars (or rather used to) Lloyd Owen as a small-time gambler who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation and co-stars Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith. Jackman is also executive producer.

“Viva Laughlin” will be replaced next Sunday by a “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” rerun, with reality series “The Amazing Race” then taking over the time period, CBS said Monday.

“If there ever was a season (of 'Race') that I consider one of the best, it's this one,” co-creator/exec producer Bertram van Munster said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “It's insanely funny, fast-paced and dramatic all at once.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the “Viva Laughlin” series was in the midst of shooting Episode 9 of its 13-episode order when it was canceled Monday. It wasn't clear if more episodes would be completed.

Hugh Jackman begins filming later this year for the much talked about “X-Men” spin-off “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” scheduled by Twentieth Century Fox for a May 1, 2009 release as announced last week.

Variety reports that Academy Award-winning South African filmmaker Gavin Hood will start shooting in Australia, then move to New Zealand and later, to New Orleans. The story will feature mutants already present in the franchise’s three films and introduce new ones. The title was officially announced as “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” compared to the prior “Wolverine,” last week.

While Hugh Jackman reprises his role as wolfish mutant Wolverine, Liev Schreiber is reportedly in final talks to take on the role of a younger version of nemesis William Stryker, played by Brian Cox in “X2,” per Variety.