We, the undersigned, just weren't wowed by Arrested Development

[Justin_Bailey]

First of all, I just want to say I'm sorry to all of AD's big fans on this board. I know there are a lot of you on this board and it's hard to lose a favorite show.

But you have to realize that not everybody liked AD and it wasn't because we didn't get it. In fact, the first person that says the magic words is getting Pitted. That's how much it bothers me.

Now, for the record, I liked Arrested Development. I thought it was really funny and clever, but I never went out my way to watch it. Why? Because every episode was the same.

Somebody does something wacky, Jason Bateman shakes his head, Buster is annoying, GOB is stupid, Ron Howard makes a pithy comment, I want to strangle Buster, George Michael lusts after Maebe... the end. And then Tobias does something really stupid and I really want to strangle him... the real end.

I'm sad to see it go too, but I'll console myself with 24, Lost, Scrubs, Survivor and Fox's Sunday night lineup. Shows I just can't miss, ever.

So have at it. Who just liked AD a little? Who disliked it? Who absolutely HATED it? The floor is yours.

[Menocchio]

I will find this thread useful. As I will know that I can safely disregard any aesthetic opinions of any of the undersigned.

It's not that your opinions are necessarily unsophiticated or somehow inferior, it's just that they are so entirely alien to my own that I doubt we could find common ground in any artistic discussion.

Same goes for Firefly. If you don't like it, well, in all respect, there's not much to talk about. No offense.

[Justin_Bailey]

See, I love Firefly and was absolutely crushed when it ended.

Much like most the AD lovers are around here.

But the way the AD lovers are brushing off any and all criticism about the show is maddening. I expect the torches, pitchforks and cries of "lynch them!" any minute now.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

It's supposed to be a comedy. I watched two episodes and did not laugh at all. It just wasn't the type of humor I like.

Same thing with Firefly. It was just not the kind of sci-fi (or science fiction, if you must) I like.

Even successful shows like Friends or Seinfeld did not make me laugh. Ever. Both were filled with unlikeable characters.

[Larry Mudd]

I only watched it a couple of times. It's not that I didn't like it -- it's that it was midway threw the first season before I heard of it, and I wanted to wait for the DVD sets.

I still haven't bought the DVD sets, and now I feel irrationally guilty, as though my inaction helped to kill it.

MUST PROACTIVELY WATCH MORE TV!

[Tracy Lord]

I think the problem is that most people who don't find it funny (at least, in my personal experience) don't "get it". If you don't find it funny, it's more likely to be because you aren't paying enough attention than because it's genuinely not your cup of tea. I, at least, am likely to default to "oh, they just aren't watching closely enough/thinking on the right level" when I hear someone say they don't like Arrested Development.

Which doesn't negate you guys' position, but it's not a very common one. Hence the "damn those stupid Average American Viewers!" rhetoric over in the other threads.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by Justin Bailey

But you have to realize that not everybody liked AD and it wasn't because we didn't get it. In fact, the first person that says the magic words is getting Pitted. That's how much it bothers me.

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

I think the problem is that most people who don't find it funny (at least, in my personal experience) don't "get it".

Okay, Justin, have at it.

I watched it. I paid attention to it. It wasn't funny. What's to get? Your show got cancelled. Live with it. It happens to everyone.

[Balduran]

[onion]My preferred form of enetertainment is superior to your preferred form of entertainment[/onion]

My tastes aren't superior to anybody else's. Hell, I'm wasting time on a message board talking about a show I didn't care for. Entertainment exists to fill the empty hours during our inevitable march towards oblivion.

I was sad when Futurama was cancelled, but it's just a TV show. Anybody that insults you because you don't have the same tastes in television as them needs to get a friggin' grip.

[Justin_Bailey]

Already done.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=344489

[Exapno Mapcase]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

I think the problem is that most people who don't find it funny (at least, in my personal experience) don't "get it". If you don't find it funny, it's more likely to be because you aren't paying enough attention than because it's genuinely not your cup of tea.

Booshwah. I watched several episodes and found it to be annoying in its own smug certitude of its cleverness rather than funny. Or enjoyable. Or all that especially clever, for that matter.

I have no problem with shows that only a small percentage of people like. I've been part of that small percentage myself at times. But I do know the difference between shows that have a narrow appeal and shows that are good and I'm not getting.

