Each time I have reported something about this upcoming series I have had one of those feelings that says, “I don’t know” and it appears there was good reason. NBC TV has decided to put a halt on the production of the anticipatied Jeff Goldblum/Linda Park SF drama “Raines” slated for a March 2007 premiere.

“Raines” is about a L.A. cop who interacts with homicide victims while solving their murder crime.

Seven out of thirteen episodes (that includes the pilot) of the as-yet-unaired series were in the can when the network pulled the plug for a half season’s worth. Never fear though, an NBC spokesperson says that the pilot and six shot episodes will still be aired on its scheduled Friday night timeslot in March.

Question: Are the nets now opting for this kind of viewer gauge instead of killing shows after only one or two episodes? If so, this will be a nice change of pace to at least allow a show some exposure long enough to possibly catch enough audience attention to warrant a real effort to save it from obscurity. But then there is this other nagging question in the back of my mind: How can this kind of programming strategy really be a good thing for viewers?

“Raines” is the second show to feel the edge of NBC’s axe at its neck. The network also cut-back its commitment to the sitcom “The Singles Table,” after only six outings.