Fox does it again - Areested Development in trouble

POSTED BY: Hans
UPDATED: Saturday, February 12, 2005 07:11
VIEWED: 6160
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HANS

Friday, February 11, 2005 4:31 PM

If Firefly was one of the most brilliant Sci-Fi shows in a long time, Arrested Development is one of the best sitcoms in years. Now, despite the fact that the show has received much critical acclaim and won a pile of emmys, it is hovering at the edge of cancellation. The show's orignal 22-episode commitment for this season was reduced to 18 earlier this week. Then, yesterday (Feb. 10) one of its stars, David Cross, said that production has "shut down".

What he meant by that I'm not sure, but the show has never had huge viewer numbers, despite its accolades. What is true is that the show is brilliant. If you like your comedy with an edge (in the Larry Sanders/Curb Your Enthusiasm style) you'd love this show. It's one of those shows that's hard to get into - a lot of the humour is in-joke references to what happened in previous episodes - but once you've seen a few it really begins to click. The first season is on DVD, and is a must-watch.

Someone at Fox has enough vision to greenlight these shows (Firefly, Wonderfalls, AD), but then they turn into cowards and don't allow them to develop a fan base, or refuse to allow them to continue if they don't get reality-tv level viewership numbers...

More on this (plus links to Save AD petitions) can be found on CHUD at chud.com/thud/1498

Hans

AURAPTOR

Friday, February 11, 2005 4:49 PM

I've come to this conclusion about t.v. in our time.

1. Some shows are simply too good for t.v.

2. There is nothing that is too BAD that it can't be put on t.v.

Since t.v. is so much a numbers game ( ratings ), it's undeststandable that because some shows are just so well written and put together, they don't appeal to the lowest common denominator. There are, quite bluntly, too many stupid and tasteless slobs out there watching t.v. , which means they're watching the commercials, which means they're buying products. The goal isn't to provide quality programming, but to get as many butts in front of the t.v. as possible.

Ever sit down and actually WATCH 'The Simple Life' with Paris and Nichole? Please, somebody nuke this planet right now! "Reality Shows" ? Are you KIDDING me ? We send man to the moon, probes to other planets and beyond our solar system, replace organs in bodies, build skyscrapers on computers .....and THIS is how we're suppose to entertain ourselves ?

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

SNEAKER98

Friday, February 11, 2005 5:14 PM

To be perfectly honest, I never got into arrested development. I just couldn't get over the shoddy camera work.

Yes, yes, I know. The shakey-cam was a style. But there's a difference: firefly did it properly, arrested development did not. Not in my opinion, anywho.

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

MYNAMEISJONAS

Friday, February 11, 2005 5:16 PM

It makes me sad when people try to make themselves feel smarter then other people, based on what television shows they whatch.

People go to school and university to learn things and become smarter. They whatch tv to be entertained, maybey they enjoy whatching paris hilton be a stupid whore, who are you to say that makes them dumb?.

They should whatch television shows based purely on how much enjoyment they get out of it, not on what the critics say. I mean i can tell the office is an amazingly well written show, but that doesn't mean i enjoy whatching it.

If you want to make yourself feel smart go and study advanced mathematics, don't whatch tv.

Oh and about fox, they might cancel alot of shows, but they also make alot of very good ones that no other network would like, family guy, futurama, firefly, arrested development, The simpsons, none of these shows would be made on other networks.

So while your cursing fox for canceling your favourite shows, you might also consider thanking them for giving you hundreds of hours of enjoyment you wouldn't of gotten on other networks.

BEATLE

Friday, February 11, 2005 5:39 PM

It will be a real shame if this show does not return. I've laughed more while watching this show than at anything else I've seen on TV.

AURAPTOR

Friday, February 11, 2005 6:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MynameisJonas:
It makes me sad when people try to make themselves feel smarter then other people, based on what television shows they whatch.

People go to school and university to learn things and become smarter. They whatch tv to be entertained, maybey they enjoy whatching paris hilton be a stupid whore, who are you to say that makes them dumb?.

