TOP 40 FAVORITE TV COMEDIES

[Texsox]

Wow, I'm surprised that M*A*S*H was so low. I also excluded SNL because I focused on :30 sitcoms. But if I reranked the list based on these 40, which may be interesting, I;d have found a place in my top 5, top 10 at the least, but mostly for older episodes.

[knightni]

5. Scrubs (2001-present)

 

 

(9 of 18 lists - 127 points - highest ranking #4 Texsox)

 

Scrubs is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning American comedy-drama that premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence and is produced by ABC Studios (previously known as Touchstone Television).

 

The show focuses on the lives of several people working at Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced dialogue, slapstick, and surreal vignettes presented mostly as the daydreams of the central character, Dr. John "J.D." Michael Dorian.

 

The seventh season of Scrubs premiered on October 25, 2007.[1][2] No episodes aired between December 6, 2007 and April 10, 2008 because of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[3] The season concluded on May 8, 2008, ending the series' run on NBC. The series is slated to return during the 2008-2009 television season, with an eighth season to air on ABC.[4]

Synopsis

 

Most episodes feature multiple storylines thematically linked via voiceovers by main character and narrator Dr. John "J.D." Michael Dorian, played by Zach Braff. According to Lawrence, "What we decided was, rather than have it be a monotone narration, if it's going to be told through Zach's voice, we're going to do everything through J.D.'s eyes. It opened up a visual medium that those of us as comedy writers were not used to."[5] The show is shot with a single-camera setup instead of a multiple-camera setup more typical for situation comedies.[5]

 

The broad comedy is often counterpointed by more serious scenes, as Lawrence notes: "One of the things we thought early on was [if] we occasionally showed actual patients and actual people dying and things with emotional stakes, working in single camera, that it might be enough to combine with broad comedy."[5]

 

At the end of most episodes, J.D. summarizes the story's theme in a sequence of shots that show how it has affected each of the characters. Scrubs has been advertised as "half as long as ER and twice as funny." The series has repeatedly featured guest appearances by movie actors not generally seen on episodic television, such as Colin Farrell, Heather Graham and Brendan Fraser.

 

Cast

 

Main characters

 

All but one of the main characters in Scrubs are medical professionals. The show's narrator and main character is J.D. (Zach Braff), a young attending physician and staff internist. He develops a close friendship with fellow intern and later attending physician Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke); their relationship becomes romantic on several occasions. She is driven by a neurotic desire to prove her abilities to her parents, her peers, and herself. J.D.'s best friend is Dr. Christopher Turk (Donald Faison), a surgical attending physician. Turk roomed with J.D. at college and medical school, and the two have an extremely close relationship. During the course of the series Turk marries Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes), the hospital's head nurse.[6] Carla is prone to overreaction and compulsively tells her friends how to go about their lives.

 

Two other characters play senior roles in the hospital. Dr. Percival "Perry" Cox (John C. McGinley) is the senior attending physician at Sacred Heart and the hospital's Residency Director. J.D. considers Cox his mentor despite the fact that Dr. Cox routinely criticizes and belittles him. Cox frequently suggests that this harsh treatment is intended as conditioning for the rigors of hospital life. Ken Jenkins plays Dr. Bob Kelso, Sacred Heart's Chief of Medicine. Kelso is cold, heartless and cruel, driven primarily by the hospital's bottom line rather than the well-being of patients. However, it is occasionally suggested that he has a softer side, and that his cruelty is a means of coping with the hard decisions he is often forced to make, stating that when he became Chief of Medicine he thought he'd be "the man". Instead he very quickly realized that the harsh decisions made him unpopular, however, he had to continue his "evil" facade to keep the hospital running smoothly.

 

The only lead character who is not a medical professional is a hospital custodian known only as "Janitor". Played by Neil Flynn, Janitor has appeared in every episode, except for the season two episode "My Lucky Day." An incident in the pilot episode establishes an adversarial relationship between him and J.D., which persists throughout the series. This tends to take the form of the Janitor pulling mean-spirited pranks on J.D., although J.D. occasionally gets even.

 

Supporting cast

 

Main article: List of minor characters of Scrubs

 

* Robert Maschio as Dr. Todd "The Todd" Quinlan—Cosmetic surgery fellow/surgical attending (102 episodes)

* Aloma Wright as Nurse Laverne Roberts/Nurse Shirley—Nurse (89 episodes)

* Sam Lloyd as Theodore "Ted" Buckland—Hospital attorney (80 episodes)

* Christa Miller as Jordan Sullivan—Administrative worker, hospital board member and Perry Cox's ex-wife (76 episodes)

* Johnny Kastl as Dr. Doug Murphy—Pathology MD (46 episodes)

* Travis Schuldt as Dr. Keith Dudemeister—MD resident and Elliot's ex-fiancé (31 episodes)

* Charles Chun as Dr. Wen—Surgical attending (20 episodes)

* Mike Schwartz as Lloyd—Ambulance driver (as of season 7), former delivery guy (16 episodes)

* Michael Hobert as Lonnie—MD resident (15 episodes)

* Elizabeth Banks as Dr. Kim Briggs—Urologist, J.D's girlfriend. Mother of JD's child (13 episodes)

* Scott Foley as Sean Kelly—Elliot Reid's two-time boyfriend (11 episodes)

* Tara Reid as Danni Sullivan—J.D.'s two-time girlfriend and younger sister of Jordan Sullivan (11 episodes)

* Heather Graham as Dr. Molly Clock—Attending psychiatrist (9 episodes)

 

Cameo appearances

 

Main article: List of stars that have had cameo appearances on Scrubs

 

* Each season premiere and finale features a shot of Bill Lawrence's best friend as a good luck charm.[7]

* Several cast members from Spin City, another show created by Bill Lawrence, have made guest appearances on the show. These include Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, Alan Ruck, Richard Kind, Michael Boatman, Alexander Chaplin, and Heather Locklear.[8]

* Similarly, many cast members from Scrubs have lent voices to Clone High, another show created by Lawrence. They include Braff, Chalke, Faison, Flynn, McGinley, Miller, Lawrence, and Scrubs recurring actors Michael McDonald and Nicole Sullivan.[9]

* Braff, Chalke, Reyes, McGinley, Flynn and Lawrence all made cameo appearances in a scene in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie; In the film, Miss Piggy appears as an extra in Scrubs trying to improvise and give herself a bigger role.[10]

* Several Scrubs crew members have appeared in minor speaking roles, such as writer/producer Mike Schwartz having a recurring role as Lloyd the Delivery Man,[11] producer Randal Winston as the security guard Leonard,[12] and writer Gabrielle Allan as a nurse.

 

 

Episodes

 

Main article: List of Scrubs episodes

 

Season 7

 

On November 5, 2007, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, which put the production of the show on hold. When the strike started, only eleven of Scrubs' eighteen planned seventh season episodes had been completely written.[19] Lawrence refused to cross any WGA picket lines to serve any of his duties for the show, so ABC Studios had non-WGA members finish episode twelve, which the studio had unsuccessfully pressured Lawrence to rewrite as a series finale prior to the strike.[19]

 

During the strike, NBC announced that The Office and Scrubs would be replaced by Celebrity Apprentice. NBC later announced that they would leave Scrubs on hiatus for the time being and fill the 8-9pm timeslot with various specials and repeats.[20]

 

Episode 11 was eventually filmed[21], although Lawrence was absent. Filming of episode 11 was disrupted by picketers—it was believed that Lawrence had tipped the picketers off about the filming schedule, although these beliefs turned out to be false as Lawrence quickly drove to the set to "keep the peace."[21]

 

After the strike ended, Lawrence announced that the final episodes of Scrubs would be produced although, at the time, he was unsure where or how they would be distributed.[22]

 

On February 13, 2008, NBC announced that Scrubs would resume with new episodes with other comedy series on April 10, 2008 at 9:30/8:30c on NBC[23]. The season finale aired on May 8, 2008[24], although that particular episode was originally intended to air as episode 9 of the season.

 

Season 8

 

Amid strike-induced doubt involving the final episodes of Scrubs, on February 28, 2008, The Hollywood Reporter reported that ABC was in talks with corporate sibling ABC Studios with the aim of bringing Scrubs to ABC for an eighth season of 18 episodes,[25] despite both Lawrence's and Braff's protests that the seventh season would definitely be the last.[21] Just hours later Variety reported that NBC was lashing out and threatening legal action against ABC Studios.[26] However, McGinley confirmed that he had been told to report back to work on March 24, 2008 to begin production for another season.[27] On March 12, 2008, McGinley was also quoted as saying that the show's long-rumored move from NBC to ABC was a done deal.[28] According to McGinley, Scrubs will air on ABC during the 2008-2009 TV season. [29]

 

On March 19, 2008, Michael Ausiello of TV Guide reported that although nothing is "official", the Scrubs cast was to report back to work the following Wednesday for work on an "unofficial" season as of yet. [30] On April 2, 2008, NBC announced their fall schedule, which did not include an eighth season of Scrubs. [31] This led to more speculation that the show could indeed be making the switch to ABC. NBC President Ben Silverman later informed reporters, "I don't know where Scrubs is going. It's finished its run on NBC though."

 

On April 4, 2008, Kristin Dos Santos of E! Online reported that following the completion of the 12 episodes owed to NBC for season seven, production would immediately commence on 18 all-new episodes for season eight. These episodes will almost certainly air on ABC for the 2008-09 season.[32]

 

On April 28, 2008, Zach Braff posted in his blog on MySpace that an eighth season consisting of 18 episodes was under production but that he could not say where it will be aired.[33] He then stated, on May 7, 2008, that the May 8, 2008 episode would be the final NBC-aired episode of Scrubs[34], which was followed by a bulletin on his MySpace, on May 12, confirming that Scrubs' eighth and final season will be moving to ABC. In a recent video blog, Bill Lawrence stated that Season 8 will be more like the first few seasons tone-wise, with more of a focus on more realistic and dramatic storylines and the introduction of new characters.[35] On May 13, ABC announced that Scrubs will be a midseason replacement, airing Tuesday nights at 9PM ET.[36][37] Steve McPherson, ABC's President of Entertainment, also stated that additional seasons of Scrubs beyond the eighth could be produced if it performs well.[38]

 

Awards

 

In its first three seasons, Scrubs received Emmy nominations for casting, editing, and writing of a comedy. Following Season 4, the show received additional nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Braff), Best Editing for a Multi-camera series (although the series is predominantly shot single-camera, Episode 4.17 "My Life in Four Cameras", has a brief multi-camera style), and casting. The show also won the 2002 Humanitas Prize, 30-minute category, for season 1 episode 4 "My Old Lady".

 

Braff was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical in 2005, 2006 and 2007, but lost to Jason Bateman for Arrested Development in 2005, to Steve Carell of The Office in 2006, and to Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock in 2007.

 

Scrubs won a George Foster Peabody Award for its 2006 season; the press release specifically noted the Wizard of Oz homage episode "My Way Home".[39]

 

At the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards, which aired in September, the episode "My Musical" was nominated for five awards in four categories: Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series (Will Mackenzie), Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics ("Everything Comes Down to Poo" and "Guy Love"), Outstanding Music Direction (Jan Stevens), and Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (half-hour) And Animation (Joe Foglia, Peter J. Nusbaum, and John W. Cook II).[40] It went on to a joint win along with the Entourage episode "One Day in the Valley" in the latter of these categories

 

Music

 

Music plays a large role on Scrubs. A wide variety of rock, pop, and indie artists are featured. Almost every episode ends with a musical montage summing up the themes and plot lines of the episode, and the music for these montages is often picked even before the episodes are completely written.[41] Members of the cast and crew are encouraged to contribute song suggestions, with many ideas coming from series creator Bill Lawrence, writer Neil Goldman, and actors Zach Braff (whose college friends Cary Brothers and Joshua Radin appear on the Scrubs soundtrack) and Christa Miller Lawrence (who selected Colin Hay and Tammany Hall NYC). According to Bill Lawrence, "Christa picks so much of the music for the show that a lot of the writers and actors don't even go to me anymore when they have a song. They hand it to her."[41] Producers expanded Scrubs' musical emphasis with a musical episode early in the sixth season, called "My Musical". This episode aired on January 18, 2007.[42]

 

Theme song

 

The theme song of the series, performed by Lazlo Bane, is titled "Superman", and can be found on the album All the Time in the World, as well as on the first Scrubs soundtrack. Lawrence credits Braff for finding and suggesting "Superman" as the theme song.[7] The lyrics "I'm no Superman" relate to the show's theme of its characters' fallibility. The Scrubs version of the song is normally played at a faster speed than the original recording of the song. The original, slower recording was used briefly at the beginning of Season 2, played during an extended version of the title sequence (that included Flynn and full cast credits), as well as the opening for "My Urologist", and a special edit of the title sequence for resulting in roughly 1-2 seconds of music, followed by the line "I'm no Superman", accompanied by a quick flash of credits. The original intro from season 1 was used through most of season 3 (except the few episodes with the very short intro) and then used for seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7.

 

Soundtracks

 

Two official soundtracks have been released. The first was released on CD on September 24, 2002, and a second—an iTunes exclusive—was released in mid-2006. An iMix on iTunes of the music used through the first five seasons has also been released.[43]

 

Featured musical contributors

 

Colin Hay, the former frontman of Men at Work, has had music featured in at least seven episodes, and has appeared in the episode "My Overkill", performing the song "Overkill" as a street musician, and in the episode "My Hard Labor" performing "Down Under". Hay also sings "Where Everybody Knows Your Name", the theme from "Cheers" in the episode "My Life in Four Cameras". The episode "My Philosophy" features the song "Waiting for my Real Life to Begin", but Hay does not make an appearance.

 

The music of Joshua Radin, who is a friend of Scrubs star Zach Braff,[44] has appeared in at least six episodes to date.

 

Music by Keren DeBerg has featured in 15 episodes, and she appeared in "My Musical" as an extra in the song "Are You Okay?"

 

The Worthless Peons

 

The Worthless Peons (also known as Ted's Band, The Blanks, or in the non-canon "My Way Home" Director's Cut as "Foghat") are an a cappella group made up of hospital employees from different departments. They are a cover band, and often sing songs from a specific genre (for example, cartoon theme songs or commercial jingles). They have appeared in several episodes. In the extended cut of the 100th episode, found on the Season 5 DVD, Ted tells J.D. that they are being forced to change their names after a lawsuit. Their new name becomes Foghat, but this is most likely not canon.

 

The Worthless Peons are played by The Blanks, who are a real-life a cappella band made up of Sam Lloyd (who plays Ted), George Miserlis, Paul F. Perry, and Philip McNiven. The Blanks' album, Riding the Wave, features guest appearances from Lawrence and members of the Scrubs cast. This band was put on the show when Sam Lloyd brought his friends/capella band to a rehearsal. Lloyd told Lawrence about his band. Lawrence asked them to sing and then got the idea of putting them in the show.

