Flashes of Quincy
August 9, 2012 10:34 AM Subscribe
Proof of Arrested Development Season 4 is surfacing rapidly. A bit from Ron Howard. A bit from Jason Bateman (featuring some surprise guest stars.) A bit from reddit. And here's some more.
Is Jason Bateman wearing a University of Phoenix undershirt in the first picture of the "some more" link?
posted by jedicus at 10:38 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by jedicus at 10:38 AM on August 9, 2012
I already hate myself for loving a show as stupid as Workaholics, and now I have to hate myself more for being excited about their cameo appearance.
posted by orme at 10:39 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by orme at 10:39 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Pretty cool. I hope Netflix can do this for some other beloved but dead shows. I'm thinking Get A Life. I bet Chris Elliott would be into it.
posted by Ad hominem at 10:43 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Ad hominem at 10:43 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
I prematurely blew my wad on a dry run, and now I have a sticky situation on my hands.
posted by Plutor at 10:43 AM on August 9, 2012 [12 favorites]
posted by Plutor at 10:43 AM on August 9, 2012 [12 favorites]
Arrested Development only failed in the ratings because the jokes were too intelligent for most people to understand.
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:44 AM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:44 AM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
Arrested Development only failed in the ratings because the jokes were too intelligent for most people to understand.
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
I'd say it's partly that, and that many of the jokes are really subtle, or come so quickly and aren't highlighted to the degree that they are in other sitcoms, so people don't notice them. If anything, most of the jokes on the show are ingeniously dumb, and how dumb they are is just another level of the joke.
posted by LionIndex at 10:48 AM on August 9, 2012 [20 favorites]
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
I'd say it's partly that, and that many of the jokes are really subtle, or come so quickly and aren't highlighted to the degree that they are in other sitcoms, so people don't notice them. If anything, most of the jokes on the show are ingeniously dumb, and how dumb they are is just another level of the joke.
posted by LionIndex at 10:48 AM on August 9, 2012 [20 favorites]
the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
That probably was a factor. But boy oh boy if you were in the know...there were many laughs to be had.
posted by Doleful Creature at 10:49 AM on August 9, 2012
That probably was a factor. But boy oh boy if you were in the know...there were many laughs to be had.
posted by Doleful Creature at 10:49 AM on August 9, 2012
Is Jason Bateman wearing a University of Phoenix undershirt in the first picture of the "some more" link?
"Great. You did say Phoenix again, but what do we care."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2012 [11 favorites]
"Great. You did say Phoenix again, but what do we care."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2012 [11 favorites]
I'm not saying that that is a bad thing, but it is for Network Television. Offer a subscription to the show, provide complimentary DVDs, provide the back catalog for free, stream new episodes, and so on, and you got yourself a model that benefits from richly weaved high pile continuity.
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
"Notice it wasn’t something the narrator said."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
"Notice it wasn’t something the narrator said."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
Is this relatable?
posted by The Whelk at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I am so psyched about this. Unbelievably psyched.
And, stupid or not, Workaholics makes me laugh my ass off. I'm glad they're getting a guest spot.
posted by defenestration at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
And, stupid or not, Workaholics makes me laugh my ass off. I'm glad they're getting a guest spot.
posted by defenestration at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'M SO EXCITED THAT BY THE TIME IT COMES OUT, EVERYONE AROUND ME WILL ALREADY HATE IT
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
I've never watched the show. If I wanted to watch a few episodes to get my feet wet, what would y'all suggest? Or do I really need to watch them in order?
posted by zarq at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by zarq at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012
I'm not saying that that is a bad thing, but it is for Network Television. Offer a subscription to the show, provide complimentary DVDs, provide the back catalog for free, stream new episodes, and so on, and you got yourself a model that benefits from richly weaved high pile continuity.
"...if this is a lecture about how we're all supposed to whatever, and blah blah blah, well you can save it because we all know it by heart."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
"...if this is a lecture about how we're all supposed to whatever, and blah blah blah, well you can save it because we all know it by heart."
posted by mysticreferee at 10:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
Arrested Developement and Archer both reliably get people to start talking in cipher.
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:54 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by TwelveTwo at 10:54 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
I've never watched the show. If I wanted to watch a few episodes to get my feet wet, what would y'all suggest? Or do I really need to watch them in order?"
IN ORDER
posted by mysticreferee at 10:54 AM on August 9, 2012 [31 favorites]
IN ORDER
posted by mysticreferee at 10:54 AM on August 9, 2012 [31 favorites]
zarq: All of them in order, all three seasons. Three times.
posted by defenestration at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [19 favorites]
posted by defenestration at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [19 favorites]
zarq, watch them in order, and then watch them again. You really have to see all of the episodes multiple times to begin to understand how incredible AD is.
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
Not really. I stumbled into it somewhere in the first season and, though confused, loved the ride anyway. Later, due to various life complications, I missed a bunch, then picked it up again somewhere in Season-3, and same basic situation. Loved it anyway.
Then, later again, I got a hold of a few box sets and watched the whole thing in order. And damned if I could tell you how it all played out. Madness, hilarity, complexity, Blue Man Group. I think Arrested Development is ultimately like a great 1970s CONCEPT album (man). Yes, the whole is superior to the various parts, but that doesn't mean the parts aren't bloody amazing, too.
Take that Pink Floyd and your insistence that Dark Side of the Moon can only be sold in its entirety on iTunes. Sorry, just not that important
posted by philip-random at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Not really. I stumbled into it somewhere in the first season and, though confused, loved the ride anyway. Later, due to various life complications, I missed a bunch, then picked it up again somewhere in Season-3, and same basic situation. Loved it anyway.
Then, later again, I got a hold of a few box sets and watched the whole thing in order. And damned if I could tell you how it all played out. Madness, hilarity, complexity, Blue Man Group. I think Arrested Development is ultimately like a great 1970s CONCEPT album (man). Yes, the whole is superior to the various parts, but that doesn't mean the parts aren't bloody amazing, too.
Take that Pink Floyd and your insistence that Dark Side of the Moon can only be sold in its entirety on iTunes. Sorry, just not that important
posted by philip-random at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
We just recently watched the whole series run. And man was that a great way to watch it. And I'm glad that we didn't do it until just now, because I've seen so much cancellation angst and not had to share any of it, and the new stuff was in the works by the time we got around to it. So I highly recommend to anyone feeling angst about it that they get a time machine and just change the past so that they didn't watch it until recently.
If anything, most of the jokes on the show are ingeniously dumb, and how dumb they are is just another level of the joke.
That kind of nails it for me, yeah. It's not like AD was some sort of high brow operation that was above sitcom humor; it was just absolutely, brilliantly self-aware about the stupidity of its jokes, about the ridiculous plot contrivances and the shamelessness of the running jokes. If we're willing to anthropomorphize television shows a little, one of the things going for AD is that it seemed to have fantastic self-esteem.
posted by cortex at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
If anything, most of the jokes on the show are ingeniously dumb, and how dumb they are is just another level of the joke.
That kind of nails it for me, yeah. It's not like AD was some sort of high brow operation that was above sitcom humor; it was just absolutely, brilliantly self-aware about the stupidity of its jokes, about the ridiculous plot contrivances and the shamelessness of the running jokes. If we're willing to anthropomorphize television shows a little, one of the things going for AD is that it seemed to have fantastic self-esteem.
posted by cortex at 10:55 AM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers.
That was why I didn't start watching it after I had heard it was good in the middle of the first season. I watched one episode and out of context who the characters were and what had been established in previous episodes and it wasn't nearly as entertaining as it was when I re-watched it in order. And it's not just the plot being confusing, there were a ton of running gags or funny situations that were only funny if you knew what was going on.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:56 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
That was why I didn't start watching it after I had heard it was good in the middle of the first season. I watched one episode and out of context who the characters were and what had been established in previous episodes and it wasn't nearly as entertaining as it was when I re-watched it in order. And it's not just the plot being confusing, there were a ton of running gags or funny situations that were only funny if you knew what was going on.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:56 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
You absolutely must watch them in order, constantly.