They should whatch television shows based purely on how much enjoyment they get out of it, not on what the critics say. I mean i can tell the office is an amazingly well written show, but that doesn't mean i enjoy whatching it.

If you want to make yourself feel smart go and study advanced mathematics, don't whatch tv.

Oh and about fox, they might cancel alot of shows, but they also make alot of very good ones that no other network would like, family guy, futurama, firefly, arrested development, The simpsons, none of these shows would be made on other networks.

So while your cursing fox for canceling your favourite shows, you might also consider thanking them for giving you hundreds of hours of enjoyment you wouldn't of gotten on other networks.

Gee, sounds like I struck a nerve, eh? Who am I to have an opinion? I'm sorry, is there a line I have to stand in so I can get my 'experss your thoughts' license? It's not so much that I detest such shows as 'The Simple Life','Whose your Daddy, or 'Wife Swap'. I think they do wonders for society. Really.

But what I have issue with is that there are so MANY of these fine, quality shows on, while the likes of Wonderfalls, Firefly, John Doe,etc... are so casually and quickly dismissed.

Quote:
If you want to make yourself feel smart go and study advanced mathematics, don't whatch tv.

I would, but I'm not smart enough to study that stuff. It seems I'm smart enough to know that I don't know all that much,but I'm still not such a dullard as to accept that I can't do better. You're probably right. I should just eat my chips, gulp down my beer and grin as I watch the pretty people make complete asses of themselves.... " Boy howdy! Dem purty girls is WHORES! Yuk yuk yuk! Lookie thar!! "

You wouldn't be any relation to Rubert Murdoch, would ya ?

j/k

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

HANS

Friday, February 11, 2005 6:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MynameisJonas:
It makes me sad when people try to make themselves feel smarter then other people, based on what television shows they whatch.

Touch a nerve, did I? :)

I have no problem if people have guilty pleasures - shows that are not high brow but can be enjoyed just for their own sakes. I've had plenty of guilty pleasures myself over the years.

But to lament the fact that there are few intelligent shows on TV does not mean that I'm "trying to make myself feel smarter than other people". It simply means that, as other posters have mentioned, TV is aimed squarely at the lowest common denominator. When a network puts on an idiotic show like "The Simple Life" they cast a wide net. They can be sure that there's not one person in the audience who won't get the forced humour, crassness, and appeal to our basest instincts.

What is truly rare is TV that makes you think, with complex storylines, that does not lead the viewer around by the nose like a dumb animal but challenges their perceptions. If it is elitist to want to not only be entertained but also challenged, then I'm proud to be an elitist.

Firefly is a perfect example of challenging TV. For many new viewers the mixture of a western and sci-fi setting was confusing. It didn't fit their simple perceptions of the narrow categories those genres should look like. Fans of the show know better. Instead of saying "Cowboy hats in space?", scratching our heads, and turning the channel, we gave the show a chance. It turned out to be a genre-busting show that was just a little too different for many of the viewing public.

And yes, Fox has had some good shows in the past (though I would not include Family Guy in that list). Does that mean they get a free pass when they cancel great shows like Firefly and (I think) Arrested Development?

Hans

SNIPER

Friday, February 11, 2005 6:11 PM

Fox.

Stupid network...

MYNAMEISJONAS

Friday, February 11, 2005 6:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
[ Who am I to have an opinion? I'm sorry, is there a line I have to stand in so I can get my 'experss your thoughts' license?
. "

I diddn't say you couldn't have a opinion, i just don't like it when people call other people stupid because they have a different taste in art.

MYNAMEISJONAS

Friday, February 11, 2005 6:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hans:

What is truly rare is TV that makes you think, with complex storylines, that does not lead the viewer around by the nose like a dumb animal but challenges thier perceptions. If it is elitist to want to not only be entertained but also challenged, then I'm proud to be an elitist.
Hans

since when did firefly "challenge our perceptions"?, the stories were mostly the same stuff you have seen a thousand times but with a slight twist.

The thing that made it stand out, was its witty dialogue and interesting characters. It never addresed social issues, or made us think of things in a different way like star trek did.

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