 

Production details

 

Scrubs is produced by ABC, through its production division, even though it is aired by rival broadcaster NBC.[45] According to show runner Lawrence, the arrangement is unusual, at least for 2007: "The show is a dinosaur, on one network and completely owned by another" and, since it is now in syndication, making a "ton of money for Touchstone."[46] Both he and Braff confirmed ABC would have broadcast the seventh season had NBC refused to do so.[46][47]

 

The chest X-ray featured at the end of the title sequence was hung backwards for most of the first five seasons. Bill Lawrence has stated that having the X-ray backwards was intentional as it signified that the new interns were inexperienced.[7] However during Zach Braff's audio commentary on "My Last Chance", he states that the error was actually unintentional. The error became somewhat infamous and was even parodied in "My Cabbage." An attempt was made to fix the error in the extended title sequence that was used at the beginning of season 2, but the extended sequence (including corrected X-ray) were soon scrapped at fan and network request. Finally, in "My Urologist", Dr. Kim Briggs steps into the credits and switches the X-ray around, saying, "That's backwards; it's been bugging me for years."

 

Every episode title begins with a possessive pronoun, usually the word "My...". Bill Lawrence says this is because each episode is Dr. John Dorian writing in his diary (said on the commentary on the first season episode "My Hero"). There are notable exceptions in the episodes entitled "His Story", "His Story II", "Her Story", "Her Story II", "His Story III", "His Story IV", and "Their Story". Apart from a brief period of narration from J.D. at the beginning and end, these episodes primarily contain internal narration from another character besides J.D. The only exception to this rule is "Their Story", in which the narration instead switches to a whole crowd of supporting cast members. The transfer usually occurs at a moment of physical contact between the two characters.

 

Since Scrubs is aired around the world in many different languages, instances of foreign languages on the show have to be changed for the international versions. Carla's Spanish is changed to Italian in the Spanish language version of the show, and Elliot's German is changed to Danish (or, in at least one fourth-season episode German with a Swiss accent) in the German version of the show.

 

The show is shot with Aaton 16-mm film camera. Bill Lawrence has stated that experimenting with HD digital camera had not been successful. Only one episode was shot with an HD camera, the finale of Season 5, My Transition.[48] The rest of the show is shot on film in 4:3 aspect ratio.

 

Main Crew

 

* Bill Lawrence is the show's creator, executive producer, and head writer; he has written many episodes, and has directed nine. He is also the show runner and does many uncredited re-writes for episodes.

* Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan have produced and written a number of episodes together. They started as writers/co-producers on the show, and worked their way up to executive producers.

* Bill Callahan was an executive producer (2007-2008). He started on the show in season 4 as co-executive producer and has since written six episodes.

* Angela Nissel is supervising producer (2007-Present). She has written 7 episodes. She started on the show in season 2 as a staff writer. In her second book, Bill Lawrence is quoted on the back cover and references to Scrubs are present throughout the final chapter.

* Mike Schwartz is co-executive producer (2006-Present) who started as a story editor. He has written 11 episodes and also has a recurring role in the show as Lloyd the Delivery Guy.

* Michael Spiller has directed 15 episodes between 2002-2006, the most of any director to date.

* Adam Bernstein directed the pilot episode of the show, My First Day (11 episodes, 2001-2006)

* Zach Braff has directed five episodes of the show, including the landmark 100th episode "My Way Home", which won a George Foster Peabody Award in April 2007.

 

Medical advisors

 

Scrubs writers work with several medical advisors, including doctors Jonathan Doris, Jon Turk, and Dolly Klock. Their names serve as the basis for the names of characters John Dorian, Chris Turk and Molly Clock (played by Braff, Faison, and Heather Graham, respectively).[49]

 

Sacred Heart Hospital

 

Scrubs is filmed on location at the North Hollywood Medical Center ( [show location on an interactive map] 34°9′28.86″N, 118°24′31.22″W), a real decommissioned hospital located at 12629 Riverside Drive in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

 

However, the location of Sacred Heart Hospital within the fictional world of Scrubs is left ambiguous. Cast and crew on the show refer to the location as "San DiFrangeles"—a portmanteau of San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles that is meant to encompass a large part of California.[50]

 

Name

 

Bill Lawrence has stated that he has two main reasons for calling it Scrubs: The obvious being the attire worn by doctors, and the other being the fact that most of the main characters are fresh out of medical school, new and inexperienced (known in the medical field as "scrubs").[7]

 

. . .

 

[knightni]

4. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)

 

 

(10 of 18 lists - 132 points - highest ranking #2 Controlled Chaos)

 

Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American sitcom starring Seinfeld writer, co-creator, and executive producer Larry David as himself, and produced and broadcast by HBO. The series was inspired by a 1999 one-hour mockumentary titled Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm, which David and HBO originally envisioned as a one-time project.

 

Concept

 

Set in Santa Monica and loosely based on David's life as a semi-retired multi-millionaire in the world after Seinfeld, the series is often described as a more subversive take on that hit program's "show about nothing" motif.

 

Shot on location with hand-held cameras, Curb Your Enthusiasm is produced unconventionally, eschewing traditional scripts in favor of detailed scene outlines from which actors improvise dialogue (a practice referred to as retroscripting). Curb Your Enthusiasm develops ongoing story lines and in-jokes set around Larry's interaction with his easily annoyed but put-upon wife (played by Cheryl Hines), his loyal manager Jeff Greene (played by Jeff Garlin), and Jeff's foul-mouthed outburst-prone wife Susie (played by Susie Essman).

 

Although many scenarios are drawn from his own experiences, the real-life David has downplayed the notion that he is like the character portrayed onscreen. In a Bob Costas interview, he said that the Larry David of the show was the one he can't be in real life due to his sensitivity to others and to social conventions.

 

Characters

 

See also: List of celebrities appearing on Curb Your Enthusiasm

 

The show's natural, fly-on-the-wall style, together with the fact that David and many other characters play "themselves", have contributed to the show's blurring of distinctions between fiction and reality, again echoing Seinfeld.

 

* Larry David (as "himself") – The ultimate passive aggressive, Larry creates awkwardness and discomfort in most social situations. His problems are often caused by his own petty neuroses and obstinacy, which render him incapable of admitting fault, accepting blame and letting matters rest. At the same time, he is often a victim of circumstance and the sensitive, easily-offended natures of those he happens to encounter. He can be a likeable character with good intentions, while those around him are being petty, volatile or annoying. The reverse is also true on many occasions, when Larry is petty, impatient, self-centered and difficult. Whether or not Larry or the other characters on the show are 'likeable,' they generally each believe they are playing by (or only lightly bending) the rules of society. However, they do not always agree on what those rules are.

* Jeff Greene (played by Jeff Garlin) – Larry's friend and manager who doggedly sticks up for him and gets involved in his schemes, no matter how morally dubious they may be. Obsessed with sex, Jeff involves Larry in covering up his marital infidelities and hiding his pornography. Jeff, although loyal to Larry, will comfortably act the innocent in a confrontation.

* Cheryl David (played by Cheryl Hines) – Larry's wife. As the straight man of this comedic duo, she is alternately patient with and exasperated by his behavior.

* Susie Greene (played by Susie Essman) – Jeff's wife. Her relationship with Jeff is mercurial, leading to numerous separations in the course of the show. She often reacts to Jeff and Larry's shenanigans with angry, profane tirades in which she usually refers to Jeff as a "fat piece of s***" and Larry as a "four-eyed f***." She shows more affection to her dog, Oscar, and her daughter, Sammie, than her husband.

* Richard Lewis (as himself) – A stand-up comedian who is neurotic, self-loathing, and a recovering alcoholic. He is one of Larry's oldest and closest friends, both having moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue their comedy careers. Despite this, his relationship with Larry is often volatile and complicated. It was in season 5 that Richard Lewis became a central character due to his need for a new kidney, which apparently only Larry or Jeff could provide.

 

Guest stars frequently play key roles. Ted Danson, Bob Einstein (as Marty Funkhouser), Mary Steenburgen and Wanda Sykes often appear as friends of the Davids. Shelley Berman plays Larry's father. Former Seinfeld stars Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, along with Martin Scorsese, Paul Reiser, Alanis Morissette], David Schwimmer, Mel Brooks, and Ben Stiller, have all appeared as themselves. Jerry Seinfeld and Stephen Colbert made cameo appearances in Season 4. Bobby Lee, Crista Flanagan, Rosie O'Donnell, Hugh Hefner, Dustin Hoffman, Sacha Baron Cohen and Bea Arthur appear in Season 5. The sixth season featured Vivica Fox, Lucy Lawless, Senator Barbara Boxer, Michael McKean, Tim Meadows, Steve Coogan, John Legend, and John McEnroe as well as others.

 

Plots

 

See also: List of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes

 

With the exception of Season 1 (2000), seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm are loosely linked by a story arc, although most episodes still have their own separate plot. David took a similar approach on Seinfeld during seasons four and seven.

 

* Season 1 (2000) – The first season has no connecting story arc. The first season introduces us to Larry's post-Seinfeld world, where everything seems just right. He has wealth, a loving wife and a best friend. It is not long into the series though that we realise that poor Larry is his own worst enemy. He finds himself variously being accused of an adultery-implying erection due to a badly stitched zipper; feuding with a shoe salesman; submitting an obituary for Cheryl's aunt in which the word "aunt" is unintentionally substituted with "c***"; and unintentionally causing someone to believe that his uncle is an incestuous paedophile.

* Season 2 (2001) – Larry David pursues a new television project, first with Jason Alexander, and then Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The premise: an actor who starred in a phenomenally popular t.v. show (obviously referring to Seinfeld) finds it difficult to secure subsequent work because of the public's strong association of them with their famous former character. Larry pitches the idea to executives for several different networks, who are initially receptive but ultimately back away for a variety of reasons (usually involving a mishap with Larry). It is during a meeting with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her agent (to discuss abandoning the new show) that Jeff coins the term 'a victim of circumstance' in respect to Larry. The season concludes with Larry, having offended or alienated everyone involved with the project, being arrested for fork theft. Despite reasoning with the trial judge that the fork was for the limo guy waiting outside the restaurant, Larry is sentenced to parade along the sidewalk with a sandwich board which reads "I steal forks from restaurants".

* Season 3 (2002) – Larry joins a restaurant venture with a group of investors that includes Ted Danson. The season ends with the restaurant's grand opening. A sub-plot involves Larry being cast in a Martin Scorsese movie.

* Season 4 (2004) – Larry works with Mel Brooks, Ben Stiller and David Schwimmer to star on Broadway in The Producers. He also struggles to fulfill his wife's tenth anniversary present to him – a one-time-only extramarital sexual encounter which he frantically tries to fulfill and tries not to fulfill, with some women. The season ends with an hour-long special in which Larry travels to New York City to perform on Broadway. The final episode ends with a ten minute montage of The Producers starring Larry, which comes close to disaster but ends in triumph. It turns out that Mel Brooks, bored sick of his musical, deliberately chose Larry because he knew Larry could be relied upon to ruin the show. Unexpectedly, Larry's personal charm shines through -- bolstering the show's already interminable popularity, thereby ruining Mel's sabotage plan (which, ironically, is the actual plot of The Producers). At the end Larry points at his watch from on stage to indicate to Cheryl that he still has a few hours to validate his gift.

* Season 5 (2005) – Larry's friend, comedian Richard Lewis, is in dire need of a kidney transplant operation. Purely out of paranoid guilt, Larry offers one of his own to Richard if Richard cannot find a suitable donor in time. Larry then makes many concerted, ridiculous efforts to find Richard a kidney donor. Larry also feels excited that he might have been adopted, due to a potentially misunderstood word his father said (and no longer remembers) while in the hospital; Larry hires a private investigator (Mekhi Phifer) to look into it. The final episode of the season ("The End") sees Larry undergo the transplant-donation surgery for Lewis. Larry apparently dies during the procedure, though, and arrives in heaven. Due to certain inevitable rantings by Larry, it is decided by his guardian angels that Larry is not quite 'ready' for the afterlife, and he is duly sent back to the living world.

* Season 6 (2007) – Cheryl and Larry shelter an African-American family named "the Blacks" (headed by Vivica A. Fox and also featuring J.B. Smoove) in their house, after a hurricane destroys the Blacks' home. A distracted phone call between Larry and Cheryl causes her to re-evaluate their marriage and intellectual chemistry. Cheryl soon thereafter separates from him and even finds another man; the season ends with Larry moving on himself and finding a relationship with Loretta Black.

 

Impact

 

Critical response

 

Since its 2000 debut, the show has enjoyed wide critical acclaim and a steadily growing, dedicated audience that has helped it emerge from its early "cult"-only status. Through 2004, it has been nominated for twenty Emmy Awards (winning one), and has received a Golden Globe for best television comedy (2003). It is the fifth-highest rated TV show on metacritic.com.

 

Slate magazine named the characters of Cheryl David and Susie Greene as two of the best on television and as reasons they were looking forward to the return of the show in fall 2007.[1]

The Juan Catalan incident

 

In 2003, Juan Catalan, a resident of Los Angeles, was cleared of premeditated murder charges against a material witness (a crime eligible for capital punishment) after cut-out footage shot for the "Carpool Lane" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm showed him and his daughter attending the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves baseball game some 20 miles from the scene, resulting in a $320,000 settlement.[2]

 

Season 7

 

Season 7 has recently been unofficially confirmed by Susie Essman, who told the New York Post that she had auctioned off a walk-on role in season 7[3]. In an interview, Richard Lewis said David seems "very energetic and very upbeat, which usually means that he's come up with an arc for the next season."[4] In a televised interview available on YouTube, Jeff Garlin stated that Larry David was in the process of writing Season 7.[5]

 

Music

 

The show is punctuated between scenes with music orchestrated by Wendall J. Yuponce (first season), and from a music library company called Killer Tracks (seasons two to five). The bouncy opening and closing theme song (not mentioned in the credits) is "Frolic" by Italian composer Luciano Michelini. David heard the music used in a bank commercial years before the show was created and thought it had a lighthearted, joyful quality that could redeem him of any and all of the repugnant, self-serving acts that define his not-so-endearing personality. It was featured in the Family Guy episode "Chick Cancer".

 

In May 2006, Mellowdrama Records released an unofficial Curb Your Enthusiasm soundtrack, which contained much of the music used in the show. It featured the following tracklisting:

 

1. "Frolic" - Luciano Michelini

2. "Bubba Dub Bossa" - Robby Poitevin

3. "Beach Parade" - Armando Trovaioli

4. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Gianni Ferrio

5. "The Stranger" - Alessandro Alessandroni

6. "Tango Passionate" - Piero Umiliani

7. "Ein Swei March" - Renato Rascel

8. "Suspicion" - Ennio Morricone

9. "Solo Dance" - Italo Greco

10. "Moulin Rouge Waltz" - Teddy Lasry

11. "Walk Cool" - Nino Oliviero

12. "Slow On The Uptake" - Luis Bacalov

13. "Corfu" - Eric Gemsa

14. "Thrills And Spills" - Stefano Torossi

15. "The Puzzle" - Franco Micalizzi

16. "Au Vieux" - Christian Sebasto Toucas

17. "Merry Go Round" - Armando Trovaioli

18. "Riviera Nostalgia" - Jacques Mercier

19. "La Ballada Di Periferia" - Jacques Mercier

20. "The Little People" - Carlo Rustichelli

21. "Mazurka Bastiaise" - Jean Michel Panunzio

22. "Spinning Waltz" - Piero Umiliani

23. "Amusement" - Franco Micalizzi

24. "Frolic (30 Second Edit)" - Luciano Michelini

 

. . .

