Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Legal TV, the U.K. television channel devoted to lawyers, canceled a reality show where solicitors were asked to save the world from fictional disasters because it was ``like watching paint dry.''

The 10 U.K. lawyers selected from 200 candidates were so ``useless'' producers couldn't air an episode set in a luxury cottage where lawyers were asked to plan London's rescue after catastrophic floods, Legal TV spokesman Davy Bal said today. One lawyer suggested they refuse the brief and go home.

``They were happy to let London drown, it seemed,'' Bal, a former solicitor, said in a telephone interview today.

Legal TV, a two-year-old channel based in Birmingham, is rethinking its entire broadcast strategy after it also canceled another reality show where cameras followed lawyers around companies. The three episodes were too boring to broadcast, said Stewart Lawley, a television producer.

``It proved to be a little more stale than expected,'' Lawley said, adding that he considered the London flood show a ``complete disaster.''

The problem wasn't with the television production or Legal TV's organization, said Graham Gibbons, a Birmingham litigator who was among the 10 contestants chosen to participate in ``Lawyers Save The World.'' It was the crowd.

`Too Dull'

``There was too much talk about `Let's clarify the brief here,' and `Are we the right people to do this?''' Gibbons said.

An argument erupted when one lawyer wanted to know why only London was being saved, turning the debate into a north-south divide, Gibbons said.

``I think it was a mix of the people there,'' said Gibbons, who producers singled out as one lawyer who made an effort to participate. ``I know 10 lawyers that if you put them in the room, you might have to edit the swearing out, but they'd solve the problem.''

Bal said he isn't convinced that the solution lies in more solicitors.

``The conclusion was, lawyers can't save the world,'' he said. ``English lawyers are far too dull, the Americans are where the action is.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Caroline Byrne in London at cbyrne12@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 2, 2007 10:35 EDT