I was watching a rerun of Arrested Development Sunday night and I started to think about the show and how brilliant it is. And why every sitcom that is not the traditional formulaic sitcom style ends up as a "cult favorite". Which usually translates to...cancelled.
Why tends to happen to shows that I REALLY like...maybe it's me.
The shows that fit into the cookie cutter mold for a formulaic sitcom are popular, yes. Networks are less likely to take risks on television shows that are a little "different." So how are we ever going to break this mainstream sitcom cycle? Or are we?
What are your thoughts on formuaic sitcoms? Do you like your shows the way they are? Or would you rather see something less predictable?
This is what wiki says about Arrested Development's unique presentation:
Arrested Development uses several elements that are rare for American live-action sitcoms. It was shot with hand-held cameras[6]. Like a documentary, it often cuts away abruptly from scenes in order to supplement the narrative with material such as security camera footage, Bluth family photos, website screenshots, and archive films. Flashbacks are also extensively used to show the Bluth family members in various stages of their lives. The show does not employ a laugh track, allowing for uninterrupted back-and-forth dialogue and permitting more time for plot development and jokes. An omniscient third-person narrator (producer Ron Howard, uncredited) ties together the multiple plot threads running through each episode, and provides tongue-in-cheek commentary. Wordplay is abundant for humor and plot; a character may misinterpret an ambiguous phrase with embarrassing or disastrous results. Before cutting to a commercial, the show flashes a white screen instead of the usual black screen.
I found this article from an anonymous critic, which could be just some guy in his underwear that happens to have a blog and is slightly pretentious. But nonetheless... Brilliant But Cancelled
I enjoy Arrested Development as well and tend dislike formulaic sitcoms as well. Watching shows without laugh tracks makes it hard to go back to shows with them. They're annoying and it's almost insulting that they're telling me where the jokes are. However, It seems to me that shows with similar humor to Arrested Development are slowly growing. The Office remains popular and Modern Family has the mockumentary stylings with no laugh track. I haven't seen Parks and Recreation but I believe it's in the same vein as The Office. Cable networks shows are less formulaic as well such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I would have liked more seasons of Arrested Development to be made but I hope its lasting popularity will inspire more shows like it to be made.
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