My Own Worst Enemy wasn’t just a heavily-hyped poor performing show for NBC, it is a microcosm of some strategies the network had hoped would pull it out of last place. Sadly for NBC, it’s also a snapshot of how those strategies are working about as well as Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver on a deadlock seal.

Big Stars Do Not Equal Big Viewers: Admittedly, this first asks us to accept NBC execs’ contention that Christian Slater is a big movie star. But that’s exactly the stance NBC was trying to sell critics on while talking about the steps the network took to “lure” Slater to episodic TV. NBC Entertainment Co-Chair Ben Silverman said he even took Slater’s mother to lunch in efforts to bring the actor on board. 

Despite NBC’s contention that Slater was an awesome get for the network, it’s not like they were bringing Tom Cruise on board here. What else did Slater have on his plate, another Alone in the Dark sequel? The same week Enemy bit the dust, NBC also pulled the plug on Brooke Shields’ vehicle Lipstick Jungle. After Suddenly Susan and cameos on That 70s Show, Shields could easily be considered as a TV star as much as a movie star.

Pictured: Christian Slater as Henry Spivey/Edward Albright — NBC Photo: Chris Haston

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NBC has pulled the plug on Christian Slater spy vehicle My Own Worst Enemy after only four episodes. Reuters reports the show only averaged 5.9 million viewers during its month on the air.  This past Monday’s episode slipped to its lowest ratings yet, forcing NBC’s hand. That happened despite decent reviews for Slater’s role as a super secret agent whose dual personality is an average suburban husband.

NBC had high hopes for Enemy due to Slater’s potential draw, heavy promotion during the Summer Olympics and the show inheriting the time slot after Heroes. But due to the problems that have plagued that show, the Monday night 9 p.m. area isn’t the posh ratings location it used to be.  Enemy was unable to hold millions of Heroes viewers and let’s face it, NBC doesn’t need another way to lose Heroes viewers. There has been no word on whether the network will pull Enemy immediately or at least air the remaining five episodes.

Pictured: Christian Slater as Henry Spivey/Edward Albright–NBC Photo: Jack Zeman

Two men are trapped inside one mind in the new NBC series My Own Worst Enemy, which premieres tonight at 10 p.m. ET right after Heroes. In the latest component of NBC’s Monday night lineup Christian Slater stars as both secret agent Edward Albright and mild-mannered family man Henry Spivey.

An experimental procedure has placed a wall of sorts in between their two minds so that even Henry and Edward don’t know the other exists. The show encounters some problems right off the bat as Heroes’ ratings have been steadily declining since last year. It ain’t the lead-in it used to be. Readers, are you ready for spy drama with Christian Slater? Check out this clip from NBC and tell us what you think.

Christian Slater’s latest project sounds like a mixture of True Lies and Total Recall. Two Ahh-nold movies crammed into one show can’t be bad, right? Unless the movies are Junior and The Last Action Hero.

I will skip the obligatory joke about Slater, who has had his share of legal troubles, being his own worst enemy. Oops. According to NBC, Slater plays normal suburban dad Henry and lethal super spy Edward. Henry is oblivious to his dual life due to an experiment from years before. It premieres Oct.13. Of course, it won’t have an easy task as there are a lot of new genre shows trying to find traction in this crazy season after the strike.

So what do SFUniverse readers think? Does this have “Must See TV” potential? Will you wait to see it or are you interested enough to even give it a chance?

NBC Photo: Adam Taylor