Is 'Arrested Development' The Most Overrated Underrated TV Show Ever?!? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-14-2011, 06:11 PM

I guess what I mean is, the show is considered by many critics to be a great show. They all swoon over it calling it funny, outstanding so on and so forth. However, it's not like it was canceled after only a handful of episodes. FOX kept it around a couple of seasons to try and find an audience and it never could.

Many of its writers and stars stayed with FOX and created other shows that failed just as much as Arrested Development did. Now there is talk of a movie? Really? Is this show perhaps an overrated show rather than an underrated one?

70s show watcher · 05-14-2011, 08:25 PM

i always thought it was way overrated

robyrob · 05-14-2011, 08:31 PM

i think its pretty subjective; the show and that style of humor just isn't everyone's cup of tea - fans of the show love it, but that wasn't enough to get the ratings that would've kept it on the air.

TV Knowledge Fan · 05-14-2011, 10:46 PM

...one, the series never attracted more than five million viewers every week, because it was "too weird" for a mass audience; and two, virtually every major TV critic adored it, and had orgasms writing about it, scolding "the rest of us" for not watching and supporting it more.

I recall one of them, David "Mr. Teleliteracy" Bianculli, in New York's SUNDAY NEWS TV magazine, virtually wasted a cover story article, shortly after the show won an Emmy for "Best Comedy Series", in trying to convince his readers to give the show a chance by watching it, in order to avoid cancellation. He acknowledged the show wasn't for every taste, but insisted it deserved to last another season. I could have told him, "David, don't think you can save the series just because you think you have influence in writing a popular TV column in a major New York newspaper. Stop trying to convince the masses that 'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT' is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Not everyone feels the same way about it as you do. The fact is, 40 million viewers don't give a **** about it. So KNOCK IT OFF!!!!". But I didn't. But then, he never acknowledged personal letters or advice from readers, anyway. He's too busy watching TV....incidentally, he hasn't been a TV critic for the NEWS in almost three years.

dakert · 05-14-2011, 11:16 PM

I never thought it was funny. I saw a review where it said the hipster doofuses might find it funny??

shotzette · 05-15-2011, 09:55 AM

AR was sublimely hilarious, but the humor had to build. I was ready to bail after the first three episodes, but a friend who had seen it urged me to get through the first six. I did, and it was terrific from that point forward.

There's a subtlety to the humor and most of it was self referential, which I think could have turned some people off. But come on... Bob Loblaw's Law Blog--comic gold!

James · 05-15-2011, 07:11 PM

My answer is a big ... fat ... YES!!!!!!!!

Alia Shawkat is out of her element when she's not playing Hannah Rayburn.

JerseyBounce · 07-28-2011, 07:10 AM

For a long time-a LONG time-I avoided any sitcom on Fox that wasn't animated. I watched the first episode of Arrested Development, and figured the winning streak would continue. Fox never got it- instead of trying to pander to the fringes (something the news division does exceedingly well), why not just let the best writers come aboard, and make great sitcoms? Challenge the networks toe-to-toe? After all these years, my tastes have mellowed, somewhat. Malcolm In The Middle I find tolerable, and I don't think Married With Children is beneath me anymore. Arrested Development does nothing for me, though.

*Pleasant Tomorrow* · 03-24-2012, 11:15 PM

No.

EmoJoe · 03-25-2012, 12:30 AM

It's probably the most brilliant comedy of all-time, so...

Mr. Television · 03-25-2012, 09:31 AM

I wanted to like Arrested Development. I am a fan of Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor , Jessica Walter and Ron Howard. I loved them in other shows. I just never could get into it though.

AKA · 03-25-2012, 09:44 PM

It's definitely an acquired taste, Sonny. I actually didn't like the show at first (I watched the premiere airing on Fox back in 2003). I started watching it on DVD right before the show was cancelled, and something clicked. Maybe it was the marathon viewings that did it for me.

Now it's easily in my top five shows of all time.

*Pleasant Tomorrow* · 03-27-2012, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKA

It's definitely an acquired taste, Sonny. I actually didn't like the show at first (I watched the premiere airing on Fox back in 2003). I started watching it on DVD right before the show was cancelled, and something clicked. Maybe it was the marathon viewings that did it for me.

Now it's easily in my top five shows of all time.

Yeah, to be honest I didn't really get into it until the second season. And now I love it.

Nyan · 03-28-2012, 10:06 AM

Yup. It's all "Oh look how ironic and cynical we are!!!" I hate that type of humor.

