Arrested Development

[Mattrick]

Recently started watching the reruns on CBC. Heard it was prematurely cancelled but I think it went a few seasons. Like what I've seen so far and am getting the seasons on DVD.

Quite a funny show so far. While being wacky and over the top at times it has a very stern underlying theme of the family as a social unit. Essentially the entire show the family dealing with each other. Kind of like how Everybody Loves Raymond can have a single episode one big family argument and and still be entertaining.

It's a real dry humour but I like it. My favourite episode thus far is when George Michael is trying to become school president.

[jayson]

Excellent show, cancelled WAY WAY too soon. We have all three seasons on DVD and they get plenty of air-time. This series took meta-jokes to a new level altogether re-working phrasings and getting different things repeated to become different jokes and yet still referencing the original joke. Great cast, great writing. I only wish it had gone on longer.

[Mike Beck]

One of the best comedies ever. I love each and every one of the Bluth family members, but Job is my favorite.

I was really surprised when they axed it. It's such a smart and well made show. Just shows you that the majority of tv viewers prefer the usual laugh track nonsense. tell me how a show like this gets killed, and Two and a Half Men is still on the air?? don't make no sense.

[jayson]

.... tell me how a show like this gets killed, and Two and a Half Men is still on the air?? don't make no sense.

lowest common denominator. that show doesn't require thought so most tv audiences can handle it. just laugh when the laugh track laughs. Arrested Development took a bit more thought.

oh, and Gob rules. Remember, it is Gob not Job, for his name is George Oscar Bluth Jr.

[Mike Beck]

that's right!

:cue The Final Countdown:

and you are too correct. i hate that mindless crap. it's just not funny. it's so repetitive and ugly, I think. do laugh track shows even work any more? unless it's a talk show like Conan, i'm not so sure.

[jayson]

Gob's "illusions" were the highlight of the show, esp when they involved Buster in some way. Buster was one of the greatest characters ever, especially the season with AhnYong [sp?]

[Odetta]

I am a HUGE fan of this show! I wished more people had watched it... it was so funny! GAve me a newfound respect for Jason Bateman that I never had before.

[Girlystevedave]

This was definitely one of the smartest and funniest shows to ever be on tv. I still can't understand why it didn't make it longer.

[jayson]

This was definitely one of the smartest and funniest shows to ever be on tv. I still can't understand why it didn't make it longer.

bc tv doesn't like smart & funny. especially not FOX who cancelled it.

[TerribleT]

One of the best comedies ever. I love each and every one of the Bluth family members, but Job is my favorite.

I was really surprised when they axed it. It's such a smart and well made show. Just shows you that the majority of tv viewers prefer the usual laugh track nonsense. tell me how a show like this gets killed, and Two and a Half Men is still on the air?? don't make no sense.

Dude, I LOVE Two and a Half Men. I think that show is insanely funny, and rarely is there an episode that doesn't leave me laughing my guts out.

[OchrisO]

Arrested Development is probably the funniest TV show ever. I love it.

[Mike Beck]

One of the best comedies ever. I love each and every one of the Bluth family members, but Job is my favorite.

I was really surprised when they axed it. It's such a smart and well made show. Just shows you that the majority of tv viewers prefer the usual laugh track nonsense. tell me how a show like this gets killed, and Two and a Half Men is still on the air?? don't make no sense.

Dude, I LOVE Two and a Half Men. I think that show is insanely funny, and rarely is there an episode that doesn't leave me laughing my guts out.

I......uh. oh. sorry. I just don't like it is all.
I put it in the same list as shows like How I Met Your Mother and Life According to Jim.

but everyone's got their flavor, right?

[jayson]

One of the best comedies ever. I love each and every one of the Bluth family members, but Job is my favorite.

I was really surprised when they axed it. It's such a smart and well made show. Just shows you that the majority of tv viewers prefer the usual laugh track nonsense. tell me how a show like this gets killed, and Two and a Half Men is still on the air?? don't make no sense.

Dude, I LOVE Two and a Half Men. I think that show is insanely funny, and rarely is there an episode that doesn't leave me laughing my guts out.

