Best of the Small Screen, Comedies No. 4


Over the next 14 weeks I'll be taking a look at some of my favorite TV series, broken down into three groups (Limited Run Series, Comedies, and Dramas). In my post on March 1 I laid out the ground rules for these categories and this exploration, the biggest of which is no series that are currently airing. To read the whole thing, check out the post "Best of the Small Screen" from March 1.

Today I continue the countdown with a classic from FOX

Arrested Development (2003-2006)
Number of Seasons/Episodes: 3/53
Network: FOX
Starring: Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Jeffrey Tambor, Portia De Rossi, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, David Cross, Jessica Walter, and Ron Howard
Creator: Mitchell Hurwitz
Favorite Season/Episodes: Season 2, 1.03, "Bringing Up Buster," 2.04, "Good Grief," 2.06, "Afternoon Delight," 2.18, "Righteous Brothers," 3.09 "S.O.B.'s"
About: I'll be honest right up front, when including this series and talking about it, I'm ignoring the Netflix revival. Season four, while a treat for fans, was uneven and not entirely like the original show. Maybe season five, announced last week, will be better. But for now, I think of "Arrested Development" as the lowly rated show that mustered three seasons on FOX. And I will always treasure those 53 episodes. This is a weird, and weirdly engaging show. It's highly serialized, and features a style of comedy that's not for everyone. That's probably why it didn't get incredible ratings. But it did produce a hard core legion of fans, and that shows the impact and success the series has had. It's got a great and deep cast, and they generally seem to enjoy making the show. And it had so many funny gags, from Howard's narration to recurring jokes. I, for one, love Charlie Brown, so I loved the recurring theme that begins in Episode 2.04, playing the Charlie Brown music when things don't go right for characters. Another great gag was the Cornball fryer, which appears first in episode 1.03, also on the list. "Arrested Development" was also great at making things really inappropriate or awkward (Tobias' business card announcing him as an "Analrapist" is a classic), and that was pretty much the gist of Episode 2.06, which saw several family pairings singing the inappropriate song, Afternoon Delight. Another hallmark of the show was its self-references, such as the ones in "S.O.B.'s" that mirrored the show's struggle to find life beyond the shortened season three. But my favorite sub-plot was the relationship between George Michael (Cera) and Maeby (Shawkat), which hits a high for me in "Righteous Brothers," the season finale of season two, perhaps the strongest season. If you've never seen "Arrested Development," it's worth giving it a try. Just be prepared to be surprised.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more