I'm about to make whatever the opposite of a humblebrag is ("awesomepity"?) but I've seen the entire run at least a dozen times and every single time I will discover something I missed before.
posted by griphus at 10:58 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm about to make whatever the opposite of a humblebrag is ("awesomepity"?) but I've seen the entire run at least a dozen times and every single time I will discover something I missed before.
posted by griphus at 10:58 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I wonder if the Bluths will finally get rid of the Seaward.
posted by entropicamericana at 10:58 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 10:58 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
awesomepity is when you're trolling for concern by mentioning how terrible and bad at things you are.
posted by The Whelk at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2012
Remember when we were all excited that they were bringing Futurama back? And what happened?
posted by dunkadunc at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by dunkadunc at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Obama got elected?
posted by TwelveTwo at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by TwelveTwo at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
It continued at the same level of quality more or less with a few freaky scary good episodes like the brain-swapping one.
posted by The Whelk at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
What do you mean, dunkadunc? Quite a few of Futurama's best episodes were produced after it came back.
posted by defenestration at 11:01 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by defenestration at 11:01 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
The new Futurama episodes seem to be taking a combination of the Jurassic Bark pathos and the FX bombast of the movies as the guideline. It's an evolution, for better or worse.
posted by griphus at 11:01 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by griphus at 11:01 AM on August 9, 2012
God I'm so terrible and bad at using quotes around episode names instead of italics.
posted by griphus at 11:02 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by griphus at 11:02 AM on August 9, 2012
I don't see a release date. Has that been announced yet?
posted by KGMoney at 11:02 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by KGMoney at 11:02 AM on August 9, 2012
On the off chance the so called season 4 may suck I'd like to disavow it right now in preparation for saying told you so if it sucks.
posted by Ad hominem at 11:03 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Ad hominem at 11:03 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'm about to make whatever the opposite of a humblebrag is ("awesomepity"?) but I've seen the entire run at least a dozen times and every single time I will discover something I missed before.
Yup. Fourth time through, I finally caught the reference in Buster's "I shall put a fig in my mouth" line in "Exit Strategy", and just about fell off the couch.
posted by Mayor West at 11:04 AM on August 9, 2012
Yup. Fourth time through, I finally caught the reference in Buster's "I shall put a fig in my mouth" line in "Exit Strategy", and just about fell off the couch.
posted by Mayor West at 11:04 AM on August 9, 2012
On the off chance the so called season 4 may suck I'd like to disavow it right now in preparation for saying told you so if it sucks.
"You are a worse psychiatrist than you are a son-in-law, and you will never get work as an actor because you have no talent."
posted by mysticreferee at 11:05 AM on August 9, 2012
"You are a worse psychiatrist than you are a son-in-law, and you will never get work as an actor because you have no talent."
posted by mysticreferee at 11:05 AM on August 9, 2012
I've never watched the show. If I wanted to watch a few episodes to get my feet wet, what would y'all suggest?
zarq: I want you to steal a car . . .
posted by gompa at 11:05 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
zarq: I want you to steal a car . . .
posted by gompa at 11:05 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
"Hands off."
When someone finally pointed out Lucille/ "Loose Seal" my brain melted.
posted by The Whelk at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
When someone finally pointed out Lucille/ "Loose Seal" my brain melted.
posted by The Whelk at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
Offer a subscription to the show, provide complimentary DVDs, provide the back catalog for free, stream new episodes, and so on, and you got yourself a model that benefits from richly weaved high pile continuity.
Arrested Development premiered in 2003 and the finale was in 2005. Hulu, by comparison, was founded in 2007. I think we can forgive both the producers and Fox for not taking the trouble to invent a whole new content service for one television show.
I don't agree with the idea that AD is a show you can't just jump in to. The running gags won't make any sense but nearly every episode has a contained story arc that works fine on its own.
posted by muddgirl at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012
Arrested Development premiered in 2003 and the finale was in 2005. Hulu, by comparison, was founded in 2007. I think we can forgive both the producers and Fox for not taking the trouble to invent a whole new content service for one television show.
I don't agree with the idea that AD is a show you can't just jump in to. The running gags won't make any sense but nearly every episode has a contained story arc that works fine on its own.
posted by muddgirl at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012
workaholics is subversive in it's stupidity. i was fully prepared to hate it but it is kind of amazing.
they turned Office Space into a intentional stoner comedy ripoff and I think they've pulled it off brilliantly.
posted by ninjew at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
they turned Office Space into a intentional stoner comedy ripoff and I think they've pulled it off brilliantly.
posted by ninjew at 11:06 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Fourth time through, I finally caught the reference in Buster's "I shall put a fig in my mouth" line in "Exit Strategy", and just about fell off the couch.
Yeah, I think the last time I around I caught the "Lindsay is incapable of getting men's attention because of third party's interference" running joke.
Also, the dude who locks up the "Free Speech Zone" cage is Neelix from Voyager.
posted by griphus at 11:09 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I think the last time I around I caught the "Lindsay is incapable of getting men's attention because of third party's interference" running joke.
Also, the dude who locks up the "Free Speech Zone" cage is Neelix from Voyager.
posted by griphus at 11:09 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
zarq, I stumbled upon the show by accident, watching one of the episodes from early in season two (Good Grief, the one that parodied Charlie Brown several times). I understood about 80% of the jokes, watched the episode that followed, saw that it referenced the previous show, so I went back to season 1, ep 1 to enjoy it in order and was glad I did.
So you can start anywhere and see if you like it, then go back to S01E01 to do it up right once hooked.
posted by mathowie at 11:09 AM on August 9, 2012
So you can start anywhere and see if you like it, then go back to S01E01 to do it up right once hooked.
posted by mathowie at 11:09 AM on August 9, 2012
Oh, also the show overtly rewards your for watching it in long sittings, rather than episode-by-episode, which probably didn't help when it originally aired.
posted by griphus at 11:10 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 11:10 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Notice it wasn’t something the narrator said."
I wonder if there's a recut without the narrator. Probably not as disturbing as Wonder Years without narration.
posted by tilde at 11:12 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I wonder if there's a recut without the narrator. Probably not as disturbing as Wonder Years without narration.
posted by tilde at 11:12 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I wonder if there's a recut without the narrator.
BLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMY
posted by mysticreferee at 11:14 AM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
BLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMYBLASPHEMY
posted by mysticreferee at 11:14 AM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
"tilde had gone too far and she had best watch her mouth."
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:15 AM on August 9, 2012 [12 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:15 AM on August 9, 2012 [12 favorites]
\O/
posted by symbioid at 11:15 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by symbioid at 11:15 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
There really is no good reason to start anywhere other than the pilot. Unlike any number of other classic comedies - even the hallowed Simpsons and Seinfeld - Arrested Development was firing on all cylinders right out of the gate.
That said, if you insist on watching out of order, simply look for any episode featuring Mr. Carl Weathers. Because that way, no matter what, baby you got a stew goin'.
posted by gompa at 11:16 AM on August 9, 2012
That said, if you insist on watching out of order, simply look for any episode featuring Mr. Carl Weathers. Because that way, no matter what, baby you got a stew goin'.
posted by gompa at 11:16 AM on August 9, 2012
mysticreferee: IN ORDER
defenestration: All of them in order, all three seasons. Three times.
fiercecupcake: watch them in order, and then watch them again.
griphus: You absolutely must watch them in order, constantly.
Greg Nog: Yes, in order. Just start from the beginning.
I'm sensing a mixed message here. ;)
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll watch the pilot and see how it is, then watch 'em in order. :)
posted by zarq at 11:17 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
defenestration: All of them in order, all three seasons. Three times.
fiercecupcake: watch them in order, and then watch them again.
griphus: You absolutely must watch them in order, constantly.
Greg Nog: Yes, in order. Just start from the beginning.
I'm sensing a mixed message here. ;)
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll watch the pilot and see how it is, then watch 'em in order. :)
posted by zarq at 11:17 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
symbioid: \O/
"Steve Holt is a bastard. He doesn’t even know who his real father is. What else don’t we know about Steve Holt? George Michael Bluth is a cool guy. His dad is a powerful executive, working for this man. The girls like him just fine. Young and old, it doesn’t matter... in the dark.
That's why you had me do that?"
posted by mysticreferee at 11:17 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
"Steve Holt is a bastard. He doesn’t even know who his real father is. What else don’t we know about Steve Holt? George Michael Bluth is a cool guy. His dad is a powerful executive, working for this man. The girls like him just fine. Young and old, it doesn’t matter... in the dark.
That's why you had me do that?"
posted by mysticreferee at 11:17 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
I watched a bunch of Saving Grace with my girlfriend, and the protagonist's mother is played by Jessica Walter who is doing her "icy WASP" thing (see also: Archer, her Law and Order cameo) except for the fact that the character is a genuinely good person, but just kind of cold. Every time she showed up in an episode I waited for something horrible to come out of her mouth and it never did.
Jessica Walter trolled me, guys.
posted by griphus at 11:21 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
Jessica Walter trolled me, guys.
posted by griphus at 11:21 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
Greg Nog: It's not like, say, Community, where it takes a while to warm up to how good it is...
Is that right? Encouraging since I'm the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH who doesn't really like Community (after three or so shows). How many episodes should I give it?
posted by robstercraw at 11:22 AM on August 9, 2012
Is that right? Encouraging since I'm the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH who doesn't really like Community (after three or so shows). How many episodes should I give it?
posted by robstercraw at 11:22 AM on August 9, 2012
griphus: Jessica Walter trolled me, guys.
