This past year, I started watching Arrested Development with SarahK and found it to be the best sitcom on network TV (it almost demeans it to call it a sitcom). I found you really have to watch it in order, as it has little jokes that only make sense if you’ve seen the previous episodes.
Anyway, I had only seen the second season, and we just started watching it on DVD. When you put the first DVD in, there’s an intro from Ron Howard where he admits he’s the ever present narrator for the series (I always wondered who it was).
BTW, they don’t bleep out the swearing on the DVD (or, at least not for the extended pilot; we’re about to watch the second episode now).
If you like Arrested Development, I recommend trying Scrubs too (if you haven’t already). It’s a slightly different kind of quirky, but still offbeat and hilarious. Way underrated.
BerkeleyChick,
Actually, Sarah got me watching that too (and we bought the first season on DVD). She disputed my best sitcom on TV claime for Arrested because of Scrubs.
I’m glad to hear someone else has discovered this great show! Fox is moving it to Monday night for the third season, so keep watching and don’t let this great show die!
Thank you once again for simply being the great Frank J.!
Bah, NewsRadio is the best! Seasons one and two are out on DVD now! Watch it, I command you!
(I like Arrested Development and Scrubs, too….)
the second season, though good, pales mightily in comparison to the first season
ron howard produces it — i suspect that is a major reason why it has continued to be renewed despite its pathetic ratings
Sorry, but The Office blows Arrested Development out of the water.
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/
http://myspace.com/theoffice
I’ve been watching Arrested Development since it premiers, and I have to say that it is the best show currently on TV since the Simpsons started sucking (BTW, the voice of Homer Simpson, Dan Castellanetta, has a pretty big, and very funny, guest appearance on a season 2 episode of AD, they even offer a little hint for anybody watching who doesn’t recognize him).
And I have to agree with Cadet Happy, while season 2 is quite good, season 1 is much better. Definitely watch it in order from now on, because it helps a lot.
Oh, and it’s only the extended pilot that leaves the swearing in. All the episodes that have aired bleep them out.
BTW, there’s a really great subtle joke in season one, where Michael’s girlfriend insultingly refers to his son as Opie, and Ron Howard (who used to play Opie on Andy Griffith) as narrator states “Jessie had gone too far, and had best watch her mouth.” The show is loaded with awesome, subtle jokes like that.
Oh, and I think most neo-cons will appreciate the episode with Heather Graham, where Michael argues in favor of preemptive strike, and his son’s anti-war ethics teacher keeps saying how she “loves Saddam”, and keeps having to back peddle and explain herself.
the Office??? you’re way off. Go rent the dvds from the original “The Office” (the british one, which your version stole everything from, except the good actors).
Even then, it’s no Arrested Development.
Haven’t seen Arrested Development yet, so I can’t compare it to The Office. The original BBC The Office is absolutely hilarious, while the NBC version is just painful to watch.
Another great Britcom is Coupling, which is uproariously funny, but almost entirely about sex. Again, the BBC version, and not the American network TV rip-off.
I haven’t seen the BBC Office, but the American one is definitely funny though it hasn’t in its few episodes impressed me to the level of Arrested Development.
News Radio was really funny… so much that I might get it on DVD. That reminds me, Profit is coming out on DVD…
I agree with SarahK, Scrubs is the best sitcom. The Office (the US version, haven’t seen the original) and Arrested Development both suck.
The only great comedy on television right now is Malcolm in the Middle. No other show has consistently been able to get me to laugh out loud since The Simpsons jumped the shark.
Jeez…I know comedy is subjective and everybody has different taste, and I try not to take a position on anything that is so opinion-oriented as which tv shows do and don’t suck…
But, man…Malcolm in the Middle? Really? That’s the hill you want to die on there, buddy?
NewsRadio Rules!
Malcom in the Middle is ridiculously hidious.
However, since I have never seen Arrested Developement or The Office (in either country), my comment here is basically pointless.
Like a spinoff.
Sorry.
I have 4 kids, and no time to watch TV. So whatever I do watch has to be the BEST thing on.
That’s why I only watch Football, Fox News and Family Guy. (Hey that’s 3 F’s. I wonder if that means anything.)
I have 4 kids too so I don’t get much TV time. But I did rent the first season of Arrested Development and fell in love with it (and that cutie-pie Jason Bateman!). Everything else on TV insults the intelligence of the viewers (except Scrubs which is hilarious, I love the janitor!). I have the 2nd season of AD on my netflix list and I can’t wait to have a marathon night!! I too find The Office painful to watch.
Yes, you were the only one who didn’t know about Ron Howard.
Speaking of subtle jokes and jumping the shark, there is an episode toward the end of season two where Henry Winkler, who plays the family lawyer, calmly jumps over a shark and walks off screen. Not a word is said. I was in tears.
Another subtle joke toward the end of season two involves how the Bluth company deals with a reduced order of houses to build. There were originally 26 homes ordered but it was cut to 18. They go on and on about this. The subtle part is that Fox cut their order of shows from 26 to 18 so they are really talking about Fox.
Too damn funny.
AD is tha bomb!
Also: keep an eye on Henry Winkler for numerous subtle Fonz jokes.
I love the scene in season one when Henry Winkler looks in the mirror to fix his hair and sees that it’s already perfect and does the whole “Fonz holding the comb” thing! The only thing he didn’t do was say “Heyyyy”.