 

[knightni]

3. Arrested Development (2003-06)

 

 

(10 of 18 lists - 161 points - highest ranking #1 Steve9347, BigSqwert, Soxy, 3E8, MHizzle85, The Bones)

 

Arrested Development is a character-driven American television comedy sitcom about a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family. The show sometimes incorporates devices used in documentaries with its use of narration, archival photos, and historical footage. Although set in Newport Beach and Balboa Island, California, Arrested Development was primarily filmed around Culver City and Marina del Rey.

 

The show was created by Mitchell Hurwitz (The Ellen Show, The John Larroquette Show, and The Golden Girls). Television veteran Ron Howard is an executive producer and the uncredited narrator. It has aired on broadcast networks around the world, including Fox in the United States, The Comedy Channel (Pay TV) in Australia, Global (original run), CBC (syndication) in Canada and BBC Two in the United Kingdom.

 

Since debuting on November 2, 2003, the series received six Emmy awards, one Golden Globe, critical acclaim, a cult fan base, several fan-based websites, and a spot on Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time.[1][2] Despite the thorough approval from critics, Arrested Development never climbed in the ratings. Fox aired the final four episodes of the third season in a block as a two-hour series finale on February 10, 2006, opposite the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

 

In February 2008, cast members Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Bateman confirmed in interviews that a future motion picture may be in the works, and that although Hurwitz "does not yet have a script, he has a good, solid understanding of what he'd like to do for the movie."[3] Will Arnett also confirmed a movie was currently being planned on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[4]

 

Development

 

Discussion which led to the creation of the series began in the summer of 2002. Ron Howard had the original idea to create a comedy in the style of hand-held cameras and reality television, but with an elaborate, highly-comical script resulting from repeated rewritings and rehearsals.[5] Howard met with David Nevins, the President of Imagine Television, Katie O’Connell, a senior Vice President, and two writers, including Mitchell Hurwitz. In light of recent corporate accounting scandals, such as Enron and Adelphia, Hurwitz suggested a story about a "riches to rags" family. Howard and Imagine were immediately interested in using this idea, and signed Hurwitz on to write the show. The idea was pitched and sold in Fall 2002. Over the next few months, Hurwitz developed the characters and plot to the series. The pilot script was submitted in January 2003, and filmed in March 2003. It was submitted in late April, and added to the Fall Fox schedule in May.[5]

 

Characters

 

Main article: List of Arrested Development characters

 

The plot of Arrested Development revolves around the members of the Bluth family, who generally lead excessive lifestyles. At the center of the show is the relatively honorable Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), who strives to do the right thing and keep his family together, despite their materialism, selfishness, and manipulative natures. His teenage son, George Michael (Michael Cera), has the same qualities of decency, but feels a constant pressure to live up to his father's expectations, and is reluctantly willing to follow his father's plans, which do not always agree with his.

 

Michael's father George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) is the patriarch of the family. At times dictatorial, George Sr. goes to considerable lengths to manipulate and control his family. His wife, and Michael's mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter), is equally manipulative, materialistic, and hypercritical of every member of her family, not to mention being a perpetual drunk. In particular, she has a tight grip on her youngest son Byron "Buster" Bluth (Tony Hale), who, as a result of his mother's dominance and sheltering, is unstable, socially inept, and prone to panic attacks.

 

Michael's older brother is Gob, played by Will Arnett. His name is an acronym for George Oscar Bluth II. Though pronounced Jōb, as in the Biblical figure, the name is frequently mispronounced by various characters in the show. Gob is an unsuccessful professional magician whose business and personal schemes usually fail. He uses a Segway for transportation, and sometimes converses with others from it while stationary, as if it were a pulpit. Gob is used by his father to undermine Michael's control of the family business. Michael's twin sister Lindsay Fünke (Portia de Rossi) is flamboyant and materialistic, continually desiring to be the center of attention and attracted to various social causes, usually for a week or so. She enjoys being objectified, but also protests it. She is married to Tobias Fünke (David Cross), a discredited psychiatrist, aspiring actor, and "never-nude", whose language and behavior have homosexual overtones. Their attention-starved but sweet daughter Mae "Maeby" Fünke (Alia Shawkat) is the polar opposite of her cousin George Michael—skipping school, cheating on homework, and stealing money from the family's frozen banana stand business. The ever-rebellious teen, Maeby's chief motivation is going against her parents' wishes.

 

Several other characters regularly appear in minor roles. George Sr.'s identical twin brother Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor) is a lethargic ex-hippie seeking the affection of George's wife Lucille. The family's lawyer, Barry Zuckerkorn (Henry Winkler) is an incompetent sexual deviant, who often hinders the family's legal battles rather than helping them. Lucille Austero, or "Lucille 2", played by Liza Minnelli, is Lucille's "best friend and chief social rival" as well as Buster's love interest. Carl Weathers plays a parodic version of himself as an unemployed, ultra-cheapskate actor. Beginning in the second season, Mae Whitman portrays Ann Veal, George Michael's Christian girlfriend, who is often forgotten or disparaged by Michael.

 

Casting

 

The most difficult part for casting the series involved finding people who would be believable as a family. Alia Shawkat was the first person cast. Michael Cera, Tony Hale, and Jessica Walter were cast from video tapes and flown in to audition for Fox. Jason Bateman and Portia de Rossi both read and auditioned for the network, and were immediately chosen. The character of Gob was the most challenging to cast. When Will Arnett auditioned, he depicted the character in an interesting way, different from expectations; he was chosen immediately. The characters of Tobias and George Sr. were originally going to have minor roles, but David Cross's and Jeffrey Tambor's portrayals mixed well with the rest of the characters, and they were given more significant parts.[5] Ron Howard, the Executive Producer, provided the narration for the initial pilot, but meshed so well with the tone of the program that the decision was made to stick with his voice.

 

Plot synopsis

 

First season

 

George Bluth Sr., patriarch of the Bluth family, is the founder and former CEO of the Bluth Company, which markets and builds mini-mansions, among other activities. George Sr. is arrested by the Securities and Exchange Commission for defrauding investors and gross spending of the company's money for "personal expenses". His wife Lucille becomes CEO, and immediately names as the new president her youngest son Buster, who proves ill equipped. Seeing no other options, the family turns to Michael, the middle son, and twin to the Bluths' only girl, Lindsay, giving him control of the company. To keep the family together, Michael convinces his son and sister's family to live together in a Bluth model home.

 

Throughout the first season, different characters struggle to change their identities. Buster works to escape from his mother's control through brotherly bonding and love interests such as Lucille Austero. George Michael nurses a forbidden crush on his cousin Maeby, while continually trying to meet his father's expectations. Lindsay's husband Tobias, a psychiatrist who has lost his medical license, searches for work as an actor, with the aid of Carl Weathers. Michael falls in love with his older brother Gob's neglected girlfriend Marta, and is torn between being with her and putting "family first". After he quarrels with Gob, Marta realizes that they do not share the same family values, and she leaves them both. To spite Buster, Lucille adopts a Korean son whom she calls 'Annyong' after she mistakes the Korean word for 'hello' as his name. Through an escalating series of dares, Gob gets married to a woman he just met, played by real life wife Amy Poehler, but cannot get an annulment because he refuses to admit that he did not consummate the marriage. Kitty, George Sr.'s former assistant, tries to blackmail the company. She is caught in the Bluth family yacht's explosion, as used in one of Gob's magic acts, but survives. After previous failed attempts, and a brief religious stint in Judaism, George Sr. finally escapes from prison by faking a heart attack. It is also revealed that George committed "light treason" by using the company to build mini-palaces for Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

 

Second season

 

Because of his father's latest lie about a heart attack, Michael decides to leave his family and company behind. Lucille appoints Gob to be the new Bluth Company president, but he proves incapable and the position reverts back to Michael. George Sr.'s twin brother Oscar moves in with Lucille in an attempt to rekindle a previous love affair. After faking his death in Mexico, George Sr. returns to the family model home, where he hides in the attic. Meanwhile, Buster joins the army, but escapes serving in Iraq when his hand is bitten off by a loose seal. He bonds with his uncle Oscar, who is revealed as Buster's presumptive biological father. George Michael begins dating a deeply religious girl, Ann Veal; his father does not like her, and tries to disrupt their relationship. Michael fails to break them up, but George Michael sees a chance for his crush on Maeby to bear fruit, and the pair kiss while the living room of the model home collapses under them.

 

Maeby becomes a film studio executive covertly, and Tobias repeatedly paints himself blue in a futile attempt to join the Blue Man Group. Throughout the season, various blue paint marks can be seen around the family's house and on the back of Tobias's neck when not in full makeup. After being kicked out by Lindsay, Tobias dresses as "Mrs. Featherbottom" to be around Maeby, an explicitly narrated reference to Mrs. Doubtfire. Kitty returns to steal a sample of George Sr.'s semen to make her own Bluth baby. George Sr., in revenge for twin brother Oscar's affair with his wife, exchanges appearances with an unconscious Oscar, who is mistakenly sent to prison in the place of George Sr., who flees again.

 

Third season

 

In the third season, Michael once again begins searching for his runaway father. Gob gets an invitation to a father/son reunion outing, and believes it to be George Sr. trying to contact him. In reality, the invitation was meant to reunite Gob with Steve Holt, son of Eve Holt, a girl with whom he had slept in high school. Meanwhile, George Michael and Maeby deal with their previous kiss by avoiding each other.

 

George Sr., in an attempt to remain in disguise, joins the Blue Man Group. Michael discovers this, and arranges to have his father placed under house arrest. George Sr. claims that he was set up by an underground British group. Michael goes to Wee Britain, a fictional British-themed city district, to investigate, and in the process meets new love interest Rita (Charlize Theron). Michael and the audience are led to believe that Rita is a mole for the underground British group, working for a man named "Mr. F." In the end of the episode titled "Mr. F," it is revealed that Rita is actually an MRF, or "mentally retarded female." The unknowing Michael proposes to her, and the couple run off to be wed. Michael eventually finds out the truth, however; despite this, the family pushes him to go forward with the marriage because Rita is, in fact, quite wealthy and they desperately want the money. Michael is not persuaded, and gently ends the relationship just as he and Rita are about to walk down the aisle. Meanwhile, Tobias and Lindsay variously seek legal help from Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio) concerning their troubled marriage.

 

Disturbed by both Lindsay's and Tobias's advances, Bob Loblaw chooses to no longer represent the Bluth family. Attorney Jan Eagleman offers to represent the family, on the condition that they participate in a mock trial in a new reality courtroom show called, and presided over by Judge Reinhold. Michael uses an illegal threat from prosecutors to have the mock case "dismissed," while Gob and Franklin briefly appear in another eponymous courtroom show presided over by Bud Cort. Meanwhile, Maeby and George Michael perform in a mock wedding which is accidentally conducted by a real priest, and the two become legally married.

 

The family members are afraid to testify at the mock trial and later deposition, so Buster fakes a coma, Lindsay and Lucille fake entering rehab, and Gob flees the country to perform in a USO Tour in Iraq. All of the deceptions are uncovered by the prosecution, and in Iraq, Gob is arrested for inadvertently inciting an anti-US riot. Buster and Michael travel to Iraq to rescue Gob, and while there, uncover evidence that the mini-palaces George Sr. built in Iraq were actually ordered and paid for by the CIA for wiretapping purposes. After this discovery, the US government drops all of the charges against George Sr.

 

To celebrate, the Bluths throw a shareholders' party on the RMS Queen Mary. During preparation for the party, it is revealed that Lindsay was adopted, meaning that George Michael and Maeby are not blood relatives. At the party, the Bluth's other adopted child, Annyong, reappears. He reveals that he is there to avenge his grandfather's deportation, an event orchestrated many years earlier by Lucille Bluth. Annyong has turned over evidence implicating Lucille in the Bluth Company's accounting scandals. Before the police arrive, Michael and George Michael flee on Gob's yacht, the C-Word, and depart to Cabo with half a million dollars in cashier's checks, finally leaving the family to fend for themselves. However, it is revealed in the epilogue that George Sr. is also on the yacht, having lured his brother Oscar into taking his place once again. Also in the epilogue, Maeby tries to sell the television rights to the story of the Bluth family to Ron Howard, who tells her that he sees it as a movie rather than a series...

 

In light of FOX's possible cancellation of the show, the first episode of 2006 parodied various gimmicks that other shows had used during November sweeps in 2005. Thinly-veiled allusions were made to the possibility of HBO or Showtime picking the show up in the event of its cancellation. The episode took shots at frequently cited reasons for the show's failure in the ratings, such as complex storylines that can be hard to follow, obscure references that may go over viewers' heads, and main characters who were not sympathetic or relatable.

 

Episodes

 

Main article: List of Arrested Development episodes

 

Themes and other characteristics

 

The show focuses on the tension that developed between the members of the Bluth family, primarily from their diminished spending power. Each show pulls from a serpentine mix of sibling rivalries, unresolved oedipal conflicts, sexual incompatibilities, personal identity crises, adolescent trauma, aging, pride, miscommunication, lying, guilt, subterfuge, determination, immigration, manipulation, mutilation, social status anxiety, incest taboo, alcoholism, and countless other themes.

 

Much like other dysfunctional-family comedies such as Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons, the family unit is depicted as necessary for the survival of the individual. Much of the comedy comes from the quirks of the characters and the patterns that developed within the family structure.

 

Unique presentation

 

Arrested Development uses several elements that are rare for American live-action sitcoms. 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 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. Perhaps most startling for new viewers is the fast pace, which throws complex, often subtle humor and plot details at the viewer with little breathing room.

 

Opening credits

 

With few exceptions, Arrested Development begins immediately with the title credits, rather than a cold open (which is more common for modern sitcoms). Over a series of slides introducing the characters using archive photos, Ron Howard provides a narrative summary of the show's premise ("Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. It's Arrested Development.") accompanied by the show's theme tune. The credits serve to immediately introduce the new viewer to many of the unique elements of the show: the documentary-style use of archive photos and footage, the upbeat soundtrack, and the presence of the narrator.

 

"On the next Arrested Development"

 

Almost every episode ends with an epilogue segment called "On the next Arrested Development," in which lingering stories are wrapped up or extended humorously. These segments portray events that do not usually appear in the subsequent episodes, but remain part of the show's canon. However, on some rare occasions (typically in the first half of a two-part episode), scenes from these portions are worked into the following episode; also, the segment occasionally shows a significant plot twist (e.g. Maggie Lizer's deception, Buster's accident,[6] Steve Holt's discovery[7]). The second episode of season three reversed this by having "Previously on..." featuring the resolution of the cliffhanger and nearly an entire episode of plot changes within thirty seconds. The epilogue sometimes shows a several-second continuation of the previous scene, in comically direct opposition to the name of the sequence.

 

The first and second season finales changed the segment to "On the next season of Arrested Development…" and in the third season finale (which was also the series finale), it became "On the epilogue…".

