MovieChat Forums > Arrested Development (2003) Discussion > Downfall

Downfall

posted 4 years ago by Sidha108 (2671)
11 replies | jump to latest

It’s crazy how this series went from being among many to be considered the “greatest TV show of all time” to now no one really cares about the show anymore. Maybe sometimes it’s better off to not bring a show back.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I like a lot of things about seasons 4 and 5 and have watched them multiple times, but the Netflix seasons don't rise into the stratosphere like Seasons 1-3 did if for no other reason than they just aren't as funny. Some people say it's the long hiatus of 7 years between between Seaaons 3 and 4, but Larry David proved a long hiatus (6 years) between seasons for Curb Your Enthusiasm doesn't have to mean a dip in quality. It kind of breaks my heart a bit for AD because this show has given me such immense pleasure over the years. The indifference many feel towards it now probably started when Netflix debuted the ambitious but not very funny season 4 in 2013. Netflix heavily promoted it at the time but did very little advanced publicity for the lackluster Season 5. Still, I have yet to hear that Netflix has definitely canceled it, though David Cross believes it won't come back and has said he and the other actors often had no idea what the context of a scene was during shooting Season 5 due to constant rewrites.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

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[–] exithereplease (3553) 4 years ago

3rd season was mediocre.

The Netflix reboot was just awful.

Not to mention, single camera comedies have ZERO re-watch value. Their funny, but not a lot of fun in it.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I don't know where you're getting the notion that "single camera comedies have ZERO re-watch value". One of the things people loved about the original seasons of AD was that it was so densely packed, one viewing simply wasn't enough to pick up on all the hidden jokes and multiple comic layers. This was infinitely more satisfying than traditional sitcoms where characters come out and say their predictable one-liners. One of the reasons Netflix decided to bring back AD at all was because they obserrved viewers would bingewatch the entire series, then go back and watch it again and again because it rewards rewatches. I certainly know this is the way I watched it for years up to relatively recently. Some people highly praise the similar The Office or Modern Family, but for me no other sitcom comes close to the comic sophistication of AD's first three seasons.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

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[–] HedleyLamarr (402) 2 years ago

I don't think I could watch Modern Family again. The Office I might watch again.
Arrested Development I've watched about 3 times, and can watch again.

[–] sunezno (269) 3 months ago

Perfectly said.

[–] sunezno (269) 3 months ago

Not to mention, single camera comedies have ZERO re-watch value. Their funny, but not a lot of fun in it.

I don't care how many cameras Arrested Development had, this is probably one of the only shows that not only warrants but requires multiple viewings. I've seen it dozens of times and I'm always catching some new subtle joke layered in there. That's one of the best things about the show, honestly. The more you watch it, the more you love it. Not many shows only get better with each re-watch.

That said, I'm referring to the original three seasons, of course. I've seen the 4th (both versions) and 5th a couple of times each, because they did have some funny parts, but overall, I don't consider the 4th and 5th seasons to be part of the Arrested Development show.

But clearly different people have different tastes. There are many single-camera shows that I could watch over and over again.
I think it has less to do with the number of cameras and more to do with the writing and characters.

But again, I think this show is one that only gets better with each viewing. The writing is so layered that many punchlines come episodes or even seasons ahead of the joke itself.