I......uh. oh. sorry. I just don't like it is all.
I put it in the same list as shows like How I Met Your Mother and Life According to Jim.

but everyone's got their flavor, right?

it's not even that they are necessarily "bad" shows, just that they are the same standard sit-com fare we've been getting for years. a show like AD completely broke the mold for 30-min "family comedies"

[Rjeso]

:cue The Final Countdown:

Yeeeah, I can't hear this song anymore without thinking of the magic show in the desert.

I loved this show. I didn't watch it at first because the ads made it look like another one of those mindless sitcoms. One of my buddies finally sat me down and had me watch the first season, and I and such a big fan now. Eventually I shall own the DVDs, the show is well worth shelling out money for a TV series.

[Still Servant]

Arrested Development is classic. I miss that show so much.

There may be hope just yet though. There are rumors of AD coming to the big screen.

An Arrested Development movie might actually do fairly well. With the success of Michael Cera in Superbad and Juno (along with Jason Bateman) they may have a whole new audience.

I have to disagree with you Mike Beck. How I Met You Mother is a genuinely funny show. Don't be fooled by the laugh track. Neil Patrick Harris is so great on that show.

To put it in the same sentence with According to Jim made me cringe.

[jayson]

if true about a possible movie, that's great news Still Servant. i do have to disagree with you about How I Met Your Mother. A friend has subjected me to several episodes and while I would agree that Neil Patrick Harris is indeed very funny, the rest of the show is fairly standard sitcom fare. on a scale with According to Jim at one end and Arrrested Development at the other, I'd say it's closer to the former. just my opinion. either way AD was a GREAT show and michael cera has comedic timing like i've never seen.

[Still Servant]

I see what you're saying, I just think that if you take the standard current day sitcom, How I met Your Mother is at the top of the list.

Jason Segal (another Judd Apatow disciple) is also very good on that show.

I much prefer my sitcoms sans laugh track like The Office, 30 Rock and Aliens In America.

Aliens In America is pretty good. It's on the CW so I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority of people who watch the show. Just like with Reaper and the now deceased Veronica Mars.

[Mattrick]

ahhh, 30 rock. What a turd that show is. The Office is much better but I'm not pawing my way to the TV to watch that one, either.

A great comedy show is My Name Is Earl, so much talent in that show.

[Erin]

I've never seen Arrested Development before, but heard great things. I also didn't know Michael Cera was on it. After Superbad and Juno, I freaking love that guy, he absolutely crackes me up.

Are all the seasons out on DVD? I need to check it out.

[jayson]

Erin, it's all out on DVD [3 seasons total, though the third is a bit shorter than the first two]. if you loved Michael Cera in those films, seeing him as George Michael Bluth will be a treat for you. The kid is just amazingly funny, as is the rest of the cast [it has DAVID CROSS for goodness sake, DAVID CROSS!!!]

[Still Servant]

I've never seen Arrested Development before, but heard great things. I also didn't know Michael Cera was on it. After Superbad and Juno, I freaking love that guy, he absolutely crackes me up.

Are all the seasons out on DVD? I need to check it out.

Erin, you must get your hands on the Arrested Development DVDs. I think you will really enjoy it. I don't know you that well, but from reading your posts on the boards, I think it's something you would like.

My sister said she saw them being sold for $20 bucks a season at Wal-Mart.

If you don't want to purchase them, head down to your local library and see if they have them. I rent DVDs from my library all the time. They're free and you can keep them for a week. They have a huge selection.

[Lance]

I much prefer my sitcoms sans laugh track like The Office, 30 Rock and Aliens In America.

Exactly. You shouldn't have to tell your audience what's funny.

You should definetly check it out Erin. I've described it as Seinfeld on meth. While Seinfeld would have two or three different storylines intercept each other, AD would have five or six.

And Gob is the shit. He was definetly my favorite character.

[jayson]

I've described it as Seinfeld on meth. While Seinfeld would have two or three different storylines intercept each other, AD would have five or six.

and they would keep on intercepting across episodes and across seasons.

[Seymour_Glass]

All the characters are so great.

"Hello, brother."

[jayson]

All the characters are so great.

"Hello, brother."

One of my favorite jokes was how that line of Buster's kept evolving as the series/relationships went on

"Hello fake uncle...."