I actually quite enjoyed the show, it was nothing special but it was a reasonably funny half-hour. Won't miss it too much though.

Wonder if this will save Joey from the brink, with this and Will & Grace gone it'll leave an hour gap in the schedule next season, or will they decide to move Scrubs or go with some new programmes.

Ghost Spike | March 22, 15:48 CET

I don't think anything can save Joey from the brink. NBC really haven't had much luck with new sitcoms since Friends ended.

Simon | March 22, 15:51 CET

There was a totally unproven and (in my opinion) false rumour going around a while back that stated NBC were trying to get Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer back to join Matt LeBlanc in a new show to replace Joey, apparently to be called It's a Guy Thing. It get a mention here at Wikipedia.

How exactly they would go about explaining the fact that Monica and Rachel weren't around suggests to me that it's nothing more than internet rumour, but who knows? Monica and Chandler divorce, Rachel and Ross go their seperate ways? Guess it's not impossible, although it would totally screw with the Friends shippers heads, hehe.

The Watcher | March 22, 15:58 CET

NBC needs to acquire "Arrested Development" and then stack it up with "My Name is Earl," "The Office," and "Scrubs" for two straight hours of comedy gold. But that just makes too much sense for network TV.

[ edited by bobtaylor on 2006-03-22 16:07 ]

rbt | March 22, 16:04 CET

That might work except for the fact that Arrested Development was bought by Showtime.

war_machine | March 22, 16:58 CET

bob - That's a genius idea. Probably the 4 best comedies on television right there. Two bad the execs can't get their act together to realize this.

Tycho | March 22, 16:58 CET

Still not confirmed. The story that Showtime picked up another 26 episodes of Arrested Development is still a rumor. I really do hope it turns out to be true though, best sitcom on TV in my opinion.

Ghost Spike | March 22, 17:37 CET

Arrested Development has not, in fact, been picked up by Showtime. Show runner Mitch Hurwitz has also not comitted to the show either. They have until June, when the casts contracts expire, to sort something out.

gossi | March 22, 17:41 CET

Ah. I was mistaken then. I thought it was a done deal the way people were talking.

war_machine | March 22, 17:46 CET

Apparently it's a deal 'in the works'. We'll see if it pans out, like. I know one of the main stars has signed for an NBC pilot, so if the Showtime deal falls through they'll be moving on to a different show (should it be picked up).

gossi | March 22, 17:48 CET

Would love to see more Arrested, can't say I even watched Four Kings in spite of the Seth-y goodness. Also love Jason Lee and the whole cast of Earl.

zeitgeist | March 22, 18:33 CET

Also loving Earl, zeitgeist. (And I really don't need to pimp HIMYM any more). Still haven't tried US Office yet.

gossi | March 22, 18:51 CET

gossi - Give the Office a try. Has the same uncomfortable humor of the Brit version, but it's really a different animal.

Tycho | March 22, 18:55 CET

I tried. I really did. But Four Kings didn't do it for me.

m'cookies actual | March 22, 19:12 CET

I can't believe that's still on the air. What pacts with the Devil is LeBlanc making to keep himself on prime time?

Joey is a painful piece of unrespectiable tripe that is so bad it jumped the shark late in the last season of Friends, being the only television series in recent memory to have jumped the shark before it even premiered. Does anyone remember the last season where the writers would purposefully do entire episodes having subplots of Joey by himself, on Donny Osmond's Pyramid gameshow or other loony stuff? Stuff that wasn't funny? They were trying to prove LeBlanc could carry a tv show on his own, and they were proven wrong.

What would have made Joey work is if they approached it as if it were an Americanized version of Rowan Atkinson's "Bean." Where Joey lived a rather solitary life after 'Friends' and utterly failed at everything he ever did, to our amusement. Lotsa physical slapstick. THAT people woulda watched. Not this pathetic excuse for a sitcom that even Lucy Liu couldn't save.

