# Arrested Development...not dead?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 14, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633 "2005-12-14T20:43:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/1 "2005-12-14T20:43:15Z")

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Variety is reporting that both ABC and Showtime are in talks to try and take over Arrested Development from Fox.

Please let this happen!

[Link](http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117934587&categoryID=14&cs=1)

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/2 "2005-12-14T21:17:42Z")

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I’d heard that NBC was trying (which made sense because of their Thursday Night Massacre). While cable would definitely allow AD great freedom, I hope it doesn’t go there because I don’t have and don’t plan to get Showtime.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/3 "2005-12-14T21:20:26Z")

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I’m torn.

If it goes to ABC, they’ll censor the hell, er, heck out of it. No more jokes about Lucille’s dry coochie.

If it goes to Showtime, I won’t watch it because I won’t subscribe for just one show. But the dirty jokes will fly.

If Showtime shows Portia’s naked titties, I’ll subscribe.

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/4 "2005-12-14T21:22:07Z")

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It’d be a good move for showtime. I bet they’d pick up a few hundred thousand subscribers just for the show. I probably would.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/5 "2005-12-14T21:29:12Z")

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Yeah, the 12/12 _AD_ thread (with quotes to Brian Glazer and all that) made me hopeful. Which in turn made me concerned, because I’d been trying not to be optimistic so I could just enjoy the remaining episodes and let the show go if it was going to end.

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/6 "2005-12-14T21:29:41Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> If Showtime shows Portia’s naked titties, I’ll subscribe.

Check out the movie SIRENS.

As for the move to Showtime, I know I would add it if AD were on there.

However, I would hope that they would keep the same degree of editorial censorship that they have on Fox.

Half the fun of the show is that they go right up to that line.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/7 "2005-12-14T21:53:10Z")

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I’d like to point out that I mentioned this a month ago, in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6795636&postcount=7) post.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/8 "2005-12-14T22:13:59Z")

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> [@middleman](#):
>
> Check out the movie SIRENS.

Without even reading the plot, it’s now at the top of my Netflix queue.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/9 "2005-12-14T22:15:41Z")

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How would a move to Showtime affect the show? Part of the fun is when they bleep over what would be filthy language. I think some of this would be less funny unbleeped.

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**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/10 "2005-12-14T22:20:16Z")

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It’s a horrible, horrible movie. And I quite like the breasts of Portia DiRossi, Elle McPherson, Tara Fitzgerald and the other one.

–Cliffy

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/11 "2005-12-14T22:24:07Z")

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On [this page](http://showtime.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/showtime.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=321&p_created=1123765994&p_sid=*N1as3Xh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NCZwX3Byb2RzPTE4JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0xLjE4OzIudTAmcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1) they say that you can leave a comment for programming on their website, but I’m unable to find the actual place where you can do that. Anyone want to find it, so we can organize some mailings?

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**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/12 "2005-12-14T22:24:18Z")

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I agree with Cliffy above. Use the fastforward.

I can’t see NBC, or ABC picking it up. I can’t see them keeping a show going that’s getting 4 million viewers. Showtime, maybe. I wouldn’t subscribe for just one show either. I’d wait for the dvd.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/13 "2005-12-14T22:56:08Z")

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Even if they went to Showtime or HBO, I don’t think they’d change the tone of the show that much. It’d be weird for the writers and the audience to make radical shifts.

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/14 "2005-12-14T23:54:05Z")

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I don’t get Showtime and am not going to add it for just one show. Unless, maybe, they replace the wonderful Portia de Rossi with the even _more_ wonderful Leslie Grossman . . .

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**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:** [December 14, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/15 "2005-12-14T23:58:54Z")

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> [@Cliffy](#):
>
> It’s a horrible, horrible movie. And I quite like the breasts of Portia DiRossi, Elle McPherson, Tara Fitzgerald and the other one.

Actually, Sirens is a very good film about art and beauty. I enjoyed it a lot, as did my wife, who was not turned on by naked women.

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**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:** [December 15, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/16 "2005-12-15T00:25:32Z")

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> [@Eve](#):
>
> I don’t get Showtime and am not going to add it for just one show. Unless, maybe, they replace the wonderful Portia de Rossi with the even _more_ wonderful Leslie Grossman . . .

This strikes me like someone saying, “I’d accept this gift of a solid gold car, but I don’t like the size of the cupholders.”

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**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/17 "2005-12-15T01:09:29Z")

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> [@Troy McClure SF](#):
>
> This strikes me like someone saying, “I’d accept this gift of a solid gold car, but I don’t like the size of the cupholders.”

But, wouldn’t a solid gold car get really crappy gas mileage?

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**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/18 "2005-12-15T01:31:05Z")

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> [@Dewey Finn](#):
>
> How would a move to Showtime affect the show? Part of the fun is when they bleep over what would be filthy language. I think some of this would be less funny unbleeped.

They still bleep the DVD’s - but obviously not completely since there was at least one “fuck” in the pilot episode.

Besides, when things get bleeped it is generally funnier. Buster’s twenty seconds of profanity (with hilarious hand gestures) followed by Michael’s “Well, let’s hope it won’t come down to that” is one of the show’s funniest moments.

-Joe

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**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:** [December 15, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/19 "2005-12-15T02:11:43Z")

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> [@Merijeek](#):
>
> Besides, when things get bleeped it is generally funnier.

Semi-related to this, the first time I saw _Blazing Saddles_ was a TV broadcast (campfire scene missing, of course) and when the town of Rock Ridge is initially terrorized, the townsfolk are singing about it in church, along the lines of:  
And now our lives are really awful,  
Should we stay or up and quit?  
It’s nearing time for a decision.  
Our town is turning into [loud MOO from nearby steer covers the final word]

This got a chuckle from me. Much later on, I saw the uncut version, with the final word intact. It seemed… boring.

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**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-not-dead/335633/20 "2005-12-15T05:58:15Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> If Showtime shows Portia’s naked titties, I’ll subscribe.

“She’s a surfboard!”

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