Was 'Arrested Development' A Remake of 70s Sitcom 'Soap?' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 02-26-2011, 05:39 PM

http://www.cracked.com/blog/was-arre...ke-70s-sitcom/

Both shows start with narration explaining that this is a show about a family or families, and end with the narrator discussing what will happen on the next episode. Sure, that might seem minor, but we're just getting started it's a cumulative effect I'm going for here. But seriously, I can't think of a lot of other shows or any other shows that have both those things in common. Can you?

Although at least half of all shows in sitcom history are about families, AD and Soap have a really important distinction: all the children in these families are just about grown. They are families of adults still interacting daily with their parents and living either at home or inexplicably near home. The youngest kids in both families are high school age, but other than that, these kids have jobs (or are supposed to) and are dealing with marriage, divorce, jobs, unemployment, and sex. It's the main reason neither show has an episode about why Bobby Simmons won't ask Sally to the big dance or a hilarious episode where something wacky happens to little Tommy's science project. The AD/Soap characters are too busy exploring open marriages and sex change operations to worry about such story lines.

The next seven similarities all come from the storylines generated by the family patriarchs: Chester Tate from Soap and George Bluth from AD. Sure, I could have broken them up into separate categories and tried to pad my argument, but instead I opted to wow you with my incredible Microsoft table creation skills.

Brian Damage · 02-26-2011, 05:43 PM

dakert · 02-27-2011, 12:41 AM

Arrested Development was just a poor imitation of Soap!

Marvo301 · 02-27-2011, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakert

Arrested Development was just a poor imitation of Soap!

I agree AD falls into the category of an imitation of Soap or perhaps an homage to Soap. In order for it to be remake it would have to have the same title and the same characters.

02-26-2011, 05:39 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was 'Arrested Development' A Remake of 70s Sitcom 'Soap?' http://www.cracked.com/blog/was-arre...ke-70s-sitcom/ Both shows start with narration explaining that this is a show about a family or families, and end with the narrator discussing what will happen on the next episode. Sure, that might seem minor, but we're just getting started it's a cumulative effect I'm going for here. But seriously, I can't think of a lot of other shows or any other shows that have both those things in common. Can you? Although at least half of all shows in sitcom history are about families, AD and Soap have a really important distinction: all the children in these families are just about grown. They are families of adults still interacting daily with their parents and living either at home or inexplicably near home. The youngest kids in both families are high school age, but other than that, these kids have jobs (or are supposed to) and are dealing with marriage, divorce, jobs, unemployment, and sex. It's the main reason neither show has an episode about why Bobby Simmons won't ask Sally to the big dance or a hilarious episode where something wacky happens to little Tommy's science project. The AD/Soap characters are too busy exploring open marriages and sex change operations to worry about such story lines. The next seven similarities all come from the storylines generated by the family patriarchs: Chester Tate from Soap and George Bluth from AD. Sure, I could have broken them up into separate categories and tried to pad my argument, but instead I opted to wow you with my incredible Microsoft table creation skills.
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02-26-2011, 05:43 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107

02-27-2011, 12:41 AM	#3
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Arrested Development was just a poor imitation of Soap!