Who didn’t see this coming, like, during the very first episode?

Entertainment Weekly reported the rumor first on Thursday: after just three little-watched episodes, Do Not Disturb will allegedly air no more due to Fox’s decision to cancel the series. Of course, since the unofficial confirmation came from some of those always unidentified “inside sources,” the network hasn’t had the chance to play catch up with a formal announcement yet. I reckon it won’t be long now.

This entirely expected outcome — it was only a matter of when, not if — follows right on the heels of a September 22 Variety article that detailed the Do Not Disturb production team’s request for a second chance to overcome the series’ awful showing and reception up to that time.

The industry publication clarified that Do Not Disturb’s producers had sent a letter of apology to several television critics acknowledging the poorness of the sitcom’s premiere episode “Work Sex,” which Fox swapped with the intended pilot (last scheduled to air on October for whatever reason. A DVD of a different episode that producers believed was better accompanied the letter.

As a result of the cancellation development, repeats of ‘Til Death will take over Do Not Disturb’s former 9:30pm to 10pm EST slot on Wednesdays, presumably starting on October 1 … provided this rumor is actually true.

If it is, so long, Niecy and Jerry! I know you both can do much, much better next time.

***The cancellation is official as of September 26, 2008.

Original Air Date: September 17, 2008

It’s too bad. I really, really want to like Do Not Disturb because I really, really like Reno 911! player Niecy Nash. Unfortunately, however, the show isn’t doing anything so far to help me out in that department. If you thought the series premiere was a sign of bad things to come, it’s unlikely the show’s second episode will change that foreboding feeling.

Despite a few funny moments, the humor is nowhere near as plentiful and consistent as it should be on a sitcom. Plus, the overemphasis placed on the character Larry’s gayness just makes the show seem painfully behind the times rather than hip or groundbreaking. Give us something new, please.

The main plot of “Birdcage” focuses on perpetually horny general manager Neal, who comes up with the grand idea of installing a life-sized birdcage in the hotel’s bar to show off the female employees he considers to be hot. Rhonda blows a gasket as soon as she learns about the sexist plan, and Nicole grows increasingly upset when Neal doesn’t ask her to do time in the cage. She thinks he thinks she’s not a “hot piece of meat” anymore, although Neil claims he just has too much respect for her.

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This is the one with “big” guest star Audrina Patridge of MTV’s fake yet popular reality series The Hills.

The plot doesn’t sound like it diverges much from last week’s Do Not Disturb series premiere, either, which primarily focused on adults behaving immaturely when it comes to sex-related stuff.

This time around, general manager Neal hangs a life-sized birdcage in the hotel’s bar to showcase female employees he considers attractive, which understandably and predictably gets the panties of Human Resources boss Rhonda in all kinds of twists.

A selection of photos from the episode follows the jump.

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Let me just get this out of the way: I used to like Niecy Nash, but after a recent interview she graciously participated in to spread the word about her new Fox sitcom Do Not Disturb, I absolutely love her.

Do Not Disturb is a workplace comedy set at the posh and highly successful New York City hotel The Inn. The comedienne and actress probably most familiar to many TV watchers as Reno 911!’s straight-talking Deputy Raineesha Williams plays the more mainstream yet no less direct character Rhonda Peete, the head of The Inn’s Human Resources department.

Nash describes the competent executive as an educated, ghetto-fabulous, truth-telling Mary Poppins," and also a single woman with no kids who "loves very hard" and considers her colleagues at The Inn a surrogate family.

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Get a first look at “Work Sex,” the premiere episode of Fox’s new sitcom Do Not Disturb in the stills after the jump.

The series begins tomorrow night at 9:30pm EST, immediately after the third-season premiere of ‘Til Death, although the first episode isn’t the pilot, which was postponed until later. Perhaps network executives think having “sex” in the title and lots of naughty dialogue will make viewers come running. Maybe, maybe not…

Photos follow the jump.

Darn it!

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to participate in an interview with the one and only Niecy Nash, star of Comedy Central’s ridiculous — and I mean that in such a good way — Reno 911!, not to mention the upcoming Fox fall sitcom Do Not Disturb.

I knew it would probably lead to nothing, especially considering the Q&A was in support of the Fox show. But how could I possibly pass up this unique chance to get some scoop on who died at the end of Reno 911!’s fifth-season finale, “The Parade”?

Most bets, including mine, seem to be on Nash’s Deputy Raineesha Williams meeting her maker since the actress has this new gig, but nobody’s saying for sure. So, I took a deep breath and plunged in with my question, hoping against the odds to resolve this dilemma once and for all.

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Do Not Disturb, Fox’s latest sitcom, launches next Wednesday, September 10, at 9:30pm EST with the series premiere alluringly titled “Work Sex.” Take a closer look at the show’s cast in the photos the network recently released. Images follow the jump.

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Fox has decided not to launch its new sitcom Do Not Disturb with the pilot episode on Wednesday, September 10, at 9:30pm EST. Instead, the series premiere will be an installment called “Work Sex.” Here’s what it’s all about:

Most of the plot develops from a magazine article that details the sex-related antics of the staff, particularly general manager Neal (Jerry O’Connell), at the swank New York City hotel called The Inn. In response, Rhonda (Niecy Nash), the head of Human Resources, tries to put a leash on the employees. That’s no biggie, until Rhonda herself is tempted by a hookup on the job.

The subplots involve bellhop Gus (Dave Franco), who tries to help head of housekeeping Larry (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) get lucky, and reservation clerk Molly (Jolene Purdy), who assists front-desk worker Nicole (Molly Stanton) with her modeling aspsirations.

None of this sounds interesting or unique to me, but, as always, seeing is much better than reading. And if it’s actually funny, who cares how the descriptions come across on paper.

Stay current with series spoilers for Do Not Disturb at the show’s Episode Guide.

Original Air Date: July 10, 2008

NOTE: This series and recap contain very mature themes and language.

Well, Lieutenant Dangle sure is excited on the fifth-season finale of Reno 911!. The reason is the upcoming statewide Law Enforcement Parade that will take place in Carson City. While the boss seems to think the team agreed to go with the theme “Together We Are United,” Jones ends up hitting him with a chair because he’s convinced the agreed-upon theme is “We Can Do This.”

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Original Air Date: May 22, 2008

NOTE: This series and recap contain very mature themes and language.

I will not tell a lie. The fifth-midseason, summer premiere of Reno 911! didn’t work for me at all. But that happens on improvised series. They either tend to hit the funny bone or miss it all together, with little in between, so better luck next time.

The central plot of the episode involves Jackie DiMartino, a prostitute known by the entire Sheriff’s Department. She spends the whole half-hour in the hospital, dying of lupus. The Reno cops take turns visiting her in groups, always leading to some odd yet still unfunny interaction. As a result, the plot that acts as a thread to tie together the various off-the-wall bits ends up dragging down the entire episode.

Some of the unfunny things that occur include:

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