What the... (Fox asks fans to show support for Arrested Development)

POSTED BY: Tomanta
UPDATED: Monday, April 25, 2005 15:57
VIEWED: 5054
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TOMANTA

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:07 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/18/business/media/18arrested.html?

Quote:

Now a campaign seeks to save "Arrested Development," the Fox comedy, which has low ratings despite winning three Emmy Awards last September. But, in an example of a corporation co-opting the power of protest, the campaign is being run by Fox itself. (Fox is owned by the News Corporation.)

The network set up a site at www.getarrested.com, where visitors are urged to sign an "Arrested Development Loyalty Oath." Signatory fans pledge their "never-ending loyalty and allegiance to the best comedy on television today." They promise, moreover, to invite all their friends and family members to join the "Arrested Nation." As of last Friday, a counter on the site said that more than 42,000 people had electronically signed.

This must be what going mad feels like.

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."

REEQUEEN

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:12 PM

Count me out. Don't get me wrong, I love Arrested Development, but I'd rather see it go to a different network (or, better yet, cable) than support anything Fox attempts.

"He has a gorm horizon. All gorm that falls past it is lost forever." UserFriendly http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20050114

CYBERSNARK

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Tomanta:
This must be what going mad feels like.

*nods in stunned agreement*

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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:57 PM

Too bad the chimps at Fox didn't run a similar campaign for Firefly.

Hard to feel sorry for a company that screws up everything they touch.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

ODDNESS2HER

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 8:27 PM

Maybe Fox is starting to learn its lesson. They did renew "House", after all. If AD gets renewed, I may start to forgive them a little for their past misdeeds.

TOMANTA

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 2:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by oddness2her:
Maybe Fox is starting to learn its lesson. They did renew "House", after all. If AD gets renewed, I may start to forgive them a little for their past misdeeds.

House's initial ratings were Fox's usual "wait and see" ratings, but it got a HUGE ratings bump from American Idol (best thing that show ever did).

AD... it seems like Fox /wants/ to keep the show around but is trying hard to find justification for the decision (clearly winning emmy's isn't enough - Wonderfalls definitely woulda been a contender).

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."

KNIBBLET

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 3:03 PM

Goddess knows that quality has never been on Fox's "must have list" when choosing what to keep. Hence the continuation of American Idol.

Quote:
Originally posted by Tomanta:
AD... it seems like Fox /wants/ to keep the show around but is trying hard to find justification for the decision (clearly winning emmy's isn't enough ...

"I'm gonna rip you a new puppet hole, bitch!"

THIEFJEHAT

Thursday, April 21, 2005 3:34 PM

This actually upsets me. Clearly Fox has a political reason to want to save this show so they will attempt to flex their muscle to force ratings.

Just because a show wins awards (3 emmys) doesn't mean it's good. It means that certain people want us to pay attention. If the ratings are low then the people either don't like it, don't care enough, or never got marketed to(don't know it exists). I actually saw some ads for this show so I suppose I fall into the "don't care" column.

But the point is, Fox clearly has an agenda here. They need us to like their new show. They are trying to force masses to watch it since it hasn't taken off on it's own. Did firefly recieve this kind of consideration? NO WAY.

As far as Firefly goes, I never knew it existed in the fall of 2002. I saw no ads, I read no articles, I knew utterly nothing about it. Arrested Development, on the other hand, is being aggresively marketed to me. It's clear to me that agendas exist and the success/failure of some shows are more the product of a small group of people at a network than the popular opinion of the masses.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

JAKE7

Thursday, April 21, 2005 4:18 PM

I like Arrested Development, but not enough to sign some "oath" from Fox. What nerve!

If you want it saved, renew it!

I do also enjoy House. Took me a bit to get into it, but now I really love it (not as much as Firefly though!)

I will say that this week's episode had me cracking up from what turned out to be a dream sequence.

Unexpected and very funny, I thought...

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MAL: Everybody's makin' a fuss.

SIGMANUNKI

Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jake7:

What nerve!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

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"Canada being mad at you is like Mr. Rogers throwing a brick through your window." -Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

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