# Arrested Development 11/07 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923 "2005-11-07T17:01:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/121 "2005-11-11T16:42:03Z")
> [@unwashed brain](#): > > It’s officially cancelled: > > [MyWay](http://reuters.myway.com//article/20051111/2005-11-11T121234Z_01_RID143730_RTRIDST_0_ENTERTAINMENT-SHOWS-DC.html) > > LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!!! :smack: That sucks. We knew it was coming from a mile away, but I’m still extremely bummed. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/122 "2005-11-11T16:56:25Z")
☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹ :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: I haven’t fallen this deeply in love with a show for years. Why did it have to be on Fox??? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/123 "2005-11-11T16:57:21Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > I dearly love the show, but I can’t be the only put off by the failure to tie up plot lines. Remember how at the end of last season Maebe and George Michael kissed on the living room couch, GOB saw them, and the whole house fell into a sinkhole?! As noted above, it was a major focus of the first episode of S3 – George Michael and Maebe, after initial awkwardness, appeared to want to continue on tha tpath, but they were both dragooned by their parents for “bonding”-type roadtrips (and then because it’s AD, both abandoned, and then dragooned again, and so on) which led each cousin to erroneously think that the other wasn’t interested. So Maebe ended up making out with STEVE HOLT!, who she didn’t yet know is _also_ her cousin. We all knew the cancellation was only a matter of time. 13 though – that’s disappointing. I thought we might get 16 at least. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/124 "2005-11-11T16:57:39Z")
They’ve made a huge mistake. ---
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/125 "2005-11-11T17:00:11Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > ☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹ > > :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: > > I haven’t fallen this deeply in love with a show for years. Why did it have to be on Fox??? I don’t think any other network would have aired it, at least without toning it down a few notches. The article cited said the costs are prohibitive to a cable channel picking it up. Anyone know what the budget is, and how it compares to other shows? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/126 "2005-11-11T17:03:09Z")
How many episodes are in the can now? It’d be nice if they get to make a few with the knowledge they’ve been cancelled, so they can go all out, and Maebe finds out she’s pregnant, and Buster goes berzerk and starts impaling family members after GOB does the chicken dance one too many times. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/127 "2005-11-11T17:06:21Z")
I’m hoping the final episode will work in as many “Screw you, Fox” moments as possible. Heck, there are a couple of English secondary characters. Why not have the last episode involve a fox-hunt? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/128 "2005-11-11T17:12:06Z")
Fox tried on this one. It is the viewing audience that let us down. At least we got three seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/129 "2005-11-11T17:16:34Z")
Blaming Fox is ridiculous… The show had 3 years to find an audience. THREE. They promoted it. It won awards. It was on the cover of magazines. The general viewing audience _yawned_. Blame the nielsen families. They are are \*\*\*\*suckers. 🙂 You can however blame Fox for Firefly. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/130 "2005-11-11T17:33:47Z")
OK, OK. You’re right that we probably wouldn’t have gotten three seasons anyplace else. It just is that Fox has done this to me so many times…hey, at least there were a few shows yet to be made. It wasn’t like poor _Married…with Children_, the show that MADE the fuckin’ network and was put down like an egg-sucking dog AFTER it had shot its last show, with no resolution or blaze of glory. (such glory as it could have had, anyway…) ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/131 "2005-11-11T17:37:34Z")
That’s sucky news. These two episodes were the first I’ve ever seen. I was all ready to get hooked on it. It figures. I always get in on the tail end of good shows. I didn’t start with \*Buffy \*until the end of season 6. _Angel_, season 4 and \*Firefly \*until after it came out on DVD. Now this. At least I can say I caught _My Name is Earl_ by episode 3 and I watched Seinfeld when it was still _The Seinfeld Chronicles_ and up against _Tool Time_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/132 "2005-11-11T17:46:05Z")
Goddamn it. The one time I start a thread and the show gets cancelled. Maybe I should have done an _E/R_ thread instead. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/133 "2005-11-11T17:50:09Z")
I’ll blame Fox. Didn’t the show pick up some viewers when they moved it to Monday? You can write to them – [askfox@foxinc.com](mailto:askfox@foxinc.com) ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/134 "2005-11-11T17:53:57Z")
The good news from that article is that _7th Heaven_ is also cancelled. Hooray! It was so, so awful. I caught the last few minutes of several episodes when it used to air before Angel, and I think it gave me brain damage just from such limited exposure. I think it’s astounding that _Arrested Development_ lasted as long as it did given the American public’s steadfast refusal to watch it. I’m just glad it’s available (and popular) on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/135 "2005-11-11T18:00:48Z")
If David Cross says it’s Fox’s fault for poor marketing, I’m going to believe him. Yes, it looks like they sorta kinda tried to sell it, but it looks like they put an intern in charge. I will, however, reserve some angst for idiot viewers who would rather watch Ghost Whisperer or Pet Psychic\* than be bothered to rub two braincells together for AD \*Yes, I know those aren’t on opposite AD. [TVGuide.com](http://TVGuide.com) won’t show me Monday’s listings. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/136 "2005-11-11T18:02:13Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > American public’s steadfast refusal to watch it. I’m not sure it’s entirely a refusal. Many of my family members and friends have never even heard of it. That’s a marketing thing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/137 "2005-11-11T18:25:10Z")
Fox did a ton of things to market it: running marathons in the summer, for instance, to get viewer to catch up (though around here, they were preempted for Yankees baseball – another reason to hate the Yankees). They tried to promote it, but people just wouldn’t watch, and the ratings this season were dire. Ultimately, not enough people caught on to the show. Fox gave it more of a chance than any other network (anywhere else, it wouldn’t have made it to the end of the first season, let alone be renewed). It’d be nice if the unaired episodes showed up on F/X, though. And I will eventually get the DVDs. It has the markings of a long-term cult classic. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/138 "2005-11-11T18:32:01Z")
Fox did things to market it, but they didn’t do the right things. Yes, initially it had one of the best time slots available. And the summer marathon was great. But still, in both cases, I had to find out about it quite by accident. And I tend to watch a lot of Fox. I was hit over the head with Kitchen Confidential ads, and there no way I could _not_ have known about it. Not the same with AD, however. In fact, I missed the first half of season one, because I didn’t even know it was on. And I was looking forward to seeing it! That’s bad marketing. ---
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/139 "2005-11-11T18:32:06Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If David Cross says it’s Fox’s fault for poor marketing, I’m going to believe him. Yes, it looks like they sorta kinda tried to sell it, but it looks like they put an intern in charge. I will, however, reserve some angst for idiot viewers who would rather watch Ghost Whisperer or Pet Psychic\* than be bothered to rub two braincells together for AD > > \*Yes, I know those aren’t on opposite AD. [TVGuide.com](http://TVGuide.com) won’t show me Monday’s listings. King of Queens, Wife Swap, Surface and 7th Heaven in the Mon 8pm slot next week (don’t know about last week). AD came in 5th last Monday. I don’t mean to sound like a TV snob, but I don’t think your average King of Queens or Wife Swap fan is going to “get” AD. I’m so bummed. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923/140 "2005-11-11T18:33:41Z")
> [@sleeepy2](#): > > I don’t mean to sound like a TV snob, but I don’t think your average King of Queens or Wife Swap fan is going to “get” AD. What abbout 7th Heaven fans, hmmm? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-11-07/329923.md?page=8)