Possible and Impossible Destinations for Arrested Development
As you know, Arrested Development is being cancelled by Fox after they get through their 13-episode 3rd season. By my count, that leaves 7 episodes left to air for the funniest show on TV. There has been a lot of discussion on the "internet nerd boards" about this, and while I am not privy to any negotiations between AD and any other networks, I am very privy to the wild speculation of people who just don't want to see AD die. By my reckoning, here are the possibilities for another network picking the show up.
FOX -- They are cancelling it because it costs a lot to produce and gets low ratings, and the strong DVD sales aren't enough to make up for that. They can show America's Funniest Vomit in its place and get the same ratings for 1/10th the cost. The only way it comes back here is if they make it a summer-fall show consisting of 13 episodes a season so it ends before November. Is that worth it for FOX? Probably not.
CBS -- I'm trying to think of something less likely than AD ending up here. Nope, can't do it. It's infinitely impossible, unless Michael Cena's dad becomes head of CBS or something.
ABC -- They're only kinda desperate, and I don't mean the housewives. No way.
NBC -- An intruiging possibility brought up by internet nerds is that NBC could field a night with "Great and sorta original comedies that are always on the verge of being cancelled," along with Scrubs, My Name is Earl, and The Office. Call it Must See or It'll Be Gone TV. The prospect is admittedly intruiging, and NBC needs something to give it good press, but I don't think that even they, as desperate as they are, would do this. Maybe if the "N" stood for "Non-profit," but it doesn't.
WB -- Ok, remember how I said that CBS was infinitely impossible? Well, this is worse. They wouldn't care so much about ratings, but money is such that they'd probably cut the cast in half and forbid any guest stars. Not bloody likely.
UPN -- It's like the WB, only with even less resources. I'm not sure this network is still around, actually. Can anyone confirm its existence? If a network is on, and nobody watches it, is it even a network?
HBO -- A definite possibility which would allow AD to write less (but slightly longer) episodes per season and really focus on quality. The only problem is they would lose some of that "censored humor," which means the show would lose some of its mischevious edge. Still, I think everybody would like AD to end up here, just to see what would happen.
SHOWTIME -- Rated as the #1 possibility by internet nerds, Showtime could use some good press and a cult show to drive up subscriptions. Plus, the DVD sales have got to be plum. Do they have the resources to pull it off? I don't know. But I would seriously consider Showtime if it landed there, and I can't think of any other event that would cause me to do that, aside from an Infinite Jest 24-part miniseries or something.
Nobody -- Unfortunately, this is the most likely suitor for AD. If I weren't so hung up on Lost right now, I'd really be sad.
FOX -- They are cancelling it because it costs a lot to produce and gets low ratings, and the strong DVD sales aren't enough to make up for that. They can show America's Funniest Vomit in its place and get the same ratings for 1/10th the cost. The only way it comes back here is if they make it a summer-fall show consisting of 13 episodes a season so it ends before November. Is that worth it for FOX? Probably not.
CBS -- I'm trying to think of something less likely than AD ending up here. Nope, can't do it. It's infinitely impossible, unless Michael Cena's dad becomes head of CBS or something.
ABC -- They're only kinda desperate, and I don't mean the housewives. No way.
NBC -- An intruiging possibility brought up by internet nerds is that NBC could field a night with "Great and sorta original comedies that are always on the verge of being cancelled," along with Scrubs, My Name is Earl, and The Office. Call it Must See or It'll Be Gone TV. The prospect is admittedly intruiging, and NBC needs something to give it good press, but I don't think that even they, as desperate as they are, would do this. Maybe if the "N" stood for "Non-profit," but it doesn't.
WB -- Ok, remember how I said that CBS was infinitely impossible? Well, this is worse. They wouldn't care so much about ratings, but money is such that they'd probably cut the cast in half and forbid any guest stars. Not bloody likely.
UPN -- It's like the WB, only with even less resources. I'm not sure this network is still around, actually. Can anyone confirm its existence? If a network is on, and nobody watches it, is it even a network?
HBO -- A definite possibility which would allow AD to write less (but slightly longer) episodes per season and really focus on quality. The only problem is they would lose some of that "censored humor," which means the show would lose some of its mischevious edge. Still, I think everybody would like AD to end up here, just to see what would happen.
SHOWTIME -- Rated as the #1 possibility by internet nerds, Showtime could use some good press and a cult show to drive up subscriptions. Plus, the DVD sales have got to be plum. Do they have the resources to pull it off? I don't know. But I would seriously consider Showtime if it landed there, and I can't think of any other event that would cause me to do that, aside from an Infinite Jest 24-part miniseries or something.
Nobody -- Unfortunately, this is the most likely suitor for AD. If I weren't so hung up on Lost right now, I'd really be sad.
posted by Mike Pape @ 8:24 AM
2 Comments:
At 7:07 AM,
Unknown said…
How far have you gotten into Lost now?
At 7:43 AM,
jill said…
We are on the season finale, as of last night, but we've seen bits and pieces of the new season. That show is so fun and quirky. I was just talking to Brian the other day about the "Anyong" (sp?) refrence, the "paper mill in Slough" reference, and the "TPS reports" reference. Any show with that kind of humor behind it is fun. And it's just fun otherwise. Our favorite line of last night's marathon was "Dude, you got some Arnst on you." Hi Dan.
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