Bottom Of The Barrel

Best TV You Never Saw

For a long time, I have been wondering if TV shows on DVD had a viable marketplace. I mean do you really want to watch the 3rd season of Dallas? Or the 7th season of Charmed? or how about the 2nd season of I Dream Of Jeannie? I don't either but the studios keep releasing DVD's of old and new shows and there must be a market for these shows [mostly via rental I imagine] I'm just not running out to the local Buy More store to get mine [Note: The Star Trek: The Next Generation Complete Series DVD set is the one show that is tempting].

However the TV show on DVD concept has allowed lovers of shows gone by to enjoy them again and in some cases allow new viewers to find a show that is no more. One great example is Arrested Development. The show ran for 2 and half seasons on Fox and while critically acclaimed and had a solid cult following, it never found a large audience and therefore high ratings. For those of you who watched from the beginning you already know, but this is one of the funniest shows ever. [Yes that is a bold statement] With the ironic writing style of Sienfeld, awkward situational humor of The Office, and a Lostish style of serial plots, this show found the right formula for a 21st century comedy.



The show follows the once proud [and rich] Bluth family as they navigate the pitfalls of the company demise and the rebuilding process. The family includes father/jailbird George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), mother/alcoholic/control freak Lucille (Jessica Walter), eldest son/ameture magician G.O.B. (Will Arnett), second son/new president of the Bluth Company Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), Michael's son/banana stand manager George Michael (Michael Cera), Michael's twin sister/look-at-me, look-at-me Lindsay Fünke (Portia de Rossi), Lindsay's husband/never-nude/analrapist Tobias Fünke (David Cross), Lindsay and Tobias' daughter/rebel/movie producer Mae "Maeby" Fünke (Alia Shawkat) and the youngest Bluth child/mama's boy Byron "Buster" Bluth (Tony Hale). The show has spurned several memorable lines like "I blue myself", "I have made a huge mistake", "Oh Come On!" and a very odd amount of people acting like chickens.

The other unique thing about the show is it's presentation - documentary style including a narrator (Ron Howard) and supplemental items such as security camera footage, Bluth family photos, website screenshots, flash backs and archive films. It also employed a "On the next... Arrested Development" sequence at the end of most episodes which did not show up coming scenes but a brief extension of the episode to wrap up the lingering story line, usually in a very humours way.

All in all, Arrested Development might be the very best TV sitcom you have never seen and now the all 2.5 seasons are out on DVD, you can watch it end to end - which is by far the best way to enjoy all 53 episodes. Now if they can get the gang back together for a Christmas special, I would be able to "blue" myself all over again. Come On!

posted by TheWino @ 9:48 AM