After MASH was better than Joey, and After MASH caused internal hemmoraging among the majority of those few who watched it.

ZachsMind | March 22, 19:26 CET

This is getting ridiculous. I'm consistently surprised by how much I enjoy Four Kings. It was comfortable viewing. This is happening too often. Makes me never want to get invested in a show.

TheZeppo | March 22, 19:43 CET

Did you not like Joey then, ZachsMind?

gossi | March 22, 19:55 CET

As much as I love Seth Green, Four Kings just isn't funny. I've watched it several times since I watch the rest of the Thursday lineup (sans Will & Grace) but I don't think i've ever actually laughed at it.

mrsbadmouth | March 22, 19:57 CET

It's still a little hazy, ZachsMind. You should be more clear. Do you like Joey or not?

As for Seth, while I never watched the show, I'm sorry it got cancelled. Good thing he's Seth Green, who it seems is incapable of being without work.

Jet Wolf | March 22, 20:23 CET

The actor who plays Buster is in the new Andy Richter pilot, but has said that if Arrested gets picked up, that's where he'll remain. Similarly the actress who plays Alex in Joey is in a sitcom pilot, and has said that if Joey is renewed, she'll stay there.

I enjoy Joey, it's not brilliant, and there are several sitcoms better than it, but it's an entertaining show. I went into it thinking I was going to hate it, that it would be godawful, and I was surprised. I think a lot of people went into it expecting too much, expecting it to be exactly the same as Friends, and have been dissapointed that it isn't. The other spinoff idea It's A Guy Thing was in the same story as the four-hour long Friends reunion episodes that was going around a few months ago, and was swiftly revealed a few days later to be false.

Where I won't miss Four Kings, I'll miss Joey.

[ edited by Ghost Spike on 2006-03-22 18:49 ]

Ghost Spike | March 22, 20:48 CET

Welcome to my world, Zeppo. I've felt this way after Strange Luck, VR-5, Lone Gunmen, Freaky Links, Firefly, Adventures of Brisco County Jr, Covington Cross, Dead Like Me, Early Edition, Going To Extremes, Greg the Bunny, etc. were each cancelled. I stopped watching FOX when Tru Calling found itself on the ropes and haven't looked back. On more than one occasion I've thought about just throwing away my TV.

Meanwhile other programs like Joey, Big Brother, Blossom, Charmed, Cops, JAG, Everwood, Extreme Makeover, Family Matters, Growing Pains (SEVEN YEARS that one was on can you believe that?!), 24, the list goes on and on of programs that didn't deserve to be on half as long as they were, and yet never seem to go away. Even after these shows are off the air, their odor still lingers and permeates prime time, effectively polluting the institution for generations to come.

ZachsMind | March 22, 21:26 CET

At least Brisco County Jr. will finally make it to DVD this year. Was very annoyed to see Love Monkey go on hiatus after three eps earlier this year. Not the best show ever and very predictable, but well made and I dug the actors involved.

zeitgeist | March 22, 21:33 CET

Ahhhhh, "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." -- the second most unfairly cancelled western/sci-fi mash-up of all time. Damn you, Fox!!!

rbt | March 22, 21:39 CET

"Meanwhile other programs like Joey, Big Brother, Blossom, Charmed, Cops, JAG, Everwood, Extreme Makeover, Family Matters, Growing Pains (SEVEN YEARS that one was on can you believe that?!), 24, the list goes on and on of programs that didn't deserve to be on half as long as they were, and yet never seem to go away."

Totally agree with this, all except for 24, which in my opinion is still one of the best action dramas on television and totally deserves the success it is having. Oh, and i've got to admit to having a soft spot for the UK version of Big Brother. Throwaway television, admittedly, but way too addictive when it's on.

The Watcher | March 22, 21:56 CET

Oh man, ZachsMind, Freaky Links and Early Edition? Glad to know someone else on this planet watched those shows. 10 points for you.

