# NOOOOO! Not 'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT'! FUUUUCK!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 10, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363 "2005-02-10T06:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/41 "2005-02-11T00:08:43Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Before everyone jumps on American Dad, remember, the first episode of Arrested Development was pretty bad too. I’ve seen the unedited pilot more than I’ve seen the regular version, but the _Arrested_ pilot had “Tricks are what a whore does for money. [Sees kids] Or cocaine!” and “Why are you so **angry**?” _American Dad_ had an alien crapping three times. ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/42 "2005-02-11T03:31:48Z")
I too am outraged! Let’s write letters, and I am serious about this. Here’s some contact info: Gail Berman, President Fox Broadcasting Company PO Box 900 Beverly Hills, CA 90213 Fox says: When writing, please include your demographic information: Age group, city, local FOX affiliate, number and ages of those in your household watching. While a postcard is always welcome, please remember that hand-written letters are the best and most impressive way to express support–and they needn’t be long. So tell Ms. Berman that you and all of your 18-49 year old friends with incomes well over $200,000 a year throw AD watching parties every Sunday night, and pay especially close attention to all of the commercials put on by the fine sponsors. Let’s save this show! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/43 "2005-02-11T05:05:52Z")
> [@recurriman](#): > > While I share your disappointment and do enjoy arrested development myself, I think American Dad is a worthy replacement. I enjoyed the pilot and I’m sure that Todd McFarlane will be able to pull a show that rivals Family Guy in quality and comedic value. American Dad is not worthy to lick Arrested Development’s sweaty toes. Arrested Development is one of the best shows to come along in years, and should be the replacement for The Simpsons (if The Simpsons is ever cancelled). American Dad is a good replacement for the 3:00 a.m. infomercial airings of the Grip and Flip. And it’s [Seth Macfarlane](http://www.planet-familyguy.com/main.php). That link isn’t direct, but it will get you some info. Or did you screw up on purpose to mess with our heads? :wally ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/44 "2005-02-11T05:38:44Z")
Hee hee, if American Dad was made by TODD McFarlane, everyone would be hideous freaks in bondage gear, chained up in torture devices, in various stages of disembowelment, and wearing one big boot. (Only toy collectors will chuckle at that.) ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/45 "2005-02-11T05:55:44Z")
Well, Jason Bateman was just on Conan and mentioned nothing about AD’s troubles, just them joking at the end that Conan should order his “40 million viewers” to watch the show. Jason did go on about wanting to have a new love interest for Michael–played by his actress sister, Justine! (He was going on and on about how they were going to justify them never kissing or anything). But that was it. Bleah. I know Bateman has to make a career in the business so he probably can’t be up there blasting Fox and all, but he could have at least mentioned it. Looks like he’s given up hope. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/46 "2005-02-11T06:09:53Z")
Believe it or not, it took me an incredibly long tome to realize that they were two different people. I mean, I knew they **had** to be because the styles were so different, but I kept remembering the names as being the same. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/47 "2005-02-11T07:29:25Z")
This is bad. It and The Venture Brothers (but there are only like 7 episodes of that) are the only shows on TV I make a point to watch now. I DVR a lot of shit, and mostly delete it. I catch the Daily Show when I can but delete the ones that I haven’t watched more that are more than two weeks old. But I have every season 2 episode recorded right now and it will stay that way until I can buy it on DVD. If I ever change my user name, it will be **Weird Brother of Prime Rib**. ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/48 "2005-02-11T14:04:55Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > If you’re serious about missing the Tick, let me tell you that the original run of the comic (12 issues I believe, first printed back in the mid-80s) is much, **much** better than the show. And that’s coming from a guy who really liked the show. Semi-hijack, I was originally a fan of the comic which lead to enjoying the cartoon. The live-action Tick? It was decent. I basically got my Ben Edlund fix from _Angel_ (Talky Meat) and _Firefly_. On topic: the people at TWoP are talking about sending Monopoly houses to Fox as a show of support for Arrested Development. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/49 "2005-02-11T16:27:19Z")
I just want to second the FUUUUCK! Damn. AD is witty, clever, original, well acted and laugh out loud funny. Screw all Fox network executives with the biggest rusty nail on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/50 "2005-02-13T20:33:39Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Well, Jason Bateman was just on Conan and mentioned nothing about AD’s troubles, just them joking at the end that Conan should order his “40 million viewers” to watch the show. Jason did go on about wanting to have a new love interest for Michael–played by his actress sister, Justine! (He was going on and on about how they were going to justify them never kissing or anything). But that was it. Bleah. I know Bateman has to make a career in the business so he probably can’t be up there blasting Fox and all, but he could have at least mentioned it. Looks like he’s given up hope. ☹ He wasn’t so light on SNL. In his introduction, Jason Bateman was pleading for people to watch the show. He mentioned the Emmies and the critical Reviews. Later on, there were a few slights to Fox. Clearly, he isn’t happy. While we are writing “Save Arrested Development” letters to Fox, we should also write “Kill American Dad” letters. 8:30 may be a bad time slot because of the official crappiness of The Simpsons. How many people stick around for a whole episode anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/51 "2005-02-14T01:52:01Z")