[Digital Stimulus]

It just wasn't funny (to me). It's not that I hated it, it's not that I found it stupid, it's simply that I didn't find it funny. It's rare that I can watch a comedy for an entire half hour and not even crack a smile, which has happened for every episode of AD I've watched (all three of them).

All in all, a meh. Hopefully, Fox will replace it with something better.

[Khadaji]

Originally Posted by Menocchio

I will find this thread useful. As I will know that I can safely disregard any aesthetic opinions of any of the undersigned.

It's not that your opinions are necessarily unsophiticated or somehow inferior, it's just that they are so entirely alien to my own that I doubt we could find common ground in any artistic discussion.

Same goes for Firefly. If you don't like it, well, in all respect, there's not much to talk about. No offense.

Wow. All that from a person's opinion of one show? That by itself says a lot.

[Tracy Lord]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky

Okay, Justin, have at it.

I watched it. I paid attention to it. It wasn't funny. What's to get? Your show got cancelled. Live with it. It happens to everyone.

Originally Posted by Exapno Mapcase

Booshwah. I watched several episodes and found it to be annoying in its own smug certitude of its cleverness rather than funny. Or enjoyable. Or all that especially clever, for that matter.

I have no problem with shows that only a small percentage of people like. I've been part of that small percentage myself at times. But I do know the difference between shows that have a narrow appeal and shows that are good and I'm not getting.

Sorry, obviously I wasn't clear.

The reason so many AD fans are saying "well, you probably just don't get it" is that MOST people who don't like it weren't paying enough attention to it.

The people in this thread are not the most common type of AD non-fans.

I'm not making a judgement on you guys, but explaining why so many people's reaction to "I don't like AD" is "Well, you probably weren't watching closely enough."

That's the pattern with MOST non-fans. Not the people in this thread, who obviously watched it, paid attention, and didn't care for it. You guys are outliers on the AD fan spectrum, which is why you're misunderstood so frequently in the other threads.

Does that make sense?

[The Shroud]

This reminds me of one of those Fark.com threads about Homestar Runner, where every fifth person takes a strange pride in pointing out that they don't find joy in certain things that other people do. I think that deserves a big "no duh." We all like different things.

If it's because you're envious that we were wildly entertained, stop it. I'm sure you're wildly entertained by something that I'm not (According to Jim, maybe? ), but I'm not going to spout a haughty Internet "meh" about it or celebrate its demise.

[FilmGeek]

I didn't like it. I just found it terribly uninteresting and full of itself. "LOOK! We're so funny!" was the vibe I got from it.

meh. I sympathize with those who did love and lose, though. I'd be torn up if they cancelled BSG.

[Revtim]

I liked it, it made me laugh. But I'd be lying if I said really care that it got cancelled.

Even the best TV show is, well, just a TV show.

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

If you don't find it funny, it's more likely to be because you aren't paying enough attention than because it's genuinely not your cup of tea. I, at least, am likely to default to "oh, they just aren't watching closely enough/thinking on the right level" when I hear someone say they don't like Arrested Development.

I have watched a couple of episodes and decided, "Meh, this just isn't for me." I have read through more than a couple of the Arrested Development threads here on the SDMB, and they have convinced me that this is a really high-quality, well-done show, which is indeed very funny and clever if you like that sort of thing; but they haven't convinced me that I am among the people who do like that sort of thing. Maybe at some point I'll borrow the DVDs and give the show another chance.

But I have long since come to terms with the fact that, in all genres of art and entertainment, there are some things that are really good that, nevertheless, I don't personally enjoy or get much out of. And that's okay; I don't have enough time for everything I do enjoy as it is.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Menocchio

I will find this thread useful. As I will know that I can safely disregard any aesthetic opinions of any of the undersigned.

It's not that your opinions are necessarily unsophiticated or somehow inferior, it's just that they are so entirely alien to my own that I doubt we could find common ground in any artistic discussion.

Same goes for Firefly. If you don't like it, well, in all respect, there's not much to talk about. No offense.

Man, now I'm gonna be up nights wondering whether I rock because I love Firefly or I suck because I didn't like AD. Dammit!

I watched the first couple of episodes and didn't think they were funny. It's been however many years so I don't really even remember the details at all, so I couldn't tell you why I didn't think it was funny. I got the impression that the show hit a stride but by the time I got that impression I didn't feel like investing the time and effort to catch up.

[Khadaji]

I just never got it.