Danica | March 22, 21:57 CET

Even after these shows are off the air, their odor still lingers and permeates prime time, effectively polluting the institution for generations to come.

The thing is, people, and lots of people watch these shows. Something like 24 is also made with a lot of love. Does that mean it's polluting the airwaves, because you don't like it and FOX won't cancel it? No. It means it makes money for FOX, because people watch that show.

gossi | March 22, 22:04 CET

20/20 Hindsight: Whedon shoulda KNOWN Fox would do what it did to Firefly. If memory serves, FOX treated Brisco the same way. Played eps out of order. Changed timeslots. Didn't advertise it well. Had no idea how to market it.

...Bricso's coming out on DVD? You got a link? Everywhere I look, and I do so on a semi-regular basis, indicates that's just a rumor and Warner is still sitting on it like an old hen on a hard boiled egg.

Now BRUCE CAMPBELL. There's a guy who woulda made a great guest star on Firefly. Maybe they can get him for the second movie. Maybe he could be one of those hired hands who raised Reynolds. A guy who knew Mal back when he was just a pup, and raised him like an adopted son. Lotsa story possibilities there and seeing Campbell & Fillion in a well-writ volley of dialogue would be more than worth the price of admission.

INT: SERENITY KITCHEN. DAY.

[most of the crew have taken to an impromptu gathering in the kitchen. Jake is center stage at the head of the kitchen table. No feast on the table, but Kaylee and Inara are serving him tea & hoping to make him comfortable. Others in the room are smiling and entranced by his presence. All except for Mal, who's distanced himself a bit from rest of room but eyeing the display with trepidation and insulted indignation.]

Jake (B.Campbell): So Mama Reynolds sounds the alarm right? She's hollerin and slammin' on pots and pans and runs out to ring the dinner bell cuz she knows that will get us runnin'. And we do and we're all like where's the fire? She tells us Mal's missin'. So she sends all twenty of us to scour the plantation and not a rock gets untouched cuz when Mal's Mama wants somethin' we delivered. Took us most the day and sun's burnin we got crops to cultivate. Where was he? Up in the attic the entire time and we found him with his big blobby baby butt stuck in the attic window cuz having locked himself up there with not enough lungs or gumption to holler for help, he'd lodged himself between inside and outside, putting himself in an even more embarrassin'--
Mal (N.Fillion): [not smiling] Uncle?
Jake: Just a minute, son. So he's stuck there right? And Mama Reynolds has all twenty of us squeezed into the attic tryin' to figure out how to get fatso out the window without damagin' the frame.
Jayne: Fatso??
Jake: Oh yeah Mal used to be as tall as he was wide!

[Jayne laughs. The others snicker, everyone entirely raptured by now in the soliloquy. Except for Mal, who's cringing.]

Mal: Uncle!
Jake: And then I says to them, why don't we go get that lard bucket! So we get the lard bucket and some paint brushes and we--
Mal: UNCLE!
Jake: Come on, son it's funny.
Mal: Can I speak with you privately for a minute?
Jake: [smiling] There's nothin' you got to say to me I can't hear with your friends present. [winks at Kaylee]
Mal: There's plenty. (to others in room) Excuse us.

[Mal & Jake exit room. Pregnant pause]

Jayne: Heh. Calls'm 'uncle.' That's high-larious!
Kaylee: Jake's presence does tend to turn our captain into a ten year old creekbed crawler.

ZachsMind | March 22, 22:21 CET

Zachsmind: I would *so* watch that. Hell, I'd watch Bruce Campbell and Nathan Fillion read the phone book, but that scene? I'd watch that. Over and over and over.

Sorry. Off-topic.

I'm sorry Seth's show got pulled. I like to see "our" cast and crew do well.