"First they turn you into a monster, and then they call you one."
posted by mysticreferee at 11:22 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
"First they turn you into a monster, and then they call you one."
posted by mysticreferee at 11:22 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll watch the pilot and see how it is, then watch 'em in order. :)
It's not really that you need to watch them in order; it's that after the first two or three, the inspired lunacy grabs you by the throat and COMPELS you to do so. I watched the entire run (finally) for the first time over the course of a weekend last year, and I don't regret a minute of it.
posted by FelliniBlank at 11:23 AM on August 9, 2012
It's not really that you need to watch them in order; it's that after the first two or three, the inspired lunacy grabs you by the throat and COMPELS you to do so. I watched the entire run (finally) for the first time over the course of a weekend last year, and I don't regret a minute of it.
posted by FelliniBlank at 11:23 AM on August 9, 2012
The unsung heroes of that show were in wardrobe. George Michael's pleated shorts alone. And his shirts. Oh, God, and GOB's sandals. Those kill me. Tobias hiding his thunder.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 11:25 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 11:25 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Oh, and, zarq, if the pilot doesn't grab you, watch "S.O.B.s" which is, in my opinion, the best episode of the series, or "Mister F," which spends an entire episode setting up the greatest visual gag in the history of television. Obviously you'll end up spoiling some stuff for yourself, but if you're unenthused by the pilot, it's better to be spoiled than miss out.
posted by griphus at 11:26 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by griphus at 11:26 AM on August 9, 2012
A Terrible Llama: "...Tobias hiding his thunder."
"There are dozens of us! Dozens!"
posted by mysticreferee at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2012
"There are dozens of us! Dozens!"
posted by mysticreferee at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2012
I'm not sure why you WOULDN'T watch them in order. You're unlikely to catch them in syndication as I believe the only channel showing episodes is IFC. That means you're likely going to netflix or some other form of internet delivery to get the episodes... So in that case.... just start with the first one and work your way through.
also, BEST SHOW EVER
posted by matt_od at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2012
also, BEST SHOW EVER
posted by matt_od at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2012
Jessica Walter who is doing her "icy WASP" thing
It is amazingly easy to imagine Lucille Bluth in a shiny uniform stone cold shooting spies in the face.
posted by The Whelk at 11:28 AM on August 9, 2012
It is amazingly easy to imagine Lucille Bluth in a shiny uniform stone cold shooting spies in the face.
posted by The Whelk at 11:28 AM on August 9, 2012
TwelveTwo: "I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers."
You've made a huge mistake.
posted by boo_radley at 11:29 AM on August 9, 2012
You've made a huge mistake.
posted by boo_radley at 11:29 AM on August 9, 2012
Maybe I need to rewatch - but I can stop the show comfortably after season two. Season three kinda sucked, I thought. Especially disliked Charlize Theron character.
posted by mctsonic at 11:30 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mctsonic at 11:30 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I hate it when they hire Yanks to play Brits. You can always tell.
posted by griphus at 11:31 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by griphus at 11:31 AM on August 9, 2012
The Whelk: "It is amazingly easy to imagine Lucille Bluth in a shiny uniform stone cold shooting spies in the face."
Or the Prime Minister of Italy.
posted by boo_radley at 11:32 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Or the Prime Minister of Italy.
posted by boo_radley at 11:32 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I watched them in order straight through, I might have taken breaks to eat but I can't be sure.
posted by Ad hominem at 11:33 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Ad hominem at 11:33 AM on August 9, 2012 [5 favorites]
Community was pretty generic until about 6 episodes in and then it hit its stride.
The realization that dropped my jaw in AD was simply how many hand references there were surrounding buster starting at episode 1. Amazing
posted by slapshot57 at 11:34 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
The realization that dropped my jaw in AD was simply how many hand references there were surrounding buster starting at episode 1. Amazing
posted by slapshot57 at 11:34 AM on August 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
I thought the Theron arc was fine but just too long. That could have been done in and out as a pretty solid two episode arc. But it was fun watching Dave Thomas playing the unconvincing English goon thing to the hilt.
posted by cortex at 11:34 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by cortex at 11:34 AM on August 9, 2012
mctsonic: "... Especially disliked Charlize Theron character."
Pity. Her performances in 'Mr. F' and 'The Ocean Walker' are themselves worth the price of admission to a brilliant Season 3.
... and my favorite part is the continued rise of Maeby.
... and my possible two MVP moments of the show:
"Welcome to the tunnel of Love Indubitably ... OF HELL!!!!!"
"MICHAEL LOVE MARRY"
COME ON!
posted by mysticreferee at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012
Pity. Her performances in 'Mr. F' and 'The Ocean Walker' are themselves worth the price of admission to a brilliant Season 3.
... and my favorite part is the continued rise of Maeby.
... and my possible two MVP moments of the show:
"Welcome to the tunnel of Love Indubitably ... OF HELL!!!!!"
"MICHAEL LOVE MARRY"
COME ON!
posted by mysticreferee at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012
"What's more romantic than a dildo party/murder?'"
posted by The Whelk at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Ad hominem: "On the off chance the so called season 4 may suck I'd like to disavow it right now in preparation for saying told you so if it sucks."
Ah. The Miracle Day gambit...
posted by schmod at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012
Ah. The Miracle Day gambit...
posted by schmod at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012
If I'm ever made a mod around here, this is how every single one of my deletions will go:
Think_Long: [Deleted a few comments, keep it on track you guys. - Mr. Moderator]
mathowie: [Just moderator.]
Think_Long: [Yeah, but you said -]
mathowie: [Doesn't matter who.]
posted by Think_Long at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
Think_Long: [Deleted a few comments, keep it on track you guys. - Mr. Moderator]
mathowie: [Just moderator.]
Think_Long: [Yeah, but you said -]
mathowie: [Doesn't matter who.]
posted by Think_Long at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
LOOK BANNER MICHAEL
posted by The Whelk at 11:36 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:36 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
get people to start talking in cipher.
There's always a banger in the delicious brown taste.
posted by FJT at 11:36 AM on August 9, 2012
There's always a banger in the delicious brown taste.
posted by FJT at 11:36 AM on August 9, 2012
Army had halfday.
posted by Think_Long at 11:38 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 11:38 AM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
Watching the show is always a bit surreal for me cause I know someone who is a DEAD RINGER for Judy Greer As Kitty and whenever she's on I have a few seconds of unreality.
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on August 9, 2012
griphus: "I hate it when they hire Yanks to play Brits. You can always tell."
Given the entire absurd "Wee Britain" context, there's a fair bit of meta-humor to be found in that...
God, I loved that story arc. I've never seen a show so effectively skewer American perceptions of British people. Theron's character was actually fairly redundant to the main gag -- she was simply there to provide a bit of plot to support the jokes.
Oh, and watch out for the Poppins.
posted by schmod at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2012
Given the entire absurd "Wee Britain" context, there's a fair bit of meta-humor to be found in that...
God, I loved that story arc. I've never seen a show so effectively skewer American perceptions of British people. Theron's character was actually fairly redundant to the main gag -- she was simply there to provide a bit of plot to support the jokes.
Oh, and watch out for the Poppins.
posted by schmod at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2012
Wait a second...
AD predicted the London Olympic Opening Ceremonies.
posted by The Whelk at 11:41 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
AD predicted the London Olympic Opening Ceremonies.
posted by The Whelk at 11:41 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
griphus: "I hate it when they hire Yanks to play Brits. You can always tell."
Given the entire absurd "Wee Britain" context, there's a fair bit of meta-humor to be found in that...
It's a quote from one of the Wee Britain episodes.
posted by Think_Long at 11:42 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Given the entire absurd "Wee Britain" context, there's a fair bit of meta-humor to be found in that...
It's a quote from one of the Wee Britain episodes.
posted by Think_Long at 11:42 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Afternoon Delight" was the best half-hour of television ever aired. Full stop.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:42 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:42 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
The last moment of "Afternoon Delight" was probably the second-best closing gag they've had on the show.
posted by griphus at 11:43 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by griphus at 11:43 AM on August 9, 2012
Encouraging since I'm the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH who doesn't really like Community (after three or so shows).
Nah, I didn't like it either. I also didn't like Parks and Rec, and I don't care about either enough to futz around looking for good episodes or to keep trying with them in general. They're both just so meh.
Which actually put me off watching Archer for quite a long time since it gets pushed in a similar way to Community. I did finally start watching Archer a few months ago and love it (so does my husband). I still don't get why those four get lumped in together but whatever.
posted by shelleycat at 11:46 AM on August 9, 2012
Nah, I didn't like it either. I also didn't like Parks and Rec, and I don't care about either enough to futz around looking for good episodes or to keep trying with them in general. They're both just so meh.
