[sapphiremodena]

I was extremely disheartened when I heard the news about my favourite tv show's 3rd season order being cut from 22 episodes down to 13. It looks as if the death of the show is basically nearly unavoidable, which is just a downright shame. I haven't seen a comedy anywhere near this well-crafted, amazingly written, superbly casted and just plain funny in my whole life. And whats more is that it's gotten better with each season, really. The writing has become so detailed to the point where every single line is now hilarious and there will be 5 plots intertwined around eachother all at once. And then when you go back and watch it again, it only gets funnier. I have never before seen a comedy tv show that actually gets funnier the more you watch it and never lets up. Every character, every line, every joke is gold.

I don't think anything speaks louder about this show's quality than the fact that the fans, though our numbers may small, are often rabid about the show, and that the show constantly gets amazing reviews from critics and fans alike who are willing to give the show a few episodes worth of their time. I've lent my dvds out to at least 12-15 friends: They have all loved it, except for one of my friends who only watched 3 episodes then gave up on it. That's a pretty safe batting average I'd say.

Here's the problem with this show: One really does have to watch it from the very beginning to really understand every little thing that's going on. Surely anyone can watch any random episode and laugh at maybe 5 or 10 parts at least, but at the same time they have no idea what the heck is going on. Also, you have to watch a few episodes for the show to grow on you. It takes a usually 2 or 3 episodes to get into it, and then you'll probably be hooked.

I just wanted to make this thread for anyone who has been meaning to watch the show but never got around to it. Amazon.com has a really great deal on the DVDs right now, you can get Season 1 & 2 bundled together for $31.94, or if you don't want to take such a big chance, you could get Season 1 for $19.97 and Season 2 for $21.97. (Keep in mind shipping is free on orders over $25, so there's another reason to take the plunge.)

For anyone in Canada, you can buy off Amazon.com and the free delivery won't apply to you, but the total for both seasons, after shipping, is about $47 CDN before tax. That's usually about the price of one season of AD in most stores in Canada, if you can even find it in stock.

Also, definitely worth noting is that for Best Buy's Black Friday sale, they will be having each season of Arrested Development for $14.99 US. I'm not too sure about the availability of that offer (as far as it being in stock or not) as compared to Amazon but that is still also an amazing price.
I really hope people take a chance on this show, because the payoff is huge and the show is highly addictive. Please, help save the best comedy to come around in years. Or at the least you can give yourself the chance to catch an amazing gem before it fizzles out into the night.


***Next episode airs: Monday, December 5th at 8:00pm on Fox.***

Some reviews:

Season 1 DVD Review
Season 2 DVD Review

Some links:

Season 1 on Amazon
Season 2 on Amazon

*******

 

[ken36]

I heard this was going to happen.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapphiremodena Here's the problem with this show:

Another problem with this (and quite a few other) shows is the constant moving of time slots. Even loyal fans often don't have a clue when to see the show because the network keeps moving the night it airs. Very frustrating, and usually spells the death-knell of any show with which this happens, regardless of quality. Couple that with your previously cited need to watch every ep to truly appreciate all the subtleties, and this show is doomed.

Btw, is it wierd that I like to watch this show (when I do happen to randomly catch it) for Jessica Walter

? I know for many of you young dudes she's old, but if you ever see 'Play Misty For Me', you'd understand

.

 

[gratefulshrink]

I think the show is officially cancelled, and that there is no hope of it being picked up by another network.

That is so typical -- any show that is so creative/edgy just can't capture enought of a market share. There have been a few good shows like that in the past 5 years or so -- Once and Again, Freaks and Geeks, another one with Calire Dane (I can't remember the title). It makes you want to hate commercial TV even more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg Another problem with this (and quite a few other) shows is the constant moving of time slots. Even loyal fans often don't have a clue when to see the show because the network keeps moving the night it airs. Very frustrating, and usually spells the death-knell of any show with which this happens, regardless of quality.

Yeah, that was frustrating, as well as the fact that Fox kept bumping programming for the baseball post-season games. I tmakes we wonder that they wanted to pull it anyway, and never tried to hard to get it a good time slot on a weekinight. Why couldn't Fox put it on at 11 or 11:30 pm on any night of the week? I'm sure loyal fans would flock to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg Btw, is it wierd that I like to watch this show (when I do happen to randomly catch it) for Jessica Walter ? I know for many of you young dudes she's old, but if you ever see 'Play Misty For Me', you'd understand .