 

Intertextuality and reflexivity

 

The show is highly intertextual and reflexive, features commonly associated with postmodernism. For example, Arrested Development often alludes to the past work of its cast and crew through the restaging of familiar scenarios, such as Fonzie's jumping the shark from Happy Days,[8], Tony Hale's bit part in a Volkswagen commercial, and by casting former collaborators in small bit parts, including many cast members from Mr. Show as well as improv comics from Christopher Guest films. Guest stars frequently appear from other lauded television comedies such as The Daily Show, Seinfeld, Scrubs, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Upright Citizens Brigade and The Simpsons. The show's reflexiveness may be literal or subtle. In the episode "For British Eyes Only," Michael tells George Sr., who he believes is trying to convince him of a lie, "You're a regular Brad Garrett." This is in reference to the Emmy Awards that directly preceded the episode's original airing, where Garrett beat out Jeffrey Tambor (George Sr.) for "Best Supporting Actor." The series has acknowledged its competition (Desperate Housewives), commercial sponsor (Burger King),[8] its struggle to go after an "idiot demographic,"[9] its use of dramatic moments as act breaks, and Fox's cutback of the second season to 18 episodes. The episode "S.O.B.s" made numerous references to Arrested Development's attempts to remain on air by parodying typical television ratings ploys and hinted at the attempts of other networks to purchase the series from Fox. In another example Charlize Theron's character Rita is shown prior to her plastic surgery, which is a picture of her in her Monster role. In addition, narrator Ron Howard has made several references to his experiences on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days.

 

Incest

 

Several of the major characters of the show are at some stage involved in a plot with incestuous themes [10]. Frequently, this theme is linked with questions about murky family lineage. For example, George Michael's attraction to Maeby, who may or may not be his cousin. There is also the neat symmetry of Maeby's interest in Steve Holt, who likewise may or may not be her cousin. In the second season, the episode "Afternoon Delight" played on this theme when Michael and Maeby (and later George Michael and Lindsay) sing the Starland Vocal Band song of the same name, being unaware of its sexual nature. This theme is explored on one particularly notable occasion, through the character of Nellie Bluth, who Michael thinks for a time might be his older sister, but who herself presumes Michael is interested in her for sex. The fact that Nellie Bluth is played by Jason Bateman's real life sister Justine Bateman lends the plot line an additional layer of comedic complication. Yet another example of this theme is when, upon discovering her adoption, Lindsay attempts to seduce her brother Michael. Gob, out of brotherly competition, later attempts to seduce her. Another running joke throughout the series was Buster's Freudian obsession with his mother. This strangely co-dependent relationship is highlighted in the episode "Motherboy XXX", where Buster says: "whenever she'd change clothes, she'd make me wait on the balcony until zip-up – and yet anything goes at bath-time."

 

Topicality

 

Arrested Development plays with divisive, controversial social and political issues. Writers have turned references to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal,[8] the U.S. Army's recruiting crisis, inadequate supplies for US troops, the non-existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" photo-op into jokes.[11][12] In that same vein, George Sr. has appeared with Osama Bin Laden[11] and Saddam Hussein. There are also occasional references made to the USA PATRIOT Act, namely as a catchall excuse for the prosecutors against the Bluths to act in underhanded and illegal ways. It has also poked fun at the decadence of American white collar criminals, "limousine liberals", religious protest campaigns, the Terri Schiavo debate, controversy over public display of the Ten Commandments, and the restriction of protesters to "free speech zones". Other references include "Girls with Low Self-Esteem" (a parody of Girls Gone Wild), "Boyfights" (a parody of Bumfights), Michael Moore documentaries,[13][9] low-carb diets, and "Star Wars Kid".[7][11]

 

Continuity

 

The plot regularly features callbacks to previous episodes (e.g., Gob's recurring use of the phrase "Come on!" and "...I've made a huge mistake...", the family's sighs and Gob's "typical" whenever Michael is gone or missing, repeated use of family members' "chicken dances", George Sr.'s The Cornballer invention) and will often use what creator Mitch Hurwitz has termed "call-forwards", wherein plots or events will be foreshadowed in subtle ways. For example, many references are made to the loss of limbs, foreshadowing the loss of Buster's hand in the second season. The first season episode "Pier Pressure" has several flashbacks to George Sr. hiring a man with a prosthetic arm to teach his children lessons, by staging elaborate scenes in which the man has his arm cut off as a result of the children's misbehavior. Before losing his hand, Buster retrieves his hand-shaped chair, which his mother had given to her maid behind Buster's back. He then says,"I never thought I could miss a hand so much." In season three they allude to Rita being a mentally retarded female in many subtle ways. Including in a scene from "Forget Me Now" when Gob and Lindsey are leaving a drugged Rita on a bench, an ad for "Wee Britain" is obscured by the pair and instead reads "Wee Brain".

Music

 

Besides the short ukulele-based theme song composed by David Schwartz, which is also used as Lindsay's cell phone ringtone, a number of other songs are featured prominently in Arrested Development. Gob uses Europe's 1986 hit single "The Final Countdown" in his magic acts, attempting to increase the audience's excitement through improvised dancing and rapid-fire magic tricks. The dramatic, synthesised chords, combined with Gob's high energy and overacting are a clear parody of modern magic acts. "The Final Countdown" is also Gob's ringtone. In the second and third seasons of the show, Gob's duet with his puppet Franklin, titled "It Ain't Easy Being White", has also become a repeated joke. The duet parodies Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney's "Ebony and Ivory". "Cry Love" by John Hiatt is playing in the fourth episode while Gob is playing catch with his father (in prison) and then is stabbed, and also as Michael's feelings for Marta increase. Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do, I Do it For You" can also be heard sung by Gob on his CD he recorded for Michael.

 

"Free at Last", written by David Schwartz and Gabriel Mann, and performed by Mann and Maxayn Lewis, is used in conjunction with parties, protests, or other events involving gay men, transvestites, or male strippers. A recurring gay crossdresser holds a "Freedom" sign of various sizes under this music. An original song called "Big Yellow Joint", apparently written about the Bluth Banana Stand, sounds almost identical to Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" and is often used in scenes with aged hippie Oscar Bluth or his stash of marijuana. "Gonna Get Together", by Leroy, is used during awkward, sexually suggestive situations involving George Michael and his cousin, Maeby, or his girlfriend, Ann. The song "Ain't No Big Thing" is played when introducing the frontispiece in season-one episode "In God We Trust" to underscore the small size of the prosthetic penis to be worn by George Michael in the living portrayal of The Creation of Adam. Nikka Costa's "Everybody Got Their Something" was used for energetic segues in the pilot, before being supplanted by Schwartz and Mann's stylistically similar "I Get Up" in later episodes.[14] Ashford and Simpson's "Solid" is used by Gob as theme music for his 'Bluth Homes: Solid as a Rock' campaign. The Starland Vocal Band song "Afternoon Delight" acted as a plot point in the Second Season episode of the same name.

 

Short clips of music are also used to highlight recurring comedic themes in the series. For example, during George Sr.'s stints with religion, or other religious experiences, whether real or feigned, a duduk moans in the background. "Christmas Time Is Here," Vince Guaraldi's piano theme from A Charlie Brown Christmas, plays when a male character is depressed. Mentions of Mexico get a Spanish guitar riff, and displays of Balboa Bay Window magazine are accompanied by upbeat elevator music. The same dramatic soap opera style music can always be heard (and abruptly cut off) whenever Oscar makes a hint about being Buster's father. For Season 3's recurring motif of an alleged British conspiracy against the Bluth family, music parodying that of the James Bond spy films ('For British Eyes Only') is played at each mention of the British.

 

Response

 

Lawsuit over title

 

In November 2003 the producers of the show were sued by the hip hop group Arrested Development over the use of the name.[15]. The incident was referenced humorously in an episode of the show: In episode "The Sword of Destiny", Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller), a magician, explains that he will have to change the title of his planned home video release because "some band has got the rights to Use Your Illusion." He later releases a video of his magic act as Use Your Allusion II. In episode "Motherboy XXX", the narration refers to a band called "Motherboy", which the narration claims the show is "legally required to make a distinction" from, with respect to the "Motherboy" event happening in the episode. Additionally, in the episode "For British Eyes Only", Gob is forced to change the name of his illusion "Free Bird" due to his inability to get the rights to the name, presumably because of Lynyrd Skynyrd 's song. The resulting title, "Free Chicken", draws a significant crowd for the wrong reasons.

 

Television ratings

 

The show, while critically acclaimed, did not gain a sizable audience.[1] According to the Nielsen Ratings system, U.S. ratings in the second season averaged about six million viewers, while the third season averaged about four million viewers.[16] To promote their re-broadcast of the animated series Family Guy, FOX announced that it would halt the production of the second season at eighteen episodes – four episodes short of the planned season. Despite rumors that this was a prelude to cancellation, the network defended its actions, claiming that the show would fare poorly during network sweeps period, and that it was simply a procedural matter. The show's writers did, however, write a parody joke in the show about this on "The Sword of Destiny" (season 2 episode 37 aired in March 2005). In the beginning of the episode, Michael Bluth is talking on the phone with a contractor saying that the original contract was to design and build 22 homes but they were cut back to 18 homes. Later in the episode they also parodied Fox and Family Guy stating that a website was getting swamped with Family Guy popup ads.

 

For the third season, FOX positioned the show at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and 7:00 p.m. CT/MT, directly opposite Monday Night Football in the Mountain and Pacific time zones, whereas MNF would not have started yet in the other two. Ratings were even worse than previous seasons. On November 9, 2005, FOX announced that the show would not be airing in November sweeps, and that they had cut the episode order for the third season from 22 to 13. FOX ended up showing the last four episodes in a two-hour timeslot — directly opposite the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics. As a result, the finale received only 3.3 million viewers.

 

Critical reception

 

Since its debut and throughout its run, the series has been critically acclaimed.[1]

 

"Is it beating a dead horse to once again state that this underappreciated gem is the best sitcom on TV? Too bad. 'Arrested Development' is the best sitcom on TV!"

 

—Tim Stack, Entertainment Weekly, 14 October 2005, p.133[17]

 

"If you're not watching this series on Fox, the least you can do is buy it on DVD. You'll love it, and it's such a dense show (in the best sense of the word) that it rewards repeated viewing. Like Scrubs and the British version of The Office, it's the sort of show that truly deserves to be seen uninterrupted, several episodes at a time, for maximum enjoyment. The laughs-per-minute quotient here is insanely high, making it great value as a home library purchase."

 

—David Bianculli, New York Daily News, 12 October 2005.[18]

 

"As Hollywood agents worry about the demise of the town's lowing cash cow, the multi-camera, staged sitcom, here to save the day is Arrested Development, a farce of such blazing wit and originality, that it must surely usher in a new era in comedy."

 

—Alison Powell, The Guardian (UK), 12 March 2005.[19]

 

"This lampoon about a wealthy American family trying to survive while its patriarch is in jail for fraud is one of the funniest shows on telly."

 

—Marc McEvoy, The Age (Australia), 17 October 2005.[20]

 

"As oddball as Arrested is, it's also humane. A flawless cast — from Will Arnett's breathy, bombastic Gob to Jessica Walter's boozy Lucille — grounds it, aided by Ron Howard's affable narration. Of course, the center of sensibility is good son Michael (Jason Bateman) and his even better son, George Michael (Michael Cera). Bateman and Cera give the best reacts around — the former all weary exasperation, the latter adorably bunny-stunned. Together, they're the sweetest, awkwardest straight men on the smartest, most shockingly funny series on TV...which is likely canceled, despite six Emmy wins. It's a perversion not even the Bluths deserve."

 

—Gillian Flynn, Entertainment Weekly, Best of 2005 Issue naming Arrested Development the best TV show of 2005

 

Nominations and awards

 

For the first season, the show won five Emmy Awards in 2004, including "Outstanding Comedy Series," "Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series," "Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series" and "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series," both for the pilot episode written by Mitchell Hurwitz and for direction by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo. In 2005, the second season brought eleven Emmy nominations in seven categories and one win, for "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" for the season finale "Righteous Brothers," written by Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely. For its truncated third season, the show received four 2006 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Will Arnett as Gob Bluth), Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series for the episode "Ocean Walker," and Outstanding Comedy Writing for the episode "Development Arrested."[21] The show also has a spot on Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time.[2]

 

Other awards include:

 

* The 2004 TV Land Award for "Future Classic," the first recognition the series received. The award presentation is included on the Season One DVD release.

* The Television Critics Association 2004 Awards for "Outstanding Comedy" and "Outstanding New Program," and the 2005 award for "Outstanding Achievement in Comedy."

* The 2005 Golden Globe Award for "Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy" for Jason Bateman.

* The 2004 Writers Guild of America Award for best teleplay in an episodic comedy, for the first season episode "Pier Pressure," written by Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Valley.

* In 2004, for season one, the Golden Satellite Award for "Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical," along with best performance by an actor/actress in a supporting role, comedy or musical awards for Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter. In 2005, for season two, Jason Bateman and Portia de Rossi won best actor and actress in a series, comedy or musical. Jason Bateman also won the same award for the third season.

* For her role as Maeby Fünke, Alia Shawkat won a Young Artist Award in 2005.

 

Post-cancellation

 

Despite months-long rumors of Arrested Development having been picked up by the cable television network Showtime[22], the San Francisco Chronicle reported on March 28, 2006 that creator Mitch Hurwitz would not be returning.[23] As Showtime had made it clear that Hurwitz's involvement was a requirement for the continuation of the show, Arrested Development is considered by both its creators and fans as having reached its end on television. As Hurwitz explained, "I had taken it as far as I felt I could as a series. I told the story I wanted to tell, and we were getting to a point where I think a lot of the actors were ready to move on." [24] He said that he was "more worried about letting down the fans in terms of the quality of the show dropping" than he was about disappointing fans by not giving them more episodes. In this same interview, he said, "if there's a way to continue this in a form that's not weekly episodic series television, I'd be up for it."

 

Celebrity guests

Recurring roles

 

* Scott Baio — as "Bob Loblaw"

* Michael Bartel — as a young "Michael Bluth"

* John Beard — as himself

* Ed Begley Jr. — as "Stan Sitwell"

* Zach Braff - as "Phillip Litt"

* Michael Paul Chan - as "Judge Lionel Ping"

* Mo Collins - as "Starla"

* Rob Corddry — as "Moses Taylor"

* Jim Cramer — as himself

* Julia Louis-Dreyfus — as "Maggie Lizer"

* Bob Einstein — as "Larry Middleman"

* Jeff Garlin — as "Mort Meyers"

* Judy Greer — as "Kitty Sanchez"

* B.W. Gonzalez — as "Lupe"

* Stacey Grenrock-Woods — "Trisha Thoon"

* Charlie Hartsock — as Bluth Company employee "Ted"

* John Michael Higgins — as "Wayne Jarvis"

* Jay Johnston — as "Officer Taylor"

* Justin Lee - as the adopted Korean son "Annyong Bluth"

* James Lipton — as "Warden Stefan Gentles"

* Jane Lynch - as "Cindi Lightballoon"

* Bronwen Masters — as the nurse "Adelaide"

* Liza Minnelli — as "Lucille Austero"

* Jerry Minor — as "Officer Carter"

* Sam Pancake — as "James Alan Spangler"

* Amy Poehler — as "Wife of G.O.B."