Which actually put me off watching Archer for quite a long time since it gets pushed in a similar way to Community. I did finally start watching Archer a few months ago and love it (so does my husband). I still don't get why those four get lumped in together but whatever.
posted by shelleycat at 11:46 AM on August 9, 2012
I loved the bit with Justine Bateman. Watching it was so cringe-inducingly uncomfortable but only because of the out-of-context knowledge that she is Jason Bateman's sister; in the absence of that knowledge the scenes were just regular scenes. It was some seriously awesome meta stuff.
posted by Justinian at 11:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Justinian at 11:53 AM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jessica Walter trolled me, guys.
You should read this interview with her.
posted by Quonab at 11:55 AM on August 9, 2012
You should read this interview with her.
posted by Quonab at 11:55 AM on August 9, 2012
Looking forward to some more Bob Loblaw.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:56 AM on August 9, 2012
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:56 AM on August 9, 2012
I loved the bit with Justine Bateman. Watching it was so cringe-inducingly uncomfortable but only because of the out-of-context knowledge that she is Jason Bateman's sister; in the absence of that knowledge the scenes were just regular scenes. It was some seriously awesome meta stuff.
Yeah she really blew me
posted by hal9k at 11:59 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Yeah she really blew me
posted by hal9k at 11:59 AM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh god, did you guys know that there are detailed Wikipedia articles for each episode? Productivity has just ground to a screeching halt.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:00 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:00 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
hal9k Away?
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:01 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:01 PM on August 9, 2012
TwelveTwo: "I thought it was because the layer of continuity was so thick that later episodes were incomprehensible to new viewers."
This is exactly why television shows with deep continuity arcs -- like Lost, Twin Peaks, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos -- never got a very big audience. HAMBURGER
The actual problem was that viewers weren't ready for that kind of attention in a comedy show.
posted by Plutor at 12:05 PM on August 9, 2012
This is exactly why television shows with deep continuity arcs -- like Lost, Twin Peaks, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos -- never got a very big audience. HAMBURGER
The actual problem was that viewers weren't ready for that kind of attention in a comedy show.
posted by Plutor at 12:05 PM on August 9, 2012
Oh well I guess I will have to watch this show now or be drummed out of metafilter.
posted by elizardbits at 12:08 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by elizardbits at 12:08 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
What do you mean, dunkadunc? Quite a few of Futurama's best episodes were produced after it came back.
Definitely. Yesterday's was a standout, although a lot of the humor was subtle -- Bender made all the decisions for Fry and Leela when breaking into MomCorp when he didn't have free will, and everyone was sure robots would destroy all humans if they had it. That had to have been intentional. Plus the story was very well constructed I thought -- it had two substantial sections devoted just to building up the premise of the story, the whole university sequence and the time on the Robot planet (which was also a nice revisit), both were there just to build up the plot.
The ending was terrific, too. "GUILTY!!!"
What's that you say? There's a show called Arrested Development?
posted by JHarris at 12:08 PM on August 9, 2012
Definitely. Yesterday's was a standout, although a lot of the humor was subtle -- Bender made all the decisions for Fry and Leela when breaking into MomCorp when he didn't have free will, and everyone was sure robots would destroy all humans if they had it. That had to have been intentional. Plus the story was very well constructed I thought -- it had two substantial sections devoted just to building up the premise of the story, the whole university sequence and the time on the Robot planet (which was also a nice revisit), both were there just to build up the plot.
The ending was terrific, too. "GUILTY!!!"
What's that you say? There's a show called Arrested Development?
posted by JHarris at 12:08 PM on August 9, 2012
The show really does not work out of order. I am sure some episodes are hysterical in isolation, but again, only if you have already watched enough episodes. That is the thing. The show builds a language, then tells the majority of its jokes in that language. It builds a culture, a real living world of jokes. Every episode grows the lexicon, adds definitions and twists of meaning, the new meanings reverberate backwards and forwards, each episode reshaping the significance of past episodes. Arrested Development must be interpreted through Arrested Development. It is why the show deepends on re-watching.
I've heard people contrast it with Family Guy. I think we can see the division clearly if we think about it in terms of a language. Arrested Development as engaged in building a culture with its audience.
Family Guy assumes the audience has a shared popular culture. How many jokes in one episode of Family Guy requires a familiarity with 80s movies and Hollywood gossip? The show is written with the strangely hopeful belief that everyone is paying close attention to Popular Culture (a thing which is existing less and less). So, it is not much surprise that the jokes are so shallow, modular, and topical. Every joke is built on the optimistic assumption that the show and audience share the same popular culture, a cultural canon of television shows, movies, and music award ceremonies.
Arrested Development, on the other hand, assumes very little. It takes a much more minimal approach. If the show and audience are in on anything together, then it could only be the show itself. A clever maneuver.
Suddenly, everything is reversed. While Family Guy pokes at popular culture via their characters, Arrested Development pokes at their characters via popular culture. In the first, all is sacrificed unto the altar of popular culture. Parasitically, Family Guy lives off of the culture outside of itself, drawing in what it can to live. In the second, the outside culture is dismantled for parts, it is worked and molded, a parallel culture is built up. Every reference made is made to be re-referenced. While Family Guy is required to keep up, Arrested Development requires that its audience keep up, and so by watching the show you enter it.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012 [29 favorites]
I've heard people contrast it with Family Guy. I think we can see the division clearly if we think about it in terms of a language. Arrested Development as engaged in building a culture with its audience.
Family Guy assumes the audience has a shared popular culture. How many jokes in one episode of Family Guy requires a familiarity with 80s movies and Hollywood gossip? The show is written with the strangely hopeful belief that everyone is paying close attention to Popular Culture (a thing which is existing less and less). So, it is not much surprise that the jokes are so shallow, modular, and topical. Every joke is built on the optimistic assumption that the show and audience share the same popular culture, a cultural canon of television shows, movies, and music award ceremonies.
Arrested Development, on the other hand, assumes very little. It takes a much more minimal approach. If the show and audience are in on anything together, then it could only be the show itself. A clever maneuver.
Suddenly, everything is reversed. While Family Guy pokes at popular culture via their characters, Arrested Development pokes at their characters via popular culture. In the first, all is sacrificed unto the altar of popular culture. Parasitically, Family Guy lives off of the culture outside of itself, drawing in what it can to live. In the second, the outside culture is dismantled for parts, it is worked and molded, a parallel culture is built up. Every reference made is made to be re-referenced. While Family Guy is required to keep up, Arrested Development requires that its audience keep up, and so by watching the show you enter it.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012 [29 favorites]
It will totally ruin the looks of genuine anguish and horror on everyone's faces when I tell them I have never seen it, though, and I really cherish that.
posted by elizardbits at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by elizardbits at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012
I am jealous of Elizardbits watching it for the first time.
There are so many gifs awaiting you.
posted by The Whelk at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
There are so many gifs awaiting you.
posted by The Whelk at 12:09 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
If I wanted to watch a few episodes to get my feet wet, what would y'all suggest? Or do I really need to watch them in order?
As everyone else has already said, start with the pilot, watch them in order, etc. But watch the extended pilot, if you can; it's included on the DVDs, but I'm not sure about Netflix (considering that Netflix lists Firefly episodes by original air date instead of the proper fucking order, I wouldn't be surprised if they've only got the original version of the pilot).
posted by asnider at 12:10 PM on August 9, 2012
As everyone else has already said, start with the pilot, watch them in order, etc. But watch the extended pilot, if you can; it's included on the DVDs, but I'm not sure about Netflix (considering that Netflix lists Firefly episodes by original air date instead of the proper fucking order, I wouldn't be surprised if they've only got the original version of the pilot).
posted by asnider at 12:10 PM on August 9, 2012
Even after countless viewings, this 12-second clip makes me laugh harder than almost anything else in the show -- especially knowing that Will Arnett is genuinely in hysterics, too.
I've got to head out the door, but I look forward to coming home this evening and reading through the next 800 or so quotes.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I've got to head out the door, but I look forward to coming home this evening and reading through the next 800 or so quotes.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
What if you watched the pilot when it originally aired and the next episode, too, and never laughed once, and gave up? Is there an episode that will convert you? Hypothetically.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012
Given the entire absurd "Wee Britain" context
This is possibly a stretch, but I was always on the lookout for possible real-life Orange County references in the show since I grew up there and lived there during the original run. (Of course they never actually shot in OC...I think there was one establishing shot of the Balboa ferry in the pilot, and that was it.) Anyway, at the time I took Wee Britain to be a reference to the Old World Village in Huntington Beach. So there is some real-life basis to the idea of a little themed old-world European village setting.
posted by anazgnos at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012
This is possibly a stretch, but I was always on the lookout for possible real-life Orange County references in the show since I grew up there and lived there during the original run. (Of course they never actually shot in OC...I think there was one establishing shot of the Balboa ferry in the pilot, and that was it.) Anyway, at the time I took Wee Britain to be a reference to the Old World Village in Huntington Beach. So there is some real-life basis to the idea of a little themed old-world European village setting.
posted by anazgnos at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2012
Assume also that you are not hostile to the idea of actually liking the show. It wasn't the show. It was you.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:16 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:16 PM on August 9, 2012
What if you watched the pilot when it originally aired and the next episode, too, and never laughed once, and gave up? Is there an episode that will convert you? Hypothetically.
