Okay, we all knew this was coming, especially after only 4 million people tuned in for its one-hour episode on Monday (pitiful!), but now it’s official: Fox is cutting back its order on TV’s best comedy, Arrested Development, to 13 episodes, instead of a full-season slate of 22, and pulling it during November sweeps. In other words, Arrested is kaput (as is its delightful freshman companion, Kitchen Confidential).
Even though Fox stuck with the series a lot longer than most networks would for a ratings-challenged show, I can’t say I’m not crushed. And I know it’s a complete longshot, but I’m still going to say a novena in the hopes that ABC or NBC (neither of which exactly have a booming roster of quality sitcoms) might have the good sense to snatch this puppy up.
Either way, it’s been a hilarious run, and to honor the wacky Bluth clan, I’m inviting everyone to share their favorite Arrested Development moment. Mine comes courtesy of a throwaway line delivered by Bluth matriarch Lucille (Jessica Walter), who, forced to lower her standards and eat in a family-style restaurant, was asked by a waitress if she wanted, ”Plate or platter?” Lucille, befuddled and repulsed, replied, ”I do not understand the question, and I won’t respond to it.” Evil. And genius.
Okay, PopWatchers, now it’s your turn. Post away.
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One of my favorites is when Buster sneaks up on Michael and Gob with his hook as they are going to try and locate the “man-eating” seal, and Gob mistakenly calls Buster “Bonster.” Classic!
Season one: Gob is smoking pot on the patio. When Michael asks him a question, he must exhale, and to cover up for the smoke coming out of his mouth, Gob guiltily asks “is it cold out here?”
My favorite is any line delivered by david Cross (Tobias) but among the pearls is certainly “I just blue myself”. Damn… AD will join my very limited roster of the best comedy shows not enough people watched such as Sportsnight and Larry Sanders.
Last episode of Season One when Gob is at the cafe with Kiity. He asks about Macaroni, put’s up his finger, says “Let me finish,” does the finger swirl, “Salad?”
Lucille: Luz, that coat cost more than your house! Oh, that’s how we joke. She doesn’t even have a house.
my favorite moment is when george michael and gob are on the boat doing their drug deal and the hot cops run up and gob yells “oh no its the cops!…and a construction worker.”
This season, voiced by Ron Howard after the insensitive trailer was selected for Andy Griffith, appearing in his Matlock suit at court to woo the jury: “NO ONE was making fun of Andy Griffith.”
Hiks…Hiks…Hiks…
It’s Definately sucks. this is one of the saddest news I’ve ever heard this months. It is officially ‘The Black friday’. Fox, why are you doing this to us, please…restore the order back. But, I still have high hopes because I havent heard the word “cancellation” coming from the mouth of fox officials. I havent even got the chance to watch the third season because i’m In Indonesia. But, One thing for sure, I will keep supporting “Arrested Development” until there is nothing else to do. For now let’s just pray the best for our beloved Bluths to be picked up by other network, hopefully HBO, keep ur fingers crossed. Love You AD, you have given me the best quality times of television watching, if you’re gone, i’ll definately miss U 4eva……Shame on Fox….*&#<…
Anyways, my favourite AD moment is:
Gob: Monopoly! You don't have it, do you?
George Michael: Yeah, actually.
Gob: Well, that's good, cuz this one is missing a lot of pieces.
George Michael: Uh, Uncle GOB, the twenty?
Gob: A magician never reveals his secrets!
George Michael: I don't need the secret, I need…
[GOB is gone]
George Michael: Wow, that's so much like stealing.
It's Classic…..
The running Ann joke is my current fav…who?
Oh man! Cancelled?! That sucks! But so has this season of AD. I absolutely love, love, love Mama Bluth (Jessica Walter). My favourite quote from her was when she was on the phone with someone and Oscar was doing some sort of Yoga/Meditation type thing with his robe open and he wasn’t wearing any underwear and she says to him (paraphrasing):”For God’s sake Oscar, close your robe you look like the window of a butcher shop”. She will be missed!
we can quote all we want, but why isnt anyone doing something about this!? someone save this show! im thinking about a hunger strike…but im sure no one will listen
Some (but not all) of my personal faves:
“I want to be in the new poof” – GOB
“I’m part machine, mother” – Buster
“she’s not a B, mother” – Buster
“I’m glad that he’s gifted sexually” – George Michael on Steve Holt to Maybe
anything and everything David Cross has ever said.
THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW ON TELEVISION. it completely sucks that its getting cancelled.
It’s really hard to figure out the thinking behind the Fox network. They cancel a brilliant show like AD and continue to promote crap like “Stacked”? They made the right decision in bringing back Family Guy, but it took a grassroots effort and big ratings on ANOTHER NETWORK (Cartoon Network) to make them realize it. Arrested Development is one of, if not the, funniest shows on television. The writing is the best out there. But, I guess it’s up to stupid America on what they want to see. We, as a nation, are full of dumbed down people…content with mediocrity and a laugh track, so they don’t have to guess on when to laugh at a sitcom. Lest we forget that it was America that elected George W. Bush….TWICE!
