Some late news just in
You know how good I am at getting in with a new comedy at the ground floor, and then evangelising about it until people catch up? I've just discovered Arrested Development. It's as good as ... hmmmm, let me see, oh yes ... everybody in the world has been telling me for about three or four years. I won't go on. Just to let you know that, finally, I've started to watch a show that was cancelled in 2006. (Oddly enough, it was seeing Jason Bateman in a cameo role in Dodgeball last night that reminded me that I still haven't sat myself down in front of a box set - so thanks to Richard Herring, who has all three seasons.) I'm currently at Episode 9 of season one. God bless America.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 10:52 PM
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They're making a film of too. Hope it works...
Episode 10 of season 1 is one of my favourites. Enjoy.
Mooncat
What happened to the long but extremely good post about the media reaction to the "swine flu" non-pandemic?
Or did I dream it.
It was trenchant in it's observations and made a number of telling points (some echoed in a fine piece by Marina Hyde in "The Guardain")
Did the Big Pharm (or pig pharm) lobby knobble you?
Well done Andrew! Arrested Development is one of the best American TV shows, along with House, 30 Rock, Curb and Six Feet Under. It's just a shame the rest of their TV is rubbish...
I am quite jealous at the amount of joy you have ahead of you. AD is possibly one of the best series for the art of the callback, building and building up throughout the shows. Something that I don't think British shows have ever done so well - I guess it's quite a ballsy thing to do because it can alienate casual viewers - but it's massively rewarding for an appreciative audience. Now I'm off for a frozen banana...
What Robster said. He's spot on. You have my envy for having so much joy to come. Ron Howard's narrative, whilst odd and probably breaking every rule of storytelling and comedy, means they can dispense with so many otherwise-essential bits of dialogue and just get straight to the clever and funny.
If I'd realised you hadn't seen it I'd have added to the chorus of pressure on you.
Took your advice on 30 Rock by the way. Really enjoyed season one. Alec Baldwin is a joy to watch.
I too am wondering where the Swine-Flu post disappeared to...
It's undergoing essential maintenance.
Oh you're so late to the party brother. It just gets better and better and better. Then when you've finished watch it all again and see how many jokes you missed, or couldn't possibly get, until you know what happens; sheer genius.
Oh, lucky you, coming to this gem for the first time. We're just going round for the second (after making a solemn deal to let it rest for a year), and it's no less brilliant this time around.
30-Rock has filled in nicely in the interim, though.
When people start a series that is really great I often think "you lucky sod, you have all that brilliance ahead of you - you can never get that 1st viewing back"
But that doesn't apply to AD. It is the show that stands up to the most repeat viewing by far. Like Robster said their is so much call back, but also so many brilliantly subtle jokes on so many levels that you will never catch them on the first second or third viewing.
Quite why it got cancelled i s one of the great mysteries of US TV. It got better and better.
I watched the first few episodes when it was first aired quitea few years back as I am huge jeffrey tambor fan (hank from larry sanders, to non-collinsy types)
I thought it was pretty disappointing. But, as I take what you say with a lot of respect collins(god knows why), I'll give it another go on your recommendation.
Happy now, you woolly bastard?
I will be giving 30 Rock and now Arrested Development a try, based on your esteemed say-so Andrew
Jason Bateman gives a superb cameo in State of Play as the whacked-out PR fixer.
Arrested Development is The Wire of comedy.
What Ians said. It's faultless.
I'm currently re-watching Season 1 (again) and still loving it. I keep having the urge to burst out laughing whenever I think about them all saying "speech, speech, speech" at the valentine's party, I don't know why it's so funny!
Good man :D
Don't feel to late, I only got into it myself about 18 months ago, and started routinely preaching its' virtues to all and sundry (who either already knew or didn't care).
Great, isn't it? Very "British" I felt, which is possibly why it got cancelled. Meh, what do they know?
Will Arnett is God...sorry Gob. Come on!
One of my favourite shows ever. I agree with a lot of whats has been said. Whenever Michael Cera's charcter George Mickael gets mentioned it just cracks me up.
Plain and simple the show is genuis congrats to the actors and writers, directers and a punch in the face to the studio exec/money guy for canceling such a great show.
Some of the future guest stars will crack you up, and what a great final episode to wrap the series up.
how many times did they do the name gag with the adopted chinese boy. About 5 times per episode for a whole season.
I think I am gonna re-watch it now,,totally in the mood for it now.
Droach75
Ahh-- So here's the blog post you mentioned on Twitter. SO glad you liked AD. I'd emailed the recco in response to an on-air lament of yours (now-whaddoo-I-watch) just after you finished watching Seinfeld (I think? Or was it Curb Y.E.?) maybe three years ago. AD is one of those rare shows that gets better the more you watch it. A treasure. I think my ten-year-old is ALMOST old enough for it, and then I can love it afresh: hoo-ray.
Now if you could just help Elbow break (er, that sounds awkward...) in the US so people stop looking at me funny when I tell them they (Elbow) are the best band currently out there... Cheerios, Alchiz
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