# When they cancel Arrested Development you can blame me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 29, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703 "2005-03-29T00:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703/21 "2005-03-29T20:00:48Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > But why is it supposed to have that feel? Just cause! 😛 There was an episode last season where the family was in court and cameras weren’t allowed in to film the proceedings. It was an unexpected (and hilarious) surprise to suddenly have the door shut in our (the viewers) faces. I agree that this is the best show on television in a long long time. Especially the beginning of this season. The whole season has been great, but the first 5-6 episodes this year were absolute gold. I’ve been rewatching them on my PSP to test out its video functions, and I had already forgotten half of the best lines. Of course, there are so many great moments hitting you every week it’s impossible to keep track of 'em all. Regarding possible cancellation - when the episode order was scaled back, it looked bleak, but the fans bombarded Fox with complaints, to the point that their honco-type actually responded - something that is rare in my experience - I don’t remember them addressing complaints about other great shows they’ve obliterated like _Futurama_ and _Undeclared_. She said that the show isn’t [cancelled](http://www.defamer.com/hollywood/tv/networks/arrested-development-update-gail-berman-speaks-032780.php) and they hope to have it around for years. Whether she can be trusted (instinct says… um, no) remains to be seen, but I’m counting on at least one more year of AD. I hope Fox learns from past successes and sticks with it. I watch reruns of _Cheers_ and _Seinfeld_ in syndication all the time thanks to my handy DVR, and I had forgotten just how bad those shows sucked for their first couple of years. _Cheers_ especially was just a bag of ass. Stiltled acting, horribly paced, and unfunny half-jokes. NBC stuck with it and had a serious hit on their hands once it found its stride. Fox has a show that’s already there, that just needs to find its audience. I think if they give it a chance they’ll have a major institution on their hands. Here’s hoping. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703/22 "2005-03-29T20:48:54Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > For the same reason that Oscar Madison moved in with Felix Unger or that everything on CSI: New York is shot with a blue filter. 'Cuz that’s the show. You don’t have to like it, but asking why they did it that way doesn’t get much traction. That’s a lame answer. Oscar moved in with Felix because that was necessary to the plot. Is the camera work just some sort of style choice, is it necessary for the plot? For instance, the British version of The Office was filmed in documentary style because it was a mockumentary. It was part of the plot. Obviously that’s not the case here, it’s just a stylistic choice. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703/23 "2005-03-29T21:00:28Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > That’s a lame answer. Your momma. 😉 > [@](#): > > Oscar moved in with Felix because that was necessary to the plot. Is the camera work just some sort of style choice, is it necessary for the plot? Yes, using this narrow definition of “necessary,” it is necessary because this is a mockumentary, like The Office. It chronicles the fallout of a corporate scandal on a family that perpetrated it. But dude, it doesn’t matter. The show’s the show. There’s no reason why anything has to be anything, except that it makes people laugh. And just because it doesn’t make _you_ laugh, that doesn’t mean it isn’t successful. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703/24 "2005-03-29T22:19:07Z")
Did anybody else watch the episode on Sunday? It opens with Jason Bateman on the phone with his investors, who just cut back their order for 22 houses to 18 houses. Bateman’s character is livid, because “it doesn’t give them enough time or money to wrap everything up.” VERY nice touch, since the third season of AD has also been cut back to 18 from 22. Meanwhile, all the main characters, in the span of the show, commiserate with Bateman about the cutback. “Man, that sucks.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703/25 "2005-03-29T23:06:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Anybody else see post #19 coming miles away? 😉 Touche 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-they-cancel-arrested-development-you-can-blame-me/296703.md?page=1)