[Jayn_Newell]

Count me in with the "it's not funny" camp (though I've only ever watched one episode--not having cable might have something to do with that). There is some small shadow of humour in there, which is crying to get out. Or maybe just crying. But the show isn't funny.

My reaction to it being cancelled? One of joy.

[Amp]

Count me as someone else that did not like it. I watched the first three episodes and decided it was not my cup of tea. Don't really care that it got cancelled since I wasn't watching it to begin with.

[middleman]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

Sorry, obviously I wasn't clear.

The reason so many AD fans are saying "well, you probably just don't get it" is that MOST people who don't like it weren't paying enough attention to it.

The people in this thread are not the most common type of AD non-fans.

I'm not making a judgement on you guys, but explaining why so many people's reaction to "I don't like AD" is "Well, you probably weren't watching closely enough."

That's the pattern with MOST non-fans. Not the people in this thread, who obviously watched it, paid attention, and didn't care for it. You guys are outliers on the AD fan spectrum, which is why you're misunderstood so frequently in the other threads.

Does that make sense?

I knew exactly what you meant (I did "get it") and still knew what was going to come of it!

I think your point was:

5% of the viewing public is bright and enjoys AD.
90% of the viewing public is too dumb to enjoy a program like AD.
5% of the viewing public is bright and it is not their cup of tea.

What I don't understand is how the people who dislike the show and don't watch it know that posters in a thread about AD were talking about people "not getting it"...

[Menocchio]

Originally Posted by Khadaji

Wow. All that from a person's opinion of one show? That by itself says a lot.

Hey, I'm not passing judgement. I'm just saying, if you didn't like certain works of art at all, after giving them a fair chance, then our tastes are so different that any attempt at sharing or discussion will probably end in mutual befuddlement, or, if one of us is in a bad mood, hostility.

You know what I mean. There's people out there who will never ever recommend a movie you'd like, or willingly listen to music you enjoy. I'm just saying I think I can identify my aesthetic incompatibles by how they react to the things I consider benchmarks of quality for various genres.

Otto, you're cool for Sci-Fi, action, and drama, but let's agree to disagree on comedy.

[Harborwolf]

I watched it and liked it for two seasons, but I have to say that this season was getting a bit tired. AD just didn't seem like it was going anywhere anymore.

[The Scrivener]

Originally Posted by FilmGeek

I didn't like it. I just found it terribly uninteresting and full of itself. "LOOK! We're so funny!" was the vibe I got from it.

meh. I sympathize with those who did love and lose, though.

Bingo. After belatedly noticing the melodrama of the show's uncertain survival and the accompanying critical handwringing, I gave it a shot -- and lasted about ten seconds. The show was aggavatingly brittle and histrionic, like certain other ballyhooed sitcoms that I've never been able to watch, either.

Just chalk me up as an infotainment, classic movies and sports type.

[Revtim]

How about somebody throwing out an example of a scene, and describing what meaning or humor, exactly, that those who "don't get it" are missing?

[TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW]

I am one of the undersigned - I just wasn't wowed by Arrested Development. I did enjoy it, and even bought the first season on DVD, but I ultimately lost interest and chose to not keep up with the show.

I agree that it was generally a very formulaic and unchallenging show - most of the humor was one-note, and the only big payoff/laugh came at the end of each episode when everything suddenly came together in "that Seinfeld way."

I also think that David Cross was way, way underutilized as the one-note joke Tobias (he's gay and he doesn't know it!). Cross can be absolutely hilarious in any number of roles (as per Mr. Show), but the Tobias thing wore thin about halfway through the first season.

[Wolfian]

Originally Posted by Jayn_Newell

My reaction to it being cancelled? One of joy.

Why? Why take joy in the cancellation? Its' not an aggressively stupid show like that NBC animated comedy that was basically if Siegfed and Roy's animals could talk (Pride something) or that show that follows the Simpsons. Its' just not your thing. Why would you be happy that something that makes others happy is gone.

I think I sucks that its' going away, but at least it didn't totally jump the shark. What's that Jay Z line? Die young and leave a pretty corpse?

[Ellis Dee]

Originally Posted by Wolfian

Why? Why take joy in the cancellation?

I'm also glad it's cancelled, and I'll tell you why.

The smug, self-satisfied superiority of people claiming that the vast majority of Americans were too stupid to appreciate the wonderous glory of Arrested Development was annoying in the extreme.

