Arrested Development

Its a show about a family in turmoil after some enron/haliburtonesque business deals sink the patriarch and force the only "normal" son to take charge of the family and company. But its really about so much more.

This show has smooth delivery, witty writing, phenomenal control of irony as a humor device, and memorable characters. But its those memorable characters that have ultimately sunk (or sinked?) the show. I'd venture to say that 30-40% of "minor" jokes in the program are allusions to past character experiences. Every now and then Ron Howard (i.e the narrator, aka Opie or that guy from Happy Days) will key us in on a flashback, but only to setup important slap-stick humor later. But when a person first watches the show, they ultimately miss out on the better half of the jokes going on. Why? Because they don't know the characters. I've heard this reasoning from multiple people.

The result of this complication is that the show gets fewer repeat viewer than the average or run of the mill sitcom. I haven't seen any sort of marketing numbers, but I'd be willing to bet that 70-80% of their viewers on a given week are religious or serial viewers. Kinda like those who watch West Wing, or The OC, or Housewives. The problem is that they don't have a strong enough viewing base to make the show (which is expensive to produce for various reasons) financially viable.

What would/could change this scenario is the DVD sales/viewership. Again on pure assumption, I'm willing to bet that people who've seen 3 or 4 consecutive episodes are significantly more likely to tune in/TiVo the show each week. Basically, this show is ahead of its times and needs an unconventional marketing plan to make it successful. Like a new venture, this show should be viewed as an investment that will lose money for three or four (or five years) only to be a cash-cow later.

The Network television industry, like the recording industry, is suffering because they're locked into formulaic formats and outdated business models. Unlike the newspaper industry, the medium is flexible enough to establish new formats and new norms. Newspapers will be forced to fully embrace the digital age. Papa Rupert has already signalled as much by liquidating a good portion of his print publishers from his portfoil and buying Intermix, better known as Myspace.

So TV will do two things. (1) Start trying radical programming experiments which challenge the format norm and (2) embracing wholeheartedly the digital age. The second is already coming, the first is in the works.

In the meantime, Save Arrested Development

Update from the Grave

So it's 2:30AM and I'm writing a rough draft for a business plan and studying for free speech...pulling all nighters already...yeah, its been that kind of semester.

I've taken a break. A break from everything since baseball hit the playoff stretch. A break from most classes. A break from studying. A break from worrying about the future. A break from most responsibilites. And no matter how shitty my GPA or job after graduation may be, I don't regret a single second....except for the Astros getting swept. But even that was the best of the worst.

At any rate, while I take my food break, I figured I'd share a few things.

1.) Arrested Development. While serving time incapacitated from surgey I was afforded the luxury of watching DVD after DVD of various television shows. This was first on the list. After watching one DVD I was hooked, addicted to the zany antics and subtle brilliance of the Bluth family....only to be denied my happiness by the power of the all mighty dollar. Despite more accolades than a gunner on coke, the show was doomed to the Family Guy Fate and was cancelled. Hopefully the DVD sales will sky-rocket in three years and the show will be revived like spine of the democratic party. Or, HBO will buy it and contribute to the preservation of my sanity.

2.) The OC. Also while incapacitated, I crossed to the darkside and fell for the Cohen's (+an Atwood), Marissa, and especially Summer. The show is cheesy and formulaic, but it just so easy to get attached to those characters. Thankfully, this show ain't going nowwhere, so I'll stay addicted 'til it Jumps the Shark.

3.) My Name is Earl. Earl wins the lottery only to lose his ticket, chalks it up to Karma and decides to make a list of everything shitty thing his redneck, trailor trash ass has ever done to anyone and make ammends for each one. Any show which contains scenes of a wedding reception at McDonalds is at the very least worth checking out once.

Anyways, Dell McLaptop and I will undoubtably be very intimate until just before the Longhorn/Duke game December 10th. That either means more procrastination and more posts, or I'm actually going to do something. Who the fuck knows.