I couldn't get into the show when it was airing. What worked for me eventually was to get a little distance from the hype. It allowed me to reset my expectations for it. The show doesn't live up to the reputation it gets - not because it isn't great, but because no show possibly could. So I'd watch it and be waiting for this rapturous experience everyone was going on about, this renaissance in comedy, and of course it never came.
Years later I had a bit of spare time and hadn't heard much about the show in the interim, and sat down and watched it from the beginning and I loved it. So maybe try that in whatever way works best for you.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 12:18 PM on August 9, 2012
I couldn't get into the show when it was airing. What worked for me eventually was to get a little distance from the hype. It allowed me to reset my expectations for it. The show doesn't live up to the reputation it gets - not because it isn't great, but because no show possibly could. So I'd watch it and be waiting for this rapturous experience everyone was going on about, this renaissance in comedy, and of course it never came.
Years later I had a bit of spare time and hadn't heard much about the show in the interim, and sat down and watched it from the beginning and I loved it. So maybe try that in whatever way works best for you.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 12:18 PM on August 9, 2012
It's Raining Florence Henderson: In your hypothetical situation, which I'm sure is 100% hypothetical, I think the answer is probably "no," but it would help to know what, hypothetically, you didn't like about the first two episodes. You know, for the sake of argument.
That said, watching several episodes in a row helps to reveal just how tightly woven the entire show is. Watching on DVD/Netflix, rather than when it originally aired with a week between each episode, makes the show much more enjoyable. But, if one were to hypothetically not enjoy it at all, then watching it in concentrated doses might not actually make a difference. Hypothetically.
posted by asnider at 12:23 PM on August 9, 2012
That said, watching several episodes in a row helps to reveal just how tightly woven the entire show is. Watching on DVD/Netflix, rather than when it originally aired with a week between each episode, makes the show much more enjoyable. But, if one were to hypothetically not enjoy it at all, then watching it in concentrated doses might not actually make a difference. Hypothetically.
posted by asnider at 12:23 PM on August 9, 2012
I wonder if they will finally have the reveal about Tobias being a black man - they have certainly laid all of the groundwork.
posted by synthetik at 12:23 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by synthetik at 12:23 PM on August 9, 2012
What if you watched the pilot when it originally aired and the next episode, too, and never laughed once, and gave up? Is there an episode that will convert you? Hypothetically.
I've been told to watch the first season, but what people really mean to say: watch all of it, and then you'll laugh at the first episode. Basically: have faith, then you'll have your evidence.
But then, I dunno, I gave up after three episodes. But I perceive watching television in series as less an enjoyment more an obligation.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:23 PM on August 9, 2012
This thread was supposed to be full of quotes and YouTube clips to help me waste away the rest of the day. What the fuck, guys.
posted by kbanas at 12:24 PM on August 9, 2012 [9 favorites]
posted by kbanas at 12:24 PM on August 9, 2012 [9 favorites]
Yeah, I think the last time I around I caught the "Lindsay is incapable of getting men's attention because of third party's interference" running joke.
Wait, what is this? I don't remember this running joke, and am not immediately recalling seeing it there.
posted by Rory Marinich at 12:29 PM on August 9, 2012
Wait, what is this? I don't remember this running joke, and am not immediately recalling seeing it there.
posted by Rory Marinich at 12:29 PM on August 9, 2012
I'm too busy at Army to provide an endless list of quotes, man.
posted by LionIndex at 12:29 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by LionIndex at 12:29 PM on August 9, 2012
Wait one half hour, kbanas. The nay wagon will wheel out of town, and the quotin ho down will begin.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2012
As a Community-disliking heretic (not to mention my abiding hatred for geek-favorite Deep Space Nine), I hereby give permission for people to not like Arrested Development. No, you don't have to watch the whole first season to find the first episode funny. Either you like that brand of humor or you don't. Maybe try it again in 10 years or something, but please don't torture yourself because of peer pressure.
posted by muddgirl at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by muddgirl at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2012
So excited about this. I am also one of the few who never liked Community - caught a few in the first season and just didn't get the appeal, it left me flat every time. Then I watched the Law and Order one, and it hit me suddenly - like a load of bricks from the sky - this, this is FUNNY SHIT. Next thing I knew I was crying from laughing, and my youngest son and I (he also disliked it previously) kept looking at each other, and going, "How did we ever not like this?"
Always loved Arrested Development. Loved every episode. I should rewatch them all and see if I can indoctrinate my youngest son.
posted by routergirl at 12:33 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Always loved Arrested Development. Loved every episode. I should rewatch them all and see if I can indoctrinate my youngest son.
posted by routergirl at 12:33 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
kbanas: "This thread was supposed to be full of quotes and YouTube clips to help me waste away the rest of the day."
Maybe you could pop a tent outside with your cousin Maeby, it'd be a good chance to rub off on her.
posted by the_artificer at 12:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Maybe you could pop a tent outside with your cousin Maeby, it'd be a good chance to rub off on her.
posted by the_artificer at 12:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Peers only pressure you to watch something so to share it with you, to share a laugh, share an experience, a culture, a culture which is not yet yours. They only have their best interests at heart. It is all a lot like Colonialism.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Nah, I didn't like it either. I also didn't like Parks and Rec, and I don't care about either enough to futz around looking for good episodes or to keep trying with them in general. They're both just so meh.
There's a number of shows that pretty much sucked through their first episode or three, or even an entire first season, because they were either trying to follow a formula too hard or were trying to fit a theme that had been chosen by the suits. The US version of The Office was supposed to be a photocopy of the UK version, until they let the writers and the cast make their own world and. NBC wanted Parks and Rec to be essentially a spinoff of The Office, until they realized that Amy Poehler worked better as someone who was extremely enthusastic about civil service rather than a female Michael Scott and let Nick Offerman own Ron Swanson. Cougar Town was supposed to be a show that ABC could market as Courtney Cox banging younger dudes, until they remembered that it was run by the folks who made Scrubs and worked better as an ensemble show about friends and family. Community was kind of meh until they took the focus off Joel McHale and Chevy Chase in favor of the rest of the cast, Danny Pudi and Don Glover especially, and the supporting semi-regulars.
Personal opinion may vary, of course, but it's sometimes worth it to give something a little extra time to sink in. If it's still not your bag, don't feel bad about dumping it.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
There's a number of shows that pretty much sucked through their first episode or three, or even an entire first season, because they were either trying to follow a formula too hard or were trying to fit a theme that had been chosen by the suits. The US version of The Office was supposed to be a photocopy of the UK version, until they let the writers and the cast make their own world and. NBC wanted Parks and Rec to be essentially a spinoff of The Office, until they realized that Amy Poehler worked better as someone who was extremely enthusastic about civil service rather than a female Michael Scott and let Nick Offerman own Ron Swanson. Cougar Town was supposed to be a show that ABC could market as Courtney Cox banging younger dudes, until they remembered that it was run by the folks who made Scrubs and worked better as an ensemble show about friends and family. Community was kind of meh until they took the focus off Joel McHale and Chevy Chase in favor of the rest of the cast, Danny Pudi and Don Glover especially, and the supporting semi-regulars.
Personal opinion may vary, of course, but it's sometimes worth it to give something a little extra time to sink in. If it's still not your bag, don't feel bad about dumping it.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
kbanas: "This thread was supposed to be full of quotes and YouTube clips to help me waste away the rest of the day. What the fuck, guys."
Like the guy in the three thousand dollar suit is going to be searching YouTube for you. COME ON.
posted by Plutor at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
Like the guy in the three thousand dollar suit is going to be searching YouTube for you. COME ON.
posted by Plutor at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [14 favorites]
I don't like any of the Star Wars films. There I said it.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ad hominem at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
And THAT'S why you always leave a note!
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:42 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:42 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Cougar Town was supposed to be a show that ABC could market as Courtney Cox banging younger dudes...
So, wait, the title of the show actually kind of made sense based on the original (and apparently terrible) concept, then?
/derail
posted by asnider at 12:42 PM on August 9, 2012
So, wait, the title of the show actually kind of made sense based on the original (and apparently terrible) concept, then?
/derail
posted by asnider at 12:42 PM on August 9, 2012
Maybe you could pop a tent outside with your cousin Maeby, it'd be a good chance to rub off on her.
Maybe I'll put it in her brownie.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:44 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Maybe I'll put it in her brownie.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:44 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
WELCOME HOYOU'RE KILLINGME, BUSTER
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:48 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:48 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
So, wait, the title of the show actually kind of made sense based on the original (and apparently terrible) concept, then?
