There's Money in The Banana Stand: Save Arrested Development

With recent hits like Lost and Desperate Housewives and with reality shows proving to not be the surefire hits they once were, audiences are now gravitating back to scripted TV. Many other shows have been benefiting from this resurgence, but even one exception is still disheartening and that is the case with Fox’s Arrested Development (Sundays, Fox 8:30/7:30 central, after The Simpsons.)

Premiering in fall 2003, Arrested has been a smart satire of the Bluth family whose patriarch George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) has been busted by the feds for Enron-esque immoral use of company money. George’s level headed son Michael (Jason Bateman) is left to keep his family together as they live without the luxuries they have had all their lives. Michael deals with his brother GOB (short for George Oscar Bluth Jr.), played by scene stealer Will Arnett, who dreams of a career as a professional magician and, as the magician’s society he was kicked out from says, “to be taken seriously”. Also in the Bluth clan is Michael’s baby brother Buster (Tony Hale), who still clings to his mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), a vain matriarch disappointed by her sliding social status. Michael’s sister Lindsay (Portia di Rossi), is a half hearted activist, picking up causes and dropping them soon after. She’s been having trouble with her marriage to therapist Tobias Funke (David Cross), who is pursuing an acting career. Their daughter Maeby (Alia Shawkat) is spoiled and takes advantage of her parents absent minded behavior. Maeby has been the subject of an innocent crush by George Michael, Michael’s son and Maeby’s cousin.

Arrested Development’s style is different from other sitcoms. Critics have called it a mix between The Royal Tenenbaums and COPS. It is filmed like a documentary, but it is done as a third person omniscient. We see scenes like flashbacks twenty years before that obviously couldn’t be filmed on a normal documentary. Instead of personal interviews, we are granted insight from the narrator (Ron Howard) who helps make the show light. Often profanity is bleeped out and blue dots cover up nudity. Instead of it being a barrier, it is often an opportunity to be funnier, like when Buster curses out his mother and the bleeps last for several seconds.

Most sitcoms rely on the set up/punchline/tag/repeat formula for their jokes. On Arrested sometimes the jokes are obvious, but other times they can be very subtle, often inserted in places where observant fans can be rewarded for such diligence. Plotlines and twists are often foreshadowed episodes before they become focused upon, including some of the dirty deeds George Sr. did. Sometimes they’ll use a bit from an old episode, another treat for fans. Even with obvious gags, Arrested never overuses or overemphasizes like on most sitcoms, much like the brilliant import The Office, which is also shot like a documentary.

Many sitcoms and shows have relied on stunt casting to help draw viewers. Arrested does it too, but they do it in a different way. Liza Minnelli, Carl Weathers, Henry Winkler and Ed Begley Jr. are unusual choices for guest slots on any show, but they work and help reinforce the shows eccentricity.

Recently news broke that Arrested Development’s episode order this season would be cut down two episodes and that the insipid American Dad would be taking its timeslot added speculation that this may be the last season. Last year the show struggled similarly, even though this year it is following The Simpsons, still going strong after 16 years on the air. Luckily it was renewed and the Emmy’s defied logic and picked Arrested Development as Best Comedy (and gave it a few more awards) when it actually deserved it! While TV drama has been revived, TV comedy is in a sad state. Too many cutesy family shows that overemphasize the corn factor, too many forced one liners and too many shows that just aren’t funny but happen to get far more viewers. I hope Fox takes another risk and gives it another season, much like NBC took a chance on a struggling sitcom 15 years ago that eventually became one of the best and most influential shows of all time, Seinfeld.

And to whomever is reading this who hasn’t watched the show, please pick up the first season on DVD, try to find this season on tape somewhere and tune in to the next episode on March 6th. Those who have, please write to Fox letting them know how you feel. When I say this is the only sitcom that matters, I do mean it.

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