# If Arrested Development goes to Showtime... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330 "2006-03-14T16:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/1 "2006-03-14T16:37:14Z")
What do you think they will do about the content of the show? I can’t decide if I wouldn’t like it better in its censored form. I am a guy who is 24 years old and my language is probably dirtier than it should be so I don’t really care on the grounds that it would be inappropriate. But the cool thing about the show was that it was censored, yet it was probably the filthiest show I’ve ever seen. Family Guy and American Dad do this as well too, when they let you think of something while being completely innocuous, technically. For instance the time when Peter is watching Wheel of Fortune and the board says “My \*airy \*unt” at that point the puzzle is solved and Brian says, “yeah, who’da figured My hairy aunt” Well there are obviously better examples but I guess you get what I mean. It is in some way that these artificial restrictions make the show have to be even more clever than normal. I loved it when Gob says “I \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* kitty!” Its part of the fun, I think. Can anyone here think of a way that the show could be improved by not censoring itself? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/2 "2006-03-14T16:47:34Z")
I’d prefer it be written as it always was. As you say, some of the funniest jokes are the ones that leave it up to your imagination. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/3 "2006-03-14T16:50:29Z")
I think the “censorship” is an essential element of the show, and I’d be disappointed if it was changed for premium cable (I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll happen). I’m generally not offended by hearing that kind of language, though I rarely use it myself, but I think it’s much more creative to find an interesting way to avoid actually using it, without resorting to namby-pamby euphemisms. I think AD often did it brilliantly. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/4 "2006-03-14T16:52:19Z")
Now if they inserted nudity for nudity sake I would not object. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/5 "2006-03-14T16:55:37Z")
As long as they don’t get rid of the _Seaward_. “I heard that!” ---
**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:** [March 14, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/6 "2006-03-14T17:03:18Z")
“-king thousand dollar suit. Come on!” ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/7 "2006-03-14T17:17:26Z")
yeah, maybe they can do that… Sometimes the bleeps are really too long. I suppose its for network programming, but who can ever forget the times they blurred out buster’s stump! Oh my god. Normally they refrained from blurring out the mouths of the characters by making them not visible for whatever reason (mug in the way, etc) but they did it with the surrogate once. That was great. BTW was I the only one who got a kick out of the fact how the surrogate never sat down at that one board meeting? ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/8 "2006-03-14T19:35:02Z")
Actually, I think it won’t change to fit the format. It works really well as it is, and I just can’t imagine changing such an integral part of the show. Remember Buster’s long-winded rant when he was joining in on ragging on Lucille that was a jaw-dropping stream of obscenities? He was reciting the alphabet! [hijack]And congratulation to Buster for becoming a new dad![/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/9 "2006-03-14T20:55:54Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > Normally they refrained from blurring out the mouths of the characters by making them not visible for whatever reason (mug in the way, etc) but they did it with the surrogate once. The lookaways and mouth blocking have become such a staple of the show that it’d be weird if they stopped doing it. I don’t think the show would change much, even if they were allowed to do things differently. Even as things were, they got away with a lot. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/10 "2006-03-14T21:07:45Z")
Kristin from E! says a Showtime deal is close. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/11 "2006-03-14T21:13:16Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > Kristin from E! says a Showtime deal is close. I hope she’s right… if not I may have to kill her for getting my hopes up and crushing them so ;). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/12 "2006-03-14T21:16:59Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I hope she’s right… if not I may have to kill her for getting my hopes up and crushing them so ;). Would you do it while yelling “Soy loco por las cornballs?” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/13 "2006-03-14T21:19:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Would you do it while yelling “Soy loco por las cornballs?” Hmmm… now there is a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/14 "2006-03-15T01:46:46Z")
I hope they keep the bleeps. Its funnier that way. I hear enough f-words and seawards in everyday life as it is. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-arrested-development-goes-to-showtime/348330/15 "2006-03-15T02:00:16Z")
I agree that it’s better with the bleeps. I prefer the original aired pilot to the “extended” pilot on the dvds for this reason. Although “…or cocaine!” is a much better line.