(edited 'cuz capital letters are our friends)

[ edited by XanFan32 on 2006-03-22 20:29 ]

XanFan32 | March 22, 22:29 CET

Regarding Twenty-four:

The premise ruins the entire rest of the series. You can't do this with commercial television. Too many commercial interruptions throws one out of the illusion of it being in real time. I don't care how the acting or writing is and I don't care how many people actually watch it. The premise is faulty and narcisistically commercial, and every time I found myself tuned in to it I felt like I just bought a ticket from P.
T. Barnum. And so do you. Admit it.

I enjoy the tv series Fear Factor and I know a lot of others who do. That don't make it good. That don't make it art. That don't make it quality. It is in my opinion the best 'reality game show' on tv but that ain't saying much. The thing about Fear Factor is at least it KNOWS it's a circus and doesn't pretend to be anything but.

ZachsMind | March 22, 22:33 CET

Am I the only one that liked the Andy Richter show?

war_machine | March 22, 22:38 CET

"I saw Fear Factor and my wife turned to me and said "I think we don't get along with the world any more"" -- Jay Wee.

See, I (occasionally) watch 24 because I like it. I don't actually have the time to watch it obsessively, truth be told. I don't think all TV should be art -- because there aren't enough decent show runners to deliver that kind of TV (see also: Charmed - great premise, lacking on the execution). I want shows which are entertaining and well written.

[ edited by gossi on 2006-03-22 20:44 ]

gossi | March 22, 22:44 CET

My original point, and I do have one, is that (it seems to me) programs I love don't often survive more than a year or two, while programs I hate because they suck live on forever. It was a very subjective statement, made on purpose, and I make no apologies. If it ticked you off, Gossi? GOOD. *smirk*

ZachsMind | March 22, 22:49 CET

"The premise is faulty and narcisistically commercial, and every time I found myself tuned in to it I felt like I just bought a ticket from P.T. Barnum. And so do you. Admit it."

Ummmm ... nope.

The fact that there are commercial breaks makes little or no difference to me when watching the show. In fact the time taken to show the adverts is accounted for in the timeframe shown so whilst you aren't actually privvy to the events of those minutes it doesn't prevent the premise from working.

Even when you view the show on DVD without adverts the fact that there are leaps in the timeframe of the episode isn't all that distracting. If i wanted to poke holes in the series then there are many more fundamental errors and questionable time related issues that i could easily make reference to. The fact is that they don't really matter to me enough to worry about them.

Personally, i'm well aware that the real time nature of the show is a gimmick and one that doesn't always hold up to close scrutiny but then i'm watching it for an hours worth of enjoyable action and not to examine the problems inherent in the format of the series. Basically, the show gives me exactly what i'm expecting it to give me and does so very well, which is good enough for me.

The Watcher | March 22, 22:55 CET

Hey, it doesn't bother me at all. I just look for the good in situations like this - there's some great shows on at the moment. Sure, Fear Factory season 142 will still be on in a few years time, but I'm sure other great shows will also be on.

The nature of the beast with TV is that virtually everything gets cancelled.

gossi | March 22, 22:55 CET

I tried to get into "Four Kings", I may even have smiled (not laughed) once...

On the other side, "How I met your mother" now that's what I call a great sitcom!

Suit up! ;-)

Yorick | March 22, 23:05 CET

If anyone is interested, there's a really handy article about the status and likely future of Arrested Development over at the Hollywood Reporter.

Simon | March 22, 23:07 CET

I'm suited up RIGHT NOW, Yorick.

The thing with Barney is... I loved the character, then we got to the peace core episode - and I love him more! What's up with that?

gossi | March 22, 23:10 CET

Gotta admit, I loved the iguana episode that "Four Kings" had last week. Seth Green should do impressions of a ditzy girl more often, that had me giggling uncontrollably. I'm going to miss it. It's not the best, but it's better than most of the crap out there in tv land.

Side note: I think people should know by now, from both "Four Kings" and "HIMYM", that men should never videotape themselves after being dumped by a girl. Whether singing or poetry, it's going to come back around, and it probably won't end well. Lesson learned, guys?