Yep. They've spent most of the last two seasons mocking the title, network, and other shows via each episode's title cards. They also had background cameos with the cast of Community (who returned the favor).
posted by zombieflanders at 12:49 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yep. They've spent most of the last two seasons mocking the title, network, and other shows via each episode's title cards. They also had background cameos with the cast of Community (who returned the favor).
posted by zombieflanders at 12:49 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Futurama went from "Well, it's a space ship. So I'd say anywhere between zero and one." to "I've got to... raise the CPU voltage" (in reference to CPU overclocking) after it came back, so I'm not going to blue myself holding my breath waiting.
posted by fragmede at 12:51 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fragmede at 12:51 PM on August 9, 2012
I've always kinda hoped they would show Tracy, Michael's deceased wife, at some point. They never even show a picture of her. But then I usually get distracted wondering about George Sr.'s father and the genesis of the Bluth Company (referenced in Ready, Aim, Marry Me!) and before long I'm writing scripts for episodes that will never happen again.
posted by clockzero at 12:53 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by clockzero at 12:53 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
FAMOUS MONSTER: Years later I had a bit of spare time and hadn't heard much about the show in the interim, and sat down and watched it from the beginning and I loved it.
Yeah, I suppose it might be time to give it another try. Might just not have been what I was in the mood for at the time.
asnider: it would help to know what, hypothetically, you didn't like about the first two episodes
Obviously, it's been awhile, but I don't have any strong memory of not liking something about it. It just didn't grab me. But people whose opinions I respect seem to think it's the shit, so I was wondering if there was an episode or two that might be more likely to buy me a clue, given that the previous advice to watch it in order hadn't proved effective in the past for me.
Community didn't grab me until season 2, either. Now it's one of my favorites. But I seem to be hearing that AD was pretty much AD from the start. So I guess if I give the first few episodes another try and they still don't grab me, then I'm probably just a lost soul.
Thanks.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:59 PM on August 9, 2012
Yeah, I suppose it might be time to give it another try. Might just not have been what I was in the mood for at the time.
asnider: it would help to know what, hypothetically, you didn't like about the first two episodes
Obviously, it's been awhile, but I don't have any strong memory of not liking something about it. It just didn't grab me. But people whose opinions I respect seem to think it's the shit, so I was wondering if there was an episode or two that might be more likely to buy me a clue, given that the previous advice to watch it in order hadn't proved effective in the past for me.
Community didn't grab me until season 2, either. Now it's one of my favorites. But I seem to be hearing that AD was pretty much AD from the start. So I guess if I give the first few episodes another try and they still don't grab me, then I'm probably just a lost soul.
Thanks.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:59 PM on August 9, 2012
Remember when we were all excited that they were bringing Futurama back? And what happened?
Judging from the first half of season 6, it was later-Simpsons-esque. Forced references to current events. Also, Fry cried over Leela basically every episode.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 1:02 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Judging from the first half of season 6, it was later-Simpsons-esque. Forced references to current events. Also, Fry cried over Leela basically every episode.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 1:02 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Community didn't grab me until season 2, either. Now it's one of my favorites. But I seem to be hearing that AD was pretty much AD from the start. So I guess if I give the first few episodes another try and they still don't grab me, then I'm probably just a lost soul.
If it helps at all, I watched Community during the same stretch of time as AD (I was unemployed) and I remember really clearly thinking, "Hm, this is decent I guess but I don't know if I'm really getting into it," and then suddenly realized I was on my sixth episode, so that seemed to answer that question. AD may be the same for you, I don't know.
But again, adjust expectations. It's a really good show and I enjoy it a lot, but it does not live up to the hype. This has nothing to do with the show and everything to do with the hype.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:04 PM on August 9, 2012
If it helps at all, I watched Community during the same stretch of time as AD (I was unemployed) and I remember really clearly thinking, "Hm, this is decent I guess but I don't know if I'm really getting into it," and then suddenly realized I was on my sixth episode, so that seemed to answer that question. AD may be the same for you, I don't know.
But again, adjust expectations. It's a really good show and I enjoy it a lot, but it does not live up to the hype. This has nothing to do with the show and everything to do with the hype.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:04 PM on August 9, 2012
hello!
posted by LionIndex at 1:07 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by LionIndex at 1:07 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
Fans of both AD and Game of Thrones/ASOIAF may enjoy Arrested Westeros.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Is that right? Encouraging since I'm the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH who doesn't really like Community (after three or so shows). How many episodes should I give it?
I hate Community. To me it's self referential in a 'haw haw aren't we clever geddit geddit' desperate kind of way.
When I first sat down to watch AD, I sat stone faced through the first episode. I watched the second episode and laughed twice. I watched the third episode and found myself lying on the floor screaming with laughter after the first ten minutes.
You have to get acclimated to the the show's culture and symbolism is in before you can understand what is funny. AD doesn't care if you don't get why it's funny- they don't stop and explain and hold your hand until you laugh like so many others. That's why it's a smart show for people who like dumb jokes.
posted by winna at 1:19 PM on August 9, 2012
I hate Community. To me it's self referential in a 'haw haw aren't we clever geddit geddit' desperate kind of way.
When I first sat down to watch AD, I sat stone faced through the first episode. I watched the second episode and laughed twice. I watched the third episode and found myself lying on the floor screaming with laughter after the first ten minutes.
You have to get acclimated to the the show's culture and symbolism is in before you can understand what is funny. AD doesn't care if you don't get why it's funny- they don't stop and explain and hold your hand until you laugh like so many others. That's why it's a smart show for people who like dumb jokes.
posted by winna at 1:19 PM on August 9, 2012
We opened this vodka and now we have to finish it or it goes stale.
posted by The Whelk at 1:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
Also, I love how they just ever so slightly redeemed Lucille's character with "This is America, baby. You pray how you want."
posted by griphus at 1:26 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by griphus at 1:26 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
The fact that you call it pop-pop tells me you're not ready.
posted by The Whelk at 1:31 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:31 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Can I just say that it took me twenty years of living in this goddamn country to figure out that "Pop Secret" was a pun?
posted by griphus at 1:32 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 1:32 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
This thread makes me want to eat a whole thing of candy beans.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
OH MY GOD
posted by elizardbits at 1:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 1:34 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
wait is it a pun of top secret y/n
posted by elizardbits at 1:35 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by elizardbits at 1:35 PM on August 9, 2012
omg
posted by elizardbits at 1:36 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 1:36 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
I've been living here all my life and never knew that, griphus. AMERICA'S FAILING SCHOOLS FILM AT ELEVEN.
Also are there poffin secret brand snacks in the pokeverse
posted by winna at 1:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also are there poffin secret brand snacks in the pokeverse
posted by winna at 1:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
You guys will never look at Jessica Walter the same way after you see her young and psycho in Play Misty for Me. It's on Netflix Instant.
posted by AugieAugustus at 1:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by AugieAugustus at 1:37 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well what do you expect, Mother? I'm half machine!
posted by shakespeherian at 1:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I like "Arrested Development" season 3 - the "for British Eyes Only" arc is very funny.
The first few seasons aren't that great. And before you dismiss me with "you're just not smart enough to appreciate true genius," let me explain why, concretely:
They thought they were too good to write jokes. Like the bit where a prisoner is repeatedly referred to as a "flamer," and you're meant to think it means "gay," but it turns out to mean "Arsonist."
Yeah. I see what you did there. You made up a funny double meaning. But you didn't *do* anything with it. There was no comedy as a result of someone misunderstanding this.
Now I'm sure someone will say, "that's the genius of it, maaannn. They don't go for the obvious." No. That's what comedy *is*, from Shakespeare on down. If you don't do anything with the misunderstanding, it's really not comedy. They learned that by Season 3, which is why it's so much better.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:39 PM on August 9, 2012
The first few seasons aren't that great. And before you dismiss me with "you're just not smart enough to appreciate true genius," let me explain why, concretely:
They thought they were too good to write jokes. Like the bit where a prisoner is repeatedly referred to as a "flamer," and you're meant to think it means "gay," but it turns out to mean "Arsonist."
Yeah. I see what you did there. You made up a funny double meaning. But you didn't *do* anything with it. There was no comedy as a result of someone misunderstanding this.
Now I'm sure someone will say, "that's the genius of it, maaannn. They don't go for the obvious." No. That's what comedy *is*, from Shakespeare on down. If you don't do anything with the misunderstanding, it's really not comedy. They learned that by Season 3, which is why it's so much better.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:39 PM on August 9, 2012
Luce, that fur cost more than your house! ....Oh that's how we joke. She doesn't even have a house.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:42 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:42 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
They didn't sneak into this country to be your friend.
posted by The Whelk at 1:45 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:45 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
drjimmy11: Now, see I think that's why it's so brilliant and why it stands up to repeat viewing. Every joke, from the stupid to the sublime, is tossed off with the same deadpan coolness. So you can totally miss things the first time around, and you get them on teh second viewing, but then there are other things that you miss and you don't realize it until the third viewing, etc. Layers.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 1:46 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by rabbitrabbit at 1:46 PM on August 9, 2012
Oh and that old racist woman choked on Buster's thumb.
posted by The Whelk at 1:46 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 1:46 PM on August 9, 2012
...with club sauce.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:47 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:47 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
drjimmy11: "the "for British Eyes Only" arc is very funny. [...] The first few seasons aren't that great."
