Arrested Development: 2003-2006

I've been wondering for the past couple weeks what the best way would be to eulogize my favorite TV show, Arrested Development, now that it's had its final run and gone to TV heaven to rub elbows with Richie Cunningham and the Fonz (both of whom were regulars on AD anyway).

Writing about how great the show was (and boy was it ever great) is pointless, because it's over. I'm not going to convince anybody else to tune in because there's nothing to tune in to anymore. It aired mostly in obscurity, famous, if it all, for being constantly on the verge of cancellation throughout its entire run, so it didn't have any significant cultural impact. There are catchphrases that we fans can say to each other that most people won't even notice ("Her?" or "No touching!"), but it mostly dealt in inside jokes and running gags that make no sense without context ("Bob Loblaw Lobs Law Bomb!"). It wasn't the first show that got the shaft from FOX (and I still think it's an absolute crime that out of Futurama and Family Guy, Family Guy is the show that got resurrected), and it's not going to be the last.


In fact, I'm not even particularly outraged by its impending cancellation. It had a great run, 53 episodes, every one of which is brilliant, and they brought everything full circle with the last episode. In fact, after watching the last episode, that's when it became apparent to me that the show was finished. Not just cancelled, but finished. It won't be on Showtime, and certainly not on ABC, and there won't be a movie either, because they made an ending so perfect that it would almost be an injustice to make any more episodes.

So rather than mourn a loss that came before its time, let's celebrate the full and brilliant run that it had. Hell, 53 episodes is still 41 more than they ever made of The Office (which might be the most brilliant TV show I've ever seen, even if it isn't the most gut-bustingly hilarious).


COME ON!