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How did Arrested Development "fail" on its original run?
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:05 pm
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:05 pm
I rewatch it every once in a while and I'm always reminded how seasons 1 and 2 are the funniest TV show I've ever seen.
Did Fox think it was a clunker and fail to promote it? Seems like that style was ahead of its time and the show would have been more successful if it was made a few years later. You can tell how more successful shows like 30 Rock and Community rip it. Being on NBC helped those out too.
Did Fox think it was a clunker and fail to promote it? Seems like that style was ahead of its time and the show would have been more successful if it was made a few years later. You can tell how more successful shows like 30 Rock and Community rip it. Being on NBC helped those out too.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:08 pm to The Boat
I remember the air time was frequently in flux due to sports (baseball IIRC) matches going longer than anticipated.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:09 pm to The Boat
It was ahead of its time in terms of being smart and the public just wasn't ready for that yet.
Talky TV comedies that walk the line between satire and absurdity (aka British-esque) didn't really take hold in the US until what? The Office?
Seinfeld was sort of an Americanized, NY/Jewish proto version of this and it was pretty idiosyncratic on its own.
Talky TV comedies that walk the line between satire and absurdity (aka British-esque) didn't really take hold in the US until what? The Office?
Seinfeld was sort of an Americanized, NY/Jewish proto version of this and it was pretty idiosyncratic on its own.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:15 pm to The Boat
quote:I think they aired some of it out of order and against strong competition, it was probably too witty at the time for a general national TV audience, FOX is notorious for canceling good shows, and Koogler wasn’t the Koogler we know yet.
How did Arrested Development "fail" on its original run?
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:19 pm to The Boat
Fox didn’t do a good job of promoting it. It’s first two season were nominated for a total of 18 Emmy awards, winning 6.
ETA: It gets funnier every time I watch it too. Some of the jokes seem to require rewatching, like this one from just before buster loses his hand

ETA: It gets funnier every time I watch it too. Some of the jokes seem to require rewatching, like this one from just before buster loses his hand

This post was edited on 7/15/25 at 1:23 pm
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:25 pm to SlowFlowPro
It's got such a blockbuster recurring cast too. Crazy Fox let it fail while letting them invest in that kind of firepower.
Henry Winkler, Liza Minnelli, Carl Weathers, Ed Begley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, Marty Funkhouser. People like Martin Short in bit parts.
Martin Mull, Charlize Theron
Henry Winkler, Liza Minnelli, Carl Weathers, Ed Begley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, Marty Funkhouser. People like Martin Short in bit parts.
Martin Mull, Charlize Theron
This post was edited on 7/15/25 at 1:45 pm
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:25 pm to SCLSUMuddogs
quote:Absolutely. It’s difficult to catch everything and there is so much thrown in that ties together.
ETA: It gets funnier every time I watch it too. Some of the jokes seem to require rewatching, like this one from just before buster loses his hand
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:29 pm to The Boat
Show is funny as hell, but those dry witty shows are first to get cancelled for some reason.
Similar to canceled to soon is better off Ted, different network but should have got more seasons.
Similar to canceled to soon is better off Ted, different network but should have got more seasons.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:29 pm to The Boat
quote:
Henry Winkler, Liza Minnelli, Carl Weathers, Ed Begley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, Marty Funkhouser. People like Martin Short in bit parts.

Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:32 pm to 225rumpshaker
quote:100%.
Similar to canceled to soon is better off Ted, different network but should have got more seasons.
I’m actually doing another Better Off Ted rewatch right now - it’s very easy and funny binge. So when I saw this thread, I immediately thought about the similarities.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:32 pm to drizztiger
The Wee Britain gag is funny AF
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:40 pm to The Boat
I'm partial to Gene Parmesan's terrible disguises and Barry Zuckercorn's legal insight
Posted on 7/15/25 at 2:10 pm to The Boat
quote:
The Wee Britain gag is funny AF
This little detail of the Uncle smoking a cig and brushing his teeth kills me

Posted on 7/15/25 at 2:10 pm to SCLSUMuddogs
quote:
I'm partial to Gene Parmesan's terrible disguises and Barry Zuckercorn's legal insight
Don't sleep on Bob Loblaw's Law Blog.
This show was waaaaaaaaaaay too smart for most of the viewing public.
They got RON frickING HOWARD to narrate a half hour comedy show. Jeebus.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 2:12 pm to SCLSUMuddogs
quote:
I'm partial to Gene Parmesan's terrible disguises and Barry Zuckercorn's legal insight
The GOAT
Posted on 7/15/25 at 4:33 pm to The Boat
Season 1 and 2 are so good. 20 years later and different jokes just randomly get me.
This week it’s Henry Winkler and George Michael each running away the first time they heard all the charges read aloud in sequence.
This week it’s Henry Winkler and George Michael each running away the first time they heard all the charges read aloud in sequence.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 4:43 pm to The Boat
I just remember it being shuffled around and never promoted as it should have been. Fox was pretty notorious about cancelling shows that were not instant hits. If they would have given it a Seinfeld type of life, it would have been bigger.
Back before the Movie/TV board, I only remember the poster, Twain, ranting on OT Lounge about how its the funniest tv show ever and always praising it.
Back before the Movie/TV board, I only remember the poster, Twain, ranting on OT Lounge about how its the funniest tv show ever and always praising it.
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