That's the exact moment I realized you were going to be wrong.
posted by Plutor at 1:50 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
That's the exact moment I realized you were going to be wrong.
posted by Plutor at 1:50 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
There was no comedy as a result of someone misunderstanding this.
I dunno, I think it plays pretty nicely into the whole "There's always money in the banana stand" thing.
posted by asnider at 1:54 PM on August 9, 2012
I dunno, I think it plays pretty nicely into the whole "There's always money in the banana stand" thing.
posted by asnider at 1:54 PM on August 9, 2012
There was no comedy as a result of someone misunderstanding this.
Misunderstanding generates comedy when the audience knows about the misunderstanding-- that's dramatic irony. In that episode, the audience also assumes that George Sr. means 'flamer' to mean 'gay,' just as Michael does, so this misunderstanding isn't supposed to function as a joke, but as a part of a little parlor mystery. The second time you watch the episode, you know that 'flamer' means 'arsonist,' and the way Michael just rolls his eyes and moves on is funny because, just like when George Sr. says 'There's always money in the banana stand' he's explaining things very clearly to Michael in a way that Michael completely ignores.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:58 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
Misunderstanding generates comedy when the audience knows about the misunderstanding-- that's dramatic irony. In that episode, the audience also assumes that George Sr. means 'flamer' to mean 'gay,' just as Michael does, so this misunderstanding isn't supposed to function as a joke, but as a part of a little parlor mystery. The second time you watch the episode, you know that 'flamer' means 'arsonist,' and the way Michael just rolls his eyes and moves on is funny because, just like when George Sr. says 'There's always money in the banana stand' he's explaining things very clearly to Michael in a way that Michael completely ignores.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:58 PM on August 9, 2012 [6 favorites]
See also: giving Lucille afternoon delight in her brownie, season 2.
posted by LionIndex at 2:01 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by LionIndex at 2:01 PM on August 9, 2012
Sandwiches?
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:02 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:02 PM on August 9, 2012
Bees?
posted by shakespeherian at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
GOB's not on board
posted by ninjew at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by ninjew at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
NTM the whole "hermano" arc from season 1.
posted by LionIndex at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by LionIndex at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
From The Cabin Show, which is like perfect quip ping-pong
Michael Bluth: You seem more villainous than usual, Mom; are you sober?
Lucille: Michael, it's eight a.m.
Michael Bluth: So, it's not that.
Lucille: I don't know. Maybe it's because I went off my post-partum medication.
Michael Bluth: You were still taking that? You had Buster thirty-two years ago.
Lucille: And that's how long I've been depressed about him.
Lucille: Well, apparently, mood-altering medication leads to street drugs. That's what this very handsome young doctor said on the Today Show.
Michael Bluth: That was Tom Cruise, the actor.
Lucille: They said he was some kind of scientist.
posted by The Whelk at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [10 favorites]
Michael Bluth: You seem more villainous than usual, Mom; are you sober?
Lucille: Michael, it's eight a.m.
Michael Bluth: So, it's not that.
Lucille: I don't know. Maybe it's because I went off my post-partum medication.
Michael Bluth: You were still taking that? You had Buster thirty-two years ago.
Lucille: And that's how long I've been depressed about him.
Lucille: Well, apparently, mood-altering medication leads to street drugs. That's what this very handsome young doctor said on the Today Show.
Michael Bluth: That was Tom Cruise, the actor.
Lucille: They said he was some kind of scientist.
posted by The Whelk at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2012 [10 favorites]
Let me find something on YouTube to show you how really stupid this show was.
(FOOTAGE NOT AVAILABLE)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 2:07 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
(FOOTAGE NOT AVAILABLE)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 2:07 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
That's what comedy *is*, from Shakespeare on down. If you don't do anything with the misunderstanding, it's really not comedy.
Shakespeare wrote a huge number of throwaway puns like the kind you are talking about. Also "not really comedy" is skirting around the issue of whether it's actually funny or not, and it's easier to make hand-wavy arguments about how something isn't real comedy than it is to argue that something isn't really funny. I think Louie C.K.'s current show is less representative of a traditional comedy show than anything he's ever done and it's still one of the funniest things on TV.
posted by burnmp3s at 2:07 PM on August 9, 2012
Shakespeare wrote a huge number of throwaway puns like the kind you are talking about. Also "not really comedy" is skirting around the issue of whether it's actually funny or not, and it's easier to make hand-wavy arguments about how something isn't real comedy than it is to argue that something isn't really funny. I think Louie C.K.'s current show is less representative of a traditional comedy show than anything he's ever done and it's still one of the funniest things on TV.
posted by burnmp3s at 2:07 PM on August 9, 2012
All the times they sneak in a character saying "The O.C." and Michael says, "Don't call it that." (Not sure if the reason why is a spoiler or not.) There are SO MANY. Some of them are very quiet.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:10 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:10 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
They were not making fun of Andy Rooney. I cannot stress that enough.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on August 9, 2012
Oh, man, the "don't call it that" joke is going to be lost in time. I can't wait to explain to, I don't know, my future kids that Arrested Development was on around the same time as a very popular and now utterly-forgotten prime-time sitcom called The O.C. and just shut up and watch.
posted by griphus at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
All the times they sneak in a character saying "The O.C." and Michael says, "Don't call it that." (Not sure if the reason why is a spoiler or not.)
I missed that the first TWO times I watched the show! I had to watch it three times to catch that joke!
posted by muddgirl at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012
I missed that the first TWO times I watched the show! I had to watch it three times to catch that joke!
posted by muddgirl at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012
Prediction: Call Me Maeby set-up joke in S04E01.
posted by vidur at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [10 favorites]
posted by vidur at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [10 favorites]
Arrested Development creators. I know you read every mention of your show in every blog, so listen up. Give Buster his hand back. Have a quick series of flashbacks about how the hand was rescued and repeatedly grafted on to the wrong amputees keeping it alive but having it rejected again and again, until they realized it was his.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
I'M A MONSTER
posted by shakespeherian at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
What? No. It's because his wife died of ovarian cancer.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
It's both, I think.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:17 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by shakespeherian at 2:17 PM on August 9, 2012
It's both!
posted by griphus at 2:17 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 2:17 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Wow...I always thought he just hated the show's abbreviation. Mind blown.
posted by milestogo at 2:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by milestogo at 2:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Also I'm from San Diego and have never heard anyone refer to Orange County as The O.C. except in reference to that show.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:20 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:20 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, Richard Belzer appeared as both Det. Munch ("Exit Strategy") and himself ("S.O.B.'s") which has implications I cannot even begin to understand.
posted by griphus at 2:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 2:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
when are you going to learn that there's no such thing as free shrimp?
posted by The Whelk at 2:23 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 2:23 PM on August 9, 2012
Also, Richard Belzer appeared as both Det. Munch ("Exit Strategy") and himself ("S.O.B.'s") which has implications I cannot even begin to understand.
Actually, I'm pretty sure it means AD is the Singularity.
posted by AugieAugustus at 2:24 PM on August 9, 2012
Actually, I'm pretty sure it means AD is the Singularity.
posted by AugieAugustus at 2:24 PM on August 9, 2012
What? No. It's because his wife died of ovarian cancer.
I've watched this series 6 fucking times and I never got that?
COME ON!
posted by Think_Long at 2:27 PM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
I've watched this series 6 fucking times and I never got that?
COME ON!
posted by Think_Long at 2:27 PM on August 9, 2012 [8 favorites]
kbanas: "This thread was supposed to be full of quotes and YouTube clips to help me waste away the rest of the day. What the fuck, guys."
Like the guy in the three thousand dollar suit is going to be searching YouTube for you. COME ON.
posted by Plutor at 12:38 PM on August 9 [6 favorites +] [!]
COME ON!!!
posted by smartypantz at 2:32 PM on August 9, 2012
Like the guy in the three thousand dollar suit is going to be searching YouTube for you. COME ON.
posted by Plutor at 12:38 PM on August 9 [6 favorites +] [!]