Danica | March 22, 23:25 CET

Joinin' the Andy Richter love, war_machine, and love for anything with Bruce Campbell, but Bruce and Nathan together? Best. Combination. Ever. Maybe they could play international businessmen? ;-)

There's info about the Brisco DVD (kewl!) on Bruce's website. No release date, but they confirmed packaging at least.

BTW, great scene, ZachsMind :-), and I also don't understand why shows I love get canceled right away *coughFOXcough* and crappy crap goes on forever. Why are "Charmed," "What I Like About You," "Yes Dear," and "King of Queens" still on the air? Being on primetime is not enough, they're in syndication, too. Eww. I must have tastes that are too good for the average American network. ;-)

billz | March 22, 23:27 CET

Maybe Barney's character is a bit less two-dimensional now after the peace corp episode?

I think a crossover between "Firefly" and "How I met..." could be a really good idea. Just imagine a conversation about women between Jayne and Barney...

Anyway when you just moved to NY (like me), Barney's Blog is a must read if you want (to never find) a date...

Snow suit up!

Yorick | March 22, 23:36 CET

Geez, you guys . . . I'm so out of it that for a while I thought you were yakkin' about a (fake) purple dinosaur. And then the NY reference made me think about men's clothing.

All this was after I puzzled over why ZachsMind gives Mayim Bialik and Joey Lawrence such tremendous power. Owww, my head hurts. I'm going home sick.

ETA Oh, I see.

[ edited by m'cookies on 2006-03-22 22:32 ]

m'cookies actual | March 23, 00:30 CET

I have to see the first (seems that they'll be the only) seven episodes of Four Kings, but I think I'll miss it.
I hope Seth can do a multi-episode arc cameo on How I Met Your Mother, or on Veronica Mars.

Angel TheVampire | March 23, 00:59 CET

I am a big fan of The Office.... and My Name is Earl is quite good, too. But no one has mentioned Everybody Hates Chris yet... that's another great new sitcom.

fortunateizzi | March 23, 01:22 CET

The premise of 24 helps set it apart, but it's really inconsequential when you're watching the show itself. I can't say I ever really notice the real time, and I certainly don't watch the show for it. Though I guess if someone can't get past the premise and give something a chance, it's best they don't watch the show.

I can't remember the last time I watched any show on NBC, and Four Kings certainly wasn't going to change that. That network has been out of good ideas for years now.

MindPieces | March 23, 01:28 CET

"Though I guess if someone can't get past the premise and give something a chance, it's best they don't watch the show."

Which is precisely why I don't anymore. When I did, I found the plot situations forced and unrealistic, the subburban setting totally uninteresting, the interiors of the 'secret agency' about as intriguing as a dentist office with the power out, the characters wooden and unfriendly with reactions to events more predictable than an egg timer, and generally always found myself wishing I could get that hour of my life back. So it's on my list of shows that should never have lasted as long as they do, because they take up space on prime time for programs that I believe would have done much better had they been given the same opportunity.

It was a novelty for one season. Now it's just taking time.

I mean how many times can you threaten the audience with terrorist threats or assassinations of presidents before it starts looking like the ten o'clock news a couple hours early? I ask you.

ZachsMind | March 23, 02:42 CET

I've never actually gotten round to watching 24, but I've felt since about season 3 that the realtime thing must be hurting the show more than it helps now, they'd be able to do much more if they weren't trapped to it all taking place within 24 hours. Now that it doesn't rely on the gimmick to get viewers, couldn't they just change the name and do away with it?

Ghost Spike | March 23, 02:59 CET

"All this was after I puzzled over why ZachsMind gives Mayim Bialik and Joey Lawrence such tremendous power."

...

>.>

...

<.<

....

Huh?

