Comedy
Arrested Development
As a writer, it’s difficult to watch scripted television. I can’t help but think that most shows would be better if only they’d hired writers and not a committee of assorted vice-presidents who have nothing in common with the target audience. And nothing is harder than comedy. Seinfeld and Friends are two examples from the nineties of formulas that worked, but they reached their peak years ago. There just hasn’t been a breakthrough traditional sitcom in a really long time. Most comedies now fall into a faux verite style of documentary, shows like The Office, 30 Rock and the cancelled but brilliant Arrested Development. The success of these shows proves that the landscape for comedy has completely changed in recent years and is pushing the industry into new, unique directions.
Some people don’t “get” the kind of comedy that one of my favorite shows, Arrested Development, celebrated. And that’s fine. I don’t understand why they have a singing fish mounted over their fireplace.
Arrested Development’s brilliance lies in how gags are wrapped inside of gags and quick edits hit fast and drop.
The casting is pitch perfect. Check out the younger, pre-Superbad Michael Cera, who’s in love with his possibly adopted cousin, Maeby (pronounced Maybe):
It only lasted three seasons, but it lives on in my heart. And online. And there is no doubt in my mind that contemporary comedy writers are always checking these episodes for inspiration.
Permalink:
http://www.fancast.com/ourtvpicks/?review=284
Terri
It doesn’t get better than Arrested Development! I can’t tell you how depressed I was when it was cancelled.
Why can’t the American public sustain anything that includes intellectual, sophisticated humor?
rychelle
i love this show more than words can say. unfortunatley, i didn’t even know it existed until after it was already off the air.
i hope new writers are inpired by it, and are able to finally put something truly funny back on the air.
Terri
I LOVE Arrested Development. I can’t understand why the best of TV gets cancelled. You can hardly say AD was too “sophisticated.”
What’s not funny about Buster? Sad. I have the boxed set on my Christmas list and I’ve read there may be a movie in the works but it’s not the same. Happy to know someone else enjoyed the show as much as I did.
Alyxherself
I completely agree with you. For me, the only thing worth watching on TV is on Monday nites, 8 pm, Big Bang Theory. best. writing. ever.
Here I go to watch it. I have a geek crush on Sheldon 
Zoot
One of the first shows I watched all the way through when it aired, and then bought when it came out on DVD. (I usually only buy shows on DVD that I didn’t watch when it aired.) I totally adored it.
Karen
Love AD too (actually watching the 2nd season on DVD as I write this). I hope you take this the right way but whenever you write about your mother I always picture Lucille (1 not 2).
Guffman32
It’s a testament to the overall taste level of the American public at large that this show was cancelled. Hopefully, the movie will give us fill of Tobias, Lucille and company.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I was dumbfounded when Arrested Development was cancelled. What is the world coming to? It was certainly the funniest, most well written comedy show on TV for a long, long time. Perfectly cast, brilliant direction, superbly written it doesn’t get much better. I wish there was a special secret channel - and I’d pay for this channel, where people with sophisticated intelligent humor could go to get a fix.