TEXAS SHUFFLE

Say goodnight, Houston.

While CBS’s cop drama “Houston Knights” will return to the fall line-up, Houston won’t.

For monetary reasons, a decision has been made to shoot the show in and around L.A.--which will double for Houston. Said exec producer Jay Bernstein, second-unit work may eventually--eventually--take place in Houston. But the first episode of the new season’s in the can and it’s all L.A.’s “Knights.”

“It’s not anyone’s preference,” Bernstein said. “It’s a financial consideration.” He noted that L.A. has long been used as a look-alike for many American cities and no one ever seems to notice.

Steve Moore, who runs the Houston Film Commission, begs to differ. He mentions a dozen buildings and areas unique to his town: “The show would be a lot more believable if they shot it here.”

The word was bad news to Moore, who pointed out that a TV series can have on a city, as well as “the inherent P.R. value of a show with your name on it,” like Dallas’ “Dallas,” Miami’s “Miami Vice” and Boston’s “Spenser: For Hire.” And, “People are still looking for Mary Tyler Moore’s house in Milwaukee.” (Opps. He meant Minneapolis.)

But, said our sources, Bernstein didn’t feel much support from Houston, judging by the negative reviews from local media and reported chortles from within the walls of the Houston PD.

“He says he likes Houston and was trying to help Houston and he couldn’t understand the reaction the show got,” said Ann Hodges, TV editor of the Houston Chronicle, “but even Jay admits the two-hour pilot was a dog.”

She went on: “I think probably the film people will be sad because they like the business and maybe some fans, if there are any, but I think the city is going to make it without them.”