I'll never again be chastised by critics (and some people here and IRL) for not liking this smarmy, clunky show. And that's reason to be glad.

[Jayn_Newell]

Originally Posted by Ellis Dee

I'm also glad it's cancelled, and I'll tell you why.

The smug, self-satisfied superiority of people claiming that the vast majority of Americans were too stupid to appreciate the wonderous glory of Arrested Development was annoying in the extreme.

I'll never again be chastised by critics (and some people here and IRL) for not liking this smarmy, clunky show. And that's reason to be glad.

My reasoning is something like this, only not as extreme. I'll wander across a post along the lines of "AD is awesome" and wonder, what does this person see in it? Like Menocchio posted near the beginning of the thread, it's just an idea that is so alien to me--I can't imagine anyone finding it funny. It's like saying you don't like anime at all. Just....how?

[Evil Captor]

I tried to like AD from the beginning, but I just found it too dull. I liked some of the premise, but didn't feel they worked it out very well.

I was sure I would like Firefly, but it turned out to be not all that interesting as well. Then again, there are very few movies and TV program I will just sit and watch. I've generally got something more useful and/or interesting to do with my time.

[MacTech]

As a rabid Farscape and Futurama fan, i know how it feels to have your show unceremoniously yanked out from under you....

that said, i *tried* to like the show, i just found it tedious, plodding and unfunny, yes it's a pity you lost your favorite show, believe me, i know how it feels, i just wasn't the target audience for Arrested Development

but what do you expect, it was broadcast on the Fox "when we get a popular show that people like that's not the Simpsons or some stupid reality drek, we *have* to cancel it" "network"

if it's on Fox, and it's not the Simpsons, it's doomed...

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Jayn_Newell

My reasoning is something like this, only not as extreme. I'll wander across a post along the lines of "AD is awesome" and wonder, what does this person see in it? Like Menocchio posted near the beginning of the thread, it's just an idea that is so alien to me--I can't imagine anyone finding it funny. It's like saying you don't like anime at all. Just....how?

I don't like anime at all . And no, I'm not being contrarian. I just don't.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't like anime at all . And no, I'm not being contrarian. I just don't.

Same here. I tried different styles, but it just did nothing for me.

[Jayn_Newell]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't like anime at all . And no, I'm not being contrarian. I just don't.

Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky

Same here. I tried different styles, but it just did nothing for me.

*head explodes*

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by Jayn_Newell

*head explodes*

Here's a towel.

I didn't mean to be confusing. A few years ago, I decided to see what I was missing with anime. I got some recommendations and tried them out.

Nada. Just couldn't get into it.

[Jayn_Newell]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky

Here's a towel.

Thanks *wipes blood and bits of skull off the walls*

[neutron star]

Originally Posted by Jayn_Newell

It's like saying you don't like anime at all. Just....how?

The same way that I don't like American children's cartoons like He Man.

As for AD, add me to the list. The show tried to smart and funny, but managed to fail spectacularly at both, IMHO.

I liked Something Awful's take on it:

That said, the characters are glaringly one-dimensional, the plots are predictable and the setups are generally just slight modifications of things seen elsewhere. The show frequently reuses plotlines like "dad escapes from jail", "dad is mistaken for his brother" and "Gob wants more responsibility with the family business."

Probably its most frequent annoyance is the narration, which over-explains character's actions and thoughts to the point that you wish you could mute it. "And that's when Michael realized…" and then just fill in the blank with whatever you know he would be realizing ten minutes ago.

Check out the Memorable Quotes page for AD on IMDB. I managed to read almost halfway through that impossibly long list without cracking a smile. Some of them are so bad that I actually felt embarrassed for the writers.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by neutron star

Check out the Memorable Quotes page for AD on IMDB. I managed to read almost halfway through that impossibly long list without cracking a smile. Some of them are so bad that I actually felt embarrassed for the writers.

I clicked the link, read the first quote and laughed my ass off (even though I had forgotten she said that in the episode). The whole 'gay boat' and lighting herself on fire is just hilarious.

I just thought it funny that you said you didn't crack a smile, but the first quote had me on the floor. Just amused me .

[silenus]

Originally Posted by Wolfian

What's that Jay Z line? Die young and leave a pretty corpse?

Otto summed up my feelings quite accurately. But the above quote bothers me immensely. Jay Z? Jay Z? Have the cultural lines been drawn so low? Jay Z?