* David Reynolds — as "White Power Bill"

* Ian Roberts — as "The Literal Doctor"

* Steve Ryan - as "J. Walter Weatherman"

* Ben Stiller — as "Tony Wonder"

* Christine Taylor — as "Sally Sitwell"

* Charlize Theron — as "Rita Leeds"

* Dave Thomas — as "(Uncle) Trevor"

* Leonor Varela, Patricia Velasquez - as "Marta Estrella"

* Justin Grant Wade — as "Steve Holt"

* Carl Weathers — as himself

* Mae Whitman — as "Ann Veal"

* Henry Winkler — as "Barry Zuckerkorn"

* Malik Yoba — as Bounty Hunter/Party Planner "Ice"

* Abraham Higginbotham — as Gary the Office Hand

 

 

Guest appearances

 

* Dave Attell — as himself in "Motherboy XXX"

* Justine Bateman — as "Nellie" in "Family Ties"

* Brian Baumgartner — as the gun store owner in "Burning Love"

* Richard Belzer — as himself in "S.O.B.s" and as Detective John Munch in "Exit Strategy"

* Dan Castellaneta — as "Dr. Frank Stein" in "Sword of Destiny"

* Marc Cherry — as himself in "Righteous Brothers" (Cameo)

* Gary Cole — as Richard Shaw in "Exit Strategy"

* Bud Cort — as himself in "Fakin' It"

* Heather Graham — as "Beth Baerly" in "Shock and Aww"

* Harry Hamlin — as himself in "For British Eyes Only"

* Ed Helms — as "James" in "The One Where Michael Leaves"

* Michael Hitchcock - as Ira Gilligan in "Best Man for the Gob"

* Clint Howard — as "Johnny Bark" in "Key Decisions"

* Ron Howard — as himself in "Development Arrested" (cameo)

* William Hung — as himself in "Fakin' It"

* Thomas Jane — as himself in "The One Where They Build a House"

* Jamie Kennedy — as himself in "Notapusy"

* John Larroquette — as himself in "S.O.B.s"

* Kevin McDonald — as "Detective Steudler" in "Not Without My Daughter"

* Ron Michaelson — as himself in "The Immaculate Election"

* Martin Mull — as "Gene Parmesan" in "¡Amigos!"

* Frankie Muniz — as himself in "Mr. F"

* Bob Odenkirk — as "Dr. Gunty" in "Visiting Ours"

* Eduardo Palomo - as himself in "Key Decisions", as the host of the Premios Desi.

* Phil Proctor — as "Reverend Robert Patterson" in "Notapusy"

* Judge Reinhold - as himself in "Fakin' It"

* Andy Richter — as himself and his four fictional quintuplet brothers in "S.O.B.s"

* Craig Robinson — as a security guard in "Switch Hitter"

* Andy Samberg - as a stage manager in "The Righteous Brothers"

* Claudia Schiffer — as gate attendant in "Charity Drive"

* Martin Short — as "Uncle Jack" in "Ready, Aim, Marry Me"

* J.K. Simmons — as "General Anderson" in "Switch Hitter"

* Richard Simmons — as himself in "Bringing Up Buster"

* Ione Skye — as "Mrs. Veal" in "Meat the Veals"

* Alan Tudyk — as "Pastor Veal" in "Meat the Veals"

* Dick Van Patten — as "Cal Cullen" in "Spring Breakout"

 

Feature film

This article or section contains information about one or more scheduled or expected films.

The content will change as the film's release approaches and more information becomes available.

 

An Arrested Development feature film is currently awaiting production, to be written by the series' creator, Mitchell Hurwitz,[29][30][31][32] and will likely be directed by Ron Howard.[32]

 

Rumors of a possible full-length film have circulated since the show's final episode.[33] In an August 2006 TV Guide interview, Michael Cera (George-Michael) indicated that he "[believes] Hurwitz wants to [do the film]," and that he had been tentatively contacted about participating.[34] A 2006 interview with Will Arnett (Gob) quoted him as saying, "I’m pretty sure that obviously it rests on Mitch. Any sort of project like that would have to come from him and it would be something that he’d be really passionate about. I guess if the story were right, and by story I mean the money was large enough, then he’d do it.”[35]

 

On December 6, 2007, an article was released on MTV featuring an interview with Bateman during which he stated that the possibility of an Arrested Development movie was not dead and that Hurwitz had been working on "something" while the Writers Guild of America was on strike.[36]

 

The following week on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann addressed the possibility of an Arrested Development movie, with a segment parodying both his own Special Comment segments, and Gob's oft used phrase "Come On!", titling the segment a "Special Come On". In addition to citing Bateman's recent interview, he also relied on his friendships with some of the cast and crew including Bateman and Hurwitz who issued a joint statement to Countdown saying, "It's something we're very interested in doing, but only after the writer's strike, and only if the powers that be approve."[37]

 

On February 1, 2008, Bateman confirmed that Hurwitz and TV series narrator Ron Howard have "put the wheels in motion toward a major motion picture."[38]

 

On the February 25, 2008 episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien, O'Brien asked Arnett whether or not it was true that a movie was in the works. Arnett replied, "Yeah, we're currently in talks . . . Hollywood term."[39]

 

That same month, Bateman also confirmed that "a round of sniffing [had] started."[30] Bateman went on to say, "Any talk is targeting a post-strike situation, of course. I think, as always, that it's a question of whether the people with the money are willing to give our leader, Mitch Hurwitz, what he deserves for his participation. And I can speak for the cast when I say our fingers are crossed."[40]

 

Jeffrey Tambor (George) has also been approached by Howard in an attempt to gauge his willingness to do the film. Both Tambor and Bateman are said to have confirmed their interest and it is reported that "everyone seems to be very much on board and excited by the prospect [of an Arrested Development motion picture]"[30]

 

Hurwitz has not yet finished a script but is said to have a "good, solid understanding of what he'd like to do for the movie, and Universal is very much interested."[30]

 

Following the conclusion of the writer's strike, Bateman is quoted in a March 4, 2008 article on Digital Spy: "Well, the ball has started rolling down the hill again, so hopefully, all the adults can get the business stuff together - because all the creatives are on board." Quizzed about what to expect from the film, the actor added "I don’t know. I learned a long time ago not to try to guess what Mitch Hurwitz will come up with. But it’ll be good, whatever it is."[41]

 

On April 24, 2008, Jason Bateman and David Cross were interviewed during the final segment (Story #1) of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." In the course of their interview, they hinted that an Arrested Development movie may still be in the works.

 

Alia Shawkat (Maeby), in numerous interviews about her newest movie Prom Wars (released May 9, 2008),[31] fielded questions regarding the ongoing development of the Arrested Development feature film. On April 28, 2008, in an interview with New York Post reporter Jerrett Wieselman, Shawkat stated, "I think it's gonna happen. They're writing the script right now, supposedly. But, you know, Mitch talked to all the actors and they are all in; Everyone wants to be a part of it."[42]

 

That same month, in an interview with Teen Flare, Shawkat was asked about what she knew about the "stir on the internet about a potential move." Her response was, "With the publicity of Juno, Jason Bateman started spewing rumours that there was going to be a movie. When we wrapped, [Jason] said, ‘watch I’m going to make sure a movie happens’. He’s just like the best advocate for Arrested – as everyone is. But he really just created a rumour, which now may be starting the actual production of it. Mitch spoke to everyone to make sure they were all on board and everyone is, so I think they’re going forward with it. Ron Howard is down to [direct] it, so I think Mitch just has to write the script . . ."[31]

 

On May 6, 2008, in an interview published by Radar Online, Shawkat said, "I got a call from Mitchell Hurwitz, the creator, and he said 'so have you heard about this movie we're supposedly doing?' and I said yes. And he said he was in and it was great. And Jason [bateman], when he was doing all the Juno press, he basically just talked up the movie. He got the publicity going before anything was real. So Mitch talked to Ron Howard, who said he would direct it, and he's down. So I think Mitch was like, 'I guess I'll write it then,' and that's what I think he's doing now."[32] A month later, on June 21, 2008, in an article published by The Times it was reported that "a big-screen version of Arrested Development is planned for next year."[43] Liza Minelli has expressed interest in reprising her role of Lucille Austero for the film.

. . .

 

[knightni]

2. The Simpsons (1989-present)

 

 

(14 of 18 lists - 185 points - highest ranking #1 RibbieRubarb, Balta1701)

 

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a satirical parody of the middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its titular family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield, and it lampoons many aspects of the human condition, as well as American culture, society as a whole, and television itself.

 

The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a pitch for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L. Brooks. Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, substituting Bart for his own name.[1] The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987.[2] After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and was an early hit for Fox, becoming the first Fox series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season (1992-1993).[3]

 

Since its debut on December 17, 1989, the show has broadcast 420 episodes and the twentieth season will commence airing in fall of 2008.[4] The Simpsons Movie, a feature-length film, was released in theaters worldwide on July 26 and July 27, 2007, and has grossed approximately US$526.2 million worldwide to date.

 

The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 23 Emmy Awards, 26 Annie Awards and a Peabody Award. Time magazine's December 31, 1999 issue named it the 20th century's best television series,[5] and on January 14, 2000 it was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom[6] and the longest-running American animated program.[7] Homer's annoyed grunt "D'oh!" has been adopted into the English lexicon, while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms.[8]

 

Origins

 

Groening conceived of the idea for the Simpsons in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Brooks had asked Groening to pitch an idea for a series of animated shorts, which Groening initially intended to present as his Life in Hell series. However, when Groening realized that animating Life in Hell would require the rescinding of publication rights for his life's work, he chose another approach and formulated his version of a dysfunctional family.[9] He named the characters after his own family members, substituting "Bart" for his own name.[1]

 

The Simpson family first appeared as shorts in The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987.[2] Groening submitted only basic sketches to the animators and assumed that the figures would be cleaned-up in production. However, the animators merely re-traced his drawings, which led to the crude appearance of the characters in the initial short episodes.[1]

 

In 1989, a team of production companies adapted The Simpsons into a half-hour series for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The team included what is now the Klasky Csupo animation house. Jim Brooks negotiated a provision in the contract with the Fox network that prevented Fox from interfering with the show's content.[10] Groening said his goal in creating the show was to offer the audience an alternative to what he called "the mainstream trash" that they were watching.[11] The half-hour series premiered on December 17, 1989 with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", a Christmas special.[12] "Some Enchanted Evening" was the first full-length episode produced, but it did not broadcast until May 1990 because of animation problems.[13]

 

The Simpsons was the Fox network's first TV series to rank among a season's top 30 highest-rated shows.[14] Its success prompted Fox to reschedule the series to compete with The Cosby Show, a move that hurt the ratings of The Simpsons.[15] In 1992, Tracey Ullman filed a lawsuit against Fox, claiming that her show was the source of the series' success. The suit said she should receive a share of the profits of The Simpsons—a claim rejected by the courts.[16]

 

The show was controversial from its beginning. The rebellious lead character at the time, Bart, frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and conservatives to characterize him as a poor role model for children.[17][18] At the time, then-President George H. W. Bush said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons."[19] Several U.S. public schools even banned The Simpsons merchandise and t-shirts, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".[19] Despite the ban, The Simpsons merchandise sold well and generated US$2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.[19]

 

Production

 

Executive producers

 

List of show runners throughout the series' run:

 

* Season 1–2: Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, & Sam Simon

* Season 3–4: Al Jean & Mike Reiss

* Season 5–6: David Mirkin

* Season 7–8: Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein

* Season 9–12: Mike Scully

* Season 13–present: Al Jean

 

Matt Groening and James L. Brooks have served as executive producers during the show's entire history, and also function as creative consultants. Sam Simon, who served as creative supervisor for the first four seasons, also still receives an executive producer credit despite not having worked on the show since 1993.[20] A more involved position on the show is the show runner, who acts as head writer and manages the show's production for an entire season.[21]

 

Writing

 

The Simpsons's writing team consists of sixteen writers who propose episode ideas at the beginning of each December.[22] The main writer of each episode writes the first draft. Group rewriting sessions develop final scripts by adding or removing jokes, inserting scenes, and calling for re-readings of lines by the show’s vocal performers.[23] The leader of these sessions is George Meyer, who has developed the show since Season One. According to long-time writer Jon Vitti, Meyer usually invents the best lines in a given episode, even though other writers may receive script credits.[23] Each episode takes six months to produce so the show rarely comments on current events.[24] However, episodes occasionally mention planned events, such as the Olympics or the Super Bowl.

Part of the writing staff of The Simpsons in 1992. Back row, left to right: Mike Mendel, Colin ABV Lewis (partial), Jeff Goldstein, Al Jean (partial), Conan O'Brien, Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein, Mike Reiss, Ken Tsumara, George Meyer, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti (partial), CJ Gibson and David M. Stern. Front row, left to right: Dee Capelli, Lona Williams and unknown.

Part of the writing staff of The Simpsons in 1992. Back row, left to right: Mike Mendel, Colin ABV Lewis (partial), Jeff Goldstein, Al Jean (partial), Conan O'Brien, Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein, Mike Reiss, Ken Tsumara, George Meyer, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti (partial), CJ Gibson and David M. Stern. Front row, left to right: Dee Capelli, Lona Williams and unknown.

 

Credited with sixty episodes, John Swartzwelder is the most prolific writer on The Simpsons' staff.[25] One of the best-known former writers is Conan O'Brien, who contributed to several episodes in the early 1990s before replacing David Letterman as host of the talk show Late Night.[26] English comedian Ricky Gervais wrote the episode "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife", becoming the first celebrity to both write and guest star in an episode.[27] Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, writers of the film Superbad will write an episode and Rogen will voice a character in it.[28][29]

 

At the end of 2007 the writers of The Simpsons went on strike together with the rest of the Writers Guild of America. The show's writers had joined the guild in 1998.[30] The strike will only affect one of the planned twenty-three episodes in the 19th season.[31]

 

Voice actors

 

Main articles: List of cast members of The Simpsons, List of guest stars on The Simpsons

 

With one exception, episode credits list only the voice actors, and not the characters they voice. Both Fox and the production crew wanted to keep their identities secret during the early seasons and, therefore, closed most of the recording sessions while refusing to publish photos of the recording artists.[32] However, the network eventually revealed which roles each actor performed in the episode "Old Money", because the producers said the voice actors should receive credit for their work.[33] In 2003, the cast appeared in an episode of Inside the Actors Studio, doing live performances of their characters' voices.