Good one! I know that movie, but I never made the connection. She also reminds me of my best friend's mother, which is creepy. BTW, IMO Play Misty For Me was ripped off by Fatal Attraction to a certain extent (borderline mistress/lover).

 

[DouglasQuaid]

I nearly cried when I first heard the news.

This guy sums it up pretty well
link

Happy Thanksgiving

 

[incognitoedleon]

There is still minor hope that Arrested Development will survive for another season if the DVD sales are good and if the ratings show improvement for the final few episodes. There's also some talk that it trying to be shopped over to cable channels like Showtime and FX. So if you love AD, keep watching and give nothing but DVD season sets for birthdays, Christmans, Hanukkah, etc. !

<-- Yes that's a Bluth Frozen Banana logo in my avatar.

 

[mr.karmalicious]

I summed up my feelings in this heartfelt YTMND.

http://arrestedd.ytmnd.com/

 

[n00b]

Argh, looks like I'll have to get myself some DVDs for Christmas.

 

[PSmith08]

AD was a clever show, and that was its demise. In today's world of shows that involve celebrities presiding over Star Trek-style deathmatches for middle management jobs, there isn't a whole lot of room for a show with wit.

The inside jokes, discursive nature, and oblique references probably turned the executives off. Why have to explain a joke when we can see a celebrity eat grubs for a chance at 10000 dollars to whatever charity is in vogue? Only after a show has proven itself to be a cash-cow does the network care about it and allow it to be clever. Look what happened to Family Guy (the first time).

 

[en480c4]

It's simple... I hate FOX. They have cancelled some of my favorite shows over the last few years:
Andy Richtor Controls the Universe
The Tick
Firefly
Wonderfalls
Keen Eddie
and now Arrested Development.
At least Arrested Development. is a little understandable as a single-camera comedy with a large ensemble cast can't be cheap. But FOX missed a huge chance by moving it all over the place and not giving it any promotion.
NBC isn't making me a big fan, either... I'm glad My Name Is Earl is doing well. It's hilarious and Jason Lee rules. But I'm just waiting for them to cancel The Office, which I think is some of the funniest stuff around, and I have no idea what's going on with Scrubs, and clearly neither does NBC. That show should be on the air NOW!

 

[Jahn]

AD is the only "sit-com" i watch right now that my wife also loves. without it, it's back to "you know you love desperate housewives, don't deny it!" [size=xx-small](the husband says to the wife)[/size]

 

[Todd R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by en480c4 It's simple... I hate FOX. They have cancelled some of my favorite shows over the last few years: Andy Richtor Controls the Universe The Tick Firefly Wonderfalls Keen Eddie and now Arrested Development.

They are also going to ditch Kitchen Confidential which was another one of my favorites along with Arrested Development.
Fox always does this.....I hate them

It's almost like they have to dumb down the programming everytime they accidentally stumble upon a show that's clever and well made.

Of course they'll keep crap the "War at Home", one of the WORST shows out there IMO.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by en480c4 But I'm just waiting for them to cancel The Office, which I think is some of the funniest stuff around, and I have no idea what's going on with Scrubs, and clearly neither does NBC. That show should be on the air NOW!

I was just commenting to my wife this morning that I was wondering what had happened to Scrubs. Then today, NBC ran a quick spot announcing that "all new" Scrubs would be returning in January. Hopre remains eternal.

Oh, and I dig the Office too. Does anybody know how that one is doing ratings-wise? I thought that had disappeared into a black hole as well in the past couple of weeks.

 

[redshifter]

that's a huge bummer if they cancel ad. i'd buy the dvd's. the closeted gay brother ("i'd kiss a man squarely between the cheeks!") and the magician brother who rides the segway were the funniest. i especially liked the episode where ben stiller played the really lame magician who became their mentor. many levels of sheer comedy awesomeness there.

the tick was also very good, mainly because of the perfect casting all around. the show was financially gutted by fox so there was no money left to film the fight scenes, much to my dismay. SPOOOOOOOOOOOON!!

 

[neil]

You can listen to a funny interview on Fresh Air with Terri Gross here -- it's with the creator of Arrested Development, Mitch Hurwitz. He talks about the cancellation/abridgement in detail.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4987832 - originally aired on November 3, 2005.