What fictional band list would be complete without Dr. Funke’s 100% Natural Good Time Family Band Solution? Arrested Development is famous for its oddball members of the Bluth family, but none were more odd than Tobias Funke. The band consisted of Tobia, wife Lindsay and their daughter, Maeby. A folk trio in styling, the band …
The biggest remaining treasure trove in the world of cinema is the long lost and destroyed ending to Orson Welles‘ The Magnificent Ambersons, his cynical director’s cut that he felt would’ve made it an even greater film than Citizen Kane. But anything having remotely to do with Welles may be just as great of a …
The digital age has changed television dramatically within the past two decades. With the advent of cable channels, home video media, dish on demand and the internet, the average TV viewer has a variety of venues to access television programs. With all these ways to access television shows, the viewing audience has become more aware …
Jack Shephard was originally supposed to be played by Michael Keaton, and he was going to die in Lost’s pilot episode. After his death, the first to be killed by the smoke monster (that honor ended up going to the plane’s pilot, played by Greg Grunberg), Kate would take over as the leader and primary …
Bad Words Written by Andrew Dodge Directed by Jason Bateman USA, 2014 One of the mainstays of the holiday season is Chuck Jones’ masterful animated short adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which manages to both be a clever embrace of everything that Christmas embodies in its secular form and to be …
Crystal Fairy is an aimless wisp of a movie, a lackadaisical road trip in which very little of substance happens, but intentionally so. Michael Cera, as the film’s snide, dismissive lead, does as much deliberate damage here to his previously squeaky-clean persona as he did in his raucous cameo in This is the End.
As my Televerse cohost Simon Howell and I discussed in our Top 10 TV Series of 2013 (So Far), this has been a spectacular year for television, with many shows delivering remarkably consistent seasons (or half-seasons) of memorable, moving television. A number of series were in contention for our Top 10 but didn’t quite make …
In the seven years since Fox cancelled Arrested Development, its influence has not necessarily been as widespread as one might expect, given its rapturous cult following. A few series have attempted to emulate its heavily serialized approach to building and contorting gags over episodes and even seasons – Archer, in particular, springs to mind, as …
Netflix and the stars of Arrested Development have done a pretty good job of keeping fairly coy about the upcoming season. Devoted fans have been kept waiting for a trailer or a sneak peek and Entertainment Weekly’s latest covers delivers with a detailed insight to the new episodes. When describing the new season, creator Mitch Hurwitz …
Arrested Development creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, once wrote an article for The Guardian listing eleven reasons for the show’s cancellation. Number eleven read, “Make a show for British sensibilities and then show it in America.” But is Arrested Development solely a comedy for British sensibilities? Arrested Development is an awkward comedy. That is to say that …
When starting a new television show, the thing I look forward to the most is the title sequence, so it only felt right to devise this list when I heard the theme was favourite television shows this month. In early television there wasn’t a huge focus on title sequences; their only purpose was to present the …
Identity Thief Directed by Seth Gordon Written by Craig Mazin USA, 2013 Identity Thief is the latest in a disturbingly long line of mainstream American comedies that requires both its audience and its “normal” leading characters to fall under a form of Stockholm Syndrome. These movies shove a straitlaced man or woman with someone who’s …
Let’s face it Christmas television in recent years has become pretty dire; here is a list of alternative programs and Christmas specials for you to enjoy over the Christmas holidays! 12. Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” Known for it’s endless pop culture references, Community carried on this theme with their Christmas episode. What makes it stand …
The Return of Arrested Development Nobody was really paying attention to Netflix’s talk about ‘original programming’ until they snatched up the rights to Mitch Hurwitz’s classic family sitcom, bringing it back for a fourth season after more than half a decade off the air. The details of the season are being kept under wraps for …
With ABC cancelling Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue recently, we decided to look back on other TV series that were cancelled too soon. 10. Ringer (1 season, 22 episodes, ended in 2012) Sarah Michelle Geller plays a pair of twin sisters who are complete opposites. There’s Bridget, a recovering drug addict and stripper, and …
Secret of the Wings, the latest in the Disney Fairies series, is the movie-length definition of the word “innocuous.” It’s hard to imagine that anyone would be truly offended by the film, and that any children would be too scared or frightened by the extremely friendly, candy-colored world of Pixie Hollow and the neighboring Winter …
The Oranges Directed by Julian Farino Written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss USA, 2011 Voiceover narration isn’t automatically a crutch in modern storytelling, but too many writers use it so they don’t have to do actual work. For every clever use of this literary trick—such as the narration in Sunset Boulevard or The Shawshank …
With Eastbound & Down’s series finale set to air this Sunday and the 2012 MLB season a few weeks underway, baseball is on the brain of many a sports-loving TV fan. With such a long and rich history, and such a strong place in American culture, it’s only natural for so many series to take …
Most people watch TV passively, as a way to wind down their day or relax with their family. Then there are TV fans, who sit forward in their seats, eager to be challenged and inspired as well as entertained by their favorite series. In general, whether viewed actively or passively, TV is in its nature …
Community, Season 3, Episode 10 “Regional Holiday Music” Airs Thursdays, 8pm EST on NBC So Community is now benched and for how long we don’t yet know, but if they absolutely had to go out, this was the way to do it. It combined everything that I love. Christmas, musicals, and hating of Glee, all …
One of the most commonly accepted clichés of American television is the family sitcom with the schlubby husband and gorgeous wife. It’s so pervasive that a quick Google search brings up this entry on the topic from TvTropes.org, which features 3,700+ words devoted to live action TV examples alone. Most TV fans look down on …
Being a huge fan of Arrested Development, I just had to post this story. The fine folks over at Pleated-Jeans have created an Arrested Development themed Clue board game, complete with box art, game board, suspect cards and weapon cards. Head over to Pleated-Jeans for more images
“Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz and his co-executive producer James Vallely are working on a screenplay for the long-debated feature version of their short-lived Fox series…Hurwitz would also direct the Fox Searchlight feature.” The groundbreaking series launched the career of future Juno star Michael Cera (a newcomer at that point) as well as making a …