It's no secret we here at the Popcorn Trick are huge fans of the show Arrested Development. In fact, I don't think I'd be going out too far on a limb to say we both think it's one of the top 5 sitcoms of all time. (Cline feel free to chime in with agreement or rage).
Because of that, I've decided to try and make this blog THE spot on the web to find out all news about the alleged movie about the show.
That's right, apparently there is an Arrested Development movie in the works. Read about it here.
The good news: It seems like the entire primary cast (minus one) is not only keen to the idea, but clearing their schedule to make it happen. It also looks like Ron Howard will be back (not sure if he would be directing, if not, may I suggest Jay Chandrasekhar who has directed a number of the episodes) and producer/creator Mitch Hurwitz is involved as well.
The bad news: The aforementioned holdout may be Michael Cera. He has mentioned he's uninterested in a movie right now. I'd hate to see him not be a part of it, but I'd hate to not see a movie more.
And yes, I realize that there's a possibility that a movie could taint the show's platinum-level run in quality. But who cares? If, in the small chance it stinks, we still have the DVDs to fall back on. And I for one believe the self-referential nature of the show will not let it happen.
So c'mon Michael Cera (if you are the holdout) get on board and make this news perfect.
More Arrested Development movie updates as they happen.
10 comments:
Even though it isn't a traditional sitcom, it's definitely Top 5, probably Top 2. Quick list off the top of my head:
1. NewsRadio
2. Arrested Development
3. Simpsons (is this DQed b/c it's a cartoon?)
4. Seinfeld (I'm burnt out on it, but there's not denying its genius)
5. Cheers
5a. Charles in Charge
I was initially worried that AD might lose its luster if the movie wasn't good, but the more I think about it, the more I want it to happen. 90 minutes to do whatever the hell they want? Sign me up.
As for Cera, I think he was riding high after Superbad, but now that Nick & Nora tanked, he may be more malleable. As much as I love George Michael, they could have a make a good running gag of not showing him. Like Wilson from Home Improvement, but funny.
Now seem I've got to knock News Radio down a little bit, since they kept it going after the passing of Hartman (RIP).
I also have to have MASH in there. I grew up watching reruns of it. It's a classic.
Also a heavyweight - WKRP. The epsiode where Carlsson puts the cocaine on his feet will always make me laugh.
And I'm also unapologetic for my love of Get A Life. Way before it's time, it's pure genius.
Charles in Charge however, does not belong close to that list.
I could live with swapping AD & NR. The last few seasons w/o Hartman were still pretty good. They just paled compared to the genius run they were on.
I've probably seen every ep of M*A*S*H* at least twice. My dad was/is a big fan. But I'll catch the occasional show now, and it just doesn't hold up.
I think WGN shows the occasional hour block of WKRP semi-regularly, so i've been watching some of those to see if it holds up. It does. Sorta. There are a lot of valleys between the peaks ("I've got a monkey on my foot!", "phone police", "as God as my witness...", Sparky Anderson, the punk band, and of course the softball game vs. WPIG) I even recently quoted the episode where Venus teaches his sister/gf's gang-banger sun about the atom using gang terminology (electrons="The Elected Ones", neutrons="The New Blood", and I forget what protons were). The best part was when Johnny got up from behind the couch revealing that he listened to the whole thing.
I remember trying to watch an ep or 2 of GaL when it came on, but thought it was too weird. I should try that again.
One single show with Baio, Aames, and Eggert? How can you hate?
I can't fault a show for not holding up. If you did, then you'd never have a good list, it would have to be updated every so often. I don't rank Honeymooners or I love lucy because I never saw them. MASH's writing is still great. Not the movie but still great.
Get a Life is extremely weird. Charlie Kaufman was a writer so that should tell you something. It can't be beat in giving us the classic Tool Belt Wars, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and SPEWEY. Plus, I'd never have known that you spell pants with a "K." Ok. so maybe it's a classic just to me.
I could be wrong, but I think NR, AD, Seinfeld, & the Simpson's will hold up much longer than a show like MASH.
1 thing that put AD & NR a clear notch above the others: You actually care about the characters, even though that's not the show's primary purpose.
When the VO says that George Michael is as happy as he'll ever be, my heart broke a little for him. Ditto when Dave's letter emptying his heart to Lisa fell down the elevator shaft (LA Law shoutout?).
It's what may keep 30 Rock & The Office (US) from reaching the pantheon. As great as they are right now, 1 tries to make you care too much about the characters and their fate and the other doesn't try enough.
Possibly for you but I think caring about characters isn't what make the shows what they are. Seinfeld for example, you almost root against them (which was the point of the finale) and Arrested Development saw pretty much no character development through its arc. No one grew - that too was the point of the show.
I think 30 Rock has a great shot but again, I give it to the writing. I enjoy a sitcom that gives me something new to watch. 30 Rock currently is one of those shows, mixing clever writing with a good amount of slapstick and farce. I think it's a good mix, though last night's episode was a little uneven and even had a different vibe for me.
I love AD for its absurdity, in jokes, call backs and jokes which took a top notch level of talent in my opinion. That's why I don't rate the Simpsons - they got to the point where it felt very redundant and repetitious, and I haven't watched an episode in probably five years.
But rooting against characters is still caring what happens to them, just in a negative sense. Though one could argue that it took a lot of repeated self-centered behavior to turn the tide against the Seinfeld crew.
To me, it's what takes a great sitcom and makes it a great show.
You didn't like the Japanese Sex Toy running gag? I thought it was absurd but funny. Also, Fey's looking hot this season. Hornberger!
As for the Simpson's, if you focus on the genius middle years and ignore the early/late dreck, it's up there with the others. Just depends how you frame the argument.
I never rooted against characters either - I'm saying I didn't really care about them. On Seinfeld, you watched to see what situations they would get into and how they would get out of them and what the consequences were. I never cared though how those consequences affected everyone. No one learned or grew on that show, and that's the same with Arrested Development. They didn't give anyone time to grow - everyone stayed the exact same. If the writing stunk it wouldn't have worked.
The sex doll was ok, but the kids trying to kill him was a little forced. So was the Kenneth thing. Individual things were funny, but on a whole the episode didn't gel for me. Ask your roommate, I bet he hated it.
But yes, Fey is looking better and getting into tighter things. Both pluses.
It is easily in my top three favorite shows of all time...quite possibly number one for me. I love that I can keep going back watching them and catching something I missed even though I have seen the episode 30 times.
AS far as Cera goes, all his characters in his other movies are George Michael, if he is trying not to be type cast, his deliver is his type cast, not the characters...
Arrested Development is flat out brilliant and I hope they do the movie right. Won't argue with The Simpsons, its tough to be so good for so long, but you can still watch episodes (i actually did tonight) that are downright hilarious that you've never seen before (if you haven't watched every episode in first run).
I'd offer the Larry Sanders Show, and to a lesser extent the Gary Shandling Show as just hilarious offerings. also throw in the Office (British version, 12 episodes + special that are all genius, every single episode) and Curb Your Enthusiasm as classics.
For today, i do think 30 Rock is top of the food chain, but don't sleep on Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia which is hilarious more often then not.
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