ZachsMind | March 23, 03:18 CET

fortunateizzi we've been enjoying Chris and Earl too. Haven't tried the Office yet because we heard the U.K. version was so good and usually U.S. versions of their shows are awful (we're so glad we missed Coupling). But sounds like we may have to give it a try.

yourlibrarian | March 23, 03:26 CET

Ghost Spike, as an avid viewer of 24, I don't think the real time hurts it. I think that season 3 is actually when they really found their footing and learned how to expertly plot out an entire season, and the show has been gangbusters ever since. Besides, it's still one of Fox's top rated shows, and they're not going to fix a concept that isn't broken.

Sometimes you can't judge a series based on its concept. I thought "buncha people stranded on a mysterious island" and "girl who kills vampires" sounded like shows that would last about 3 episodes too. Luckily, I was wrong.

Of course I refuse to watch Prison Break due to its idiotic concept, so I don't always follow my own rules.

[ edited by MindPieces on 2006-03-23 01:39 ]

MindPieces | March 23, 03:38 CET

MindPieces, exactly my opinion.

The real time aspect of 24, whilst originally a gimmick, has actually helped to make it a better show as the seasons have gone on, rather than hurt it in any way. I've watched all five seasons up to date so far and i've yet to feel like they were struggling with the concept. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Yes, of course there are times when the situations feel forced. By the show's very nature there needs to be a cliffhanger moment on the hour, pretty much every hour. This leads to a certain amount of predictability, now and again, but once you accept that as part of the show and just enjoy the action it all works pretty damn well.

The Watcher | March 23, 04:03 CET

Of course I refuse to watch Prison Break due to its idiotic concept, so I don't always follow my own rules.

Regarding Prison Break - I'm reliably informed they actually have a good plan (to keep reinventing themselves each year, apparently, is that plan..).

gossi | March 23, 04:29 CET

24's characters aren't wooden, you just have to spend some time with them. And sure, some are more engaging than others. But Keifer Sutherland is a phenominal lead and, aside from Elisha Cuthbert playing his daughter (and it may not be her fault, just that the writers don't always give Kim great arcs), I can't really think of any weak actors in the series at the point I'm up to (just finished Season 3 on DVD last month after a couple years off from the show. Would love to buy Season 4, heard it's one of the show's best seasons, but it's still kinda expensive at the moment). You don't get substantial character development in every episode, no, because people wouldn't have character-revealing moments in every bit of a 24-hour span chunk of their lives...but the characters are still there and you care for them all the way through. There's an abundance of action, tons of tension and tragedy, and a slick story to keep you glued in the meantime.

Despite the format making things seem, how shall we say, a little bit coincidental, there is a good sense of continuity in the series (as much as possible within the format) and threads from previous seasons are sometimes part of the reason you stick around for more.

In retrospect, Season 1 is actually the weakest overall year, IMO.

That said, it's a DVD-only watch for me. I watched the last half of Season 2 when it aired after catching up with tapes I'd made and just decided to go DVD-only after that, much as I love it. It's smart of Fox to air it January to May with no weeks of repeats whatsoever. One of the more intelligent and respectable programming decisions they've made in recent years.

I would only ever introduce someone to the series with the DVDs, with Season 1, and recommending that since it's a 24-episode film, they persevere and get through one full season before getting back to me on whether they hate it or not. Even then I say, "watch up to and including the fifth episode, and if you hate it utterly, then you can give up." But the seasons really need to be seen to completion to fairly judge 'em.

ZachsMind, don't give up entirely on TV, man. You don't have to worry about cancellations for series that're completed or near-completion and guaranteed to fully see DVD releases. You like great acting, writing, score, cinematography, etc, I'm sure folks here could (and have in the past, I'm sure) recommended enough of a variety of well-made shows that you'd find something to like and maybe even love. (my pick today is Six Feet Under. Tomorrow it could be Deadwood. American Gothic is out on DVD as of last October too).