05-14-2011, 06:11 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	Is 'Arrested Development' The Most Overrated Underrated TV Show Ever?!? I guess what I mean is, the show is considered by many critics to be a great show. They all swoon over it calling it funny, outstanding so on and so forth. However, it's not like it was canceled after only a handful of episodes. FOX kept it around a couple of seasons to try and find an audience and it never could. Many of its writers and stars stayed with FOX and created other shows that failed just as much as Arrested Development did. Now there is talk of a movie? Really? Is this show perhaps an overrated show rather than an underrated one?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

05-14-2011, 08:31 PM	#3
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,194	i think its pretty subjective; the show and that style of humor just isn't everyone's cup of tea - fans of the show love it, but that wasn't enough to get the ratings that would've kept it on the air.
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05-14-2011, 10:46 PM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Two things are certain... ...one, the series never attracted more than five million viewers every week, because it was "too weird" for a mass audience; and two, virtually every major TV critic adored it, and had orgasms writing about it, scolding "the rest of us" for not watching and supporting it more. I recall one of them, David "Mr. Teleliteracy" Bianculli, in New York's SUNDAY NEWS TV magazine, virtually wasted a cover story article, shortly after the show won an Emmy for "Best Comedy Series", in trying to convince his readers to give the show a chance by watching it, in order to avoid cancellation. He acknowledged the show wasn't for every taste, but insisted it deserved to last another season. I could have told him, "David, don't think you can save the series just because you think you have influence in writing a popular TV column in a major New York newspaper. Stop trying to convince the masses that 'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT' is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Not everyone feels the same way about it as you do. The fact is, 40 million viewers don't give a **** about it. So KNOCK IT OFF!!!!". But I didn't. But then, he never acknowledged personal letters or advice from readers, anyway. He's too busy watching TV....incidentally, he hasn't been a TV critic for the NEWS in almost three years.

07-28-2011, 07:10 AM	#8
JerseyBounce Loyal Order of Raccoons Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 25, 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 14	For a long time-a LONG time-I avoided any sitcom on Fox that wasn't animated. I watched the first episode of Arrested Development, and figured the winning streak would continue. Fox never got it- instead of trying to pander to the fringes (something the news division does exceedingly well), why not just let the best writers come aboard, and make great sitcoms? Challenge the networks toe-to-toe? After all these years, my tastes have mellowed, somewhat. Malcolm In The Middle I find tolerable, and I don't think Married With Children is beneath me anymore. Arrested Development does nothing for me, though.
	__________________ You can lead a horse to water, but you can't look him in the mouth...

03-24-2012, 11:15 PM	#9
Pleasant Tomorrow Member Forum Addict Join Date: Feb 19, 2003 Location: New York Posts: 69,525	No.
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05-14-2011, 08:25 PM	#2
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	i always thought it was way overrated

05-14-2011, 11:16 PM	#5
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	I never thought it was funny. I saw a review where it said the hipster doofuses might find it funny??

05-15-2011, 09:55 AM	#6
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	AR was sublimely hilarious, but the humor had to build. I was ready to bail after the first three episodes, but a friend who had seen it urged me to get through the first six. I did, and it was terrific from that point forward. There's a subtlety to the humor and most of it was self referential, which I think could have turned some people off. But come on... Bob Loblaw's Law Blog--comic gold!

05-15-2011, 07:11 PM	#7
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	My answer is a big ... fat ... YES!!!!!!!! Alia Shawkat is out of her element when she's not playing Hannah Rayburn.

03-25-2012, 12:30 AM	#10
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	It's probably the most brilliant comedy of all-time, so...
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03-25-2012, 09:31 AM	#11
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	I wanted to like Arrested Development. I am a fan of Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor , Jessica Walter and Ron Howard. I loved them in other shows. I just never could get into it though.
	__________________ Sonny

03-25-2012, 09:44 PM	#12
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	It's definitely an acquired taste, Sonny. I actually didn't like the show at first (I watched the premiere airing on Fox back in 2003). I started watching it on DVD right before the show was cancelled, and something clicked. Maybe it was the marathon viewings that did it for me. Now it's easily in my top five shows of all time.

03-28-2012, 10:06 AM	#14
Nyan Be The Rainbow! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2011 Location: Land of Pop Tarts Posts: 141	Yup. It's all "Oh look how ironic and cynical we are!!!" I hate that type of humor.