Like all devotees of Arrested Development, I remember quite clearly the series of feelings that passed through me as I encountered that much-loved show for the first time. It went like this: (1) "What the hell is this?" (2) "Huh, okay, weird…but kind of funny." (3) "No, hold on, this is actually insanely funny!" (4) "More. Now."
Last night, sitting down for the premiere of Fox’s Sit Down, Shut Up, the new animated series from AD creator Mitchell Hurwitz, I naturally couldn’t help but hope to recapture that first flush of comedy love. But alas, this time I can’t say I got past No. 2. I certainly can’t report (as AD fans would say) that I blue myself.
Some might say it’s unfair to measure Sit Down, Shut Up against AD, but the new sitcom — which centers on the goofy staff of Knob Haven High School — invites the comparison from the get-go. Not only does it share obvious strands of comedic DNA with Arrested Development — fourth-wall-breaking meta-jokes, 78-rpm banter, surreal non sequiturs, punny character names — it reunites some of AD‘s key cast members as well, with Will Arnett voicing a vain English teacher, Jason Bateman as a mopey P.E. teacher, and Henry Winkler as a German teacher named Deutschebog (get it?). Yet, for all of its pedigree, the show comes across as forced and underdeveloped. The punchlines feel telegraphed, the characters (like a ditzy science teacher, a crabby librarian, and a swishy drama teacher) too one-note. The blend of animated characters with live-action backgrounds distracts from the comedy instead of enhancing it. The magic of Arrested Development emerged not just from the snap-crackle-huh? writing but from the subtlety of the performances — those miniature deadpan gestures of Bateman, Arnett, and the brilliant Michael Cera. Much of that is lost when this cast of gifted comic actors is hidden behind crudely drawn cartoon faces.
Reviews for the show have been mixed at best and harsh at worst. Then again, AD was a show that grew better with repeated exposure, and, given the talent involved, it’s possible that SDSU will do the same. I might give it another chance. What about you? Did you tune in? Did you see seeds of greatness or feel a nagging sense of disappointment? Will you come back for more? Share your thoughts below.
I actually really liked it. I immediately fell in love with the characters and can’t wait to see more back and forth between Larry and Miracle, Will Arnett’s character actually teaching and more of Will Forte (even though I’m more of a Bill Hader fan on SNL). I was able to get to (4) by the end of the episode and would rather watch this than FAMILY GUY.
I didn’t like it as much as I hoped to. While the voice talent is certainly there (can’t remember how many times I excitedly said “Hey, that’s (so-and-so)!”), I agree with Josh: the deadpan doesn’t make it through the animation.
And was anyone else a bit thrown by the juxtaposition of real-world backgrounds and animated characters?
I shut it off halfway through. Insulting, stupid and unfunny.
Having worked in high school libraries for several years, I was looking forward to this show – but was disappointed, mainly by the one-note characters mentioned above. Sigh. (And by the way, I am about the farthest from a crabby librarian that one can get – unless you lie and tell me you turned your book in, when I know it will be found at the bottom of your locker come June.)
I can’t believe they cancelled King of the Hill and put on this dreck. Thanks a lot, Fox.
This show got bad reviews from the start. FOX should learn they can’t make magic twice (Family Guy and American Dad)
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/04/20/tv-tonight-monday-april-20th-2009/
Yeah. None of the cleverness and fantastic self-awareness-of-being-non-self-aware that King of the Hill has. It’s a shame they’re cancelling that and trying to replace it with this.
Aw, I guess I’m in the minority. I really liked it. Yes, the characters are sort of one-note, but the broader humor works with the animated style. And the voice actors were hilarious, especially Will Forte.
I wanted to like it (for many of the reasons in the article above) so I watched about half the show until I decided I’d had enough and gave up. King of the Hill and the Simpsons are usually solid enough despite their age (with some surprising gems now and then) that I keep watching. I like Family Guy better except that MacFarlane has some serious issues with domestic violence and OJ Simpson (don’t try to out “edge” South Park Seth you just make your show awkward and creepy). Maybe Fox will try to retool again (animated version of American Idol or 24, yeah, they’re that dumb), but mostly they’re just tools. I’d suggest they pick up something like the Venture Brothers except Fox would completely F it up somehow. Oh, and since I still have room, a spin off with Cleveland? Really? Of all the FG chars, Cleveland?
i was not a big fan of king of the hill but this show mwas totally awful and i was a person who liked arrested development i dont think this show survive
It STINKS!
I fell asleep halfway through, but woke up just in time for another hilarious episode of Family Guy.
I just felt like it tried to hard. I guess if your first show is Arrested Development then it is always going to be hard to live up to that. It just wasn’t very good, and I really wanted it to be.
http://www.joeonthetube.com
I liked the show. It was different. I hope Fox gives it a chance to grow
This one was mind-numbingly awful from the get-go. As Nathanael West once wrote, “Nothing is sadder than the truly monstrous.” Hey, I like irreverance and vulgarity. And I’ll forgive anything if it’s even remotely funny. But this show was just mean-spirited and lame. It was followed by an average Family Guy which just blew the doors off it. The people involved are all quite talented and have impressive resumes but this one is right up there with that Chi McBride show about the Lincoln White House. I don’t mind quirky, I have no problem with content that has no redeeming social importance. But it’s should really haver an iota of humor. Let’s hope this one is quickly replaced with unaired episodes of ‘Oliver Bean.’