[ edited by Kris on 2006-03-23 03:55 ]

[ edited by Kris on 2006-03-23 03:56 ]

Kris | March 23, 05:54 CET

Sorry for the fans of Four Kings. I never watched it, but I sympathize.

I'm usually wary about watching new shows due to my Viewer Of Doom status. Case in point - I was a fan of Strange Luck, VR-5, Adventures of Brisco County Jr, Covington Cross, Early Edition, and Andy Richter Controls The Universe. They are, alas, no longer with us. I also love Arrested Development. I'm hoping it manages to buck the odds of my viewership. :)

pindara | March 23, 06:43 CET

"ZachsMind, don't give up entirely on TV, man."

I haven't. Just saw an episode of Criminal Minds. Though I admit it is formulaic, it has a similar fire to CSI [Vegas] in its early seasons. And Mandy Patinkin can do no wrong in my eyes. I still like Medium, Numb3rs, and West Wing has gotten its second wind, albeit a little too late. I still think Lost is okay, but am tired of the serial mystique. Think I've decided to wait and see them all back to back on DVD a couple years from now, after the secrets are known to be revealed and the hype has faded.

I was gonna watch 24 on DVD by now, but just can't bring myself to. Whenever I have an opportunity to rent or buy a DVD, there's always something more alluring. 24 goes where I have no interest. It's like The Godfather. Everyone and their dog insists it's the best thing since The Maltese Falcon. To me, it glorifies organized crime. That's just not a world where I wanna spend 175 minutes. 24 isn't Godfather's world, but it's a world in which I've no time to invest.

I've eaten my words before. I usually hate war films, but Saving Private Ryan is most probably still in my top 100 fave films. I didn't become addicted to Buffy, and watched it religiously first run, until season six. That was after a friend convinced me to give it another try, when it switched to UPN. I saw Willow on the top of that mausoleum coordinating the entire gang with telepathy, and I was like, "ain't that the mousy kid who used to be the werewolf's girlfriend? Wow she's cool now." But right now 24 is still more than a day behind me.

As for Brisco County Jr., I'd be surprised to find a fan of Whedon's Firefly that couldn't appreciate Bruce Campbell's flight with sci-fi westerns. I look forward to when it does hit DVD. I just hope time's been good to it.

Deadwood rocked. Haven't seen Six Feet Under yet. When I was a kid, my dad was an undertaker. So in this case it's not the world I'd wanna REvisit.

ZachsMind | March 23, 07:33 CET

don't you tease me bobtaylor! don't do it!

tuneman570 | March 23, 08:11 CET

Thanks Simon for the Hollywood Reporter link, re: Arrested Development. I'm currently watching season three, so it's sad that I might soon be at the end. Interesting that the hold-out is the creator.

crossoverman | March 23, 09:25 CET

Tell me about it, Keith. Still holding out hope that someone will stop the insanity and pick Arrested up and put it on a cable/premium channel where it belongs.

zeitgeist | March 23, 09:34 CET

Not a sitcom watcher, but sorry for those who are that 4K didn't make it. I feel sure Seth Green will bounce back from this millisecond of disappointment pretty quickly and be onto his next project in no time flat.

Re: other series on TV/cable, I just finished mainlining S4 of Six Feet Under and have concluded that, if the last season doesn't blow it, it will become the first series since Firefly that I've loved from start to finish. To me, it's that good. The acting, writing, directing and cinematography are all superlative, and despite what might seem a dead-end (heh) premise, its execution so far has been anything but predictable. I'm unspoiled for S5 and can hardly wait for it to come out on DVD on March 28th.

I can understand your hesitation in watching it, Zachsmind, given your dad's profession, but it's not entirely morbid. Dark and intense, yes, but there are moments of humor shot throughout, and always the sense (despite the occasional intrusions of character-insprired fantasy) of a profound grounding in reality. Really, it's single-handedly confirmed for me that there are people out there besides Joss and Co. who are seriously trying to push the medium's creative envelope.