"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse" was first spoken by actor John Derek in 1949's Knock On Any Door, directed by Nicholas Ray.

Jay Z........

<shakes head and walks away muttering>

[Evil Captor]

Originally Posted by Jayn_Newell

*head explodes*

I like adult anime just fine, but most regular anime bores me. (OK, Miyazaki is great but that's about it.)

:::Pulls plastic tarp over self like Gallagher audience member :::

[butter pie]

I watched a couple of episodes while waiting for something else to come on. I even laughed at them, so you can definitely say I "got it". I just found it to be really repetitive and not compelling enough to be bothered to turn on my TV for. I do not care that it was cancelled, except perhaps being mildly happy because now I will not have to listen to annoying fans blather on about it constantly.

I was similarly happy when Serenity did poorly and it looked like there will not be a second movie. The equation of annoying fanbases goes like this:

Harry Potter + Star Trek + Star Wars < Firefly/Serenity

Arrested Development is not in there because thankfully in a year or two everyone will have forgotten about it in lieu of the new "quirky and groundbreaking TV show du jour".

Anime covers too broad a spectrum to group its fans together, unless you want to just count cosplayers which are only slightly worse than sci-fi cosplayers, because the anime ones tend to expose more skin and wear bad wigs.

[Hey, It's That Guy!]

Originally Posted by Evil Captor

I tried to like AD from the beginning, but I just found it too dull. I liked some of the premise, but didn't feel they worked it out very well.

I was sure I would like Firefly, but it turned out to be not all that interesting as well. Then again, there are very few movies and TV program I will just sit and watch. I've generally got something more useful and/or interesting to do with my time.

Too bad, you might have liked the Firefly episode where Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Gina Torres, and Summer Glau were captured and tied up.

[The Big Cheese]

I can see what you all mean. Same with me and 'The Office'. I've watched it on and off for about 3 episodes and have yet to even smile. I read about people who just love it, and I just can't fathom that. Yes, I work in an office, and I liked the movie 'Office Space', but the appeal of that tv show escapes me. I won't wish it gets cancelled though.

Different strokes.....Hey, my 42 brother loves listening to Britney Spears.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by The Big Cheese

Different strokes.....Hey, my 42 brother loves listening to Britney Spears.

There's a joke here somewhere.

[Wolfian]

Originally Posted by silenus

Otto summed up my feelings quite accurately. But the above quote bothers me immensely. Jay Z? Jay Z? Have the cultural lines been drawn so low? Jay Z?

"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse" was first spoken by actor John Derek in 1949's Knock On Any Door, directed by Nicholas Ray.

Jay Z........

<shakes head and walks away muttering>

Eh, its' a common sentiment. "Ode to a Grecian Urn" anyone?

[The Big Cheese]

I meant 42 year old brother.....I shouldn't post so early in the morning, before caffeine...

Or maybe he likes looking at her, I don't know, I zone out when that name comes up.

Just meaning, everyone likes different things. (I loved AD, by the way. And if I offended anyone in my zest, I apoligize--but I don't think I did)

[Stillwell Angel]

Originally Posted by Menocchio

Same goes for Firefly. If you don't like it, well, in all respect, there's not much to talk about. No offense.

This Firefly so many speak of here, I have to wonder if it was cancelled because so few knew it existed. I can honestly say that outside of threads on this board I had never heard of this show. Never saw the first commercial for it, never encountered it whilst channel surfing. If I had not seen threads about it here at sdmb, I would have died never knowing there was such a show.

As for AD, I really tried. I just never got a laugh out of it. I'm not happy it was cancelled because so many enjoyed it, but I won't miss it because it did nothing for me.

[Menocchio]

Originally Posted by Stillwell Angel

This Firefly so many speak of here, I have to wonder if it was cancelled because so few knew it existed. I can honestly say that outside of threads on this board I had never heard of this show. Never saw the first commercial for it, never encountered it whilst channel surfing. If I had not seen threads about it here at sdmb, I would have died never knowing there was such a show.

Mishandling by the network, including but not limited to poor advertising, is the explanation most Firefly fans will give for why the show had lackluster (but not abysmal) ratings. I think it's accurate to say that fans exchanging DVDs mean taht the show has more fans now than it did when it was on the air. [/highjack]

[Cubsfan]

Originally Posted by Justin_Bailey

Already done.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=344489

You're a moron.