I loved the FOX sitcom Arrested Development.
It was smart. It was absurd. It was something you had to pay attention to. You couldn’t just watch and episode and “get” it. It was a series that rewarded attentive viewers.
That it survived three seasons was nothing short of a miracle. Its ratings were never strong, FOX moved it around on the schedule a fair bit, and it was unlike anything else on FOX.
Yet, it was a show that wasn’t easily forgotten. GOB and his Segway. Tobias painted blue. The George Michael/Maebe near-incest. (And let’s be honest. As creepy as that was, who wasn’t rooting for those two to get together?) The Lucilles. Buster. And in the center — there was Michael, holding it all together, the last sane person in the asylum.
Jason Bateman turned in a fine performance as Michael Bluth. No, “fine” isn’t the right word. Gifted would probably be better. Maybe even brilliant. He was the glue that held everything together.
There’s still a writer’s strike, and there are still deals to be made with producers and actors. There’s no guarantees at all.
I’d love to see it happen, though.
It! Needs! To! Happen!
The world needs more smart, sharp comedies.
The world needs to hear “The Final Countdown” one more time.
The world needs more Arrested Development. 🙂