> [@The Great Zamboni](#): > > 8:30 may be a bad time slot because of the official crappiness of The Simpsons. How many people stick around for a whole episode anymore? I’m pretty sure The Simpsons’ ratings are as good as ever, or better. So this is obviously not the problem. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/52 "2005-02-14T16:28:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m pretty sure The Simpsons’ ratings are as good as ever, or better. So this is obviously not the problem. It is if people get tired of it after 25 minutes and change the channel to to “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (Crappy Glurge). I think you’re right though. It is more likely that Fox’s lukewarm promotional efforts and the competion of dumb shows on other channels has hurt Arrested. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/53 "2005-02-14T23:42:49Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Before everyone jumps on American Dad, remember, the first episode of Arrested Development was pretty bad too. What?! Blasphemy! “Buster’s studied business.” “Whoa whoa. 19th century _agrarian_ business. But, I suppose the principles are basically the same. Tell me this: Are we at all concerned about an uprising?” ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/54 "2005-02-15T00:20:39Z")
OK people, let’s take a deep breath here. The TV critic for the [San Francisco Chronicle](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/14/DDG23B9R261.DTL), who has been a big fan of the show since day one, doesn’t necessarily think this is the end. Within the article, for those too lazy to click a link (and the Chron doesn’t even make you register!), are the following _bon mots_: > [@](#): > > Here’s the logic behind the Fox decision: Bad is not bad. Bad is good. Because good could have turned out bad, and that would have been really bad. > > Translation: Cutting back is a business decision that doesn’t reflect on the show’s creativity. We know you want to be on in May, but if the numbers aren’t good against super-stiff sweeps competition, the chances of getting picked up for a third season drop exponentially. > > Oddly, even the show’s executive producer and creator, Mitch Hurwitz, buys into that. “It’s naive to say I believe them, but I do believe them,” Hurwitz said. > > . . . > > So “Arrested” never aired in last year’s May sweeps either, a fact some people forgot in the panic of Fox announcing that “American Dad” would take over the Sunday, 8:30 p.m. slot in May. So the fat lady isn’t singing yet (and not because she’s gone back to the Plumb Clinic). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/55 "2005-02-15T01:34:53Z")
> [@The Great Zamboni](#): > > It is if people get tired of it after 25 minutes and change the channel to to “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (Crappy Glurge). Huge numbers of people aren’t tuning in every week and changing the channel before it ends out of disgust. If that was happening, eventually enough people would stop watching that it would make a dent in the show’s ratings, and I don’t think that’s happened. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363/56 "2005-02-15T05:24:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Huge numbers of people aren’t tuning in every week and changing the channel before it ends out of disgust. If that was happening, eventually enough people would stop watching that it would make a dent in the show’s ratings, and I don’t think that’s happened. I was trying to be a little funny with those other posts, but it didn’t work, and I apologize. (I’m such a :wally ) Am I the only person that tunes out of The Simpsons during the show? 😕 > [@Airblairxxx](#): > > Within the article, for those too lazy to click a link (and the Chron doesn’t even make you register!), are the following bon mots: > > Here’s the logic behind the Fox decision: Bad is not bad. Bad is good. Because good could have turned out bad, and that would have been really bad. > > Translation: Cutting back is a business decision that doesn’t reflect on the show’s creativity. We know you want to be on in May, but if the numbers aren’t good against super-stiff sweeps competition, the chances of getting picked up for a third season drop exponentially. > > Oddly, even the show’s executive producer and creator, Mitch Hurwitz, buys into that. “It’s naive to say I believe them, but I do believe them,” Hurwitz said. > > … > > So “Arrested” never aired in last year’s May sweeps either, a fact some people forgot in the panic of Fox announcing that “American Dad” would take over the Sunday, 8:30 p.m. slot in May. So Fox is saving the show by not airing it? :dubious: If it’s true that they are not airing it for fear of being crushed so that it can survive, then it is a good decision. But still, I feel like the network is trying to placate us before they kill Arrested. And this quote doesn’t explain why some of the actors, like Jason Bateman, are pleading for people to watch the show. They must be afraid of Network Death. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nooooo-not-arrested-development-fuuuuck/289363.md?page=2)