Beggars and Choosers (TV series)

Beggars and Choosers is an American comedy-drama television series broadcast by Showtime. Developed by Peter Lefcourt and Brandon Tartikoff, the series was a comedic, behind-the-scenes look at network television. Its 42 episodes aired between June 19, 1999, and February 6, 2001.

Synopsis
The tongue-in-cheek series centered on Rob Malone, President of LGT, and his efforts to boost the network's sagging ratings with Lori Volpone, the scheming vice-president of Development, and Malcolm Laffley, a gay man who came out of the closet to clear himself of sexual harassment charges levied against him by a woman. Each episode provided amusing insight into how a network runs, from how its executives deal with temperamental stars to how they make big budget deals while trying to keep the network financially stable.

Characters

 * Rob Malone (Brian Kerwin)
 * Lori Volpone (Charlotte Ross): The ambitious Vice President of Development for LGT
 * Malcolm Laffley (Tuc Watkins)
 * Kelly Kramer (Christina Hendricks)
 * Cecile Malone (Isabella Hofmann): Rob's wife
 * Brad Advail (William McNamara): An agent who is a thorn in Rob's side
 * Parker Meridian (Paul Provenza): The egomaniacal star of the hit LGT show Parker's Pals who is romantically involved with Rob's daughter Audrey
 * Audrey Malone (Keegan Connor Tracy): Rob and Cecile's slightly flaky 21-year-old daughter
 * Emory "E.L." Luddin (Bill Morey): The frequently comatose founder and former CEO of LGT
 * Lydia "L.L." Luddin (Carol Kane): E.L.'s wife, whose plans for an eponymous variety show are thwarted when Dan Falco buys the network
 * Casey Lenox (Sherri Saum): A young ambitious new hire at LGT that Lori Volpone fears could threaten her career path
 * Dan Falco (Beau Bridges): A Buddhist who acquires ownership of LGT after obtaining 53% of the company's stock during a power struggle between the Luddins
 * Wayne (Alex Zahara)

Production notes
The series was created by former NBC television executive Brandon Tartikoff who based the series on his own experiences. Tartikoff, whose wife Lily served as a producer on the series, died of Hodgkin's Disease two years before the series debuted.

Filmed in Vancouver, Beggars and Choosers was produced for Showtime by Granada Entertainment USA and distributed by Buena Vista Television.

Reception and cancellation
Beggars and Choosers garnered very positive reviews from critics and, according to Showtime executive vice president of original programming Gary Levine, had a loyal audience, but ratings for the series remained low. Showtime canceled the series after two seasons in December 2000.