COME ON!!!
posted by smartypantz at 2:32 PM on August 9, 2012
I'm kind of dying to make a cookbook now, but I'm sure someone's already done it. Hot ham water. Club sauce. Chicken in chicken sauce. Candy beans. Frozen bananas, duh. A paper bag with a dead dove in it.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
And stew, of course.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2012
I don't know how we'll get the recipe for the Bluth frozen bananas, though.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:38 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:38 PM on August 9, 2012
You forgot Dr. Funke's 100% Natural Goodtime Family Bran Solution.
posted by AugieAugustus at 2:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by AugieAugustus at 2:38 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I never got the OC/ovarian cancer connection (I only assumed he was referencing The O.C.) Oooo, this makes me hopeful that there are more gags that I've missed -- I want to watch AD again, now.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 2:39 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 2:39 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Aaaand you're the chicken, not me. Cluck cluck cluck clcuk cluck cluckaAAAAH!"
posted by smartypantz at 2:45 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by smartypantz at 2:45 PM on August 9, 2012
Michael and Women!
posted by Apropos of Something at 2:46 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Apropos of Something at 2:46 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Girl-Michael?
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:47 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:47 PM on August 9, 2012
Her name's Ann, Dad, and he isn't going on her.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:51 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:51 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
For some reason I really like watching Bateman flub his lines (NSFW language)
posted by The Whelk at 2:52 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 2:52 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
You were almost arrested for those business cards...
posted by smartypantz at 2:54 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by smartypantz at 2:54 PM on August 9, 2012
It took me far too long to get the significance of Tobias's one book passage:
"...for there's a man inside me, and only when he's finally out can I walk free of pain."
posted by Rory Marinich at 3:15 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
"...for there's a man inside me, and only when he's finally out can I walk free of pain."
posted by Rory Marinich at 3:15 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'll leave when I'm good and ready.
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'll leave when I'm good and ready.
posted by entropicamericana at 3:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 3:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I was waiting for that joke to show up.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 3:42 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by rabbitrabbit at 3:42 PM on August 9, 2012
fiercecupcake: "I'm kind of dying to make a cookbook now, but I'm sure someone's already done it. Hot ham water. Club sauce. Chicken in chicken sauce. Candy beans. Frozen bananas, duh. A paper bag with a dead dove in it."
cornballs.
posted by boo_radley at 3:46 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
cornballs.
posted by boo_radley at 3:46 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
They were not making fun of Andy Rooney. I cannot stress that enough.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on August 9 [+] [!]
LOL.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:50 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on August 9 [+] [!]
LOL.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:50 PM on August 9, 2012
(Is anyone else craving a mayo-negg right about now?)
posted by mudpuppie at 3:52 PM on August 9, 2012
posted by mudpuppie at 3:52 PM on August 9, 2012
That musty old claptrap?
...
...
...
Ah...the cabin! yes...
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:55 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
...
...
...
Ah...the cabin! yes...
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:55 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
He hates "The OC" because nobody who lives there calls it that, and people who aren't from there might call it that, and then second-of-ly, his wife is dead.
posted by clockzero at 4:08 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by clockzero at 4:08 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Another vote for watching and rewatching -- I just (now) figured out that the title of the "Missing Kitty" episode works on three whole different levels. Whoa.
posted by mudpuppie at 4:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mudpuppie at 4:21 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm pretty certain I've watched each Arrested Development episode at least eight times. Some more.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by dunkadunc at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
...her?
posted by gaspode at 5:15 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by gaspode at 5:15 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
So the first episode is still going to be about Michael. Michael...
posted by buzzv at 5:20 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by buzzv at 5:20 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
wait is it a pun of top secret y/n
?
"Pop Secret" is a kind of microwavable popcorn. The running joke is that Oscar is actually Buster's father, and clues are constantly dropped for Buster and he never picks up on it, until the phrase "pop secret" is uttered.
posted by King Bee at 5:24 PM on August 9, 2012
?
"Pop Secret" is a kind of microwavable popcorn. The running joke is that Oscar is actually Buster's father, and clues are constantly dropped for Buster and he never picks up on it, until the phrase "pop secret" is uttered.
posted by King Bee at 5:24 PM on August 9, 2012
"Hands off."
When someone finally pointed out Lucille/ "Loose Seal" my brain melted.
posted by The Whelk
That was a great joke, but for me it was realising "your cousin Maeby" = "your cousin, maybe" in reference to all the incest story lines.
Seriously, they were setting up jokes in the first season that only paid off in the third...
posted by trialex at 5:25 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
When someone finally pointed out Lucille/ "Loose Seal" my brain melted.
posted by The Whelk
That was a great joke, but for me it was realising "your cousin Maeby" = "your cousin, maybe" in reference to all the incest story lines.
Seriously, they were setting up jokes in the first season that only paid off in the third...
posted by trialex at 5:25 PM on August 9, 2012 [4 favorites]
I'd love to see more episodes of Mr. Reinhold's Courtroom.
posted by King Bee at 5:28 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by King Bee at 5:28 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Once of my favorite running jokes is that GOB knew the word for 'brother' in many languages except Spanish, even though he took Spanish in high school.
posted by littlesq at 5:39 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by littlesq at 5:39 PM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
"your cousin Maeby" = "your cousin, maybe"
how did I miss that all these years! How can one show have so many layers of awesome?
posted by Auden at 5:53 PM on August 9, 2012
how did I miss that all these years! How can one show have so many layers of awesome?
posted by Auden at 5:53 PM on August 9, 2012
One of my favorite things from season 3 is how after the family goes on the Judge Reinhold show, it becomes a thing for them to say "well excuse me, Judge Reinhold, but..." as a rejoinder.
I also love Justine Bateman's character so much I could die. The meta-humor in her actually being Jason Bateman's sister is too much to handle.
posted by King Bee at 5:58 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I also love Justine Bateman's character so much I could die. The meta-humor in her actually being Jason Bateman's sister is too much to handle.
posted by King Bee at 5:58 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I think AD needs the pop-up video treatment - I've only seen it once, and I know sooo much went over my head.
posted by K0dama at 6:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by K0dama at 6:19 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I dunno, I think it plays pretty nicely into the whole "There's always money in the banana stand" thing.
Oh, almost definitely!
posted by junco at 6:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, almost definitely!
posted by junco at 6:40 PM on August 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I would buy the "Big Yellow Joint" 7" single.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 6:43 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 6:43 PM on August 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
You taste these tears! Taste my sad, Michael.
posted by this one is danny at 12:45 AM on August 10, 2012
posted by this one is danny at 12:45 AM on August 10, 2012
OK, who'd like a banger in the mouth?
posted by krinklyfig at 4:14 AM on August 10, 2012
posted by krinklyfig at 4:14 AM on August 10, 2012
Michael: Could it be love?
Gob: I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite - it's like my heart is getting hard.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:25 AM on August 10, 2012 [3 favorites]
Gob: I know what an erection feels like, Michael. No, it's the opposite - it's like my heart is getting hard.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:25 AM on August 10, 2012 [3 favorites]
Oh yay, we're at the posting quotes part!
I'm a complete failure. I can't even fake the death of a stripper.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 8:15 AM on August 10, 2012
I'm a complete failure. I can't even fake the death of a stripper.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 8:15 AM on August 10, 2012
JUICE?!!
posted by Think_Long at 9:21 AM on August 10, 2012
posted by Think_Long at 9:21 AM on August 10, 2012
Is all that juice for us? This party is going to be off the hook.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:16 AM on August 10, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 10:16 AM on August 10, 2012 [3 favorites]
Oh my god! A hook reference I didn't catch before!
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:21 AM on August 10, 2012
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:21 AM on August 10, 2012
I can't be the only one who winks at the medicine bottle.
posted by Room 641-A at 11:24 AM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Room 641-A at 11:24 AM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've heard people contrast it with Family Guy.
OMG I'm sold.
posted by dhartung at 11:38 AM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
OMG I'm sold.
posted by dhartung at 11:38 AM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
that's it; i'm re-watching the whole damn thing.
posted by likeatoaster at 1:34 PM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by likeatoaster at 1:34 PM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
To everyone watching for the first time:
Watch all the episodes in order, but re-watch the pilot before watching the finale. Seriously, there are jokes set up in the PILOT that don't pay off until the FINALE. It's wonderful.
posted by daniel striped tiger at 11:57 AM on August 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Watch all the episodes in order, but re-watch the pilot before watching the finale. Seriously, there are jokes set up in the PILOT that don't pay off until the FINALE. It's wonderful.
posted by daniel striped tiger at 11:57 AM on August 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
I just started watching the pilot again, and at 11:54 there is, dare I guess, a loose seal in the background. Twelve minutes in, and Tony Hale is already doomed.
posted by Llama-Lime at 8:33 PM on August 12, 2012
posted by Llama-Lime at 8:33 PM on August 12, 2012
I'M A MONSTER! GAAAAAAAAH
posted by Think_Long at 6:31 AM on August 13, 2012
posted by Think_Long at 6:31 AM on August 13, 2012
For your enjoyment: Tony Hale lip syncing to Domo Arigato, the ad this scene was referring to.
posted by Plutor at 6:57 AM on August 13, 2012
posted by Plutor at 6:57 AM on August 13, 2012
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posted by dunkadunc at 10:38 AM on August 9, 2012 [3 favorites]