Any Tobias line would work. But I think my favorite is when Tobias is talking about going out looking for women with Buster in season two and Tobias says something like “even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up” And any time Tobias applies for a job he has his different actor photos. Tobias as the tennis player, Tobias as the doctor, and the best, Tobias dressed in black leather. I hope NBC picks this show up and runs with it!!!!!!!!
Oooh, i forgot one – When Buster shows up unexpectedly at the apartment – “Army had a half a day”.
One of my favorite episodes is when both Michael and Lindsay try to be selfless individuals and Michael “abducts” a cleaning lady thinking that it is his Lupe, his mother’s maid. Here, the gesture of offering “Lupe” a ride home is counterproductive as Michael is later arrested for this crime.
I loved the “hermano” confusion/love triangle, I love everything Tobias says, and I love George Michael. Too many funny quotes to mention, but as EW quoted a few weeks ago in their sound bytes section… When George Michael says to Maybey, “Wow, what a really sexy time for you.” Love this show!!
“How would that look? The ribbon being cut by a lowly construction worker.”
–President of the Bluth Company
Gob Bluth
Gob’s chicken dance is my personal favorite
I prematuraly blew my wad on a dry run and now I have a mess on my hands-tobias funke
they need to hold onto this gem… i friggin love it. funniest show on t.v. by far.
Thank you FOX for destroying the best show on television outside HBO. Also, thank you Nielson Media Research for developing a biased, dated system of ratings that no one in their right mind should pay attension to. The Nielsen ratings are about as accurate as the statement of WMDs in Iraq.
Now lets talk about FOX. FOX is a network that could be a leader if they could only figure out their schedule. They have a couple strong shows (strong meaning popular), but lack the ability to give the good shows good timeslots to keep them running.
Of their existing remaining shows, Idont think the OC will be back next year since everything that is possible on God’s green earth has happened except an alian conspiracy to take over Newport. BUT KNOWING FOX, they might just do that since ABC currently has a show like that (Invasion). [Cancelling AD, but eagerly awaiting the OC Season 4: Invasion Newport Beach.]
Shows like “Prison Break” will obviously stay due to the fact that a large demagraphic of FOX watchers empathise with the characters and the show’s environment.
Do not forget about awesome shows like Killer Instinct and the Bernie Mac show. One second, I have to go set my Tivo so that I dont miss this week’s “Trading Spouses.”
Congratulations Fox, Nielsen and the lower income demographic for getting rid of the best sitcom since Seinfeld.
Hopefully someone like HBO will pick it up and pair it back to back with a “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” This way the shows can be even better and Fox can then make a copy of the show and bring it back like they did for every reality TV show.
Thanks,
Management
That’s not a volvo.
You’re no Brad Garrett
This is the smartest show on television because it doesn’t have a laugh track and you must have a brain to get the jokes. I’m sad.
Season one, the one when Buster comes out of his shell and spends a little time away from Mother, including a bike ride with Michael proceeded by this little exchange:
Michael: Buster, you’re going to have to ride pretty fast or I’m going to kick your butt!
Buster: And I’m going to X@*#!?*#@ and *#%!?@!!! (giggling and jabbing his finger upward)
Michael (looking shocked): Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
i’m distraught! best show on tv.
i loved the uncle jackie character…martin short’s comic genius only made the show more hilarious. if that’s possible.
is it a lost cause? is there nothing we can do?
this is for frankie–actually, we only elected W once.
i personally hope that fox replaces AD with that hot dog show. err-body loves quality programming like that hot dog show.
*shakes head*
This comes as no surprise. AD has a limited demographic appeal. It is a smart and genually funny comedy that really needed to be on a smarter network. If you came in part of the way in the season, it would have been hard to follow for those casual viewers and those who would never “get it”. Promo for this show stunk and the time slot changes never helped. Seeing what NBC did with Seinfeld in the early days, I really think that an Earl, Scrubs, AD, and (yes, I will say it,- for lack of a better choice) Will & Grace block would bring back Must See TV. All these shows have a simular appeal and could up ratings on Tuesdays when the smart crowd needs an alternative to AI when it starts up in January. Please campaign for someone to pick it up. It worked for Family Guy.
The beauty of the show is the perfect mesh of intelligent humor and complete idiocy. “We’re not here to talk nonsense with Bob Loblaw.”
It’s a dumb decision. There is a severe lack of good comedy. I bet it got axed to make room for Prison Break to run on Mondays once American Idol starts. It’s all about the “cash cows,” not the ratings.
I can’t believe they’re cancelling the show!!! Next to Curb Your Enthusiasm, this was the smartest, most original comedy on TV. I watched the whole first seson on DVD in nearly one sitting and was laughing so hard my roommate just had to know what I was laughing at…and HE got sucked up into it!!
NBC needs to pick this up and then air a new Must See block with My Name is Earl, The Office, Arrested Development and Scrubs…how awesome of a comedy block would that be?? No laugh track, quirky and original comedy…it would be great!
Favorite moment: It was in the first season, when the girl that Michael was seeing was angry at George Michael for some reason and called him Opie. And then Ron Howard’s narration just went:
“She had gone too far. And she had better watch her mouth.”
RIP Bluths! You will be missed more than Shannon!
Lindsay: Beads.
Gob: Bees??
Lindsay: No, BeaDs.
Gob: BEADS?!?
Michael: Gob’s not on board
i miss it already!! =(