communication breakdown

Save Our Bluths!

Have you ever watched this show? If not, you're missing out. Arrested Development is, by far, the best comedy on television. Unfortunately, it might not be on TV much longer. The critically-acclaimed but chronically ratings-challenged sitcom recently had its 3rd season lineup cut from 22 to 13 episodes by FOX.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm part of the problem. Up until two weeks ago, I had not seen a single episode of AD, nor had I even heard a positive word about it. Coupled with FOX's questionable marketing practices with the show, I never really had the motivation to check it out. Little did I know what I was missing! Thanks to Netflix, who recommended the Season 1 and 2 DVDs to me, I raced through the first two seasons in a weekend. And I was laughing all the way.

Arrested Development is a lightning-quick, brutally witty and inventive comedy. It thinks completely outside of the box of "traditional" sitcom TV, which is exactly why I love it. No laugh tracks. No predictable storylines. No force-fed humor. The show makes its name on edgy comedy, awkward humor, inside jokes, and self-references. Led by an absolutely all-star cast, it is such a shame that a show like this cannot generate more than 4 million viewers - especially when crap like "King of Queens" and "Two And A Half Men" can dominate the ratings.

So, I'm doing my part by informing you all of how amazing this show is, and recommending that you should check it out immediately. Unfortunately, your chances to catch new episodes might be limited for awhile.

FOX is planning to air the remaining 4 episodes of the season in a 2 hour block on Friday, February 10.

That happens to be opposite the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, but who cares about that anyways? If I have to choose between smart, hilaroius comedy or a bunch of people waving flags, I'm going with the former.

That will likely be the end of the road for Arrested Development on FOX, but it might not be the end of the story. Apparently ABC and Showtime have expressed great interest in picking up the show, assuming FOX cancels it (which hasn't happened yet). Either way, it looks promising that AD will have a future, somewhere. And it rightfully should - great comedies don't come along very often, and when they do, they should be appreciated.

So, go watch Arrested Development. I can almost guarantee you'll like it. More likely than not, you'll find yourself in the same position as me - hoping for more, and wishing you hadn't stumbled onto it at the last minute...

TV Roundup

Well, it's a busy time for my TV shows of choice. With the exception of Prison Break, which is still on hiatus until March, all of my other shows are back in full force - even The Shield, which usually doesn't debut until March, is already back. Here's a report card on how good my favorite shows have been thus far:

• 24: B My favorite show started its 5th season tonight with quite a bang. I won't reveal anything for those not wanting to have it spoiled, but I must say that, even though I don't always agree with the writers' decisions, I admire their willingness to pull out all the stops in order to generate great drama. The first 2 hours premiered tonight and they were vintage "24", involving mysterious shadow men, government conspiracies, and Jack Bauer fighting against all odds for a good cause. Look for 22 more riveting hours of the best show on TV, coming your way soon...
• Arrested Development: A- The 3rd season has the feeling of a season written under the assumption that it would be the last, which detracts from the show's quirky randomness. Despite this, it has still been great entertainment. See main section above for more info.
• ER: C I was watching some of my ER DVDs last week, and it really hit home how amazing this show used to be, and how mediocre it is now. It lacks the great characters and powerful storylines of old. There are very few characters I even care about anymore. I guess after 12 years it's that much harder to produce fresh information. I still watch the show out of loyalty, but I think it's about time for it to say goodbye.
• Lost: A The show is still going strong in its excellent sophomore season. There are so many different storylines that it often becomes frustrating when they ignore a plot thread for several shows, but they do an admirable job of balancing character-developing backstories and revealing island mysteries, which are becoming larger in number. For my money, this is the best mystery and intrigue on TV.
• The OC: B The show has slipped a bit from its magical first season, but it's still good drama. The writers are smart to continue to place heavy focus on the adults, who serve as the moral center of the show. I think it's interesting that, unlike other teen-based dramas, The OC is not afraid to tackle issues like college admissions and moving away from home. Since its beginning, the show has been willing to address head-on many topics that shows of lesser quality refuse to acknowledge.
• The Office: A This show has really found its stride. Still not as good as the British version, but very funny in its own right. It will be interesting to see how the show fares when they start to introduce more serious topics, like the Jim-Pam love angle. This was done to perfection in the British version, and it remains to be seen if it will be done here with the same amount of charm. Regardless, The Office can still be counted on for several gut-busting laughs per episode.
• Scrubs: B- We're only 2 episodes into the new season, but I'm afraid they're trying too hard. Given the oddball nature of the show, it seems the writers are striving to be crazier than ever, with mixed results. I didn't find myself laughing as much as I normally do. But I'm withholding true judgment until the season progresses further.
• The Shield: B There are rumors that this is the last season of The Shield, but I hope those are false. It is the best show on cable TV, and perhaps the best crime drama ever. Season 5 premiered last week in a typical no-holds-barred fashion, but it lacked a powerful overarching story that the other seasons have had from the beginning. This is probably because the addition of Forrest Whitaker as an IAD cop investigating Mackey for a crime he committed years ago felt lukewarm - why explore this angle now, when it has been neglected since Season 1? It almost feels like this is their way of tying up loose ends in order to end the series (perhaps by putting Mackey behind bars). Again, too early to make an actual judgment, but I sure hope I'm wrong about those suspicions.

OK, it's time to leave TV Land and return you to your regularly scheduled programming...