 

The Simpsons has six main cast members. Dan Castellaneta performs Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and other adult, male characters.[34] Julie Kavner speaks the voices of Marge Simpson and Patty and Selma, as well as several minor characters.[34] Nancy Cartwright performs the voices of Bart Simpson, Ralph Wiggum and other children.[34] Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, is the only cast member who regularly voices only one character, although she occasionally plays other episodic characters.[34] There are two male actors who do not voice members of the title family but play a majority of the male townspeople. Hank Azaria voices recurring characters such as Moe, Chief Wiggum, and Apu, and Harry Shearer provides voices for Mr. Burns, Smithers, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, and Dr. Hibbert.[34] With the exception of Harry Shearer, every main cast member has won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.[35]

 

Up until 1998, the six main actors were paid $30,000 per episode. In 1998 they were involved in a pay dispute with Fox. The company threatened to replace them with new actors, even going as far as preparing for casting of new voices. The series creator Groening supported the actors in their action.[37] However, the issue was soon resolved and, from 1998 to 2004, they were paid $125,000 per episode. The show's revenue continued to rise through syndication and DVD sales, and in April 2004 the main cast stopped appearing for script readings, demanding they be paid $360,000 per episode.[38][39] The strike was resolved a month later[40] and their salaries were increased to something between $250,000[41] and $360,000 per episode.[42] In 2008, production for the twentieth season was put on hold due to new contract negotiations with the voice actors, who wanted a "healthy bump" in salary to an amount close to $500,000 per episode.[42] The dispute was soon resolved, and the actors' salary was raised to $400,000 per episode.[43]

 

In addition to the main cast, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Marcia Wallace, Maggie Roswell, and Russi Taylor voice supporting characters.[34] From 1999 to 2002, Maggie Roswell's characters were voiced by Marcia Mitzman Gaven. Karl Wiedergott has appeared in minor roles, but does not voice any recurring characters.[44] Repeat "special guest" cast members include Albert Brooks, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Joe Mantegna, and Kelsey Grammer.[45]

 

Episodes will quite often feature guest voices from a wide range of professions, including actors, athletes, authors, bands, musicians and scientists. In the earlier seasons, most of the guest stars voiced characters, but eventually more started appearing as themselves. Tony Bennett was the first guest star to appear as himself, appearing briefly in the season two episode "Dancin' Homer".[46] The Simpsons holds the world record for "Most Guest Stars Featured in a Television Series".[47]

 

The show has been dubbed into several other languages, including Japanese, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. It is also one the few programs dubbed in both French and Quebec French.[48] The Simpsons has been broadcast in Arabic, but due to Islamic customs, numerous aspects of the show have been changed. For example, Homer drinks soda instead of beer and eats Egyptian beef sausages instead of hot dogs. Because of such changes, the Arabized version of the series met with a negative reaction from the life-long Simpsons fans in the area.[49]

 

Animation

 

International animation studios involved:

 

AKOM

 

* Exclusively produced the first two seasons of the series.

* Produced episodes throughout the run of the series.

 

Anivision

 

* Produced animation for episodes from seasons 3–10.

 

Rough Draft Studios

 

* Produced animation for episodes from Season Four onwards.

 

U.S. Animation, Inc.

 

* Jointly produced "Radioactive Man" with Anivision.

* Produced "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular"

 

Toonzone Entertainment

 

* Produced "The Fat and the Furriest" and "She Used to Be My Girl".

 

Several different U.S. and international studios animate The Simpsons. Throughout the run of the animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, the animation was produced domestically at Klasky Csupo.[50] With the debut of the series, because of an increased workload, Fox subcontracted production to several international studios, located in South Korea.[50] Artists at the U.S. animation studio, Film Roman, draw storyboards, design new characters, backgrounds, props and draw character and background layouts, which in turn become animatics to be screened for the writers at Gracie Films for any changes to be made before the work is shipped overseas. The overseas studios then draw the inbetweens, ink and paint, and render the animation to tape before it is shipped back to the United States to be delivered to Fox three to four months later.[51]

 

For the first three seasons, Klasky Csupo animated The Simpsons in the United States. In 1992, the show's production company, Gracie Films, switched domestic production to Film Roman,[52] who continue to animate the show as of 2008.

 

In Season 14, production switched from traditional cel animation to digital ink and paint.[53] The first episode to experiment with digital coloring was "Radioactive Man" in 1995. Animators used digital ink and paint during production of the Season 12 episode "Tennis the Menace", but Gracie Films delayed the regular use of digital ink and paint until two seasons later. The already completed "Tennis the Menace" was broadcast as made.[54]

 

 

Characters

 

Main article: List of characters in The Simpsons

 

The Simpsons are a typical family who live in a fictional "Middle American" town of Springfield.[55] Homer, the father, works as a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant—a position at odds with his careless, buffoonish personality. He is married to Marge Simpson, a stereotypical American housewife and mother. They have three children: Bart, a ten-year-old troublemaker; Lisa, a precocious eight-year-old activist; and Maggie, a baby who rarely speaks, but communicates by sucking on a pacifier. The family owns a dog, Santa's Little Helper, and a cat, Snowball II. Both pets have had starring roles in several episodes. Despite the passing of yearly milestones such as holidays or birthdays, the Simpsons do not physically age and still appear just as they did at the end of the 1980s.

 

The show includes an array of quirky characters: co-workers, teachers, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople and local celebrities. The creators originally intended many of these characters as one-time jokesters or for fulfilling needed functions in the town. A number of them have gained expanded roles and subsequently starred in their own episodes. According to Matt Groening, the show adopted the concept of a large supporting cast from the comedy show SCTV.[15]

 

Setting

 

The Simpsons takes place in the fictional American town of Springfield, without any geographical coordinates or references to U.S. states that might identify which part of the country it represents. Nevertheless, fans have tried to determine the town's location by taking the town's characteristics, surrounding geography, and nearby landmarks as clues. As a response, the show has become intentionally evasive in regard to Springfield's location.[56] The name "Springfield" is a common one in America and appears in over half of the states.[57] Springfield's geography, and that of its surroundings, contain coastlines, deserts, vast farmland, tall mountains, or whatever the story or joke requires.[58] Despite this, Groening has said that Springfield has much in common with Portland, Oregon, the city where he grew up.[59]

 

Themes

 

Main article: List of The Simpsons episodes

 

The Simpsons uses the standard setup of a situational comedy or "sitcom" as its premise. The series centers on a family and their life in a typical American town.[55] However, because of its animated nature, The Simpsons's scope is larger than that of a regular sitcom. The town of Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. By having Homer work in a nuclear power plant, the show can comment on the state of the environment.[60] Through Bart and Lisa's days at Springfield Elementary School, the show's writers illustrate pressing or controversial issues in the field of education. The town features a vast array of media channels—from kids' television programming to local news, which enables the producers to make jokes about themselves and the entertainment industry.[61]

 

Some commentators say the show is political in nature and susceptible to a left-wing bias.[62] Al Jean admitted in an interview that "We [the show] are of liberal bent."[63] The writers often evince an appreciation for progressive ideals, but the show makes jokes across the political spectrum.[64] The show portrays government and large corporations as callous entities that take advantage of the common worker.[63] Thus, the writers often portray authority figures in an unflattering or negative light. In The Simpsons, politicians are corrupt, ministers such as Reverend Lovejoy are indifferent to churchgoers, and the local police force is incompetent.[65] Religion also figures as a recurring theme. In times of crisis, the family often turns to God, and the show has dealt with most of the major religions.[66]

 

Hallmarks

 

Opening sequence

 

The Simpsons' opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. Most episodes open with the camera zooming through the show's title towards the town of Springfield. The camera then follows the members of the family on their way home. Upon entering their house, the Simpsons settle down on their couch to watch television. The opening was created by David Silverman, the first task he did when production began on the show.[67] The series' distinctive theme song was composed by musician Danny Elfman in 1989, after Groening approached him requesting a retro style piece. This piece, which took two days to create, has been noted by Elfman as the most popular of his career.[68]

 

One of the most distinctive aspects of the opening is that several segments are changed from episode to episode. Bart writes something different on the school chalkboard,[67] Lisa might play a different solo on her saxophone and a different visual gag accompanies the family as they enter their living room to sit on the couch.[69]

Halloween episodes

 

Main article: Treehouse of Horror (series)

 

The special Halloween episode has become an annual tradition. "Treehouse of Horror" first broadcast in 1990 as part of season two and established the pattern of three separate, self-contained stories in each Halloween episode.[70] These pieces usually involve the family in some horror, science fiction, or supernatural setting and often parody or pay homage to a famous piece of work in those genres.[71] They always take place outside the normal continuity of the show. Although the Treehouse series is meant to be seen on Halloween, in recent years, new installments have premiered after Halloween due to Fox's current contract with Major League Baseball's World Series.[72]

 

Humor

 

Main article: Recurring jokes in The Simpsons

 

The show's humor turns on cultural references that cover a wide spectrum of society so that viewers from all generations can enjoy the show.[73] Such references, for example, come from movies, television, music, literature, science, and history.[73] Whenever possible, the animators also put jokes or sight gags into the show's background via humorous or incongruous bits of text in signs, newspapers, and elsewhere.[74] The audience may often not notice the visual jokes in a single viewing. Some are so fleeting that they become apparent only by pausing a video recording of the show.[74] Kristin Thompson argues that The Simpsons uses a "...flurry of cultural references, intentionally inconsistent characterization, and considerable self-reflexivity about television conventions and the status of the programme as a television show."[75]

 

The show uses catchphrases, and most of the primary and secondary characters have at least one each.[76] Notable expressions include Homer's annoyed grunt "D'oh!", Mr. Burns' "Excellent..." and Nelson Muntz's "Ha-ha!". Some of Bart's catchphrases, such as "¡Ay, caramba!", "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" appeared on t-shirts in the show's early days.[77] However, Bart rarely used the latter two phrases until after they became popular through the merchandising. The use of many of these catchphrases has declined in recent seasons. The episode "Bart Gets Famous" mocks catchphrase-based humor, as Bart achieves fame on the Krusty the Clown Show solely for saying "I didn't do it."[78]

 

Influences on culture

 

Influences on language

 

A number of neologisms that originated on The Simpsons have entered the popular vernacular.[79] Mark Liberman, director of the Linguistic Data Consortium, remarked, "The Simpsons has apparently taken over from Shakespeare and the Bible as our culture's greatest source of idioms, catchphrases and sundry other textual allusions."[80] The most famous catchphrase is Homer's annoyed grunt: "D'oh!" So ubiquitous is the expression that it is now listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, but without the apostrophe.[81] Dan Castellaneta says he borrowed the phrase from James Finlayson, an actor in early Laurel and Hardy comedies, who pronounced it in a more elongated and whining tone. The director of The Simpsons told Castellaneta to shorten the noise, and it went on to become the well-known exclamation in the TV series.[82]

 

Other Simpsons expressions that have entered popular use include "excellent" (drawn out as a sinister "eeeexcelllent…" in the style of Charles Montgomery Burns), Homer's triumphant "Woohoo!" and Nelson Muntz's mocking "HA-ha!" Groundskeeper Willie's description of the French as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" was used by conservative National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg in 2003, after France's opposition to the proposed invasion of Iraq. The phrase quickly spread to other journalists.[83] "Cromulent", a word used in "Lisa the Iconoclast" has since appeared in the Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary of English.[84] "Kwyjibo", a fake Scrabble word invented by Bart in "Bart the Genius", was used as one of the aliases of the creator of the Melissa worm.[85] "I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords", was used by Kent Brockman in "Deep Space Homer" and has seeped into popular culture to describe a number of events. Variants of Brockman's utterance are used to express mock submission, usually for the purpose of humor.[86] It has been used in media, such as New Scientist magazine.[87] The dismissive term "Meh" has also been popularized by the show.[88]

 

Influence on television

 

The Simpsons was the first successful animated program in prime time since Wait Till Your Father Gets Home in the 1970s.[89] During most of the 1980s, pundits considered animated shows as appropriate only for children, and animating a show was too expensive to achieve a quality suitable for prime-time television. The Simpsons changed this perception.[50] The use of Korean animation studios doing in-betweening, coloring, and filming made the episodes cheaper. The success of The Simpsons and the lower production cost prompted television networks to take chances on other animated series.[50] This development led to a 1990s boom in new, animated prime-time shows, such as South Park, Family Guy, King of the Hill, Futurama, and The Critic.[50] South Park later paid homage to The Simpsons with the episode "Simpsons Already Did It".[90]

 

The Simpsons has also influenced live-action shows like Malcolm in the Middle, which debuted January 9, 2000 in the time slot after The Simpsons.[8][91] Malcolm in the Middle featured the use of sight gags and did not use a laugh track like most sitcoms. Ricky Gervais has called The Simpsons a major influence on his British comedy The Office, which also dispenses with a laugh track.[92]

 

Reception and achievements

 

The Simpsons has been praised by many critics, being described as "the most irreverent and unapologetic show on the air."[93] In a 1990 review of the show, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly described it as "the American family at its most complicated, drawn as simple cartoons. It's this neat paradox that makes millions of people turn away from the three big networks on Sunday nights to concentrate on The Simpsons."[94] Tucker would also describe the show as a "pop-cultural phenomenon, a prime-time cartoon show that appeals to the entire family."[95]

 

Awards

 

Main article: List of awards won by The Simpsons

 

The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 23 Emmy Awards,[47] 26 Annie Awards[96] and a Peabody Award.[97] In a 1998 issue celebrating the 20th century's greatest achievements in arts and entertainment, Time magazine named The Simpsons the century's best television series.[5] In that same issue, Time included Bart Simpson in the Time 100, the publication's list of the century's 100 most influential people.[98] Bart was the only fictional character on the list. On January 14, 2000, the Simpsons were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[99] Also in 2000, Entertainment Weekly magazine TV critic Ken Tucker named The Simpsons the greatest television show of the 1990s. Furthermore, viewers of the UK television channel Channel 4 have voted "The Simpsons" at the top of two polls: 2001's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows,[100] and 2005's 100 Greatest Cartoons,[101] with Homer Simpson voted into first place in 2001's 100 Greatest TV Characters.[102] Homer would also place ninth on Entertainment Weekly's list of the "50 Greatest TV icons".[103] In 2002, The Simpsons ranked #8 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time;[104] in 2007 it was included in TIME's list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time";[105] in 2008 the show placed first on AOL's list of "TV's 50 best comedies - ever";[106] and also in 2008 the show was placed in first on Entertainment Weekly's "Top 100 Shows of the Past 25 Years"[107]

 

Run length achievements

 

On February 9, 1997, The Simpsons surpassed The Flintstones with the episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" as the longest-running prime-time animated series in the United States. In 2004, The Simpsons replaced The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952 to 1966) as the longest-running sitcom (animated or live action) in the United States.[6] In October 2004, Scooby-Doo briefly overtook The Simpsons as the American animated show with the highest number of episodes.[108] However, network executives in April 2005 again cancelled Scooby-Doo, which finished with 371 episodes, and The Simpsons reclaimed the title with 378 episodes at the end of their seventeenth season.[7] In May 2007, The Simpsons reached their 400th episode at the end of the eighteenth season. While The Simpsons has the record for the number of episodes by an American animated show, other animated series have surpassed The Simpsons.[109] For example, the Japanese anime series Sazae-san has close to 2,000 episodes to its credit.[109]

 

The year 2007 marks the twentieth anniversary of The Simpsons franchise. With its nineteenth year (2007–2008), the series will be only one season behind Gunsmoke's U.S. primetime, scripted television record of 20 produced seasons. However, Gunsmoke's episode count of 635 episodes far surpasses The Simpsons, which would not reach that mark until its 29th season, under normal programming schedules.[6]

 

Criticism of declining quality

 

For many years, critics' reviews of new Simpsons episodes praised the show for its wit, realism, and intelligence.[11][110] In the late-1990s, the tone and emphasis of the show began to change. Some critics started calling the show "tired".[111] By 2000, some long-term fans had become disillusioned with the show and pointed to its shift from character-driven plots to what they perceived as an overemphasis on zany antics.[112][113] Author Douglas Coupland described claims of declining quality in the series as "hogwash", saying "The Simpsons hasn't fumbled the ball in fourteen years, it's hardly likely to fumble it now."[114] Mike Scully, who was showrunner during seasons nine through twelve, has been the subject of criticism.[115][116] Chris Suellentrop of Slate wrote "under Scully's tenure, The Simpsons became, well, a cartoon. [...] Episodes that once would have ended with Homer and Marge bicycling into the sunset now end with Homer blowing a tranquilizer dart into Marge's neck. The show's still funny, but it hasn't been touching in years."[115]