AFA 24 goes, I've watched every season so far. Yet, although I wouldn't consider myself rabid by any means (I've never taped it or bothered to catch any of the weekend reruns even once, and if I miss it, no tears), it's a power-packed hour of sweaty, angsty, adrenalinized entertainment that grabs you by the amigdala and won't let go. Even though some of the acting in the past (Kim, I'm looking at you) has bugged me, overall I'll forgive its sins because it's so sincerely what-it-is. I'm not looking for depth there, and usually I don't miss it because I'm so caught up in the incredible action. Very unlike my usual taste, nonetheless addictive. And then belying my lack-of-depth assertion, there's appearances by actors like Sean Astin (who just finished out an awesome character arc, ending with an actor's dream scene that moved me beyond anything in the show's history, and which I haven't stopped thinking about two weeks after the fact). I mean, he directed a killer episode of Angel, but who knew the guy could act too? ;)

Wiseblood | March 23, 10:17 CET

Regarding Six Feet Under - they decided whilst developing the arcs for season 5 it'd be the last season, I heard, as they were worried about overusing the series. Which, by the way, I totally respect.

gossi | March 23, 15:06 CET

"Just saw an episode of Criminal Minds. Though I admit it is formulaic, it has a similar fire to CSI [Vegas] in its early seasons. And Mandy Patinkin can do no wrong in my eyes. I still like Medium, Numb3rs, and West Wing has gotten its second wind, albeit a little too late."

Funnily enough, i've very little interest in any of the shows that you actually do still watch. Any and all CSI's get my automatic Law and Order reaction, that being to find the remote control. Medium is the ultimate in predictability and West Wing always seemed extremely overrated to me. Whenever i tried to watch an episode of that i very quickly lost interest and went looking for that remote control again. Basically, every one of them is just very, very dull,in my opinion.

Deadwood, however, really does rock.

As for Elisha Cuthbert's acting in 24, i've seen worse. Plus, she is just too damn hot for words. Therefore i can forgive any other problems she may or may not have. I'm superficial, that way.

I actually do go out of my way to catch every episode of 24. The nature of the show means that anyone who goes that extra mile to not miss anything gets the benefit of the intense continuity. Little details that you may miss if you don't catch an episode can pay off later in the series. I definately think that the show benefits from DVD viewing so that you can watch at your own pace and never miss a detail.

The Watcher | March 23, 15:23 CET

I'm with you, Demonic. Medium, CSI, Criminal Minds...all too procedural and formulaic for my tastes. I've never seen The West Wing, but from what the critics say it sounds like it has redeemed itself in its last season.

I really prefer shows where if I miss an episode, I'm pretty much screwed. Even Arrested Development was built that way somewhat, and it's a half-hour "sitcom."

MindPieces | March 23, 22:12 CET

Zeitgeist - I think the problem is that while "Arrested" is obviously dead on Fox, they haven't officially announced its cancellation. Until then, Showtime (who - according to the Hollywood Reporter - are ready to pick the show up for 2 x 13 eps) won't make an official announcement...

But the article Simon linked to makes it clear that the real roadblock is creator Mitchell Hurwitz - who might also be claiming "fatigue" just to see how serious Showtime is! :-)

Mindpieces wrote:
Even Arrested Development was built that way somewhat, and it's a half-hour "sitcom."

I think it's imperative to really *watch* every episode of AD because it becomes funnier if you've seen every episode. In fact, I think picking a random episode to start with would be hazardous - you need to know the "backstory" to get most of the jokes!


Wiseblood - while Six Feet Under never had a bad season, I'd personally say that its final year is a slight improvement on years three and four. Plus, as gossi said, they knew it was going to be the last year (or made that decision) and gave the show a perfect send-off.

[ edited by Keith G on 2006-03-23 22:27 ]

crossoverman | March 24, 00:25 CET