Some Arresting News
It's the greatest news ever.
Fox's "Arrested Development" is moving to Showtime for a two-season, 26-episode deal that is a welcome sigh of relief for fans.
The rumor had been circulating for months that the producers of "Arrested" were fielding offers from the pay cable network and ABC, which reportedly only guaranteed one season. Tim Goodman, television critic for the San Francisco Chronicle and a die-hard fan who's championed the series, confirmed on a local radio station that the show, in fact, is coming back on Showtime.
Yesssss! One of the funniest sitcoms is returning, and hail Showtime for taking the chance. While the series about a dysfunctional family of real estate developers was sinking under dismal ratings on Fox, that same number of viewers would be a hit on Showtime.
But I have a couple of concerns:
First and foremost, I'm worried about the idea of "Arrested Development" going from a broadcast network, where there are limits to what you can say and do on TV, to Showtime, which has - for the most part - no limits.
Half the reason the series is so funny is because it flirts with sexual innuendo and bleeps out the swearing, which makes it funnier because it underscores the vulgarities.
If Showtime goes to the producers and says, "Hey, you're on Showtime now. You can do whatever you want," then Showtime will demonstrate it knows nothing of why the series is hilarious.
They can let loose with the language and jokes and change the texture of the show, or they can continue to bleep out words and use innuendo, which would seem odd knowing they are on a pay cable network. Either way, it will feel a bit strange.
That's opposite of what I would normally worry about when moving to a pay cable network.
Usually, moving to a network with fewer restrictions on sex, violence or language is a welcome change because it's a more open and creative environment. It's one of the reasons I was excited that Showtime's "Masters of Horror" was running on that network, because a horror series needs to be as graphic and shocking as the director wants.
Finally, getting back to "Arrested Development," this move will only work if the cast and the crew - including the same writers, directors and, yes, narrator Ron Howard - return for the next two seasons. As any fan of the show knows, this is one of the tightest, most talented casts and some of the best writers on television. Let's hope it stays that way.
So get ready to celebrate and welcome back the Bluths. Great television comedy is here to stay.
12:01 PM
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1 Comments:
i completely agree with your concerns. i'm excited for two new seasons but worry it won't be quite the same. and now i'm going to have to fork over $ for Showtime. sheesh.
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