 

In 2003, to celebrate the show's 300th episode "Barting Over", USA Today published a pair of Simpsons related articles: a top-ten episodes list chosen by the webmaster of The Simpsons Archive fansite,[117] and a top-15 list by The Simpsons' own writers.[118] The most recent episode listed on the fan list was 1997's "Homer's Phobia"; the Simpsons' writers most recent choice was 2000's "Behind the Laughter". In 2004, Harry Shearer criticized what he perceived as the show's declining quality: "I rate the last three seasons as among the worst, so Season Four looks very good to me now."[119]

 

The Simpsons managed to maintain a large viewership and attract new fans. While the first season enjoyed an average of 13.4 million viewers per episode in the U.S.,[14] the nineteenth season had an average of 7.7 million viewers.[120] In an April 2006 interview, Matt Groening said, "I honestly don't see any end in sight. I think it's possible that the show will become too financially cumbersome... but right now, the show is creatively, I think, as good or better than it's ever been. The animation is incredibly detailed and imaginative, and the stories do things that we haven't done before. So creatively there's no reason to quit."[121]

 

Film

 

20th Century Fox, Gracie Films, and Film Roman produced an animated The Simpsons film that was released on July 27, 2007.[135] The film was directed by long-time Simpsons producer David Silverman and written by a team of Simpsons writers comprising Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, Al Jean, George Meyer, Mike Reiss, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti, David Mirkin, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, and Ian Maxtone-Graham.[135] Production of the film occurred alongside continued writing of the series despite long-time claims by those involved in the show that a film would enter production only after the series had concluded.[135] There had been talk of a possible feature-length Simpsons film ever since the early seasons of the series. James L. Brooks originally thought that the story of the episode "Kamp Krusty" was suitable for a film, but encountered difficulties in trying to expand the script to feature-length.[136] For a long time, difficulties such as lack of a suitable story and an already fully engaged crew of writers delayed the project.[121]

 

After winning a Fox and USA Today competition, Springfield, Vermont hosted the film's world premiere.[137] The Simpsons Movie grossed a combined total of $74 million in its opening weekend in the United States, taking it to the top of the box office,[138] and set the record for highest grossing opening weekend for a film based on a television series, surpassing Mission Impossible II.[139] It opened at the top of the international box office, taking $96 million from seventy-one overseas territories — including $27.8 million in the United Kingdom, making it Fox's second highest opening ever in that country.[140] In Australia, it grossed AU$13.2 million, the biggest opening for an animated film and third largest opening weekend in the country.[141] As of December 17, 2007 the film has a worldwide gross of $526,622,545.[142]

 

. . .

 

[Buehrle>Wood]

Simpsons not 1, eh????

[knightni]

1. Seinfeld (1989-98)

 

 

(17 of 18 lists - 275 points - highest ranking #1 SoxFan1, ChWRoCk2, Texsox, Controlled Chaos, FlaSoxxJim, Brian, DrunkBomber)

 

Seinfeld is an Emmy Award-winning American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989 to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons. Many of its catchphrases have entered into the popular culture lexicon. The show led the Arthur Nielsen Media Research Ratings in its sixth and ninth seasons and finished among the top two (along with NBC's ER) every year from 1994 to 1998.[1] In 2002, TV Guide named Seinfeld as the greatest American television program of all time.[2] A 2006 sitcom industry poll conducted by the United Kingdom's Channel 4 voted Seinfeld as the third best sitcom ever, ranking behind Frasier and Fawlty Towers.[3]

 

The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself. Set predominantly in an apartment block on New York City's Upper West Side (but shot mostly in Los Angeles, California), the show features a host of Jerry's friends and acquaintances, which include George Costanza, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer. Seinfeld was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment and distributed by Columbia Pictures Television and Columbia TriStar Television (now Sony Pictures Television). It was largely co-written by David and Seinfeld with inputs from numerous script writers, including Larry Charles, Peter Mehlman, Gregg Kavet, Andy Robin, Carol Leifer, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer, Steve Koren, Jennifer Crittenden, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Charlie Rubin, Alec Berg, and Spike Feresten.

 

Overview

 

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David pitched Seinfeld as a "show about nothing," similar to the self-parodying "show within a show" of Season 4 episodes "The Pilot, Part 1" and "Part 2". Seinfeld stood out from the typical family- or coworker-driven TV sitcoms of its time. None of the principal Seinfeld characters were related by blood or worked together. The episodes of most sitcoms revolve around a central theme or contrived comic situations, whereas most episodes of Seinfeld focused on the minutiae of daily life, such as waiting in line at the movies, going out for dinner, buying a suit, and coping with the petty injustices of life. Some viewers hold the belief that the world view presented in Seinfeld is somewhat consistent with the philosophy of nihilism, the view that life is pointless.[4]

 

Originally, the show began with Jerry Seinfeld delivering his stand-up comedy routine, which was set in a comedy night club. The theme of his act is loosely based on the plot of each episode. Originally, his stand-up act would bookend an episode, for a while even functioning as cutscenes during the show. By Season 4, the cutscenes in the middle of the episodes became less common and by Season 6, the clips that ended the shows also became less common. By Season 8, the stand-up act was cut out entirely as the plots expanded and required more time. The show's main characters, and many secondary characters, were modeled after Seinfeld's and David's real-life acquaintances. Other recurring characters were based on well-known, real-life counterparts, such as the Soup Nazi (based on Soup Kitchen International manager Al Yeganeh), Jacopo Peterman of the J. Peterman catalogue (nominally based on John Peterman), and George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees.

 

In most Seinfeld episodes, one story thread is presented at the beginning, involving the characters in separate and unrelated situations. Rapid scene-shifts between story lines move the story forward. By Season 4, the episodes ended by having all of the separate story lines converge—often unexpectedly. Despite the separate plot strands, the narratives reveal "consistent efforts to maintain [the] intimacy" between the small cast of characters.[5]

 

The show kept a strong sense of continuity—characters and plots from past episodes were frequently referenced or expanded upon. Occasionally, story arcs would span multiple episodes and even entire seasons. Larry David, the show's head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons, was praised for keeping a close eye on minor details and making sure the main characters' lives remained consistent and believable. He would later make use of season-long story arcs in his next series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

 

The show stood apart from other sitcoms of the time for not placing a shred of importance on the characters learning moral lessons. In effect, the characters are often morally indifferent or callous. It was often said that the mantra of the show's producers was: "No hugging, no learning."[6]

 

Main characters

 

* Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld)—Jerry is the show's central character who comes across as a "neat freak". He is obsessed with orderliness and is a bit of a "germophobe". In the show, Jerry makes a living as a stand-up comedian. His apartment is the center of a world visited by his eccentric friends George, Elaine, and Kramer. He is often seen as "the voice of reason" amid all the insanity generated by the people in his world.[7] Plot lines often involve Jerry's romantic relationships; he typically finds "stupid reasons" to stop dating women. While seemingly the 'normal' one amongst his friends, his character's neurosis reveals itself in his obsessive cleanliness, narcissism, and steadfast immaturity. His favorite superhero is Superman and there are various references to it in the series.

 

* George Costanza (Jason Alexander)—George is Jerry's best friend since school. He is cheap, dishonest, petty and often jealous of others' achievements. He is often portrayed as a loser who is insecure about his capabilities. He often complains and lies about his profession, relationship, and almost everything else, which usually creates trouble for him later. He often uses an alias ("Art Vandelay"), when lying or assuming a fake identity. George was once succinctly described by Elaine as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He fantasizes of being an architect. He often does questionable things which others might also do but often gets caught in the act (such as urinating in a parking garage).[8]

 

* Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)—Elaine is intelligent and assertive, but superficial. She sometimes has a tendency to be very honest with people, which often gets her into trouble.[9] She often gets caught up in her boyfriends' habits, her eccentric employers' unusual demands, and the unkindness of total strangers. A recurring plot line for Elaine is her frustrating inability to find Mr. Right; she also goes through an on/off relationship with David Puddy throughout Season 9. She used to date Jerry, and remains his close friend. One of Elaine's trademark maneuvers is her forceful shove when she receives good or shocking news while using her catch phrase "get out!". She is notable among sitcom females in that she is not the "straight face" of the show and behaves with much the same conceited attitude as her male friends.

 

* Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards)—Kramer is Jerry's "wacky neighbor" and friend. His trademarks include his humorous upright pompador hairstyle, vintage clothing, his weirdness, and his energetic sliding bursts through Jerry's apartment door. Elaine refers to him as a 'hipster doofus'. At times he acts naive, dense, and almost child-like, yet randomly shows astonishing insight into human behavior. Though he never seems to have held a 'real' job, he often makes a bundle on some wacky scheme. He often dreams of ridiculous schemes to make money, some of which include a pizza place where "you make your own pie", a cologne that smells like "the beach", authoring a coffee table book about coffee tables (for which he appeared on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee), and designing a brassiere for men called the "Bro" (or Manssiere according to Frank Costanza).[10] Kramer consistently goes out of his way to help total strangers. Despite being arguably the 'weirdest' of the group, Kramer seems to have the most success with the opposite sex.

 

Secondary characters

 

Main article: Minor characters in Seinfeld

 

There are numerous recurring minor characters in Seinfeld. The most prominent are:

 

* Newman (portrayed by Wayne Knight)—An overweight, despicable postal worker. He is Kramer's accomplice and Jerry's nemesis and is a neighbor of both (Apartment 5E). He will go out of his way to make Jerry's life miserable. He is usually greeted contemptuously by Jerry with "Hello Newman" to which he also mostly responds with "Hello Jerry" in similar fashion. He is always plotting against Jerry, always eating and being obnoxious in Jerry's apartment. Newman has an infatuation for Elaine, who finds him repellent but occasionally exploits his attraction to her. He is the most frequently recurring secondary male character, from his first appearance in the show's third season all the way through the last episode.

* Morty Seinfeld (originally portrayed by Phil Bruns, but later replaced by Barney Martin) and Helen Seinfeld (portrayed by Liz Sheridan)—They are Jerry's parents. Morty is a retired raincoat salesman and famous for obstinately sticking to his convictions; Helen cannot understand why anyone would not like her son. They always feel that Jerry is not making enough money and try to help him out financially. These two characters are based on Jerry's biological parents.

* Frank Costanza (originally portrayed by John Randolph, replaced by Jerry Stiller) and Estelle Costanza (portrayed by Estelle Harris)—They are George's eccentric parents. George usually blames them for his current mental state and failure to succeed in life. They are known for their violent temper, often leading to yelling and constant verbal fights. They make many appearances from season 4 to 9.

* Uncle Leo (portrayed by Len Lesser)—He is Jerry's uncle and Helen's brother. He personifies the eccentric old man and often tries to demean Jerry with comparisons to his own purportedly successful son. He has a habit of grabbing the person with whom he is conversing by the arm. He always brags about his son, Jeffrey (who never makes an appearance on the show), who works for the NYC Parks Department. Uncle Leo is seen in seasons 2 to 9 occasionally.

* Susan Ross (played by Heidi Swedberg)—George's fiancée and a former NBC executive. She tries to become friends with Elaine and Jerry in one episode but can't tolerate their inane chatter. She worked for NBC in season 4 and was engaged to George in season 7. She dies in the last episode of season 7, from licking the poisonous glue of their wedding invitation envelopes. She is the most frequently recurring female character in seasons 4 and 7, and has a cameo role in the season 9 episode titled "The Betrayal".

* George Steinbrenner (voiced by Larry David, portrayed by Lee Bear, who is only seen from behind)—He is George's boss and owner of the New York Yankees. Steinbrenner's face is never shown on the show. He is parodied for his arrogance and lack of touch with the realities of running of a baseball team. A recurring gag is for him to call George into his office, then proceed to ramble on about inane topics as George slowly walks out the door. In edited scenes, the real George Steinbrenner makes a cameo appearance and goes out with Elaine. The scenes were cut due to time constraints and are available on the season 7 DVD. He usually appears from the finale of season 5 to 9.

* J. Peterman (played by John O'Hurley)—He is one of Elaine's eccentric bosses. Peterman owns The J. Peterman Company and Elaine works on the catalog released by the company. Using the florid style of a treasure hunting adventurer, he typically announces his journeys to exotic locations in search of unique clothing. He is usually seen making an appearance from the finale of season 6 to season 9.

* Kenny Bania (portrayed by Steve Hytner)—Bania is a fellow stand up comedian. Jerry hates Bania, because he is so annoying. Bania's trademark "Hey Jerry!" is often treated by Jerry and his friends with annoyance and indifference. Kenny Bania appears in various episodes throughout seasons 6 through 9.

* David Puddy (portrayed by Patrick Warburton)—Puddy is Elaine's on-again, off-again boyfriend. He is a competent auto mechanic, but also an airhead with numerous quirks, most notably his squinting, staring, and insatiable appetite for high fives. He calls himself a Christian and he is known for his short, unapologetic delivery and unflinching assuredness, such as when he delivers his catch phrase "That's right". He is seen in seasons 6 and 9.

* Jackie Chiles (portrayed by Phil Morris)—Jackie is Kramer's lawyer. He has a secretary named Suzy and sets up appointments for his clients with an unseen "Dr. Bison". He also speaks with a rapid-fire delivery and tends to overuse grandiose adjectives like 'preposterous' and 'outrageous'. Chiles is a caricature of the late Johnnie Cochran. He is seen occasionally in seasons 7 to 9.

* Justin Pitt (portrayed by Ian Abercrombie)—Usually referred to as "Mr. Pitt," he was Elaine's demanding boss during the sixth season. He hired her because she reminded him of Jackie Onassis. He makes his appearance throughout Season 6 as well as "The Finale".

* Tim Whatley (played by Bryan Cranston)—Jerry's dentist, he appears in Seasons 6, 8 and 9. Elaine accuses him of regifting in "The Label Maker", and he converts to Judaism and begins to make references to the Jewish people as if he is a lifelong Jew in "The Yada Yada".

 

Notable guest appearances

 

See List of Seinfeld minor characters for a complete list of celebrities who played themselves and other guest stars in minor roles.

 

Besides its regularly recurring characters, Seinfeld featured numerous celebrities who appeared as themselves or as girlfriends, boyfriends, bosses and other acquaintances. Many of those who made guest appearances would become household names later in their careers, or were comedians and actors who were well-known for previous work.

 

Characteristics

 

Theme

 

Seinfeld violated several conventions of mainstream television. The show, which (correctly or not) is often described as "about nothing",[11][12][13] became the first television series since Monty Python's Flying Circus to be widely described as postmodern.[14] Several elements of Seinfeld fit in with a postmodern interpretation. The show typically is driven by humor dispersed with superficial conflict and characters with strange dispositions.

 

Many episodes revolved around the characters becoming involved in the lives of others to typically disastrous results. However, regardless of the damage they caused, they never gained anything from the experience and continued to be selfish, egocentric people. On the set, the notion that the characters should not develop or improve throughout the series was expressed as the "no hugging, no learning" rule. This quote is almost referenced in an episode ("The Secret Code") where Kramer says to Jerry, "Well the important thing is, you learned something," to which Jerry replies, "No I didn't." Unlike most sitcoms, there are no moments of pathos; the audience is never made to feel sorry for any of the characters. Even Susan's death in the series elicits no genuine emotions from anyone in the show.

 

The characters were "thirty-something singles ... with no roots, vague identities, and conscious indifference to morals".[15] Usual conventions, such as isolating the characters from the actors playing them and separating the characters' world from that of the actors and audience, were broken. One such example is the story arc in which the characters promote a television sitcom series named Jerry. The show within the show, titled Jerry was much like Seinfeld, in which Seinfeld played himself, and that the show was "about nothing". Jerry was launched in the Season 4 finale, but unlike Seinfeld, it was not picked up as a series.

 

Plotlines

 

Nearly every episode is based on the writers real life experiences. For example, "The Revenge" is based on Larry's experience at Saturday Night Live [16]. The Contest and The Phone Message are also based on Larry David's experiences[17]. "The Smelly Car" is based on Peter Mehlman's friend who is a lawyer that couldn't get the bad smell out of his car. "The Strike" is based on Dan O'Keefe's dad who made up his own holiday Festivus [18]. However other stories takes a different turn in a number of ways. "The Chinese Restaurant" is simply waiting for a table for the whole episode. "The Boyfriend" revolves around Keith Hernandez extending to two episodes [19]. "The Betrayal" is based on Pinter's play in which the story uses reverse chronology[20].

Catchphrases

 

The Seinfeld community can draw on a large amount of in-slang, "a lexicon of Seinfeldian code words and recurring phrases, that evolved around particular episodes", often called seinlanguage.[14] The characters frequently coin new terms to refer to characteristics of secondary characters, such as "re-gifter", "mimbo", "sidler", "close-talker", "low-talker", and "high-talker". The show has propelled many catchphrases such as Yada Yada Yada, master of your domain, and Not that there's anything wrong with that into daily life conversations.[21][22][23]

 

Evolution

 

Seasons 1 to 3: The early years

 

The show premiered as The Seinfeld Chronicles on July 5, 1989, on NBC. The pilot was not very well received. After it aired, a pickup by the NBC network did not seem likely and the show was actually offered to Fox, which declined to pick it up. However, Rick Ludwin, head of late night and special events for NBC, diverted money from his budget, and the next four episodes ("Male Unbonding", "The Stakeout", "The Robbery", and "The Stock Tip") were filmed.[24] These episodes were highly-rated as they followed Cheers on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., and the series was finally picked up. At one point, NBC considered airing these episodes on Saturdays at 10:30PM, but instead gave that slot to a short-lived sitcom, FM.

 

Seinfeld was championed by television critics in its early seasons, even as it was yet to cultivate a substantial audience. Early episodes such as "The Chinese Restaurant", "The Pony Remark", "The Parking Garage", and "The Subway", tended to be more realistic than the later ones, and dealt with the minutiae of daily life, such as getting stuck on the subway or waiting for their turn in a Chinese restaurant.

 

Seasons 4 to 5: Seinfeld's prime

 

Season 4 marked the sitcom's entry into the Nielsen Ratings Top 30, coinciding with several popular episodes, such as "The Bubble Boy", "The Outing", "The Airport", and "The Junior Mint". This was the first season to use a story arc, in which Jerry and George try to create their own sitcom, Jerry.

 

Much publicity followed the controversial episode, "The Contest", an Emmy Award-winning episode written by co-creator Larry David, whose subject matter (masturbation) was considered inappropriate for primetime network television. To circumvent this taboo, the word "masturbation" was never used in the script itself, instead substituted by a variety of oblique references. Midway through that season Seinfeld was moved from its original 9 p.m. time slot on Wednesdays to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays, following Cheers again, which gave the show even more popularity. The show won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1993, beating out its family-oriented competitor Home Improvement, which at the time was a big hit for NBC's rival ABC.

 

Season 5 was also a ratings-hit as it consisted of many popular episodes such as "The Mango", "The Puffy Shirt" starring Wendel Meldrum as the low talker, "The Lip Reader" with Marlee Matlin in the title role, "The Marine Biologist", "The Hamptons", and "The Opposite". Another story arc was used in which George returns to live with his parents for the entire season and later, creation of a coffee table book by Kramer. The show was again nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, but lost to the Cheers spin-off Frasier, which was only in its first season. Seinfeld was nominated for the same award every year for the rest of its run but would keep losing to Frasier.

 

Seasons 6 to 7: Maintaining the top

 

With Season 6, Andy Ackerman replaced Tom Cherones as the director of the show. Even so, the series remained well-regarded and produced some of its most famous episodes, such as "The Fusilli Jerry", "The Chinese Woman", "The Jimmy", "The Face Painter", and "The Switch", which finally revealed Kramer's first name, Cosmo. Story arcs used in this season was Elaine working as a personal assistant to her eccentric boss Mr. Pitt, as well as George's parents' separation which ended by the next season. This was also the first season in which Seinfeld reached Number 1 in the Nielsen Ratings.

 

With Season 7, the show has reached its creative peak. Another story arc created this season consisted of George getting engaged to his former girlfriend Susan Ross, whose last appearance was in Season 4. He spends most of the season regretting the engagement and trying to get out of it. Garnering its highest ratings yet, Seinfeld went on to produce some of its most famous episodes—namely "The Soup Nazi", "The Secret Code", "The Maestro", and "The Rye" among others.

Seasons 8 to 9: Without Larry David

 

The show's ratings were still going very strong in its final two seasons (8 and 9), but its critical standing suffered[25]. Larry David left at the end of Season 7 (although he continued to voice Steinbrenner in Season 8), so Seinfeld assumed David's duties as showrunner, and, under the direction of a new writing staff, Seinfeld became more of a fast-paced, absurdist show. The humor began to rely heavily on slapstick, and storylines occasionally delved into fantasy, an example being "The Bizarro Jerry", when Elaine is torn between exact opposites of her friends or when Jerry dates a woman who has the now-famed "man hands". Some notable episodes from season 8 include "The Little Kicks" showing Elaine's horrible dancing, "The Yada Yada", "The Chicken Roaster", and "The Comeback".

 

Season 9 included episodes such as "The Merv Griffin Show", "The Butter Shave", "The Betrayal" (the backwards episode), and "The Finale", which was written by Larry David. The last season included a story arc in which Elaine has an on/off relationship with David Puddy. Despite being offered to return for another season, Seinfeld decided to end the show after its ninth season.

 

Series Finale

 

After nine years on the air, NBC and Jerry Seinfeld announced on December 26, 1997, that the series would end production the following spring in 1998. The announcement made the front page of all the major New York newspapers, including the New York Times. Jerry Seinfeld was even featured on the cover of Time magazine's first issue of 1998.[26]

 

The series ended with a 75-minute episode (cut down to 60 minutes in syndication, in two parts) written by co-creator and former executive producer Larry David, which aired on May 14, 1998. Before the finale, a one-hour retrospective clip show was aired which included memorable scenes from the show's past nine seasons.

 

It was also the first episode since the finale of Season 7, "The Invitations", to feature opening and closing stand-up comedy acts by Jerry Seinfeld. The finale was filmed in front of an audience of NBC executives and additional friends of the show. The press and the public were shut out of the filming for the sake of keeping its plot secret, and all those who attended the taping of finale signed written "vows of silence".[27] The secrecy only seemed to increase speculation on how the series would end. Various accounts suggested that Jerry and Elaine get married while more cynical fans favored Julia Louis-Dreyfus' suggestion that the foursome die in a car accident after all their wishes come true. The producers of the show tweaked the media about the hype, spreading a false rumor about Newman ending up in the hospital and Jerry and Elaine sitting in a chapel, presumably to marry.[28]

 

The episode aired on the same day that Frank Sinatra died, and its airing may have been somewhat overshadowed by this event, but nonetheless it enjoyed a huge audience, estimated at 76 million viewers (58 percent of all viewers that night) making it the third most watched finale in television history. However, the finale received mixed reviews from both critics and fans of the show. The actual finale poked fun at the many rumors that were circulating, seeming to move into several supposed plots before settling on its true storyline—a lengthy trial in which Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer are prosecuted for violating a "Good Samaritan law" and are sentenced to jail. The last conversation in this final episode repeats the very first conversation from the pilot episode, discussing the positioning of a button on George's shirt. In the finale, the characters vaguely recall having the conversation before.

 

According to Forbes magazine, Seinfeld's annual earning from the show in 2004 was $267 million.[29] He was reportedly offered $5 million per episode to continue the show into its tenth season but he refused.[1] As of July 2007, he is still the second highest earner in the television industry, earning $60 million a year.[30] The show itself became the first television series to command more than $1 million a minute for advertising–a mark previously attained only by the Super Bowl.[31]

 

Awards and nominations

 

Main article: Seinfeld awards and nominations

 

Seinfeld has received awards and nominations in various categories throughout the mid-90s. It was awarded the Emmy for "Outstanding Comedy series" in 1993, Golden Globe Award for "Best TV-Series (Comedy)" in 1994 and Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" in 1995, 1997 and 1998.[32][33][34][35] Apart from these, the show was also nominated for an Emmy award from 1992 to 1998 for "Outstanding Comedy series", Golden Globe award from 1994 to 1998 for "Best TV-Series (Comedy)", and Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" from 1995 to 1998.[36]

 

After Seinfeld

 

The "Seinfeld curse"

 

Louis-Dreyfus, Alexander and Richards have each attempted -- unsuccessfully -- to launch new sitcoms as title-role characters. Despite decent acclaim and even some respectable ratings, almost every show was cancelled quickly, usually within the first season. This gave rise to the term Seinfeld curse: the failure of a sitcom starring one of the three, despite the conventional wisdom that each's Seinfeld popularity should almost guarantee a strong, built-in audience for the actor's new show. Shows specifically cited regarding the Seinfeld curse are Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Watching Ellie, Jason Alexander's Bob Patterson and Listen Up!, and Michael Richards' The Michael Richards Show. This phenomenon was mocked in Larry David's hit HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which Larry David brings up the idea to Jason Alexander that he should do a show about Alexander's inability to shake the 'George' title in order to move on with his career. When David and Alexander begin feuding in the show, Larry David takes the idea to Julia Louis-Dreyfus. They plan to work on a show called Aren't you Evelyn? but Larry David blows their chances with every network they meet, causing Julia to bow out of the idea.

 

Since the end of the program, Alexander has acted in film, theater and television, including guest appearances on Larry David's HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm and has received on-screen and voice credits in television (such as Arrested Development) and the Disney/Pixar animated film A Bug's Life. Louis-Dreyfus stars in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, which debuted in March 2006 to strong ratings and has been consistent ever since. The show was also renewed for a second season. Its 35 episodes make it the longest running show starring a Seinfeld alumnus since Seinfeld ended. Louis-Dreyfus also received an Emmy Award for best lead actress in a comedy series for her role as Christine. In her acceptance speech, Louis-Dreyfus held up her award and exclaimed, "I’m not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!"[44] The show was also renewed for its third season, and returned as a midseason replacement through the 2007-08 season. The "Seinfeld curse" was discussed in the opening of Saturday Night Live episode on May 13, 2006, hosted by Louis-Dreyfus; Alexander and Seinfeld also appeared in this episode. Richards continues to appear in new film and television work, as well. In November 2006, controversy arose concerning racial epithets Richards shouted at African-American hecklers during a live comedy club performance in Los Angeles.[45] He apologized for his statements a few days later during a rambling, impromptu appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, which Jerry Seinfeld had arranged to take place during his interview segment.

 

"It's so completely idiotic … It's very hard to have a successful sitcom," Larry David once said of the curse.[46]

 

Another scene

 

On the November 1, 2007, episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld mentioned the possibility of filming one last scene, after they leave prison. He mentioned he is far too busy to do it now, but did not announce what the scene would entail as it is still a possibility they will do it.[47] In commentary from the final season DVD, Jerry Seinfeld outlines that he and Jason Alexander spoke about this scene being in Monks Coffee Shop, with George saying “That was brutal” in reference to their team's stint in jail.

 

. . .

 

[SoxFan1]

Seinfeld, a well-deserved #1.

[Steve9347]

Simpsons not 1, eh????

Yeah... Seinfeld no brainer.

[Steve9347]

Nice work Jeremy. Nice to see Arrested Development, unfortunately all to late, is finally recognized. It's my #1 and always will be...

[Texsox]

Looking at some on my list that did not make the top 40

 

7. Will and Grace

 

9. Just Shoot Me

 

11. King of the Hill

 

12. Spin City

 

17. Welcome Back Kotter

 

19. Odd Couple

[daa84]

i didnt make a list so i shouldnt complain too much, and i know from the scrubs thread that it gets tons of love on this site....but i will never ever in my entire life think that show is even remotely funny....i went to visit one of my buddies at purdue one week and they had the DVDs and probably watched 10 or 12 episodes over the whole week and i chuckled maybe a half dozen times the whole time

 

i quote the far superior family guy "i was watchin that show scrubs last night....and you know what i couldn't figure out....which one is the funny one?"

Edited June 30, 2008 by daa84

[BigSqwert]

Nice work Jeremy. Nice to see Arrested Development, unfortunately all to late, is finally recognized. It's my #1 and always will be...

Mine too. It's probably the only show on the list that never jumped the shark. Oh and the British Office.

[Soxy]

Did anyone have both versions of the office on their list?

 

I just realized I left Spaced! off my list, but I doubt it would have mattered much.

[BigSqwert]

Did anyone have both versions of the office on their list?

Just the British for me. I feel that the US version is way over the top and becoming more so as the show progresses. I loved the more subtle British version.

[Brian]

Nice work.

 

No offense to the Arrested Development crowd, but #2 should be slotted for a show that ran longer than 3 years. Just my opinion.

[Steve9347]

Nice work.

 

No offense to the Arrested Development crowd, but #2 should be slotted for a show that ran longer than 3 years. Just my opinion.

The Simpsons has run for 20+ years, and was #2.

 

However, in 3 short seasons, Arrested Development, in my opinion, was the best entertainment I have ever been lucky enough to enjoy.

[Soxy]

Just the British for me. I feel that the US version is way over the top and becoming more so as the show progresses. I loved the more subtle British version.

Me too. I liked the first 2 seasons of the American Office, though.

[BigSqwert]

Me too. I liked the first 2 seasons of the American Office, though.

Likewise.

[Texsox]

The Simpsons has run for 20+ years, and was #2.

 

I did not have The Simpsons on my list, but believe it belongs in the top 3. I just never watched. I'm not certain if it was a time slot thing or what but I respect the run they had and their impact on our popular culture.

[knightni]

No one wonders who the 18th person who didn't have Seinfeld on their list was?

[WilliamTell]

I should've voted for this to give my props to WKRP in Cincinnati. I love that show.

[Controlled Chaos]

No one wonders who the 18th person who didn't have Seinfeld on their list was?

I wonder

 

Some on my list that did not make the top 40...

 

4) Monk

13) Malcolm in the Middle

15) Roseanne

19) Happy Days

[AssHatSoxFan]

No one wonders who the 18th person who didn't have Seinfeld on their list was?

More surprising is 4 people did not have the simpsons

[Steve9347]

I had "Working" on my list.